“I gave someone a perverse argument not so long ago about why advertising is better than movies. You want to hear it? Movies operate from a really disingenuous premise, that people are heroes. I know a lot of people and have had an opportunity over the years to observe them. Are they heroes...? Let's put it this way. Advertising tries something simpler and more believable: Products as heroes. I guess the idea is: When all else fails, put your faith in conditioner.” PeopleKnowsWayWantTryingYearsLongIdeasOpportunityFailingProductsHeroArgumentAdvertisingLong AgoPremisesBelievableWhen All Else FailsDisingenuous Author:Errol Morris
“The entire history of baby formula has been the history of one overlooked nutrient after another...and still to this day babies fed on the most "nutritionally complete" formula fail to do as well as babies fed human milk. Even more than margarine, formula stands as the ultimate test product of nutritionism and a fair index of its hubris.” HumansWellsHas BeensStillsFailingProductsBabyFairsTestsUltimateFedsThis DayFormulasMilkOverlookedHubrisNutrients Author:Michael Pollan
“Strive for perfection - never be content with mediocrity. You don't win until you conquer the little flaws. You don't beat these great ones until your form is perfect. This is true in all of life. A flaw in a product can ruin a business. A personal failing, a little one, can ruin a person's life. Don't be content with mediocrity - strive to live up to the greatest within you.” LittlesPersonsFormWinningSportsLeadershipPerfectFailingProductsBeatsPerfectionStriveRuinsConquerFlawsMediocrityWithin YouGreat Ones Author:Bob Richards
“The business plan should address: "How will I get customers? How will I market the product or service? Who will I target?" The principles of a business plan are pretty much the same. But after page one to two, everything is unpredictable, because costs or competition will change and you don't know how things will be received by the market. You have to be able to continually adapt. Companies that fail to adapt will die. Others are brilliant at adapting.” KnowsShouldTwoAbleDiesCompanyPrinciplesKnow HowPlansFailingProductsCostPagesCompetitionCustomersBrilliantAddressesTargetUnpredictableAdaptingBusiness Plan Author:Cameron Johnson
“The very ability to empathize with a user requires that I have an understanding of that user's value and needs. This is what leads to many product fails. The individuals developing the innovation don't actually use it.” NeedsUseValuesIndividualUnderstandingAbilityFailingProductsInnovationDevelopingUsers Author:David Livermore
“It's one of the underappreciated skills required by an innovator - they have to be able to convince lots of people to do things that might not be fully rational (invest in the company, join something that is likely to fail, try a product they've never seen before), and if you can't tell a good story it is just very hard to make that happen.” PeopleIfsTryingHardStoriesMightHappensAbleCompanyFailingProductsSkillsRationalConvinceGood StoryInnovators Author:Scott D. Anthony