Friday 24 May 2013

Micro blog: Digital meets the physical

So you want to engage with your customers?
You want customers to have a memorable experience?
And you want to mix the digital with the physical?

Well, here's one of the best examples we've seen recently!


Tuesday 14 May 2013

PRETAIL: An innovation explosion

We recently received the PRETAIL Trendwatching bulletin and as always we read with eagerness and wanted to share our take on this interesting trend.

Innovation and invention is nothing new but the way that the general public can now engage and influence the process is.... 2012 saw a massive 85% increase in donation & reward-based crowdfunding to an astounding USD 1.4 billion.*

Crowdfunding is a way for inventors and entrepreneurs to raise finance for projects from ordinary, everyday people and not the big banks. Often the people who donate money (aka supporters) have no financial investment in the new product or business other than backing something that they believe in.

This rise in crowdfunding activity means that the awareness and support for new and innovative products is exploding and as a result there is a growing demand for the retail of these product, often before they are mass-produced, as concepts. Hence the term PRETAIL.

Take the DOORBOT for instance - this is brilliant, we think we might actually buy one. A door bell with a web camera and when someone rings the bell it streams the video of who is at your door to your smart phone, you can then speak to your visitor via your smartphone and a mic in the DOORBOT. Simple enough. But we love the fact that this allows you to: ignore the caller, pretend you are in even when your not, tell your friend that your down the pub or the delivery man that you'll be back in 5 and to leave the parcel behind the plant pot. A bit like 'Caller ID' for your front door.

DoorBot -- The Wi-Fi Enabled "Smart" Doorbell from Christie Street on Vimeo.


Now this is a crazy one: the Ostrich Pillow.  It's makers describe it as "neither a pillow, nor cushion, bed or garment, but a bit of each all at the same time". Not sure that we would wear this but the project raised a stunning 278% of its funding target and can now be bought from a dedicated online store that sells only crowdfunded products, from USD 99.00. Somebody somewhere wants it!



So what do we think is the key thing to take away from this new PRETAIL trend?

Bigger brands and retailers can ask their customers to help them develop their products but perhaps that limits the audience catchment.  The obvious next step for some of the PRETAIL projects is the traditional high street in order to hit the main stream... our thoughts; perhaps the buyers, brand planners and also the boardroom needs to start looking at these platforms with a view to buy, sponsor, stock or fund projects that match their business goals.

Take a look at some more innovative projects on the following websites:

Crowdfunding platforms:
Kickstarter
Christie Street
Crowdfunder
Indiegogo

Market places for crowdfunded projects:
Outgrow.me
Quirky
Wrappled

* Massolution, April 2013