The “All-you-can-eat Buffet of Food for Thought.” IdeaFestival 2010 is what this statement is referring to.  I just received my ‘personal invitation’ to attend the yearly conference held in Louisville, KY, and I couldn’t be more excited. I feel more creative just thinking about it.

IdeaFestival is “a world-class event that attracts leading global innovators and thinkers to discuss and celebrate imagination, new perspectives and transformational ideas.  It explores the cross-cutting nature of innovation over a range of diverse disciplines.”  I should say so! As descriptive as that is, until you experience the event yourself it is very hard to get across just how great it is. 

At one year’s conference an Internet game designer talked about applying the brain power used on gaming everyday to help solve real world problems by designing those problems into the games.  I learned about the science and mystery of magic and learned how tricks are done. Knowing that makes watching it even more enjoyable because you are aware of the time involved in the trick’s invention, and the hours of practice needed to perfect it.  There was also a ninja, a philosopher, a neurosurgeon, an architect and many others that told how they innovate, generate ideas and collaborate.

This year I am looking forward to hearing from the co-founder of Twitter. Really— how do you come up with an idea like that?!?  There is a short film festival and a talk from one of the producers of Avatar. Now that was innovative!  I will get to hear about “life before life” and how third graders think and inspire their teacher. And that is just the beginning. What an inspiring, thought provoking event this is. 

I just can’t say enough. 

Go. 

Be inspired.

Be collaborative.

Be innovative.

So I’m sitting in a Starbucks in Sacramento CA waiting to meet with the city planner regarding a new building design and notice the building across the street has an HVAC unit mounted at the peak of a bowstring truss roof. You’ve got to be kidding me! As they say on “Modern Family,” What the face! Where is the enforcement?

You would think they were trying to make a mechanical engineering cupola statement as part of the design concept or something. Wow, who does that and what city planner or inspector approved that?

As design professionals, we go through great pains to design buildings that screen ugly mechanical equipment to improve the look of the street scape at every juncture. We work with the cities and their planners to provide multiple renderings and diagrams to show that this type of equipment won’t be visible from the street level.

I would love to know how contractors and owners get by with this stuff and get it approved. Bottles of Scotch maybe? Who are the inspectors? Did they not notice this? Sometimes it seems that there is a double standard when it comes to design and approvals. Take heed, fellow retail architects. With all the cuts within the city departments, it tells me that structures are getting built without any review or inspection. It’s all on you.

When I see this type of debacle it reinforces to me why we are so critical of our designs, and why we look at the project in its entirety from a big picture view. It helps me sleep at night knowing that we care when we deliver our work.

There wasn’t an Evolutionary War for a reason. In the pre-dawn of U.S. history, the new settlers wanted more than to just evolve the British rule, it had to be overthrown. A new start, a clean slate. Imagine the pressure that those founding fathers must have felt when deciding that enough was enough, let’s try something new. Today, many brands find themselves in the same place. The status quo isn’t working. It’s time to differentiate. But I wonder if the ideas of “revolution” and “evolution” aren’t being confused.

It’s easy to tell yourself that your brand needs something revolutionary, something that breaks paradigms and reveals new ways of talking to your customers. But all too often, companies follow the evolutionary path—a new coat of paint, a few new fixtures and a new sign on the storefront. A quick win here, a quick win there.

Starting your own revolution isn’t easy and that first step can be scary. One of the most important things to do once you’ve determined to change is deciding how far you can and are willing to go. Look at every facet of your brand, from the most obvious things to the very subtle.  Deep unbiased introspection will uncover opportunity for a new attitude, a new set of guiding principles, a new market space.

In retail, change is life. So overthrow the old paradigms.  Delve into your brand and find that crazy idea, the one that’s worth fighting for.

As I was finishing up payment at the pharmacy, a young male employee strolled into the area and struck up a conversation with the staff by saying, “That new Kotex packaging is sharp!”  Silence.  Then, apparently mistaking the silence as a request for clarification, he continued, “You know, the black packages?  They are really cool looking!”  More silence.  Based on a quick survey of their expressions, everyone seemed to be thinking the same thing, What is an 18 year old guy doing talking about feminine hygiene products?!  

Even as I grabbed my purchase and escaped the awkwardness, I began to contemplate what transpired.  Given that I spend my days knee-deep in shopper sciences, I found the situation quite compelling.  Good packaging should be, in part, disruptive, and the new U by Kotex packaging is definitely that.  The sub-brand is unique in the category, both in shelf presentation and in the “get real” tone of the advertising.  A+ on disruption. 

But…packaging should also be appropriate for the category, and I’m not convinced that U delivers on that part just yet—or that they are justified in bypassing that rule.  The new package grabbed the attention of the young male employee and made it seem accessible to him, but what does that mean for the brand intended exclusively for a female audience?  (For sure, some men do purchase these items for the women in their lives, but they are not stakeholders.  I highly doubt most women ask their male partners to “bring me something new” in the category when passing off the shopping list.)  I am interested to see how women shoppers will respond to this new offering.  Will women view the disruption as a welcome change in category fraught with pastels and euphemisms?  Will it become a signpost—a game-changing brand that other brands will be forced to emulate or accommodate?  Or, will women view it as a garish statement in a category where they are looking for discretion, security, and reliability?

