Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 460,503 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,097 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,097 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,210 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 460,503 cutting edge ideas.

Inspiration Comes From the Most Extreme Places

Jeremy Gutsche's Innovation Strategy Speech

— May 13, 2013 — Business
Jeremy Gutsche's innovation strategy speech discusses the importance of going beyond the fringe to find inspiration. Many business managers and CEOs prefer to stay within their industry and to refrain from doing anything radically different for fear of failing or scaring away consumers, but the innovation keynote speaker argues in favor of unexpected and shocking experiments for brands to try.

To illustrate his point more thoroughly, Jeremy shares an example of this type of strategy in his book where controversy materialized into successful results.

"In most industries, shock is inappropriate, yet studying shock can yield innovative ideas. For example, when a neighborhood in Tel Aviv was upset about skyrocketing property taxes, they commissioned an advertising agency to help draw attention to their political cause. That agency came up with the controversial concept to devalue property by littering the neighborhood with cardboard cutouts of fake prostitutes.

Their idea was unsettling to many people, but they did get international coverage. Their goal was accomplished.

The same concept reappeared in a playground zone, one of the tamest possible applications.

To scare people into driving slower, cardboard cutouts of children were placed dangerously close to the road."


While many businesses find the idea of shocking or scaring their consumers unsettling, it serves the greater purpose of getting people's attention and inciting change.

For more inspiring stories, check out the FREE version of Jeremy's book 'Exploiting Chaos' here.
Trend Themes
1. Radical Experiments - Embracing unexpected and shocking experiments can lead to disruptive innovation opportunities.
2. Controversial Marketing - Studying shock and controversy can yield innovative ideas and approaches in marketing.
3. Attention-grabbing Tactics - Using unsettling and attention-grabbing tactics can incite change and create disruptive opportunities.
Industry Implications
1. Advertising - The advertising industry can leverage controversial concepts and attention-grabbing tactics to disrupt traditional marketing strategies.
2. Real Estate - The real estate industry can explore radical experiments to draw attention and incite change in property-related matters.
3. Transportation - The transportation industry can adopt unsettling tactics, such as using cardboard cutouts, to promote safety and disrupt traditional traffic regulations.
4.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness