Author: Jay Zaltzman

How to Innovate

Innovation doesn’t always come from disruption; in many cases, it comes from a fresh look at something familiar. I was listening to an interview with Eric Ryan, the serial entrepreneur behind Method and Olly, and I was struck by his approach to innovation. He didn’t create billion-dollar brands by inventing entirely new categories. He did it by noticing what everyone else overlooked and making inspired tweaks in existing categories.

Olly – one of Eric Ryan’s ventures.
Source: https://www.olly.com/products/laser-focus

Ryan’s best-known ventures are great examples of his approach:

Method: Reinventing cleaning supplies. In the early 2000s, cleaning products were toxic, industrial, and hidden under sinks. Meanwhile, consumers were embracing design, wellness, and sustainability elsewhere in their homes. Ryan and his co-founder borrowed from personal care and housewares – fragrances, silhouettes, color – and brought them into cleaning supplies.

Olly: Turning vitamins into lifestyle products. Vitamins were treated like supplements for sick people – clinical, cluttered, and hidden in the cupboard. Olly flipped a couple conventions: ingredients were replaced with benefits (“Sleep,” “Beauty,” “Immunity”), packaging was designed to sit proudly on the counter, not hide in a cupboard. No new science, just new framing.

Wellie: Bandages with personality. Bandages used to hide. Wellie turned them into something fun, visible, and expressive, borrowing from fashion and kids’ products, not first aid.

Each brand succeeded not by inventing something new, but by reframing something old through a cultural lens.

How you can apply Ryan’s innovation principles:

  1. Look for sameness. If every brand in a category makes the same aesthetic and language choices, people are ripe for change.
  2. Find the cultural shift the category missed. Ask: What’s changed in people’s attitudes, aesthetics, wellness habits, design expectations, or values, and why hasn’t this category caught up? For example, Method caught the sustainability + design wave that personal care absorbed but cleaning supplies ignored.
  3. Steal ideas from faraway places. Don’t look at competitors. Look at food, architecture, children’s products, beauty, travel, digital culture – and translate what you see. Ryan once turned the texture of a building he saw in Tokyo into packaging inspiration. The farther the source, the fresher the translation.
  4. Change one big thing, not everything. Instead of layering small innovations, he picks one dramatic shift that creates instant contrast. Olly changed the shape and messaging on vitamin packaging – and instantly stood out. They didn’t make many changes to the category all at once, but rather started with one bold move.
  5. Pair the familiar with the unexpected. People need enough recognition to trust the product, and enough novelty to notice it. Method didn’t invent cleaning spray. They used the same function but redesigned the bottle, colors, and scent experience to feel more like personal care. Familiar product + unexpected execution = approachability and attention.

Using travel as a creative engine

One of the most distinctive parts of Eric Ryan’s process is how he uses travel, not as escape, but as stimulation. When he takes a “trend trip,” he brings designers with him. Everyone has something to hunt for: a color story, a display format, a materials idea, a scent, a tone of voice. They walk the stores, pay attention to what’s normal in that culture, and look for moments that surprise them.

At the end of the day, they meet – usually somewhere informal, like a pub – and compare what they spotted. But the key is what happens next: instead of filing photos away “for later,” they immediately send inspiration and notes to a creative team back home. While the travelers sleep, the team turns those observations into mockups and product concepts. By breakfast the next morning, they’re reviewing tangible ideas, not just impressions. In some cases, those concepts are pitched to retailers before the flight home.

It’s research, ideation, and prototyping collapsed into a 24-hour cycle. And it works because travel puts you back into a state of noticing.

While many believe innovation requires a blank slate, a lab, or a breakthrough technology, Ryan’s approach proves the opposite: you can create something meaningfully new by re-seeing what already exists. When we learn to spot sameness, listen for the cultural moment, steal from the right places, and make bold changes, innovation becomes practical rather than mystical. That’s how I like to work with clients: spotting overlooked signals, mapping cultural shifts and turning them into concepts quickly.

