©StephenCribbett2013
ThisThingCalled‘Co-creation’May 2013
©StephenCribbett2013
Co-creationisn’tanewwayofthinking...
...buttheabilityforbrandsandorganisationsto
extensivelyinvolvepeoplefromaroundtheworld
indesignanddevelopmenthasonlybeen
possiblesincethearrivaloftheinternet
©StephenCribbett2013
Whatisco-creation?
Thecollaborativedevelopmentofsustainable,
sharedvaluebetweenanorganisationorbrand
andit’susers,consumers,staff,employees,
suppliersandpartners.
Whatisco-creation?
©StephenCribbett2012
©StephenCribbett2013
orputanotherway...
©StephenCribbett2012
Peopleworkingtogethertogenerate,cultivate
anddelivernewideas-productsorservice
solutions-thattheythemselveswillbenefitfrom
We try never to forget that medicine is for the people. It is not
for the profits. The profits follow, and if we have remembered
that, they have never failed to appear. The better we have
remembered it, the larger they have been.
George Wilhelm Merck’s address to the Medical College of Virginia, Richmond (1st Dec, 1950)
Co-creationturnsmarketresearch,R&Danddesigninto
adynamic,naturalprocessinvolvingawiderrangeof
stakeholders.
Whatisco-creation?
Thoseinvolvedinco-creation-insideandoutsidethe
sponsoringorganisationorbrand-mustbewillingto
sharetheriskandharnesstheirskillsinordertoreceive
greaterreward.
Whatisco-creation?
Yourco-creationeffortswillFAILifyouthinkittakes
placeinasingleworkshopsession
Whatisco-creation?
It’sabouthumanisingbusinessandmaking
thingshappensystematicallyaspartofanew
cultureofbeing‘social’
Whatisco-creation?
‘Machineshelp,buttheydon’tmakeideas’
KarlLagerfeldatLeWeb
©StephenCribbett2013
Whatarethecurrentfailingsthat
co-creationaddresses?
©StephenCribbett2012
Currentfailingsthatco-creationaddresses?
• TraditionalR&Dandinnovationprocessiscostlyoftimeandmoney
• Collaborationwithconsumersistoolateinthedaytoimpactthe
solution
• Innovationislimitedbythepowerofthebrainsemployedbythe
organisation
• Glassceilingsandbadmanagementgetinthewayofgreatideas
©StephenCribbett2013
Whyco-creationholdsvaluefor
brandsandorganisations?
Peoplewanttobeinvolvedinwhatis
createdforthem.
Whyco-creationholdsvalueforbrandsandorganisations?
Whenpeopleworktogetherinanengagedway,
theyhavetheabilitytogenerateideasand
solutionsthesmartestmindsalonecouldnot.
Whyco-creationholdsvalueforbrandsandorganisations?
Scientificexperimentshaveshownthat
meaningfulinteractionsamongindividuals
enablepeopletolearnfasterandremember
moreofwhattheylearned
Whyco-creationholdsvalueforbrandsandorganisations?
©StephenCribbett2013
Whynow?
Peoplearenowhappierthanevertoshare
theirexperiences,opinions
Whynow?
Peoplenowhavethetoolsand
connectionstomakebetteruseoftheir
latenttalentandcreativity
Whynow?
Co-creationcantakeplaceonlineandoffline,but
it’sunquestionedthatglobalonlineconnectivity
hasenhancedthepowerofco-creationten-fold
Whynow?
Whathinderedco-creationinthepastwasan
organisations‘closed’wayofdoingbusinessandbeing
innovative
Forco-creationtotakeplace,anorganisationneedsto
embracechange-fromaclosed,top-downorganisation
toanopen,transparentanddemocraticsystem
©StephenCribbett2013
Whocanyouco-createwith?
©StephenCribbett2012
Crowds
Coalitions
Communities
Kindredspirits
Experts
Colleagues
Crowds
Fans
Coalitions
Communities
Kindredspirits
Experts
Colleagues
Academics
©StephenCribbett2013
Whatelsedoyouneed?
©StephenCribbett2012
People who give a shit about your brand
©StephenCribbett2012
©StephenCribbett2012
Don’t be fooled into thinking that includes
people who ‘like’ you on Facebook
©StephenCribbett2012
©StephenCribbett2012
5%Proportion of ‘fans’ talking about your
brand on Facebook
SOURCE: KAREN NELSON-FIELD & JENNIFER TAYLOR, ‘FACEBOOK FANS: A FAN FOR LIFE?’, ADMAP, MAY 2012
©StephenCribbett2012
Find the ‘actors’ and differentiate them from
your ‘audience’. These are the people to co-
create with.
©StephenCribbett2012
Ask the right questions and frame
them as challenges
©StephenCribbett2013
End this presentation knowing that...
©StephenCribbett2012
1.Co-creationrequirescultural,technologyand
operationalchangestomanifest
2.Co-creationisn’tjustabouthavingsome‘technology’in
place(thoughaplatformisneeded),it’sabout
harnessinghumanbehaviours,goodwillandpassion
3.Youshouldembedco-creationwithinyourorganisation,
notjustviewitasadeliverableofanexternalagent
4.Aimtogenerateshared,sustainablevalue
©StephenCribbett2013
and when done well, co-creation delivers...
• Thetransitiontonewbusinessmodels
• Sustaineduser/customer/stakeholderinvolvement
• Enhancedinnovationcapabilities
• Greaterconnections
• Competitiveadvantage
• DecreasedR&Dandmarketingcosts
• Morecustomers;loyalcustomers
• Happier,morerewardedpeople;-)
©StephenCribbett2013
So..
©StephenCribbett2013
...to end on an over-used
quote by Confucious
©StephenCribbett2013
Tell me, and I’ll forget
Show me, and I may remember
Involve me, and I will understand
©StephenCribbett2013
...or put another way
©StephenCribbett2013
Broadcast to me, and I’ll forget
Share with me, and I may remember
Co-create with me, and I will endorse, buy more
and remain loyal!
©StephenCribbett2013
Tofindouthowco-creationcanbeput
toworkforyou,contactStephen
Cribbetton+44(0)7973663867or
emailscribbett@gmail.com

This Thing Called Co-Creation