Innovations We Love: February
Last year we brought you #BRANDMOVESWELOVE, and in 2020 we’re evolving it to #InnovationsWeLove. As a market research and innovation firm, we are always interested in brands and people who are pushing the envelope. Innovation today is happening everywhere and at a seemingly rapid pace. In this new series, our team shares the #InnovationsWeLove as well as the human insights that may have led to it. Here’s what’s sparking our interests this month…
INNOVATION: THREDUP’S CARBON FOOTPRINT CALCULATOR
Why We Love It:
"I love how engaging and educational this calculator tool is; I learned something on each screen, and there was no consumer shaming for current habits. Also, the cross branding and promotion is done really well. I admire when sustainable brands and services play well together." ––Courtney PeGan, VP of Operations
INNOVATION: BOSSA NOVA’S INVENTORY ROBOT
Why We Love It:
“The robot is a step forward in inventory management for retailers, but isn’t eliminating jobs which is always a concern for technological advancements in the marketplace. Instead, the robot takes away the tedious job of identifying inventory, something that is prone to human error and/or a driver of employee turnover, and allows for more efficient correcting of the issue and more time spent face to face helping customers.” ––Jordann Ndoye, Director of Accounts and Development
INNOVATION: THANK MY FARMER APP
Why We Love It:
“The Thank Your Farmer app is interesting for those consumers that want to better understand the origin of their product and the pathway to get it into their hands. I feel an app like this may help consumers appreciate/realize the steps and effort that is involved in getting something like coffee into the cup that they’re drinking. Having the ability to truly "thank the farmer" could inspire farmers to continue doing the hard work necessary to deliver the goods consumers want." ––Diane Dierckman, Senior Research and Innovation Consultant
INNOVATION: RENT THE RUNWAY CLOSET CONCIERGE
Why We Love It:
“Consider how much time we all waste thinking about the different articles of clothing we have to pack for a trip. I recently went to California and spent so much time packing and unpacking, and shopping for extra clothes that I potentially might need should it rain/snow/hail/you name it. This was my first time to California so I was oblivious as to what I’d need, but knew that I didn’t want my clothing options to hold me back from enjoying this trip. Having a service like Rent the Runway Close Concierge would have been perfect for a trip like this and would have saved me so much stress, allowing me to better plan for all the activities I wanted to experience.
I also couldn’t imagine how invaluable this service would be for that business man or woman that is traveling for their first business trip. The anxiety they must feel is insurmountable so having a professional stylist take one thing off of their to-do list could free up their brain space, allowing them to breath and feel confident to present their best self.” ––Angie Phillips, Project Manager
These innovations are all sparking enlightenment or convenience in some way. Whether it’s having knowledge about our carbon footprint or the ease of a shelf-scanning robot.
We know there are more innovations to love and we'd like to hear from you. What have you noticed? What are you loving? JOIN OUR DISCUSSION ON LINKEDIN.