The raw materials for innovation are already in front of us, we just have to look with different eyes. If your team could use a fresh set of eyes or a structured way to spot the opportunities hiding in plain sight, I facilitate innovation sprints and co-creation sessions built around this kind of thinking. And if the idea of a curated trend trip sparks something for you, let’s explore that too.  Contact me at info at bureauwest.com .

Source: “Brainstorming $100M Ideas with the $1B+ King of Brands,” My First Million, Oct. 8, 2025

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

Insights that make an impact

I’m excited to announce the launch of my video series “From Insight to Impact” – conversations with leaders in marketing, strategy, and research on how to ensure research delivers meaningful business value to client companies.

My first guest was James Forr, Head of Insights at Olson Zaltman, the firm founded by Dr. Gerald Zaltman (Harvard Business School) and Dr. Jerry Olson (Penn State University). I asked James how we can provide more value to clients, especially in the age of AI. Two of his points really stood out:

  • Ask clients better questions
  • Ask research participants better questions

On the client side, James said “it’s our job many times to try to help clients think about their problems a little bit more deeply. Sometimes the question that you as a client want to answer is not necessarily the question that you should ask.”

  • He gave an example where a client was looking to reverse a decline in sales of their breakfast cereal. They originally wanted to conduct research to understand their brand better, but James and his team suggested learning more about the context in which the brand plays, specifically, breakfast. The client knew that breakfast was an important bonding time for mother and child, so they designed research to learn more about that relationship. They found there were developmental steps children go through, and moms frequently would discover the child went to the next step (e.g., made a friend independently) over breakfast. Those insights helped the client create highly effective marketing.

Beyond reframing client questions, James also emphasized listening more deeply to participants. He gave an example of a project where a couple consumers said that it’s important to eat healthy “these days.” While it would be easy to skip over the mention of “these days,” James thought there was something behind that. Subsequent probing found that people had concerns about “big food” and “big pharma” – concerns that were shaping consumer behavior in new ways. 

AI can process vast amounts of data, but it doesn’t catch those subtle moments. Human researchers add value when we slow down, notice unexpected comments, and follow up. I’m reminded of an experience I had facilitating a board strategy session. One board member said something that made everyone else laugh uncomfortably. I continued on, because I had a lot to cover. But then I caught it and circled back. That issue turned out to be the crux of the problem of how the organization saw itself and the basis for how it would move forward. It can be difficult to note these kinds of statements because we tend to have packed discussion guides. But it’s worth making that extra effort!

You can view the full interview with James, as well as future interviews, on my YouTube channel here.

Let’s talk about how to maximize the impact of your next research project. Contact me at info at bureauwest.com.

Source: “From Insight to Impact: Interview with James Forr,” Bureau West, 9/24/25

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

Making research worth the investment

Most companies don’t ignore research on purpose. They invest in it with the hope that it will sharpen strategy and reduce uncertainty. Yet too often, research ends up as a report that sits on a shelf, while teams return to old habits or gut feel.

  • Back in the early 2000s, even a giant like Procter & Gamble was struggling with research not delivering the business results they expected. Their flagship Tide brand was a household name, but innovation success rates were low: only about 15% of new initiatives were meeting profit and revenue targets.

    P&G didn’t respond by simply commissioning more studies. They changed how they used research. They built what they called a “new-growth factory:” processes and teams designed not just to generate insights but to carry them through to product development, marketing, and strategy. They opened up to outside partners, created internal coaches to guide innovation projects, and developed toolkits to help different functions act on insights.

    The results were dramatic. Within about a decade, Tide’s revenues nearly doubled, helping its fabric and home-care division grow from roughly $12 billion to nearly $24 billion. In other words, they turned research into a driver of growth by investing in what happens after the data is collected.

Of course, not every company has the scale or resources of P&G. But the lesson applies far beyond consumer-goods giants: research produces the greatest returns when you budget for the “last mile,” when you tie findings to financial outcomes, and when you make insights easy for people across the company to use.

Here are three practices you can apply, no matter your company size:

  1. Budget for the “last mile”
    Most research budgets go toward data collection and analysis, with little left for embedding insights. That’s a missed opportunity. The last mile is where insights turn into action: facilitated workshops, action plans, internal roadshows, training sessions. Even setting aside 10% of your research budget for activation can make the difference between a report that sits on a shelf and insights that change strategy.

