What’s in a Trend?
Fashion Industry made the word ‘Trend’ popular apart from the share market. ‘Trend Forecasting’ is almost synonymous with ‘Seasons’ as you rightly pointed out. Designers and Architects being aware of the ‘international trends’ is another side of the story, which again is another name for ‘imitation’, in the current reality where consumer knows what is ‘in’.
Onio uses trends in the wider socio-economic perspective where ‘trends’ are not seasonal changes, but they are the responses of the society to the changing scenarios (they are also called 'mega-trends') i.e. when consumers are bombarded with mindless products and options, initially they like it, then slowly the ‘option fatigue’ sets in. This results in a trend for ‘simplified product forms’ and ‘products& experiences with easy navigation’. With this kind of pattern reading, Onio expects a ‘trend’ to last for a few years and not change every season.
Yet, there may be micro-loops of ‘fads’ which can change with any major event i.e. a big brand launching a particular colour. Even these micro-loops still follow the ‘mega-trend’ that we just talked about. For example, ‘Remixing’ is a trend that Onio has talked two years back, and named it as ‘Twin World’. Since people have more options, they want to mix and match. Indian food with Thai food, Indian traditions with modernity, past with present….and you see a whole lot of ‘retro-movies’ that have hit the Bollywood. This trend is at peak in clothing, but it will slowly come down to consumer goods, furniture and architecture (in that order).
IndianNess
In the entire rigmarole of trends, international look, forecasts etc. there is an underlying argument of ‘Indian-ness’ or ‘Indian Needs’. At Onio, we follow our own proprietary methodology for applying trends on the target consumers, called ‘Intentiability’. This process first identifies consumer segments based on their level of ‘root connect’ or connect with ‘Indian-ness’ and then looks at relative sensitivity to the prevailing trends. Higher the ‘root connect’ of a consumer segment, lower will be their sensitivity to ‘upcoming trends’. For example, we identified a group called ‘Desi-Dynamos’ primarily consisting of factory managers, politicians, senior level bureaucrats, and rural big-wigs. These people show high level of awareness yet when it comes to choosing furniture, they go by a) More solid looks, thicker materials b) Touch of glitter c) established brands and prevalent styles d) no drastic changes in shapes e) more ornamental and saturated palette rather than European pastels. Even if they follow the European pastels, it would be only if suggested by a high-end architect. They do not have a mind of their own. It is the mind of the community.
So trends alone mean nothing in the Indian scenario, unless the target segment is mapped for a) sensitivity to the trend b) their connect to the ‘roots’, as an attitude. This applies to almost all emerging countries (BRICs). While mapping a trend, it does not exclude the elements of ‘good design’. If a trend is suggesting use of ‘slim handles’ does not mean that uncomfortable handles would get a preference.
Onio’s Views on Trends
Trends deal with Future view, which takes a lot of effort to explain to the management.
We believe trends do three things for the innovation strategy-
1. Clues:
If the organisation wants to find some new leads to toe on the innovation frontier, Trends can point to some available niche. Niche emerge due to changing life-style. A trend-spotter’s eye catches it fastest.
2. Connections:
They throw up connections in the parallel fields where similar events are expected/happening. This helps the strategy articulation to the top management.
3. Conviction:
If certain direction has already been taken on innovation front, Trend study can substantiate the direction.
Thus Onio works on products, services and brand innovation through the first filter of trends, supported by user needs, technology changes and market statistics. We call this model MUST (Market, User, Society and Technology) as the four pillars of innovation in the current reality.
Onio considers ‘Trend thinking’ as a tool for business managers to think beyond the constraints and make invisible connection to leap ahead of the market.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
After I posted this, I came across comments of Faith Popcorn on the same issue-" In the next decade, the spirituality will become much more integral to daily life as companies and employers begin scheduling meditation or "spirituality breaks" for employees to pray or otherwise connect with a higher power. Noting that more Americans attend religious services than all sporting events combined, she adds: "Pick-your-own religions will become the new status quo. For example, people may combine Jewish ritual with Catholic sacraments and Zen principles."
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
I am sensing BUFFET-SPIRITUALITY is the next trend!
On one side the religious lines are hardening, and on the other levels of society, but the time for personality based preachings is over. Human intellect is seeking multiple answers in multiple hues. People are picking up the rght elements from Zen Buddhism, Indian mysticism, Yoga, Arabic Sufism, and more moderate virtues of other religions. People are designing their own religion. A buffett of spirituality, that matches their inner needs. Some of the comments I received on this trend are-
"New thought and new age thinking is definitely more accepted and mainstream now than ever before. I can't speak outside of my own experience with Christianity. Traditional mainstream churches are struggling with membership, Attendance is dwindling in the Catholic and Episcopal churches and I suspect in other denominations as well. Very few people attend under the age of 70. Young people want more discussion and less dogma. More entertainment and less ritual. Oprah and The Secret were the tipping point in the West. Even those who call themselves Christians are dabbling in Buddhism, Kabala and Sufi philosophy.Look at the success of Deepak Chopra! I think that is a very good thing and there's no going back. I think recent global events have made people more aware of the damage done by rigid beliefs. They reject the rigidity but still seek spiritual guidance and comfort."
