Examples of Successful Innovation in Product Launches

This stat really struck me: most breakthrough innovations come from executing existing ideas in new ways. Our first instinct when seeking change is often to look outward for something entirely new. New habits, new tech, complete overhauls, etc. But especially when we need to be cost-conscious, we need to embrace a different mindset. Look inward first. Scale what's working. Rigorously analyze what isn't – can you extract value or apply it differently? Innovation isn't always about the never-before-seen. It's often about leaning into what works, exploring all its uses, and sparking small wins into something transformational.   I saw this firsthand at HSN when we launched HSN Arcade. The idea was innovative, but simple: combine casual online gaming with ecommerce to create a fun “Watch, Shop, and Play” experience. It all started when I saw someone totally hooked on Candy Crush. That got me thinking, how can we integrate gamification into our platform using our brands and talent as personalities? In the process, we brought that same addictive, engaging experience into HSN’s digital platform. Not only was it highly engaging, but it also had a drastic impact on business performance. Players visited 3x more often, spent 3x more time on the platform, and spent 3x more money with us. And remember HSN Shop by Remote? It was groundbreaking, but at its core, it was about understanding our audience's growing desire for more convenient, accessible ways to shop. These weren’t just innovative projects, they were bold moves powered by a willingness to ask, “What if?” instead of panicking over “What now?”   So, let's not fall into the trap of believing that innovation demands a complete overhaul. Embrace the nuances within your existing frameworks. Cultivate a culture that thrives on smart experimentation. And most importantly, empower your teams to see the current ideas as the critical starting points for your next big breakthrough. They just might need to be explored and connected in a whole new way.

Samsung is winning more design awards than Apple, Sony, and LG combined. Here's what changed. Working in design for the last decade years, I've learned one thing: true design-led innovation is incomplete without design integration. Samsung's story proves this perfectly. In 1996, Samsung's chairman, Lee Kun-hee, faced a choice. He could hire famous designers for quick wins, or take the slow path of training their own people. He chose the long-term game of growing talent internally. What happened next that changed Samsung forever: 📍Lee Kun-hee created three distinct training programs at school, college and industry levels, including the 2-year in house program for Samsung designers. 📍He asked designers to work closely with engineers, like when they created a special hinge to hide phone antennas, making the first "no antenna" flip phone. 📍Samsung gave designers direct access to suppliers, which led to thinner TVs because they found a way to ship LCD panels that saved suppliers money. 📍They trusted designers to create new product types, they noticed many Asian professionals still used pocket diaries, so they made the Galaxy Note, creating an entirely new category of big phones. Samsung’s designers mastered more than aesthetics. They solved engineering problems, cut costs with suppliers, and shaped new products like the Galaxy Note. The first Galaxy Note (2011) sold 1 million units in 2 months and 10 million in under a year, proving design drives innovation and business success. The results after 20 years: → 30+ international design awards annually → Design patent filings increased by 200% → Market value grew 10x faster than competitors I believe this shows us something few companies understand- by prioritizing design, organizations not only drive innovation but also improve financial performance and maintain competitiveness. What's your take on design integration? #Design #Innovation #Growth #Leadership

Do we all remember when Ami Colé broke the rules of traditional product launch strategy last year and just ran their version of March Madness, the "Ami Colé Cup," letting their community vote on their favorite Lip Treatment Oil shades? Not only did they reach more than 700 daily votes, 20K+ site views, and, most importantly, insights that completely challenged their internal team's predictions (their team was betting on the Eggplant shade as the winner, while their community coined Brick Red the winner), but they also turned what is sometimes buried away as customer feedback for post-launch data analysis into product launch gold: guaranteed product-market fit before a single formula is mixed. Now, we talk endlessly about community and the value of it, but how many brands truly let their community drive product decisions? Ami Colé has been doing this since Diarrha Ndiaye was developing products in her Brooklyn apartment, and now they're a Sephora success story. So, I can't help but wonder: Why aren't more beauty brands embracing true crowdsourcing? Is the fear of losing creative control holding them back? Or do concerns about operational complexity loom too large? Or are they collectively stuck in traditional product development cycles? The data here is so clear: let your community lead, and they will show up. _ #beautyindustry #strategy #growth #disruption #beautybusiness

The secret to company success is deep-customer understanding. And no one did it better than Gillette. How? By literally living with their customers and seeing how they use Gillette products. When Gillette wanted to expand to India, they realized that Indians didn't shave the same way as Americans. To understand Indian customers better, one of Gillette's executives, Chip Bergh, asked his team to go to India and live with the customers there. They wanted to observe how people shaved and how it fit into their lives. This concept is called ethnographic market research. One scientist from the UK thought they simply could talk to Indian men living nearby, but Chip said it wouldn't be enough. They needed to see and experience things firsthand. In India, the team discovered that many people in India didn't have access to a big sink with hot running water like in the West. They used a small cup of cold water to shave. This made shaving with regular razors difficult because the small hairs clogged the blades. So, they innovated a razor called the Gillette Guard: it had a single blade with a safety comb to prevent cuts and was easy to rinse. Perfect for Indian customers. This way, they could make razors that people needed and loved. The lesson: The key to unlocking consumer experience lies in understanding the consumer’s needs in-depth. #consumerresearch #customersatisfaction #startups #entrepreneurship