    Try this: For your next project, include a session where key stakeholders co-create an action plan from the findings. When people shape the plan themselves, they’re far more likely to follow through.
  2. Translate insights into financial implications
    Executives act when they see dollar signs. An insight like “customers are frustrated by onboarding” is interesting. But reframed as “if we reduce onboarding drop-off by 5%, we could gain $2 million in annual revenue,” it becomes actionable.

    Try this: For each major finding, sketch a quick “back-of-the-napkin” estimate of what acting on it could mean financially. It doesn’t have to be precise: directional numbers spark urgency and support.
  3. Design outputs for shareability
    The people who need to act on research often won’t read a 60-page report. But they will look at a one-page infographic, a short video, or a set of personas they can pin to their office wall. The more portable and shareable your insights are, the more they spread inside the organization.

    Try this: Ask yourself, “If someone only had 60 seconds with this finding, what would I want them to remember?” Build a summary or visual around that.

Research is an investment. But like P&G discovered, the return depends on how the findings are activated. Companies that budget for the last mile, tie insights to dollars, and make findings easy to share don’t just learn about their customers, they become more competitive.

Want to make sure your next research project leads to real impact? Let’s talk about how to get there. Contact me at info at bureauwest.com.

Posted on by Jay Zaltzman

Improving customer experience for big revenue jump

We all know that improving customer experience can increase profits. One example of this with big numbers: airports. When I passed through London Heathrow recently, it struck me how much potential revenue airports are leaving on the table. The airport was so crowded that simply moving through the terminal was stressful. Rather than encouraging me to shop, I just wanted to find a quiet place to sit. (Such as a lounge… which are almost always overflowing! The bad airport customer experience seems to translate to increased lounge demand.)

While airports talk about improving “customer experience,” passengers are still faced with overcrowding and cramped gate areas. These stress points don’t just damage the airport’s reputation – they also reduce revenue.

Research from Airports Council International shows that every 1% increase in passenger satisfaction leads to about a 1.5% increase in non-aeronautical revenue (things like retail, food, and parking). The logic is straightforward: when passengers feel relaxed and cared for, they’re more likely to shop, eat, and explore. When they feel harried, they’re far more likely to sit tight and spend nothing.

What could airports do differently?

  • Ease bottlenecks with better technology (biometric gates, CT scanners, real-time wait-time updates).
  • Create comfort through accessible seating, quiet zones, and family-friendly spaces.
  • Diversify retail beyond luxury brands, making shopping feel more inclusive and appealing to a wider range of passengers.
  • Digitize the experience with apps that combine flight info, shopping deals, and food pre-order options.

For passengers, this means less stress and more enjoyment. For airports, it means higher per-passenger spending and stronger long-term loyalty from both travelers and airlines.

Take Heathrow as an example. Diversifying retail beyond luxury brands doesn’t cost much – retailers typically fund their own fit-outs, with the airport mainly responsible for curation and space planning. Add in a modest investment in more seating and quiet areas, and the total spend might be in the range of £25-40 million.

Now consider the revenue side:

  • A more inclusive retail mix could lift spend per passenger by 5-10 %.
  • Greater comfort could drive another 3-5 % increase by giving passengers the mental space to shop and eat.

Together, that’s £80-150 million in additional annual revenue for Heathrow – meaning the improvements could pay for themselves in well under a year.

Airports have immense opportunity to turn crowded, stressful journeys into smoother, more profitable ones. The business case is already proven: a better passenger experience is not just good service – it’s smart economics.

Find out how to improve the experience for your customers. Contact me at info at bureauwest.com and let’s discuss.

Source: “Enhancing customer experience to boost non-aeronautical revenues,” ACI World Insights, June 19, 2019

Notes:

  1. Yes, the data point about 1% increase in passenger satisfaction leading to 1.5% increase in non-aeronautical revenue is from a few years back, but is still being used in the category and there’s no reason to think the number has gone down.
  2. Cost and revenue estimates courtesy of the tireless Chat GPT.
Posted on by Jay Zaltzman