Marilyn Ellis Owner, Lighthouse Organizers LLC, Harbor Light Coaching
"I concur. I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, but as I matured and educated myself, I found Catholicism wasn't meeting all of my needs; I needed to take a little from Zen Buddhism and mysticism. I think people have been partaking in this form of Buffet Spirituality for longer that we think. I also think it makes sense, due to Globalization... :"
Stephanie Benney Account Executive, PrintSmartz
"I've noticed that a lot of the publicity around positivity as a religious mindset - tuning into the power of the universe, to make your immediate dreams a reality has died down since the fall. In this economic climate, there's real opportunity for religions that give people hope and comfort of the eternal."
Patricia Smith Brand Development & Communications Strategist
"Speaking from a background in the psychology of religion, I disagree. Nothing new or future about that. The "shopping-mall of religions" is a hallmark of modernity, dating back at least to the advent of bourgeois culture. Open-ended media, the self-help shelves, consultancy-culture and increasing available resources (e.g. time, travel funds, etc.) may influence the spread of spiritual ideas and short-term interest, but religion needs to compete with science, therapy, entertainment and other (more current) offers on the open market of ideas and need-fulfillment. If anything, the recent fear of religious conflict probably puts a lid on new spiritual practice these days - and I don't anticipate a reverse pendulum-swing around the corner. "
Andreas Lieberoth project developer and freelancer
On one side the religious lines are hardening, and on the other levels of society, but the time for personality based preachings is over. Human intellect is seeking multiple answers in multiple hues. People are picking up the rght elements from Zen Buddhism, Indian mysticism, Yoga, Arabic Sufism, and more moderate virtues of other religions. People are designing their own religion. A buffett of spirituality, that matches their inner needs. Some of the comments I received on this trend are-
"New thought and new age thinking is definitely more accepted and mainstream now than ever before. I can't speak outside of my own experience with Christianity. Traditional mainstream churches are struggling with membership, Attendance is dwindling in the Catholic and Episcopal churches and I suspect in other denominations as well. Very few people attend under the age of 70. Young people want more discussion and less dogma. More entertainment and less ritual. Oprah and The Secret were the tipping point in the West. Even those who call themselves Christians are dabbling in Buddhism, Kabala and Sufi philosophy.Look at the success of Deepak Chopra! I think that is a very good thing and there's no going back. I think recent global events have made people more aware of the damage done by rigid beliefs. They reject the rigidity but still seek spiritual guidance and comfort."
Marilyn Ellis Owner, Lighthouse Organizers LLC, Harbor Light Coaching
"I concur. I was born and raised a Roman Catholic, but as I matured and educated myself, I found Catholicism wasn't meeting all of my needs; I needed to take a little from Zen Buddhism and mysticism. I think people have been partaking in this form of Buffet Spirituality for longer that we think. I also think it makes sense, due to Globalization... :"
Stephanie Benney Account Executive, PrintSmartz
"I've noticed that a lot of the publicity around positivity as a religious mindset - tuning into the power of the universe, to make your immediate dreams a reality has died down since the fall. In this economic climate, there's real opportunity for religions that give people hope and comfort of the eternal."
Patricia Smith Brand Development & Communications Strategist
"Speaking from a background in the psychology of religion, I disagree. Nothing new or future about that. The "shopping-mall of religions" is a hallmark of modernity, dating back at least to the advent of bourgeois culture. Open-ended media, the self-help shelves, consultancy-culture and increasing available resources (e.g. time, travel funds, etc.) may influence the spread of spiritual ideas and short-term interest, but religion needs to compete with science, therapy, entertainment and other (more current) offers on the open market of ideas and need-fulfillment. If anything, the recent fear of religious conflict probably puts a lid on new spiritual practice these days - and I don't anticipate a reverse pendulum-swing around the corner. "
Andreas Lieberoth project developer and freelancer
Monday, May 04, 2009
What would be te core values of a global product brand emanting from India?
I posted a question on two online groups I subscribe to- “What do you think would be the essence/qualities/values of a global product brand emanating from India?”
I provided the following explanation from my side, to guide the answers-
There is not a single product brand that emanates from India and world knows it. Tata (Nano, Titan, Jaguar...) has a promise but long way to go. With rich heritage, bright business minds and hard working generation India stands a chance to create one. What values should this product brand be built on?
Question was posted at my IIT alumni network and similar other groups where one can expect certain maturity of the understanding of the paradigm we are talking of. Answers ranged from highly IT centered view of the World (full of ‘Service economy’ jargon) to more mature ways of dealing with ‘Brand India’ before we talk of ‘Product brand’ from India. However, most seemed way disconnected from 'Branding' phenomenon. That is the reality of India.
Here are some interesting exeprts-
“The capability of the brand to win the value equation with its strategic consumer target against world class competition” - Devarun Ghosh at Procter & Gamble
"Brand has many levels of understanding. Brand personality can be a combination of communication, credibility, brand attributes that simulate with the product as well as the geography coming from. Personality of BMW (neo-professional, young achiever, pacy lifestyle) is different than personality of 'Force India' (honest, challenging and hardworking). As it was said brand 'IIT' probably the best ever brand India has ever created. What could be the personality? Intelligent, young, aspiring to go to the top, emerging from the crowd through sheer hard word! Brand emanating from India should have capture the essence of 'India' though depending on the product / market segment etc. I would propsoe to have a personality combining: - Intelligent - Dare to dream - Hard working - Young, challenging - Quailty assured".
