Markets gravitate toward and reward original ideas that motivate us to act. Don’t confuse being different with being original. Products, architecture, film and services that look different but do not represent a compelling new idea cannot have the power to inspire us to act. The gravitational pull of their purpose is too weak to create a bond with the consumer. Companies that put ordinary product ideas into new packages are different, but not original.
A product born of an original idea transforms contemporary culture, creates value and brings meaning to our lives. We have all witnessed the power of an original Paul Cézanne or Vincent van Gogh painting or Eames chair design to attract large audiences and create great value. Every company has a distinctly unique DNA and the potential to be an original. The power of creative process to create meaning and attract large audiences lies in the designer’s ability to discover the original in the ordinary.