The innovation challenge of daring to make mistakes

Newspapers are ferociously creative places. The constant deadlines, the pace and the stimulation from the constant barrage of information from the outside world mean we are among the best at creating interesting ways to entertain, amuse, inform and delight our readers on a regular basis.

Newspapers are also notoriously terrified of mistakes. From a typo on page 1, to confusing a fact or editing a quote into a misquote, the idea of getting something wrong is humiliating, embarrassing, and drummed into us all from the moment we enter the building that it must be avoided at all costs.

So it’s a tricky thing to argue that newspapers are innovative or have a culture of innovation.

Innovative is different to creative. Innovation is about looking at what is, and what is to come next, and delivering a concept and an idea at an entirely different level that spans the gap between the two. It’s not about organising the information to fit the box more beautifully. It’s about questioning whether a box is the right device at all and often, inventing an entirely new shape that is utterly delightful and compelling and makes boxes look totally last season.

This is why the iPod was innovative, but the idea of putting news on a website was simply creative. (still a great idea, but our response has been about repackaging what already existed and simply adjusting behaviour – not revolutionising it).

The size of our companies, the conservative nature of our thinking and our surety for so long that our world and revenue would never change has prevented, and even frowned upon, out-of-the-box thinking.

Let’s face it, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” is a good maxim when times are good. And trying something different could be a mistake.

But now our business models are largely broken. And add to that, the global economic crisis is a kick in the guts that makes it hard to get out of bed some mornings. So now, more than ever, it’s the perfect time to stop looking longingly at what we’ve done in the past and look at the opportunity for the future.

Now is exactly the right time to be bold and brave and start being excited, not frightened, of making the odd mistake. The payoff for those things we get right is enormous. In the current climate, we will know that those ideas that prove sound really do have a basis. They are not the beneficiary of a bubble and can only go onwards and upwards when times get better.

The Leo Burnett Predictions 2009 report from Ben Hourahine in London does some sociological crystal ball reading of where society is heading. It’s actually good news for newspapers with the gumption to translate those insights into creative product development – or perhaps even risk a little innovation.

Hourahine says that 2009 will be driven by a “new realism”, “hyper-reality” and “the trust economy”. These are all things newspapers can benefit from.

The Predictions report states the current economic conditions are profoundly affecting our cultural context. Speculation and emotion – which went hand in hand with rising affluence – is being replaced by a grounded social and creative dialogue. People are looking for honesty and realism as they reflect upon their values, and they are examining priorities and purchasing.

“The language of hopes and dreams is being replaced by one of pragmatism and prudence,” he writes.

Newspapers, being excellent value, founded in reporting reality and searching for the truth fit strongly in this context – if they can juggle other dynamic factors. For at the same time, we are entering a time of “hyper reality” as the pace of change accelerates even faster, so we too, need to speed up.

“Governments will be judged by how they manage to change, and ironically, by how much they bring about,” Hourahine says. “Businesses will face major challenges to keep up with and evolve to meet people’s rapidly changing needs. As economies, societies and cultures are recast, the need to know what’s next has never been greater.”

For newspapers, this means that the days of news doom and gloom are over. While readers want to hear the truth, they do not want to feel helpless. Articles will need to throw forward, predicting ‘what’s next’ not just stating what happened. Readers are looking for information that is useful and can assist them navigating their own path through the mayhem with a clear head.

Newspapers are also highly likely to be judged by how ready they are to change to meet the demands of readers and advertisers, and their readiness to become involved in driving the debate around change. In such a climate, standing still will in reality mean you are going backwards.

“Organisations that show they are going the extra mile for people will prosper,” writes Hourahine, describing it as the “trust economy”.

“In turbulent times, we look to organisations that share our concerns, manage anxiety and take the lead.”

Protecting the integrity of our brands and their editorial independence is therefore paramount – cutting to the bone, letting advertising and editorial bleed together and taking economy driven shortcuts will not be tolerated, and in fact will potentially hurt our recovery when times improve.

Most tellingly for newspapers however is the “end of fact” premise. Hourahine claims that in the world at large, perceived wisdom is changing on a daily basis and contradictory opinions are presented as definitive.

“For organisations in the ‘fact’ business, this is both a threat and an opportunity,” Hourahine says in the report. “For media organisations, editorial oversight will be a key differentiator. In a time when truth is more contested than ever, objectivity and impartiality will become rarefied and more in demand.”

In the new world order, newspapers that are responsive to reader and advertiser demands, that are trustworthy and pragmatically optimistic but still dancing a confident line in editorial integrity, engaged and solutions-oriented journalism, will thrive.

Whether becoming such a newspaper of the future is simply a creative evolution for your newspaper, or a whole new innovative approach that is a dramatic stretch, depends on your business approach today.


See Ben Hourahine’s predictions and report at: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=B4SklqUWXa4
http://www.leoburnett.co.uk/

First published in the Panpa Bulletin, February 2009