Sudip Mazumder Experienced Program Manager
"Innovation. Yesterday's competitive edge becomes tomorrow's standards. Around the world, 'Quality' of products is taken for granted so no one can brag about the quality of their products anymore. It is a given in consumer's mind. The best business minds and hard working generation in India lacks Creativity and Innovation that can sustain its economy in Global Arena. It is always not about low cost. If cost alone matters, China will be the winner. Almost, all the products imported in US from China are 'Commodity' items, quality or continued support of which is least expected. For e.g., when a consumer in US walks into a store and picks up something with label 'Made in China', the characteristics "Quality" doesn't even spark in his/her mind. With so many software giants (most of them are the largest in the world) being in India, the situation is that we don't have even a single s/w product that India can boast of. Everything is focused simply on services and not the products. The businessmen in India at large are still short-term focused, without a long-term strategy. Tata's Nano caught the world's attention simply due to its size and prize.I am sure that Europeans, Japanese, and Americans wouldn't come forward to accept Nano in their markets. I am sorry to say this, but the truth is that in the Western world largely in EU and American continent, the image of India is still "slumdog", poor quality, unethical behaviors, snake charmers, swamijis, poor life standards, untidy, .... you can name everything. I have lived in US for 22 years now and have my kids starting the second generation. But this is the reality. The whole image of the country must be given a facelift. Only then its products will even be considered for acceptance into the Global Brand."
Muthu Chinnadurai Senior Business Systems Executive
"Manoj, let's start with what's a global brand.. It is something people around the world relates to and associates with a specific service or product, correct? When you think about it, India holds it's own in many spheres of human activity.. what immediately comes to mind is travel - India has a brand recognition in that space with Taj Mahal, the Himalayas, and the beaches of Goa and Kerala. Take food, Indian curry and tandoori is a recognizable brand the world over.. I am not sure if any single firm has capitalized on these globally recognizable 'India' brands.. and then there are certain other areas in industry, like IT or back-office operations and call centers, where Indian companies like TCS & Infosys have built up powerful brands, and these firms are so successful in building that brand that people here tend to think every Indian here in the US works in the IT industry! So is the case with call centers, though on latenight TV shows here, the hosts talk with an Indian accent when they refer to call centers! (not always in a good way though).. And in education, IITs & IIMs are globally recognized Indian brands.. These are some of the successes..there are many more like these, I would imagine. And then there are globally recognized images of India which are very negative.. poor basic infrastructure, corrupt government machinery, the vast division between rich & poor in India, and the red-tape everywhere..etc etc.. that doesn't do any good for 'brand India' globally. What India has failed to produce however - and I think this is what you are trying to address, though the usage of 'brand' got me to start off with broad strokes - are a globally recognized brand in engineering or consumer products.. and, i believe this has to do with quality of what Indian firms produce! Right from market analysis through product design, companies seem to focus on making something that meets 'some' of the customer needs, at the cheapest cost, getting them the highest margin, inevitably ending up with sub-standard products.. quality in production I believe is better, though here again, quality is applied with a focus on reducing cost, with an eye on improving profits, rather than making quality products. So Indian firms end up with products that could only be marketed in developing or under-developed economies like India, where customers are willing to trade-in quality for price. An Indian firm could successfully build a product that could become a global brand, if they design and build quality products for the global market.. it could be in any industry, and doing it in india will be no different from doing it in the USA, Germany, Japan or Brazil.. it just need companies to go back to the fundamentals of product development and quality management. There are no short-cuts to get there!"
Baiju Krishnan VP at Citigroup
My final note:
Baiju did capture the sort of background summary of what I am asking. All the discussion on 'brand India' is about that. However as Baiju indicated, I am asking a more pointed question- About Product Brands. I am a bit biased on product brand because that's what people see selling in the shopping streets when we visit other countries. A high end software, sitting inside a giant reactor, made by India is not visible to people. So I am talking about the product which people/consumers can touch and feel everyday.People think of Volkswagen as a well engineered car brand. Sony got the miniaturisation and thoughtfulness of Japan right. Newer entrant Muji, built a brand on good design and no-frill attitude that pervade japanese culture and Zen paradigm. Ferrari exahults the flamboyance of Italians. Harley is about great American Adventure and Exploration. On the other hand, let's take a humble example- a ball pen/gel pen - BIC is BIC..the legend. In India, we might easily have at least 100 manufacturer making gel/ball pens. They would be producing close to 5 million pens a day-all world-class. Technology is no different. Take Another example, Titan Watch- the king of Indian watch market. Look at VIP bags...almost as good looking bags as Samsonite but not quite TUMI. So even if we leave the services, out of our discussion and just focus on daya-to-day physical products, what is that value that people would like to remember/relish about an Indian brand? It won't be surely 'Low Cost'- this is a short term phenomenon til our labour becoe costly. 5000 years of history and all the bright and shining mind can not make a brand on 'quality', 'price' or 'engineering'...these are primitive differentiators. Let me sya what I have in mind...some pointers that you can add on- Longevity: Western countries make products that become useless soon. Indians never like to throw things. Married-for-ever is the institution that we revere. Can we use this micro phenomenon to build a design principle that says- make a product that should RENEW itself over a period or find a REUSE after its jobs is over. We know how housewives store all the free glass jars for containing dals and other condiments in the kitchen. Can we use this one a bigger scale i.e. Design a vehicle that would only require minor upgrades and minimal invasion to become new. Can we decidedly use tougher coatings on the body that it would remain scratch proof. Can we build things as a part of new brand character, that may be a bit costly but remain SOLID and REUSABLE to the core? We are talking of sustainability in the way that West does not understand and it comes to us naturally. Being a developing and deprived society for the time being, should not guide the brand character that would last for 100 years next.... Does it make sense? Can we find more such values that are core to the India but worthy of being taken up as a brand character for emerging Indian product brands?
