Many people have a good idea.
Every single day the world over someone thinks up a good idea for a product, service, device, or system.
But that’s also where most ideas stop. Or stop very soon after. Their concept looked plausible on paper or in their mind, but in the real world it didn’t quite work or fit or meet the need it was designed for. And right there and then it died a death never to see the light of day.
That is the last thing anyone should do. A good idea is a good idea, it just may not have been the right time or found it’s rightful home.
Not Milking Success.
In the early 1970’s in the UK, the Milk Marketing Board, an agency set up to manage milk production and distribution four decades before, planned an ad campaign to promote milk drinking as a cost effective health booster for the population during a time of soaring inflation and cuts.
The ad agency WCRS was contracted to create ideas for the promotions. After some research they felt the focus should be on the working male population with ads showing men in various roles who had drunk milk first. Their tag line was, ‘I bet he drinks milk’. The Milk Marketing Board however didn’t take the idea forwards, as other preferred concepts were explored.
Now that wasn’t the end of that. WCRS liked the strap line so kept it on hold for a possible future use.
Roll on a decade. WCRS were approached by Carling Breweries to help increase the market share of their Black Label lager. They wanted it to have a more ‘cool’ and appealing look. An easily remembered slogan that would hook in interest was needed. And guess who already had that?
A range of adverts were launched in 1983 with two men watching another man doing something impressive or skilful before adding, ‘I bet he drinks Carling Black Label’. The connection from drinking Carling to being a hip, popular guy was made. Gone was milk and in was Carling.
The result? Within 18 months it was the UK’s best selling draught beer and would remain so for the next two decades.
That’s what happens when you hold onto an idea.
That’s a wrap.
The best ideas not only might have to wait for success, they also need using elsewhere.
In 1957 Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes tried to create a textured wallpaper for the new young music generation and the interior fashions they were buying. Sealing shower curtains through heat disappointed them as it only resulted in a see through film with trapped bubbles in. In fact they ended up with several patents for their idea and thought of hundreds of uses for it, but none worked.
Three years later with a product seemingly of little value, they decided to offer it for packaging for various industries as the bubbles within would at least prevent friction and damage. The product took off as its first major buyer was IBM who used it to protect their new computers when they were shipped. Bubble Wrap as we know it was born. At the turn of this century it had sales of over £3 billion per year.
You have to wonder what could have also happened to all the myriad of ideas that were left on the shelf because they didn’t come up to scratch at first.
So, take a look at your own ideas you ‘put away for another day’ or in a drawer gathering dust.
They may not be a dud but a dynamo waiting to go.
And don’t forget yourself – the idea you’ve always had about who you are may only need sharpening up so that the world responds to it. Why?
Because the best ideas are best kept as one day they may be the best for your life and future.
References – ‘Smithsonian.com/innovation/accidental-invention-bubble-wrap’.
Channel 5 – ‘Britain’s Favourite Ads of the 70’s and 80’s’.