Prove It
March 27th, 2006
Brand Autopsy featured an interesting quote on Friday. Featured in the Spring Issue of Business Week Small Biz, Roger Martin’s quote was: “Ban the term ‘prove it’ from your business vocabulary. Anything that’s truly innovative can’t be proven in the early stages.”
As the main researcher here at Brains, I agree… and disagree. Let me explain.
Companies that refuse to embark on a new, daring strategy until research and statistics can guarantee x% rise in net something-or-other… well… they’re going to be sadly disappointed. (And frankly, that need is irrational when you look at the effectiveness numbers on traditional media.) The whole point of doing something innovative is that it hasn’t been done before, so “proof” just plain doesn’t exist. You’ll get to prove it yourself. It’s scary, but that’s the price of admission for a truly new idea.
HOWEVER
A new idea is not a good idea by virtue of its being new. And there is certainly research - usually qualitative research - that can be done which can steer you in the right direction as you shape your innovative idea, giving you a higher probability of success. It’s the difference between standing at the end of a football field hucking javelins or standing a few feet away tossing a dart at the same target.
As David Ogilvy said, “I notice an increasing reluctance on the part of marketing executives to use judgment… they are coming to use research as a drunk uses a lamp post: for support rather than illumination.”
Other posts by Jennifer.
Crawford Long says:
“A new idea is not a good idea by virtue of its being new.” Wash, rinse, repeat.
It’s not branding, per se, though the image that this one particular ad leaves behind is certainly impacting the brand of the subject company in my mind: it’s an ad for retractable awnings that shows up entirely too often on a radio station I listen to down here in Atlanta.
The ad is basically two tracks: one guy is talking about the benefits of this retractable awning product, while the second guy follows up every (EVERY) line with “Tell ‘em about the discount, Ed!”
It’s gratingly, jarringly annoying, and the first edition (which I only heard once) had the guy’s wife as the “second” voice. Apparently someone had the same idea that I did: that she sounded like a horrible nag (irrespective of gender, I should probably add, since that particular noun can be an awful pejorative). Rather than cancel the ad, however, they apparently redid it with the guy’s (nag) buddy.
Result: I remember the ad, I remember the company, I remember the discount. But I will never, ever, ever give them a cent because every time I hear the ad, I dig the finger grooves into my steering wheel a little deeper.
Now, these folks don’t sound like they’ve got a bunch of cash sitting around, but, good golly, market test the ad with some neighbors, for goodness sake, and just see if people cringe.
March 27th, 2006 at 7:19 pmolivier blanchard says:
Cool post. “Test it” might be a better battle cry than “Prove it”.
… Although “Let’s find out” sounds pretty damn engaging to me.
March 28th, 2006 at 2:16 pm