Manoj Kothari
I provided the following explanation from my side, to guide the answers-
There is not a single product brand that emanates from India and world knows it. Tata (Nano, Titan, Jaguar...) has a promise but long way to go. With rich heritage, bright business minds and hard working generation India stands a chance to create one. What values should this product brand be built on?
Question was posted at my IIT alumni network and similar other groups where one can expect certain maturity of the understanding of the paradigm we are talking of. Answers ranged from highly IT centered view of the World (full of ‘Service economy’ jargon) to more mature ways of dealing with ‘Brand India’ before we talk of ‘Product brand’ from India. However, most seemed way disconnected from 'Branding' phenomenon. That is the reality of India.
Here are some interesting exeprts-
“The capability of the brand to win the value equation with its strategic consumer target against world class competition” - Devarun Ghosh at Procter & Gamble
"Brand has many levels of understanding. Brand personality can be a combination of communication, credibility, brand attributes that simulate with the product as well as the geography coming from. Personality of BMW (neo-professional, young achiever, pacy lifestyle) is different than personality of 'Force India' (honest, challenging and hardworking). As it was said brand 'IIT' probably the best ever brand India has ever created. What could be the personality? Intelligent, young, aspiring to go to the top, emerging from the crowd through sheer hard word! Brand emanating from India should have capture the essence of 'India' though depending on the product / market segment etc. I would propsoe to have a personality combining: - Intelligent - Dare to dream - Hard working - Young, challenging - Quailty assured".
Sudip Mazumder Experienced Program Manager
"Innovation. Yesterday's competitive edge becomes tomorrow's standards. Around the world, 'Quality' of products is taken for granted so no one can brag about the quality of their products anymore. It is a given in consumer's mind. The best business minds and hard working generation in India lacks Creativity and Innovation that can sustain its economy in Global Arena. It is always not about low cost. If cost alone matters, China will be the winner. Almost, all the products imported in US from China are 'Commodity' items, quality or continued support of which is least expected. For e.g., when a consumer in US walks into a store and picks up something with label 'Made in China', the characteristics "Quality" doesn't even spark in his/her mind. With so many software giants (most of them are the largest in the world) being in India, the situation is that we don't have even a single s/w product that India can boast of. Everything is focused simply on services and not the products. The businessmen in India at large are still short-term focused, without a long-term strategy. Tata's Nano caught the world's attention simply due to its size and prize.I am sure that Europeans, Japanese, and Americans wouldn't come forward to accept Nano in their markets. I am sorry to say this, but the truth is that in the Western world largely in EU and American continent, the image of India is still "slumdog", poor quality, unethical behaviors, snake charmers, swamijis, poor life standards, untidy, .... you can name everything. I have lived in US for 22 years now and have my kids starting the second generation. But this is the reality. The whole image of the country must be given a facelift. Only then its products will even be considered for acceptance into the Global Brand."
Muthu Chinnadurai Senior Business Systems Executive
"Manoj, let's start with what's a global brand.. It is something people around the world relates to and associates with a specific service or product, correct? When you think about it, India holds it's own in many spheres of human activity.. what immediately comes to mind is travel - India has a brand recognition in that space with Taj Mahal, the Himalayas, and the beaches of Goa and Kerala. Take food, Indian curry and tandoori is a recognizable brand the world over.. I am not sure if any single firm has capitalized on these globally recognizable 'India' brands.. and then there are certain other areas in industry, like IT or back-office operations and call centers, where Indian companies like TCS & Infosys have built up powerful brands, and these firms are so successful in building that brand that people here tend to think every Indian here in the US works in the IT industry! So is the case with call centers, though on latenight TV shows here, the hosts talk with an Indian accent when they refer to call centers! (not always in a good way though).. And in education, IITs & IIMs are globally recognized Indian brands.. These are some of the successes..there are many more like these, I would imagine. And then there are globally recognized images of India which are very negative.. poor basic infrastructure, corrupt government machinery, the vast division between rich & poor in India, and the red-tape everywhere..etc etc.. that doesn't do any good for 'brand India' globally. What India has failed to produce however - and I think this is what you are trying to address, though the usage of 'brand' got me to start off with broad strokes - are a globally recognized brand in engineering or consumer products.. and, i believe this has to do with quality of what Indian firms produce! Right from market analysis through product design, companies seem to focus on making something that meets 'some' of the customer needs, at the cheapest cost, getting them the highest margin, inevitably ending up with sub-standard products.. quality in production I believe is better, though here again, quality is applied with a focus on reducing cost, with an eye on improving profits, rather than making quality products. So Indian firms end up with products that could only be marketed in developing or under-developed economies like India, where customers are willing to trade-in quality for price. An Indian firm could successfully build a product that could become a global brand, if they design and build quality products for the global market.. it could be in any industry, and doing it in india will be no different from doing it in the USA, Germany, Japan or Brazil.. it just need companies to go back to the fundamentals of product development and quality management. There are no short-cuts to get there!"
