Speeding Up Innovation
And Squeezing More Insights
By John Kearon, Chief Juicer
BrainJuicer Ltd
BrainJuicer® Ltd, London, Brighton, Rotterdam

The Challenge
“We’ve just inherited an almost empty innovation funnel,
our brand share is falling fast and we absolutely have
to launch some successful new products within
the next 18 months …and our normal system
takes almost double that. Do you think
you can help?”

Innovation Funnel Theory
Charter
Contract
Post
Launch
Launch
Proposal
Review
Ideation Feasibility Capability Launch/roll out

Why Funnels Are Best
Innovation Funnel ‘Mount Improbable’
Generate
Test Test
Generate Generate
Test
Test
Generate
Generate
Test Test
Generate Generate
Test Test
Generate Generate
Test Test
Generate Generate
Test Test
Generate
Success = Diversity x Competition x Iteration
Time & Money required

Innovation Funnel Theory
Charter
Contract
Post
Launch
Launch
Proposal
Review
Ideation Feasibility Capability Launch/roll out

Innovation Funnel Reality
Charter
Contract
Launch Post Launch
Proposal Review
Capability
Feasibility Launch/roll out
Ideation
More constricted
Less open Much longer
= 11.5 MONTHS OF RESEARCH & 36 MONTHS TO LAUNCH

Applying the Internet to the Funnel
Charter
Contract
Launch Post
Proposal Launch
Review
Capability
Feasibility Launch/roll out
Ideation
= 6.5 MONTHS OF RESEARCH & 28 MONTHS TO LAUNCH
Capability (wks)
Feasibility (wks)
Ideation wks
Concept / packaging 4>1
Internal screening of 2 Focus groups to develop 4
testing
brainstormed ideas by team the lead 1-2 ideas
Volumetrics (simulated 8>3
Focus groups to explore 4 Quantitative concept test 4>1
test market)
the top 6-12 ideas on the lead idea(s)
Advertising development 4
Quantitative early concept 4>1 Focus groups to develop 4
focus groups
screening 6-12 ideas prototypes/ mix options
Ad pre-test (concurrent 6>1
Focus groups to develop 4 In-home product 6>3
with Volumetrics)
those ideas testing
Quantitative concept test 4>1
on the lead 4/5 ideas

Applying Innovation & Internet to the Funnel
Charter
Contract
Post
Launch
Twice the number of ideas
Launch
Proposal
Review
Ten times as many consumers
Ideation Feasibility Capability Launch/roll out
In less than half the time
= 4 MONTHS OF RESEARCH & 18 MONTHS TO LAUNCH
Capability (wks)
Feasibility (wks)
Ideation wks
Concept / 4>1
Internal screening of 300 2>1 Focus groups to develop 4
packaging
online brainstormed ideas the lead 1-2
testing
by team ideas
Volumetrics (simulated 8>3
Quantitative concept test 4>1
test market)
on the lead idea(s)
Quantitative early concept 4>1
Advertising development 4
screening 6-12 > 60 ideas
focus groups
In-home product 6>3
Ad pre-test (concurrent 6>1
testing
Quantitative concept test 4>1
with Volumetrics)
on the lead 4/5 >10-12

Current

Internet

Innovation + Internet

Innovation, Internet & Iteration
Quant
Quant Quant
+
+ + Qual
Qual
Qual
Qual Qual
Conventional Research
Quant
Qual
3 4 7 8 9 10 13 14
Wks 1 2 5 6 11 12 15 16

Best of Both Worlds Research
Hypothesis testing - - Hypothesis creation
Quant +Qual
Robust, large n - - Inspiring, insightful
Confidence/norms - - Diagnosis (why)
-------------------------- - Motivation
Tables/figures - - Creativity
Not user friendly - - Relatively fast
Lack of inspiration - - Less expensive
insights (why) ------------------------------
Time consuming - - Indicative
Robust Numbers
Expensive - - Not robust
Rich Insights

3rd Order Associations 3rd Order Associations
Mind Reader
2nd Order Associations 2nd Order Associations
1. cold 1. yukkie
2. ice cubes 2. revolting
1. icy Top 8 Associations 1. disgusting
27 12
1. SNOW 1. yuk!
2. Winter 2. cold tea
2. chilly 2. sink
5. horrible
1. cold
14 6
1. frozen 1. plain
3. freezing 3. taste
2. ice 2. bitter
126 (23%) 50 (9%)
11 6
4. Summer 4. unsure
1. refreshing 1. horrible
9 2
2. garden
1. reviving 1. delicious
2. cold 2. tasty
1. refreshing 1. mouth watering
11 10
1. sour 1. Thirst quenching
2. bitter 2. cool
2. sweet 2. crisp
2. lemon 6. refreshing
11 6
1. lemon 1. fruity
3. sour 3. zesty
2. sweet 9 5
82 (15%) 49 (9%)
4. yellow 4. summer
1. bright 1. patio
6 4
2. lift 2. WARMTH
Iced Tea
1. drink 1. drink
236 UK respondents
2. refreshing 2. las vegas
view source
1. cold 1. hot
27 8
1. somthing u like 1. swimming pool
2. cool 2. Holiday
2. ice tea 2. Grenada
7. summer
3. ice
5 7
1. refreshing 1. lying on the grass
3. lemon 3. lazy days
2. dry 2. beach
4 2
66 (12%) 37 (7%)
4. Winter 4. BEACH
1. Cold 1. HOLIDAY
4 2
2. christmas 2. tropical island
1. tea 1. stewed
2. warm 2. ice-tea
1. hot 1. tea
19 3
1. tea bag 1. seasonal
2. tetleys 2. normal tea
2. tea 2. watery
8. brown
4. tea
3 2
1. Cricket 1. dull
3. England 3. boring
2 2
65 (12%) 18 (3%)
4. afternoon 4. choclate
1. hot 1. sugar
Number of mentions / %
2 1
2. refreshment
+3 +2 / +1 0 -1 / -2 -3
……. for each .…association
averaged …… feelings ..…....
Powered by BrainJuicer® Produced 5/9/02

Speeding up Innovation…
Charter
Contract
Launch Post
Proposal Launch
Review
Capability
Feasibility Launch/roll out
Ideation
Charter
Contract
Post
Launch
Launch
Proposal
Twice the number of ideas
Review
Ideation Feasibility Capability Launch/roll out
Ten times as many consumers
In less than half the time
Squeezing more Insights…

1 Year Later
“In less than a year, we’ve gone from an almost empty funnel
to a full one, we’ve got a great new product ready to launch
this Autumn, another one for soon after that and we’ve
broken every internal speed to market record we’re
aware of. It’s quite an achievement. Thanks”.

Speeding Up Innovation
And Squeezing More Insights
By John Kearon, Chief Juicer
BrainJuicer Ltd
BrainJuicer® Ltd, London, Brighton, Rotterdam