Most brands don’t innovate like Doraemon. They confuse creativity with innovation. Novelty with necessity.
Doraemon didn’t just pull-out random gadgets. He listened to Nobita, understood the problem, and then picked the perfect tool from his magic pocket.
What I often see in companies is just the opposite: products developed from the inside out. Someone has an idea, it goes to market and we cross our fingers hoping it sells.
The result? Catalogues with more options than logic. Products with no clear role. No structure to help the customer choose. More products don’t mean more sales. In fact, quite the opposite. Psychology is clear on this: too many choices lead to worse decisions. It’s the classic “paradox of choice.”
Foodservice is no exception. I see a lot of creativity, but very little relevant innovation. SKU management tells the story: few brands know the true operational impact of each product. Many don’t even have up-to-date cost breakdowns. Almost none track substitution effects. Sometimes removing a product improves margin, if customers switch to the right one.
And price? It shows up (maybe) at the end. Based on cost plus margin. That’s a mistake. Innovation should start with the customer: understand which price points matter and build from there.
In today’s (apathic) consumption environment, where every visit needs a new reason to happen, relevant innovation isn’t just relevant, it’s necessary. Consumers don’t need discounts. They need motivation.
Relevant innovation starts with listening. Just like Doraemon.
#commercialstrategy #innovation #pricing