Baiju Krishnan VP at Citigroup
My final note:
Baiju did capture the sort of background summary of what I am asking. All the discussion on 'brand India' is about that. However as Baiju indicated, I am asking a more pointed question- About Product Brands. I am a bit biased on product brand because that's what people see selling in the shopping streets when we visit other countries. A high end software, sitting inside a giant reactor, made by India is not visible to people. So I am talking about the product which people/consumers can touch and feel everyday.People think of Volkswagen as a well engineered car brand. Sony got the miniaturisation and thoughtfulness of Japan right. Newer entrant Muji, built a brand on good design and no-frill attitude that pervade japanese culture and Zen paradigm. Ferrari exahults the flamboyance of Italians. Harley is about great American Adventure and Exploration. On the other hand, let's take a humble example- a ball pen/gel pen - BIC is BIC..the legend. In India, we might easily have at least 100 manufacturer making gel/ball pens. They would be producing close to 5 million pens a day-all world-class. Technology is no different. Take Another example, Titan Watch- the king of Indian watch market. Look at VIP bags...almost as good looking bags as Samsonite but not quite TUMI. So even if we leave the services, out of our discussion and just focus on daya-to-day physical products, what is that value that people would like to remember/relish about an Indian brand? It won't be surely 'Low Cost'- this is a short term phenomenon til our labour becoe costly. 5000 years of history and all the bright and shining mind can not make a brand on 'quality', 'price' or 'engineering'...these are primitive differentiators. Let me sya what I have in mind...some pointers that you can add on- Longevity: Western countries make products that become useless soon. Indians never like to throw things. Married-for-ever is the institution that we revere. Can we use this micro phenomenon to build a design principle that says- make a product that should RENEW itself over a period or find a REUSE after its jobs is over. We know how housewives store all the free glass jars for containing dals and other condiments in the kitchen. Can we use this one a bigger scale i.e. Design a vehicle that would only require minor upgrades and minimal invasion to become new. Can we decidedly use tougher coatings on the body that it would remain scratch proof. Can we build things as a part of new brand character, that may be a bit costly but remain SOLID and REUSABLE to the core? We are talking of sustainability in the way that West does not understand and it comes to us naturally. Being a developing and deprived society for the time being, should not guide the brand character that would last for 100 years next.... Does it make sense? Can we find more such values that are core to the India but worthy of being taken up as a brand character for emerging Indian product brands?
Manoj Kothari
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Product Innovation in India: A round-up 2009
Two years back a small software service company approached us for a rather unusual demand -They had made an enterprise recruitment software for SMEs in India. It was rather odd for us to see a company, which only talked of outsourcing and partnership on their website, suddenly waking up to India centered products. Being a design company, we often come across entrepreneurs and startups, who have ideas in the consumer products (physical products) domain, but we had never encountered a software company seeking UI design help for a local customer base. This was, to me a beginning of a new beginning of the software industry in India.
Looking at the other side of the spectrum, our team frequents the MIDC area (Industrial Zone) in Pune and meets with several small and medium manufacturing companies who are either supplier to the large auto companies (like Tata, Bajaj, Mercedez etc.) or they take up small jobs for large companies (i.e. machining, mould making etc.). Five years back they were seething in deep recession and the situation was grave. Apart from the industrial scenario at that time, the Chinese products had also given them a hard bashing. By and by we saw them rising up to the economic boom and fighting it out with Chinese prices and quality levels. Today some of them are talking to us in a rather unusual tone. “Economic ups and down will come and go, we need to charter our course. Being a supplier to large companies is no more the aspiration, we want to create our own products now”. A steel furniture manufacturer who has been exporting beach-furniture as well as supplying furniture elements and components to large companies like Godrej regrets the fact that the innovation he brings to the table of these large companies does not elevate his position or business in the eyes of the clients. These are the rumblings of the things to come.
Another small manufacturing company based in Pune’s industrial belt deals in making plasticware for homes. They make close to a million buckets a year, apart from some activity in the B2B space where they make small components in plastic for large companies. The owner has been driving new product ideas on his own till now. His business didn’t seem to have been affected by the slowdown. The essential commodities never take the big hit, we learnt from him. He is rather planning to use this little bit of slackness in the market, to diversify his product range. He, for the first time, has thought of hiring the services of a professional company to help in product innovation. He mentioned how buckets were just seen as buckets till yesterday. Today, people would prefer to buy a ‘set’ (a tumbler, bucket, soap-case and stool, all in plastic) in a matching color scheme, for their bathrooms. Now, he is forced not to think in terms of ‘items’ or ‘specific products’ alone. Systems thinking, is now a forced learning.
Let’s look at another scenario, that of Individual inventors. This is almost unheard of in India. If we Google the word ‘Inventor’/’Innovator’, thousands of results will hit the screen, but they are mostly from USA. The land of innovation, USA has probably more Inventors’ Associations than the inventors in India who eventually own the IPR for their invention. We were working on a design, of a safe paraffin stove for the South African market, which if tumbles by mistake, won’t spill the kerosene/paraffin and therefore won’t catch fire. Africa is known to have hundreds of deaths due to the unsafe design of these stoves. People, who live in thatched huts, some times leave their stove on during the night, for warmth. As we finished the work on this innovation, we came to know that there are more than 18 different innovations, which are registered on kerosene stoves, by individual inventors across India. The National Innovation Foundation, which collated these innovations was mesmerized with the content of these innovations, which ranged from improving the efficiency of the stove to using dual fuel in the stove. This segment of product innovation is the most potent one, but highly under-exploited.
