Praise to the Dreamers, They’ll Change the World
In uncertain times, it can be tough to dream. We’re cautious and prefer to do what’s known and feels safe. But we must dare to dream. Because most innovation comes from dreaming. It’s how we squeeze lemons into lemonade.
Great brands are often born from a big dream. Whether it’s cleaner transportation, healthier eating, smooth travelling or sustainable dressing, brand is often a product of ambition, aspiration and imagination. A dream some consumers share and thus want to buy into as well.
Loyalty is getting people to see, share and believe in your dream. For the greatest brands, their dreams inspire others to dream of the same. They awake ambition and aspiration.
Some might say ‘the customer is always right’ or ‘knows best’ – that the brand is merely serving the consumer. But is that really the case? What if consumers need help to envision a better future, a better solution, and a vision that can help them dream? What if the customer simply doesn’t know any better?
Yet, dreaming suffocates in times of trouble. Too many stick to what they already have, know or see in the market. The result is that innovation stifles, and copy-cats emerge. Consumers also forget to dream when all the products are identical, brands compete merely on price, and brand courage disappears.
To All the Dreamers
Dreams originate from those who dare to see the world in a new light. Usually, it’s the start-up’s privilege to dream big. Large corporations have the reach, but small companies still dare to challenge the status quo with a burning passion. They share their ideas with the world – and the world responds with gratitude.
Indeed, we need those who can keep track of Excel and the KPIs for the next quarter, but we also need those who can disrupt the spreadsheet and stir the type of emotions that doesn’t translate directly into immediate growth. When strategies, visions and goals are built exclusively on quantitative analysis and then translated directly into an action plan, you end up missing all the fun, the heart of the innovation, and the dream itself. You miss out on what could be and stick with what is.
A lot of resources are allocated to making surveys that seek to understand consumer trends. But what is truly lacking is the ambition to dream up a new tomorrow. The courage to exceed current consumer expectations and known needs. Consumers can’t react to something they can’t see on the shelves. The unknown needs and desires. It’s the faster horse analogy in a nutshell.
So keep dreaming.