This weekend I bought a new product, nothing too surprising or earth shattering in that. It happened to be Innocent’s new Pure Fruit Squeezers – real fruit meets Petits Filous Frubes. They are an Innocent twist on something that already exists.

What it did make me think about was three adages of innovation and the truth in them all.

Firstly how ideas aren’t the only problem when it comes to innovation. Indeed sometimes having the ideas can be one of the easier and indeed more enjoyable parts of the whole process. If you have a clear vision for the brand, are being led by an agreed strategy and the overall process has a clear structure then you can often enjoy the discipline of a tight brief.

Secondly how there are different levels are types of innovation and not every innovation needs to be a radical breakthrough to be a success. In fact if you look at the origin of the word innovation; it has not one but two Latin roots – “innovare” and “novare”. “Innovare” means to alter or make better while “novare” means to make different or make new.  So in fact innovation which is what so many of us marketers do more of time is probably correctly named, as we less frequently involved in the really radical “novation” projects. Both however are valid strategies for driving brand growth.  

The third truism is how it is easier to go wrong than to go right. The Pure Fruit Squeezers were on a gondola end in my local Tesco and had a special introductory offer – which highlights  at least four things that even if you have a great idea can go wrong – distribution, merchandising, trial (not to mention pricing and profitability). Then of course there is the product quality and delivery….

And the moral of the story?  Well perhaps just that innovation isn’t easy…

There comes a time in every brand’s life, when its owners need to plan how to maintain sustainable growth for the future.

Traditionally the options have been to go to the markets to raise capital; or to look for a larger, more established partner. With the former option now less viable due the global economy, the latter is perhaps a more realistic option for businesses looking to take their brands to the next level. It’s interesting, then, that the sale of a minority stake to Coca-Cola should provoke criticism of Innocent from some quarters.

From a branding point of view, partnering with a more experienced company can actually bring greater clarity of focus on your core values and brand essence - illustrative case studies include Kiehl’s with L’Oreal, Ben & Jerry’s with Unilever and Green & Black’s with Cadbury.

As one of our senior consultants, Nikki Reeves summarised, “It’s the balancing act between staying true to the core values of your brand – whilst finding ways retaining relevance to your consumers over the years”.

What will be fascinating to observe is how Innocent develops with access to the expanded opportunities and expertise of the Coca-Cola organisation. Not the end of this brand story by any means, but just the start of the next chapter…

Two smart City boys loosened their ties
Then set out their stall with bottles of drink
And a pair of bins
Vote yes to our juice and we’ll begin
A business based on smoothie creation
And so was born a rising star of innovation
Beloved by BC1 Mums from Leeds to London
They carved out a niche in squashed fruit production
Consistent, engaging, distinctive and fresh
It seemed to promote what professionals profess
Yet Innocent’s the brand consultants love to mock
For its ‘quirky’ tone and its ‘cool’ Fruitstock
Its crime? A success story loudly told
Beware British brands who should be so bold…