Problems on the upper end of the market are quite different. Companies that woke up to design and planned innovation a decade back are in a different stratosphere of maturity. By now they have well established processes of insight collection and several thousand documents of market research piles up every year for their design teams to use. The new range of design and the launch is a big planned fanfare which is now a yearly activity. They already know that copying, western designs does not fetch them customer attention in India, anymore. Today, the Indian consumer wants to articulate his own needs, and wants them to be answered smartly. These companies are still struggling to find an ‘identity’. Over the years they have mastered the art of new product development and marketing. However, ‘design language’ is the higher question that is haunting them. VIP, Titan, Onida, TI cycles, Bajaj etc. are some of these big consumer product giants of the Indian market that are now raising the right questions of the brand identity of their products. Semantics is now, a known term in these design studios.
Asian Paints is a good example, which stands out in terms of establishing a full process of trend forecasting for the upcoming year. While Trend Forecasting is not new to India and has been used in the fashion industry amply, a non-fashion industry taking it up seriously in fully indigenized ways is definitely commendable. The Fashion Industry has been under severe influences of the designs showcased in Paris and other trade fairs like Premier Vision. However, the time has come, when Indian textile and clothing manufacturers are finally looking at an ‘Indian interpretation’ of these trends. This is a first step towards becoming comfortable with home-grown trend reports and projections.
One of the large Indian automobile manufacturer wants us to work on the Color, Material and Finishes for the next range of luxury vehicles. India started styling its own vehicles almost a decade back and this was well received by the consumers. But it is only recently, that serious thought has being given to the area of CMF (Color, Material and Finish), not only for the upcoming range but also for projections on the next upgrade i.e. three years hence of an existing product. These decisions previously rested with marketing or foreign design and styling consulting companies. But we can now say that the Indian automotive industry too, is fast maturing.
For me, who saw a lot of rants around the Chinese onslaught of consumer products, the growth of the service economy and two rounds of recession, dating with foreign brands, technologies, collaborations and even consultants; it is heartening to know that India is moving up the value-chain of innovation. It may not be pacing up but inching up for sure.
Looking at the other side of the spectrum, our team frequents the MIDC area (Industrial Zone) in Pune and meets with several small and medium manufacturing companies who are either supplier to the large auto companies (like Tata, Bajaj, Mercedez etc.) or they take up small jobs for large companies (i.e. machining, mould making etc.). Five years back they were seething in deep recession and the situation was grave. Apart from the industrial scenario at that time, the Chinese products had also given them a hard bashing. By and by we saw them rising up to the economic boom and fighting it out with Chinese prices and quality levels. Today some of them are talking to us in a rather unusual tone. “Economic ups and down will come and go, we need to charter our course. Being a supplier to large companies is no more the aspiration, we want to create our own products now”. A steel furniture manufacturer who has been exporting beach-furniture as well as supplying furniture elements and components to large companies like Godrej regrets the fact that the innovation he brings to the table of these large companies does not elevate his position or business in the eyes of the clients. These are the rumblings of the things to come.
Another small manufacturing company based in Pune’s industrial belt deals in making plasticware for homes. They make close to a million buckets a year, apart from some activity in the B2B space where they make small components in plastic for large companies. The owner has been driving new product ideas on his own till now. His business didn’t seem to have been affected by the slowdown. The essential commodities never take the big hit, we learnt from him. He is rather planning to use this little bit of slackness in the market, to diversify his product range. He, for the first time, has thought of hiring the services of a professional company to help in product innovation. He mentioned how buckets were just seen as buckets till yesterday. Today, people would prefer to buy a ‘set’ (a tumbler, bucket, soap-case and stool, all in plastic) in a matching color scheme, for their bathrooms. Now, he is forced not to think in terms of ‘items’ or ‘specific products’ alone. Systems thinking, is now a forced learning.
Let’s look at another scenario, that of Individual inventors. This is almost unheard of in India. If we Google the word ‘Inventor’/’Innovator’, thousands of results will hit the screen, but they are mostly from USA. The land of innovation, USA has probably more Inventors’ Associations than the inventors in India who eventually own the IPR for their invention. We were working on a design, of a safe paraffin stove for the South African market, which if tumbles by mistake, won’t spill the kerosene/paraffin and therefore won’t catch fire. Africa is known to have hundreds of deaths due to the unsafe design of these stoves. People, who live in thatched huts, some times leave their stove on during the night, for warmth. As we finished the work on this innovation, we came to know that there are more than 18 different innovations, which are registered on kerosene stoves, by individual inventors across India. The National Innovation Foundation, which collated these innovations was mesmerized with the content of these innovations, which ranged from improving the efficiency of the stove to using dual fuel in the stove. This segment of product innovation is the most potent one, but highly under-exploited.
