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Stop Focusing On Visionaries!
Scott Belsky of Behance | June 18th, 2008 - 07:00 AM
(19) found this useful. Do you? 
There is a horrid fact in the world of innovation: The vast majority of new products fail, and most new ad campaigns don’t achieve their objectives. The brilliant minds that fuel breakthroughs are also at a disadvantage when it comes to getting ideas adopted by the masses. The root of the problem is the visionary’s tendency to focus on fellow visionaries. Visionaries are most familiar with the needs of visionaries, and thus struggle (or lack the desire) to connect with the masses.
In “Crossing the Chasm,” Geoffrey Moore explores the giant gap between the early adopters of anything new, and the “pragmatists” – those in the majority that are more skeptical, average, and risk-averse. When you consider the creative individuals and teams that develop new ideas, it is easier to understand why there is so little focus on the masses.
Creatives love focusing on what fellow open-minded early-adopting visionaries value. This is especially true in the advertising world, where many of the award winning advertising concepts fail to achieve their commercial objectives. After all, the judges for awards are not average consumers from middle America but rather creative professionals themselves – true visionaries. Some companies, in search of effective advertising campaigns, avoid working with award winning firms in favor of more grounded, commercially focused firms.
When we conceive new ideas and execute them, we must assume a pragmatic lens that grounds our expectations, tastes, and perceptions. The most productive creative professionals and teams in the world have found strategies to avoid falling in the chasm!
Behance articles and tips are adapted from the writing and research of Scott Belsky and the Behance team. Behance runs the Behance Creative Network , the Creative Jobs List, and develops knowledge, products, and services that help creative professionals make ideas happen.All information (c) Scott Belsky, Behance LLC
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Discussion Boards
Anita Campbell | June 19th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Scott, add to your comments the people who come up with new TV shows and movies. Some of them are so off the wall and overly creative, I can’t imagine who watches them. It’s certainly not the mainstream majority looking to while away an hour or two in the evening after unwinding from a hard day.
No wonder I’m spending more than ever at Borders and Barnes & Noble. It’s done wonders for my reading habits.
Anita
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Jim Wagner | June 23rd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Like with most generalizations there is both a relative truth and relative less-truth part of what you say. The relative truth, you have stated well.
The relative less-thruth part maybe the way you use visionary to “bounce off” of your point. As you probably know visionary has been used and re-used to explain pov’s from mystical, fanciful and highly speculative
to idealistic, unusually keen foresight and communication about the future through projections.
Everything starts with the mind. A thought becomes many and if action is applied, soon becomes our “reality.” Maybe what we need is more specific language to explain this very deep subject matter. Or better yet, “see” that there is no true right and wrong - no them and us - only different variations of the same position — it is all dependent on your pov. A mango and an orange are both fruits (by definition), they both contain
glucose and acid, only in varying amounts. Are either any less of a fruit because of this difference? We could all be visionaries if only we could wake up and see through this “reality” of ours - one that is completely created from the mind. Without visionaries we would have nothing.
cheers,
Jim
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Sharon Hess | June 23rd, 2008 at 2:20 pm
I agree with the comment above that everything starts with the mind. Reality starts with the mind. So, what a surprise to the entrepreneur when their projected reality fails to achieve it’s vision.
I like the idea very much and hope the masses of failed entrepreneurs will turn to you for advice in your book.
Best Wishes,
Sharon
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