Innovation; the very word conjures up images of great inventions that change the world or the newest technological marvel that has us all clambering at the shelves. But innovation really doesn’t have to be that world changing; it just needs to change the world for the right person.

There is an all-too-common perception that innovation needs to be the ‘next big thing’ to be considered a success or even considered at all. But rather than having these lofty visions, brands need to lower the eyes a bit, focus on their customers (or even key segments within their customer base) and find out more about these smaller groups. What are their pain points, where are they calling out for help from the brand? These are the types of questions that need answering in the world of innovation, marketing and research.

When you think about it, some of the best innovations are the ones that have you scratching your head and saying ‘I could have thought of that!!’. And that’s the beauty of these kinds of innovations. They take an unmet need and then provide a solution for that need, no matter how simple.

As a cyclist and someone who works in an office environment, what I (and I am sure numerous other businessman/cycling enthusiasts) have always struggled with is keeping shirts and trousers neat when packed into a backpack. Not being a student of the ancient and edge of your seat art of origami, my efforts to keep shirts crease free have largely been unsuccessful to date but that all changed with my latest purchase: a backpack and suit-bag fused together in one fetchingly elegant backpack (I’m not gunning for a free backpack here or anything).

Simple. I could have thought of that….but I didn’t. The creators, Henty backpacks did however, when they took an unmet need of commuters who cycle/walk/run needing to have crease-free and respectable clothing when arriving at work, and then innovated around this need. They took the suit bag, put some straps on it, added a little Velcro and voila! A suit bag backpack. Obviously it’s a little more detailed that, but what’s important is that the concept itself isn’t.

So what are your unmet needs? Have you identified where you can fill the gap with a new product or service that is going to change someone’s world for the better?

Interested in the backpacks? I can vouch really highly for them. I love mine (again Henty, feel free to send us some backpacks). http://henty.cc/

Written by Chris