Problems on the upper end of the market are quite different. Companies that woke up to design and planned innovation a decade back are in a different stratosphere of maturity. By now they have well established processes of insight collection and several thousand documents of market research piles up every year for their design teams to use. The new range of design and the launch is a big planned fanfare which is now a yearly activity. They already know that copying, western designs does not fetch them customer attention in India, anymore. Today, the Indian consumer wants to articulate his own needs, and wants them to be answered smartly. These companies are still struggling to find an ‘identity’. Over the years they have mastered the art of new product development and marketing. However, ‘design language’ is the higher question that is haunting them. VIP, Titan, Onida, TI cycles, Bajaj etc. are some of these big consumer product giants of the Indian market that are now raising the right questions of the brand identity of their products. Semantics is now, a known term in these design studios.
Asian Paints is a good example, which stands out in terms of establishing a full process of trend forecasting for the upcoming year. While Trend Forecasting is not new to India and has been used in the fashion industry amply, a non-fashion industry taking it up seriously in fully indigenized ways is definitely commendable. The Fashion Industry has been under severe influences of the designs showcased in Paris and other trade fairs like Premier Vision. However, the time has come, when Indian textile and clothing manufacturers are finally looking at an ‘Indian interpretation’ of these trends. This is a first step towards becoming comfortable with home-grown trend reports and projections.
One of the large Indian automobile manufacturer wants us to work on the Color, Material and Finishes for the next range of luxury vehicles. India started styling its own vehicles almost a decade back and this was well received by the consumers. But it is only recently, that serious thought has being given to the area of CMF (Color, Material and Finish), not only for the upcoming range but also for projections on the next upgrade i.e. three years hence of an existing product. These decisions previously rested with marketing or foreign design and styling consulting companies. But we can now say that the Indian automotive industry too, is fast maturing.
For me, who saw a lot of rants around the Chinese onslaught of consumer products, the growth of the service economy and two rounds of recession, dating with foreign brands, technologies, collaborations and even consultants; it is heartening to know that India is moving up the value-chain of innovation. It may not be pacing up but inching up for sure.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Innovation in the slow times!
It has been almost six months since I wrote on this blog. World changed at an accelarated pace in the mean while. India boom seems to have hit a road block or at least a bump. Banks after banks and comapnies afte companies in USA are lining up for bankruptcy. USA is doling out the steroids like a Hollywood movie, which may only last till the movie lasts...India is bearing the brunt of its economy having strong links to USA economy. Whatever was left, out friends at Satyam have blown it off. It was clear the 2009 is going to be tough, but now it appears that it will be tougher.
On the other hand, how is Innovation industry seeing this all? Will companies stop the expenditure on all that belongs to future (including heavy R&D and Design) or will they use this time to gain some muscles through research and innovation? Will they outsource more or will they do it all inhouse to retain the jobs? The two sides of the story are all doing the equal rounds.
Time and again our clients are asking a question, as if it adds to our readiness and capability -"have you guys been affected by the slowdown?"
Well our answers is "No....so far so good".
The fact is barring afew projects which were to come from USA, the project pipeline is as thick as it had been. There is client who is planning to invest several million dollars in land acquisition in the next few months, another one is planning a complete new range of kitchenware lauch in India, another one is gearing up for new age toys for children etc etc. They are not talking of cutting costs. They are not talking of slow-down language. Another client DRDO (Indian DefenceResearch) is totally slowdown proof. A client of ours makes energy meters and this market is again has minimal effect of world situation. Megaprojects which have several years as timeline, companies that work in energy, food, essential commodities and basic services are not slowing down. Hero Honda the motor bike making company from India has shown GROWTH in this year (amazing...), which proves the point that all those companies who were livin by the ad expenditures are nose-diving now, while companies who live by the shear quality of their products andservices are here to stay put.
There are lessons to be learn for the next cycle. Up up and higher is not the way World goes , all the time. Innovation companies need to keep a good mix of clients who are riding the waves along with the clients who are staple-cruisers. Post-dotcom times, this is a reminder to all of us.
On the other hand, how is Innovation industry seeing this all? Will companies stop the expenditure on all that belongs to future (including heavy R&D and Design) or will they use this time to gain some muscles through research and innovation? Will they outsource more or will they do it all inhouse to retain the jobs? The two sides of the story are all doing the equal rounds.
Time and again our clients are asking a question, as if it adds to our readiness and capability -"have you guys been affected by the slowdown?"
Well our answers is "No....so far so good".
The fact is barring afew projects which were to come from USA, the project pipeline is as thick as it had been. There is client who is planning to invest several million dollars in land acquisition in the next few months, another one is planning a complete new range of kitchenware lauch in India, another one is gearing up for new age toys for children etc etc. They are not talking of cutting costs. They are not talking of slow-down language. Another client DRDO (Indian DefenceResearch) is totally slowdown proof. A client of ours makes energy meters and this market is again has minimal effect of world situation. Megaprojects which have several years as timeline, companies that work in energy, food, essential commodities and basic services are not slowing down. Hero Honda the motor bike making company from India has shown GROWTH in this year (amazing...), which proves the point that all those companies who were livin by the ad expenditures are nose-diving now, while companies who live by the shear quality of their products andservices are here to stay put.
There are lessons to be learn for the next cycle. Up up and higher is not the way World goes , all the time. Innovation companies need to keep a good mix of clients who are riding the waves along with the clients who are staple-cruisers. Post-dotcom times, this is a reminder to all of us.
