In the digital realm alone, there have been thousands of them. Every day I stumble on new offerings on the web that I had no idea existed, and that amaze me with their utility and creativity.

The startling fact, however, is how few of them become successful businesses.

The reason so many new products and new ideas do not succeed is a function of human psychology — the reluctance of consumers to do something new and different.

Most companies either don’t understand this or choose to ignore it.

Marketers always overestimate the attractiveness of new things and always underestimate the power of traditional consumer behavior.

We have been involved in the development of many new products and advertising campaigns for new products. Almost every new product we’ve been associated with has been either a reasonably good idea or an improvement on what went before. But most weren’t compelling enough to overcome consumer attachment to doing what they always do.

One of the biggest mistakes a marketer can make is taking too seriously what consumers say about a product in the development stage. When consumers are exposed to it, they will tell you it’s a good idea. But what they can never tell you is whether it’s a good enough idea to eclipse the inertia of their habits.

The most powerful force in marketing is not price, quality, distribution, advertising, or branding — it’s the resistance to change.

We call these people “creatives.” They are the ones who make the ads.

 They are always confused. Here’s why.



They are pressured by their leaders to do “great” work. But when they do, they usually get reprimanded for not being “on strategy.”



They are encouraged to win awards. But when they do, they are dismissed as childish narcissists.



They are highly paid, but rarely listened to.



They are told that it’s “all about the work” but come to learn that it’s “all about the metrics” or “all about the relationship” or “all about the conversation” or “all about” whatever the cliche-of-the-month is.



When they say advertising is an art, their clients say it’s a business.



When they say it’s a business, their clients say it’s an art. 



When they finally get something good produced, it fails.



When they produce mundane crap, it works.



When their friends like it, their clients hate it.



When their clients like it, their friends hate it.



They are encouraged to be collaborative. But the more people touch their work, the worse it gets.



They are counseled against becoming prima donnas. But they see that the people who get good jobs are often disagreeable monsters.



If they weren’t confused they’d be crazy.