New Products, New Perspectives: Thinking Outside The Box
“We launched right in the middle of the low-carb craze in March 2004,” recalled LesserEvil Snacks cofounder Michael Sands, a pained grimace touching his voice. Although the founding idea of LesserEvil is making snacks that taste good but are low fat and contain no ingredients that cannot be pronounced — who wants to eat those chemicals anyway? — low carb just did not match up with kettle corn or “krinkle sticks,” no matter how healthy they might be. But then the tide changed: “By November, low carb was taboo,” said Sands and, suddenly, LesserEvil’s natural snacks could enjoy smoother sailing.
“Every day is a learning experience. You adapt, you listen,” said Sands who added that when it comes to introducing innovative products, “there are no right answers.” In other words, there isn’t a rulebook — this is more of a seat-of-the-pants experience. “This is not a science,” shrugged Sands, whose products now are on the shelves at Whole Foods. They have even penetrated traditional supermarkets.
Meanwhile, over at Pelican Products, essentially nonstop brand extension and product innovation fuels the days of CEO Lyndon Faulkner. For instance: the company makes watertight, crush-proof, dust-proof cases for carrying weapons – the military and police are prime markets. But couldn’t that same technology be used to create tough cases for iPods, laptops, and more? You bet, and Pelican’s team of 24 research and development experts tweaks and tinkers and keeps improving the cases that Pelican sells.
Faulkner said that one secret for minimizing risk is working with an established partner in developing a new product. He pointed to an innovative, ultra-bright but extremely lightweight flashlight recently developed by Pelican in association with the Los Angeles Police Department. This of course added instant name recognition, but also helped set the technical and performance specs for a next-generation police flashlight.
“Many companies struggle to bring new products to market,” said Faulkner. “We bring a lot,” and the secret, he suggested, comes down to being alert to natural brand and product extensions where a savvy company can extend its core competencies into new turf.