All ye who Innovate
"He who innovates, will have enemies in all those who are well off under the existing order of things, and will find only lukewarm supporters in those who might be better off under the new"
-Niccollo Machiaveli
-Niccollo Machiaveli
Monday, June 30, 2008
Young Designers of India: Time to Act
Nothing succeeds like success. Talking alone, goes only as far. Economy is bubbling and the new breed of Indian designers is ready to take on the world…just like the last generation. Not only in India but across the world, designers have been talking of changing the world for almost a century. India is on a threshold of change; a tectonic change. It is just about time to stop conferencing, stop talking, stop musing and get going with piercing speed into doing own bit. All this while when economy was waking-up, there was time to philosophize and surmise. Now even if we can implement 10% of what has already been thought, India can prosper and world can benefit.
Everyone knows there are bigger problems in India of illiteracy, water, power etc. etc. Designers should forget about them. Yes, no point yelling for grand purposes if they are not within your reach immediately. Having grand ideas and miniscule power in hand can only make a day-dreamer out of you. Finally one needs a Shahjahan to have the power and money to patronize a grand idea of Tajmahal. Alone the architects and the artists could have achieved zilch. Wait for that turn, keep the hopes alive, converse about the ideas in close forums but in open, just act.
Business today are looking at design finesse; the finesse of skills. Skills that can match the skills gotten by the grand daddies of the design world. Nobody is looking at how many awards you have won, or how many forums you have spoken in…India still needs a person who knows how to draw well; how to visualize the futuristic and pragmatic products; how to articulate the nuances of the consumer sentiments; how to interweave the local concerns with the business needs; and how to convert the wonderful looking digital renderings into a tangible and sensible product through good engineering.
All this will add up to some world class brands from India. Do we know a single brand that speaks globally today? There have been some overtures off late. There lies the next challenge for Indian designers to align with the businesses that have global vision rather than living in the small dungeon playing with narcissistic muses. Every designer should be aware of the ‘sustainability’ concerns, but does not mean that every designer India produces should only cater to ‘craft sector’? Who will build the luxury brands? Who will create the new aesthetics? Who will generate enough money that philanthropy will have a chance? There will be designers and there will be people who create wealth.
Designers should stop talking to fellow designers. Yes, start talking to the world. All the conferences that revolve around good rounds of ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’, would do no good to design tycoons in making. They were good in the years when there was no shoulder to cry on. It is time to gird up our loins, take a knapsack the romp the areas still untrodden.
All these will happen, but no alone. For this, you don’t need to create another forum for designers. I am talking about finding the right patrons; who see value in the design thinking; who see value in a great mind. That is a reality of design world and will remain. Align with the organization that has vision of going beyond the obvious market statistics and that has the eye for details while the working on the mega ideas. Such organizations or individuals are the torch bearers of change in India that will be. Talk to them, try to look out for them, eulogies them, enrich their brand equity, strengthen them in the way you can. That will surely be a step in the right direction, unless you have a will and power to be one of them. Till then, stay quiet and work hard. Smoke less and save energy. You will need it tomorrow.
Everyone knows there are bigger problems in India of illiteracy, water, power etc. etc. Designers should forget about them. Yes, no point yelling for grand purposes if they are not within your reach immediately. Having grand ideas and miniscule power in hand can only make a day-dreamer out of you. Finally one needs a Shahjahan to have the power and money to patronize a grand idea of Tajmahal. Alone the architects and the artists could have achieved zilch. Wait for that turn, keep the hopes alive, converse about the ideas in close forums but in open, just act.
Business today are looking at design finesse; the finesse of skills. Skills that can match the skills gotten by the grand daddies of the design world. Nobody is looking at how many awards you have won, or how many forums you have spoken in…India still needs a person who knows how to draw well; how to visualize the futuristic and pragmatic products; how to articulate the nuances of the consumer sentiments; how to interweave the local concerns with the business needs; and how to convert the wonderful looking digital renderings into a tangible and sensible product through good engineering.
All this will add up to some world class brands from India. Do we know a single brand that speaks globally today? There have been some overtures off late. There lies the next challenge for Indian designers to align with the businesses that have global vision rather than living in the small dungeon playing with narcissistic muses. Every designer should be aware of the ‘sustainability’ concerns, but does not mean that every designer India produces should only cater to ‘craft sector’? Who will build the luxury brands? Who will create the new aesthetics? Who will generate enough money that philanthropy will have a chance? There will be designers and there will be people who create wealth.
Designers should stop talking to fellow designers. Yes, start talking to the world. All the conferences that revolve around good rounds of ‘you scratch my back, I scratch yours’, would do no good to design tycoons in making. They were good in the years when there was no shoulder to cry on. It is time to gird up our loins, take a knapsack the romp the areas still untrodden.
All these will happen, but no alone. For this, you don’t need to create another forum for designers. I am talking about finding the right patrons; who see value in the design thinking; who see value in a great mind. That is a reality of design world and will remain. Align with the organization that has vision of going beyond the obvious market statistics and that has the eye for details while the working on the mega ideas. Such organizations or individuals are the torch bearers of change in India that will be. Talk to them, try to look out for them, eulogies them, enrich their brand equity, strengthen them in the way you can. That will surely be a step in the right direction, unless you have a will and power to be one of them. Till then, stay quiet and work hard. Smoke less and save energy. You will need it tomorrow.
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