Inspiration Comes From the Most Extreme Places

Jeremy Gutsche's innovation strategy speech discusses the importance of going beyond the fringe to find inspiration. Many business managers and CEOs prefer to stay within their industry and to refrain from doing anything radically different for fear of failing or scaring away consumers, but the innovation keynote speaker argues in favor of unexpected and shocking experiments for brands to try.

To illustrate his point more thoroughly, Jeremy shares an example of this type of strategy in his book where controversy materialized into successful results.

"In most industries, shock is inappropriate, yet studying shock can yield innovative ideas. For example, when a neighborhood in Tel Aviv was upset about skyrocketing property taxes, they commissioned an advertising agency to help draw attention to their political cause. That agency came up with the controversial concept to devalue property by littering the neighborhood with cardboard cutouts of fake prostitutes.

Their idea was unsettling to many people, but they did get international coverage. Their goal was accomplished.

The same concept reappeared in a playground zone, one of the tamest possible applications.

To scare people into driving slower, cardboard cutouts of children were placed dangerously close to the road."

While many businesses find the idea of shocking or scaring their consumers unsettling, it serves the greater purpose of getting people's attention and inciting change.

For more inspiring stories, check out the FREE version of Jeremy's book 'Exploiting Chaos' here.