I’ve been fascinated with the concepts of “augmented reality” as it is currently being used by Legos.  

What’s so amazing is the ability to integrate a 3D digital element directly into a live video feed with complete real time interaction. I understand the automotive industry is jumping all over this technology with upcoming concept vehicles that can have on-screen (windshield) feed for enhancing road contours, signage, lighting, etc. —which could completely change the way we think of driving. 

The automotive ideas still seem a little far off for implementation but what about the present possibilities for other retailers?  Anyone have any cool examples of other retailers utilizing this or have any great ideas of where this may be used in the future?  And guys, please don’t even go there with the Victoria’s Secrets concept.

It was a surprise to see major players like McDonald’s, Subway and Panera were not included in Nation’s Restaurant News, Top Ten Fastest Growing Restaurant Chains. The article focused instead on the “up & coming” brands beginning to populate the restaurant landscape.

I’m always looking for restaurant innovation that goes beyond new menu items and expanded dayparts. That’s why I was gratified to see that Which Wich? was #1 on the list. They have been on my radar screen for quite some time, because they have transformed the customary submarine sandwich experience. They have a guest experience that brings new meaning to the phase “brown bagging” it. Their unique ordering system puts the guest in control while improving the process for employees. Plus, it’s clever and simple. At Which Wich? customers place their orders by using custom red Sharpie pens to mark up pre-printed menus on sandwich bags.

The article made me think of a famous quote, “If we’re growing, we’re always going to be out of our comfort zone.” And if you think about brands that take chances and continue to be successful they are always searching for new ways to connect and engage with their guests, and in many cases, their franchisees and employees. Delivering a unique experience that is aligned with the brand vision while keeping it simple—in today’s marketplace, that is being innovative.

So with much fanfare, and at least as much controversy, Apple’s iPad has been released to the masses. Okay, I admit it, I ran out and bought one the day the 3G model was available and I also admit that I’m a bit smitten with it. I have no doubt that it will change my behavior in much the same way my iPhone did. But as much as the general public was anticipating the launch, I wonder if retail wasn’t equally as excited about it as part of the digital retail experience of the future.

From what I’ve seen so far, I can use it as a creative tool (no more losing my pen cap thanks to the sketch app). And I’ll be more efficient with my time away from home.  I can imagine that, put to the right use, a device like this has the ability to bring a different set of efficiencies to retail.

Maybe the iPad and the inevitable wave of competitors will have the ability to transform my experience at checkout. Maybe checking in at a hotel will be easier. Maybe big, clunky counters will become the symbols of a time when associates and customers weren’t connecting.  Maybe the augmented reality apps will give retail a new way to resonate with customers that both informs and delights. Maybe benefits for retailers and customers alike are in store, pun most certainly intended.  Maybe those customers walking out of an Apple store are leaving not only with an iPad, but a buyPad as well.

To be most effective, a sustainability initiative must be approached holistically. Sustainability and brand thinking are alike in that they radiate outward from the heart of the business. Just as brand is part of everyone’s job, sustainability can be too. Both brand and sustainability strategies are ideally intertwined, well thought out and well executed from vision to prototype. Typically, companies with this kind of forethought get high marks for differentiation and credibility, such as Whole Foods Market and Starbucks. There’s a direct benefit to the value of the brand.

Whether a company has a long history of social responsibility or a newly awakened desire to conserve resources, there are trusted ways to make decisions based on return on investment. If a large fleet of stores is in need of image refreshing, that’s an opportunity to look at controlling energy costs and sustainable building strategies. Even stores primarily in tenant spaces can look at a healthier environment and LEED certification.

In terms of the cost savings to be realized from energy and operational upgrades, if a company needs to go outside for sustainable design expertise, it’s best to align with a team that’s experienced in retail architecture and engineering. A considered, holistic approach allows a company to have their sustainability expert step in at any point in the store development process to find the most relevant and immediate opportunities.

Companies under pressure to stem margin erosion may jump headfirst into shopper marketing before they are ready. In doing so, they could overlook the need to solve fundamental problems in the shopping experience and end up with unpredictable results in the store.

The urge to dive in is understandably tempting. Brands that invest in shopper marketing are seeing three times the return as compared to traditional marketing disciplines. But the discussion revolves around a very small percentage of brands, such as CVS/pharmacy and Mars Snackfoods, ShopRite and Kellogg’s, Walgreens which just announced it will engage in a shopper marketing pilot with The Hershey Company, and of course the eminence of shopper marketing, Procter & Gamble. All have been working on shopper marketing for years and have an extremely high level of expertise.

Instead of starting with the shopper journey, a company should first seek its own path. Ask yourself, ‘Where do you want to go?’ From there, you need to determine how that impacts your category growth strategies, partner relationships, and competitive advantages. Then you can look at your path in light of the path of the shopper you want to have. Shopper marketing understands the shopper psychology and what drives choice, but who benefits from that depends on what their business objectives are.

The performance-boosting strategy promised by shopper marketing is real. But there are many ways to get lost in the avalanche of rhetoric and the diversity of views among practitioners. Companies need to take the time to understand what separates effective from ineffective efforts.