Identifying that next great idea is only half the battle. Actually scaling it and getting it to shelf is the other half. You can’t loose your innovation focus during this part of the process. A great conceptual idea can either be amplified or destroyed in the execution.
There are countless areas in the operations/commercialization chain to focus on. One that is capturing my attention is the division of responsibilities in artwork/printing. In the “old” model, design firms designed. Then they, or perhaps a separate firm, created production artwork and passed the files to a separator. Finally, the files get to the printer. This is an archaic model. There is a more innovative approach that we are starting to see in the marketplace, which reminds me...
On a recent episode of The Next Food Network Star, about 10 aspiring television personalities each had to complete a designated one-minute step of a recipe and then hand the reins over to the next person to continue with the next step. The output of this challenge was disastrous. The original plan crumbled with each successive hand-off, because the intent was lost in translation, costing momentum.
This is what I also see with the old designer/production house/separator/printer model. Why include all the unnecessary handoffs that increase costs, extend timelines, and jeopardize the original design intent? More and more, design firms are able to create print-ready files. This is where the design industry is heading, and it explains the rise in separators today introducing “branding” and “design” capability.
Using designers who can take your packaging concept to press-ready files is innovative. I challenge you to identify other areas in your supply chain for innovative ways to amplify what you do. You might find ways to amplify the return on the investment in your next innovation.
