AbsolutelyNew Blog

Product lessons from the re-re-invention of Brett Farve

Super Bowl winning quarterback Brett Farve is back in the NFL, back from retirement AGAIN to play for the Minnesota Vikings. We all kinda sorta expected this return after his previous tearful retirement and subsequent jubilant return (that time leaving the Green Bay Packers, then joining the NY Jets).

We’ll leave the witty commentary to the guys and gals at SportsCenter. Instead, we’ll focus on lessons for your product based on how Brett Farve has re-invented himself, and then re-invented himself again:

1. Change your look. If your invention sales are stalled, consider how you can change it up. Brett put on a new uniform—going purple after a pro career in shades of green—but you might do yourself some good exploring new packaging. This gives you an excuse to show buyers something new. You’ll likely want to do more than just changing a color: if you’re going to change it up, take the time to consider how you can more clearly convey what your product is and why it’s so special. Also, make sure it’s also going to stand out in its most likely retail environments.

2. Keep what works. Farve is keeping his #4. He’s also keeping his Southern Mississippi charm. And in going with the Vikings, which are rivals of the Packers, he’s sticking with a conference where he’s proven himself. The point: continuous improvement is good, but don’t ever rush to change everything. Instead, think about what elements of your invention are working well, or you believe will work well with a few very small tweaks, and keep them. Leverage them. Build upon them. Don’t throw them out.

3. Know yourself… and know when to walk away. Regardless of whether you think Farve should have stayed in retirement or come back for more, you’ve got to acknowledge he’s rightfully getting heat and ridicule for his multiple retirements and comebacks (Reminds us a lot of Cher). You can avoid this by reflecting upon what’s really right for you and your invention. In doing so, be honest about yourself, your invention and the space around you. And don't rush this either.

4. Have fun. Do we even need to explain this one?

The running shoe… reinvented for its users

We recently tried out new Zoot running shoes, and just had to talk about them with you.

Ever heard of Zoot? Maybe not, since it’s a company that focuses entirely on gear for triathletes. But there's an interesting invention angle in these $110+ shoes.

You see, the people at Zoot Sports completely reinvented running shoes for their users. They triathletes' very precise needs and biomechanics, and then developed running shoes from the ground up to serve them.

Among those special needs they IDed: being able to slip on fast for a speedy transition, being comfortable without socks, channeling water out so the shoes stay dry and light even when a hot athlete is pouring water over his or her body, and providing more mid-foot support because triathletes run differently than other runners when their muscles are fatigued from the swim and cycling legs that precede the running leg of a “tri.”

Zoot running shoes have now won several awards, and athletes wearing them have won several major triathlons. They’ve also won our kudos.

Two key lessons for you and your invention:

1. Identify your bulls-eye target. Zoot branched into running shoes but never branched away from its focus on a narrow consumer target: triathletes willing to pay high prices for high performance gear. By knowing this target well, it’s able to serve this target well. Very well, in fact. It’s also able to grow its business faster because it is going deeper with a group that already knows the brand well and appreciates its track-record.

2. Make your target your compass. Zoot knew triathletes, but it didn’t know precisely how they run until its scientists studied the biomechanics in great detail... and then designing accordingly. Doing this put them ahead of Nike, Adidas and all the other established makers when it comes to serving this particular consumer segment. We can never say this enough: study your target, and then design with them—not you—as your compass. For Zoot, doing this is now enabling them to win market share from much larger running shoe leaders. Who wouldn’t want to do likewise in their invention category?

Stop the CES Celebrities!

Way back in the day, it seemed that people including famous people did just one thing – they were a mechanic, or a doctor, or a nationally recognized TV talk show host.  And that was it.  But the world’s gotten smaller and the lines are blurring and vanishing.

For the most part, this is good.  I’m all for stepping out and crossing lines.  After all, most inventors are people with day jobs that tackle their inventions at night and on weekends, with aim to solve problems and challenges they face every day... and the world's a fundamentally better place because they crossed those lines.

But the line crossing is now going too far!  What leads me here?  Well, the Consumer Electronics Show is rapidly approaching – in case you don’t know it, this annual January show is THE show for just about all cool things you’d want to plug in at home – and I just read that it’s going to be Celebrity Central with a famed mix including:

• Singer Stevie "I Just Called to Say I Love Your New Smartphone" Wonder
• Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek
• Star athletes “Big Papi” Ortiz (Red Sox) and Joba Chamberlain (Yankees)
• Oprah’s on-air doc, Dr. Oz
• and just about the entire NBC News team, including the Today show gang, Nightly News anchor Brian Williams, and CNBC's Maria Bartiromo

I am not excited to see the celebs descending upon CES.  In fact, I’m exasperated to think these folks will be distracting and diluting the goodness of the show.  Let singers become actors, and baseball players become TV commentators… but let’s let the electronics shine at CES!  If I want to watch Big Papi, I’ll watch him on my TV... not hyping new TVs or drawing throngs that prevent me from checking out the latest new TVs.  Because when it comes to CES, nothing’s hotter than that new TV, that inventive new touch-screen device, and that breakthrough laptop with true surround sound?

Are you with me in my quest to stop the CES celebrities?  Do you agree we should keep power hitters separate from power buttons?  Who should we call to…?

BTW, a shameless but lucrative plug – AbsolutelyNew can still potentially showcase your invention at CES… so definitely contact us quickly if it’s where you’d like to be.