Just finished reading two books that started with a similar observation – that products and brands are becoming commoditized — then prescribed radically different remedies.
In Outsmart the MBA Clones, Dan Herman argues MBA degree holders are all clones who studied the same materials, learned the same analytical techniques, and oversimplify everything. He suggests using nuanced research to differentiate your products “at the margin” – adding distinctive features to separate from competition.
That sounded OK to me until I read Different by HBS Prof Youngme Moon. She argues that companies are so focused on their competitors and competitive benchmarking that all competitors quickly converge on similarity, becoming “heterogeneously homogenized” – adding superfluous product benefits that are apparent only to category expects.
Her answer: don’t get mired in all of the tradition (and predictable) research methods. Step back and let your intuition (counter-intuition) drive big idea brands and products.
One of her notions: “reduced brands”. Stripping products of all but their potent and necessary features & benefits … and then adding back in some features or benefits that are unexpected.
Her poster child: IKEA … stripped out in-store service,and delivery, outsourced assembly to customers, and made no claims of quality or durability … but added back in the “personal journey” of finding the right product and the “personal fulfillment” of screwing the stuff together when you get it home.
So, should we be adding bells & whistles at the margin or stripping out the ones that are already there ?
I report, you decide.
The Homa Files 
Leave a comment