How to Create Cool in Today’s Marketplace

Today we live in a cluttered marketplace where producers and companies alike, compete with one another to claim the throne of whatever niche they are appealing to. It is no secret that major corporations hire “Think Tanks” and consulting firms in their quest to stand out, or rather create the next “Big Thing.” The reality is that today’s consumer is so savvy that these “hired hands” are somewhat trivial. Todays consumer can readily sniff out B.S. from the real deal. So, the real question is: how do you or a company create “cool,” or rather the next big thing. Is “cool” an entity that can be manufactured through research and field studies?-paying consumers to test products like lab rats, in order to decide whether or not a product, or nuance on a product will thrive in the contemporary market. When I say “cool,” I mean sleek, innovative, appealing-the next “Big Thing.” The next Ipod?

Before the ipod, there were a myriad of other listening devices. We had the cassette player, then the disc man, then the MP3 players. The MP3 players were the creme de la creme, right? Who would of thought that anything would displace these devices? Umm, Steve Jobs? In my mind, Steve Jobs was one of the most innately gifted visionaries every-yes I said EVER. He had the foresight to redefine the way the world listens to music. The ipod mixed a user friendly interface with unparalleled aesthetics. Steve Jobs was not concerned with what people would think about it, or if the ipod would be cool; Jobs had a vision and through that vision he made an everlasting impact on the world. He never stopped; he was always reinventing, redefining, and altering. Jobs never stayed stagnant, but rather constantly innovated. So I guess the real question is: how do you become the next ipod in whatever industry you’re in.

It is my belief that “cool” cannot be manufactured. Cool cannot be outsourced, or thought up by a bunch of executives in a boardroom. “Cool,” as I define it, is the byproduct of a vision, and it can be applied to any industry, product etc. Take for instance, Eminem. Before Em, white rappers weren’t accepted. Nobody thought they were cool, and the audience automatically rejected them. However, Eminem broke through because of his vision. He didn’t care about what other people thought about him or if he would be accepted. He simply put out his visceral music and let the hip hop culture decide whether he was authentic or not (It didn’t hurt that he is one of the most lyrically gifted rappers of all time and backed by Dr. Dre). Em opened rap to a completely new audience-white teenage kids-innovative?

I guess the point I am trying to make, is that a product will not be deemed “cool” unless there is a vision behind it. A company can throw all the money they want into advertising and celebrity promotions, but today that shit doesn’t fool consumers. Vision, constant innovation and the tenacity to never settle is the only way to thrive in today’s inundated marketplace. So what will be the next ipod? I’d love to hear feedback, because I sure as hell don’t know. Until next time.

D. Spinelli