An entrepreneur named Lynn Isenberg has brought new life to death with novel, personalized funerals. These services are far more than just an order of service, some tears and hymns sung out of tune.
From the volume of her business, it seems that there are a lot of people out there who don't want doom and gloom funerals.
A funeral for a lifelong golf enthusiast, for example, includes an end-of-life celebration on the 9th hole, complete with glow-in-the-dark golf balls engraved with the name of the recently deceased.
For her own death she has planned an outdoor showing of To Kill a Mockingbird. Great idea.
And there is more. For example, the wake for an ice cream man from Rockland included, naturally, his ice cream truck, which was parked in front of the funeral home with its bells jingling and lights flashing. The ice cream truck later led the procession to the church and then to the cemetery. After the burial, free ice cream was handed out.
Even funeral homes are starting to cater to lighthearted services. Palm Mortuary in Las Vegas, for example, offers "Life Celebrations" such as the The Western Sunset package, which features scuffed boots atop a bale of hay.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Personalized Funerals
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop customized funeral services that reflect the unique personality and interests of the deceased.
- Lighthearted Celebrations of Life
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create funeral services that focus on celebrating the life of the deceased in a joyful and uplifting manner.
- Non-traditional Funeral Offerings
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce unconventional elements and experiences to funeral services to cater to individuals seeking unique, memorable farewells.
Where This Applies
- Funeral Services
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Innovate and modernize traditional funeral services to meet the changing desires and preferences of consumers.
- Event Planning
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Explore the provision of event planning services specialized in organizing unique and personalized funeral ceremonies and celebrations.
- Entertainment and Memorabilia
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Collaborate with funeral homes to offer entertainment and memorial products and services that add a personalized touch to funerals.
