Column: By the Way: It Sounds Trite—But It Isn't: When Issues Move On, but Yesterday's Strategies Remain
Nokia, Porsche, and many other well-known examples follow a similar pattern: Their strategies were successful up to a certain point—in some cases, even extraordinarily successful. The problem wasn’t the strategy. The problem was that the issues had changed. This is precisely where one of the greatest strategic challenges for companies lies—and an often underestimated risk for marketing and communication.
When the topics change
Over the years, Nokia built increasingly better cell phones. The devices were considered rugged, reliable, and technologically advanced. They provided excellent solutions to the market’s needs at the time. But at some point, the relevant priorities changed. People no longer wanted just to make phone calls. They wanted to take photos, use navigation, communicate, listen to music, and have the internet with them at all times. It wasn’t that the cell phone disappeared. The relevant priorities had shifted. An updated strategy came too late.
Recent discussions surrounding Porsche also show how difficult it can be to recognize this moment in time. The vehicles are outstanding. And yet the question arises as to whether certain model and product decisions still address the issues that will be crucial for the market in the future. It sounds trite. But it isn’t.
The Real Danger
After all, very few companies fail because they give the wrong answers. More often than not, they rely on answers to questions that were correct yesterday, even though the relevant issues have already changed. That is precisely where the difficulty lies. The consequences of a wrong answer usually become apparent quickly. The consequences of shifting priorities often don’t become apparent until years later. That’s why many strategies appear successful over the long term. Revenue is on track, processes are working, and the organization is operating efficiently.
However—even while business is still running smoothly, the environment may already have changed. Most strategic missteps do not begin with a wrong decision. They begin with the unspoken assumption that yesterday’s issues will still be the most important ones tomorrow.
What does this mean for marketing and communication?
We’re discussing reach, visibility, channels, and campaigns. Maybe we should first ask ourselves whether we even have anything left to say to people. We measure customer satisfaction. Perhaps we should first understand why people still choose our brand at all. In other words, perhaps we should first consider whether we’re even still talking about the issues that will be crucial tomorrow.
The Crucial Question
How can you prevent this? The honest answer is: You can't. At least not with certainty. But you can increase the likelihood of preventing it by not only checking the answers but also regularly reviewing the topics behind them.
Also by remaining alert to developments that don’t fit into the existing picture. And—by being willing to question even successful strategies. Because the crucial question is often not: Do we have the right answer? But rather:
Are we addressing tomorrow's relevant issues today?
By the way ...: The greatest danger is not giving the wrong answers. The greatest danger is realizing that the issues have changed only after the consequences have already become apparent.
Laura Colledani and Klaus Ammon have more than 40 years of combined experience in consumer research and marketing research. Over the years, they have developed a keen sense of what moves people - even beyond the numbers. Both authors advocate a communication culture that listens before it broadcasts. With the new approach of consumer listening management tools, they want to support marketing managers in not only questioning consumers in the traditional way, but also entering into a genuine relationship with them.
