Helping Consumers Originate New Package Ideas with an 'IdeaStorm'

By Gary Grossman

When working as the lead new product innovation firm for Black & Decker in the mid-'70s, Innovations & Development Inc. (IDI) were responsible for the origination of new tools for tradesmen as well as for DIY-ers. After the second year of creating new product ideas, the IDI team found that inspiration was running low. The team was finding it difficult to originate a new cordless drill.

A new organization concept for bandages helped 3M convince Costco and big box retailers to carry and promote their Nexcare line of bandages.

During a discussion about this dilemma with Marty Schrock, Black & Decker's head of R&D, Schrock suggested that we go to drill users and let them create the drill that they would like to use. Starting with a crude question-and-answer brainstorming technique, we found that users were full of ideas for features and innovations that they wanted to have and use—from keyless chucks to lock-up cases.

This brainstorming worked. One of the ideas led to the transformation of power tools. A carpenter's idea involved the then recently introduced cordless drill. He wanted the battery to be easily removed so that he could recharge it in any situation. An electrician built on the idea by suggesting that a drill be offered with two battery packs so he could recharge one pack while continuing to drill.

Refining a process

This early brainstorming technique has transformed through 30 years of experience and design into a process that more closely meets clients' needs for new products and packaging. Now called "IdeaStorm," this unique process has led to new ways to package mayonnaise, new forms of snacks, a clear gel deodorant, flat-folding automobile seats, portable water purifiers, and dozens of others products for some of the leading brands.

More recently, IDI was asked by 3M to help them motivate Costco to carry bulk packages of their Nexcare bandages. This was a formidable task because at the time Costco carried only one brand in this category. Knowing that Costco buyers aim to please their members, we wanted to discover what bandage innovations members would like to purchase.

We decided to use our IdeaStorm process on club members who had recently purchased bandages. Working with 3M, the team established the information to be retrieved, sets to be developed, and demographics for the participants. For this project we decided to use two distinct rooms. The first room contained a variety of sets and areas for activities, and the second room was dedicated to brainstorming.

IdeaStorm usually uses two sessions. For each session we have a team leader, a back-up team leader who hears what the leader misses, two to four client members, a professional videographer, and six IDI team members. The IDI team members transform participants' spoken ideas into fairly realistic sketches.

Interactive idea creation

In the first room, IDI team members constructed a simulated bathroom, garage, and kitchen, all from cardboard, and mannequins of a child and father. We have found that being empathic rather than realistic with sets tends to conjure more thinking.

Our first activity involved a race consisting of three teams. Each team was asked to select a cut on the mannequin and cover it with the appropriate bandage as quickly as possible. This brought a lot of laughter—as well as frustration. The fastest time was two minutes for a job that should take about 30 seconds. The subjects could not locate the bandages; and when they did, it was difficult to remove the paper and apply the bandage to the wound.

The next activity involved word association. What were the most important words that described their frustrations with using bulk box bandages? This led to a variety of ideas, including an easy-to-locate bandage package, a package that separated different bandages with words describing their location, and a glass "apothecary" jar suitable for re-use.

The first part became very exciting. IDI team members were asking a variety of questions of the participants and then the overall team leader asked very important questions about what each participant thought about bandaging their kids and their experiences. While doing so, the six IDI team members listened to their solutions and transformed their words into sketches that described possible product ideas.

IDI let consumers tell them what they would like from a better bandage package, and Costco immediately recognized that shoppers would appreciate the convenience and ease-of-use of the newly organized envelopes.

After originating some ideas, everyone moved to the next room where they sat around a table containing a variety of stimulation packages—from motor oil to cosmetics to fishing tackle boxes. The walls of the room were covered with white paper, later to be filled with dozens of idea sketches. In this room, the people were asked specific questions. One by one they were asked to go to the center table and select the package that best resembled what they would like to see for a bulk bandage package to be found at Costco.

Narrowing down design

One woman selected a package with a little chicken sitting atop of four eggs. She liked it because of its friendliness and felt that four different bandage types could go into each egg. The IDI team members sketched a variety of ideas containing the same benefit as the egg package. The next mom selected an apothecary jar and stated quickly that she would like a bandage package that she could leave out on her bathroom counter and later be useable to store a variety of small bathroom products like cotton balls.

The key breakthrough occurred when two women selected a baggy containing some writing pads. Each said this could organize their bandages and make them easy to store in a variety of locations, including their automobiles and husband's golf bags. During the last 15 minutes, the group participants were asked to select one idea that represented their favorite package. The majority selected three of the ideas—a series of bandage baggies, a medical glass jar, and a divided box.

After the groups left, the IDI team met with the 3M representatives to discuss what we had learned. They also selected composite design directions for further study. IDI was then charged with using the selected ideas for stimulation and direction and to conceptualize potential Costco winners. Prototypes of three new ideas were developed and 3M selected one for presentation to Costco. The winning concept involved five soft plastic envelopes with pockets containing 28 organized bandages, all contained within a large carton.

IDI helped with 3M's presentation by editing the 12 hours of videos taken during the IdeaStorm sessions into a seven-minute film that showed Costco members selecting the idea being presented. The presentation worked and Costco made Nexcare Bandages their single brand in the category. 3M also introduced packages of single bandage envelopes for big box retail recently, and those have quickly gained 90% distribution.

Gary Grossman is president of IDI, a marketing, advertising and package design firm in Edgewater, NJ, and he can be reached at gg@idiusa.com.