Focus on innovation

Bant Breen: "The positive element [of the global recession] has been that companies now fully realize the scope and need for innovative solutions."

Bant Breen, president of worldwide digital communications at Initiative takes to Cream's innovation hot-seat, and talks about his take on the nature of innovation.

What is your definition of good innovation?

BB: "Good innovation in marketing is when one has an innovative concept that also delivers greater efficiencies, effectiveness and can be scaled.

Bad innovation in marketing is about blind, shiny object chasing that focuses solely on the latest, coolest, and hottest. Certainly, one must be aware of all that is new but one must evaluate, understand and pull out those items that offer meaningful value creation for marketing."

How do you foster a culture of innovation within your team?

"There are many things that we do as an organisation to help foster a culture of innovation such as our IPG Media Lab that experiments with new marketing related ideas and companies. But perhaps more importantly, there are basic tenets that we follow.

Firstly, we actively share our work, which means that all innovation is structured into cases and shared throughout our worldwide network to inspire, and challenge on an ongoing basis.

Secondly, we celebrate excellence in terms of having our own internal excellence awards and incentivising people to think of the new.

Thirdly, we protect the unconventional thinkers, the ones that do not necessarily fit the mould of what an agency marketing practitioner should be but seem to always have that idea or solution that answers the most difficult client challenges."

What is the biggest barrier to innovation?

"There are many hurdles that need to be jumped while running down the path of true innovation. With so many hurdles the greatest barrier to innovation is not any one specific hurdle but having a lack of fortitude. True innovators need to find a way to make things happen. Be relentless in your pursuit of innovation."

What is the single most innovative piece of work that you have been involved in from the past 12 months?

"At the beginning of 2010, I brought a business idea to life by launching Initiative's social media strategy and activation division Prophesee. With hubs in New York and London, this market-leading business has delivered breakthrough marketing results for clients such as Best Western, Lionsgate and SC Johnson through a unique combination of 'always on' monitoring, in-depth research and reporting, strategic consulting and performance-driven creative activation."

What was the biggest challenge of the past 12 months?

"The global recession challenged all aspects of the world economy. The positive element of this challenge has been that companies now fully realize the scope and need for innovative solutions."

Which brands do you admire for their innovative approach to marketing/business?

"All things Zappos because they embrace the idea of a conversational brand and an open-company model."

Are there any brands or sectors that you think present particular challenges when it comes to incorporating innovation?

"All sectors present great challenges. If I had to call-out one sector in particular for its challenges it would probably be pharmaceuticals because of the complexity of compliance to industry and government rules and regulations. For us, we like to work with all types of brands and categories. We like thorny brand and marketing challenges that require innovative solutions."

What marketing techniques/new technologies are you looking to experiment with over the next 12 months?

"Search, social, gaming and mobile will continue to be the most important arenas for development in the marketing communications space."

Bant Breen is president of worldwide digital communications at Initiative. He was recently inducted into the American Advertising Federation's Hall of Achievement, which recognises outstanding individuals in the industry, under the age of 40.