Consumer engagement via voting contests. Amazing!!! Or not?..

“If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses”. This probably is the most famous quote on market research and innovation ever, even though it looks like Henry Ford never said it.

Indeed, it’s challenging to use the information about things that consumers already know to create or assess something that doesn’t exist.  So while the quote holds true in many occasions, engaging consumers in co-creation could still make miracles for brands. Even if this doesn’t involve creating something completely new!

A great example of that is a recent Nike’s “Vote Forward” contest, when the company asked twelve designers from nine countries to make their versions of existing Air Max sneakers’ models and then consumers were to vote and decide which design goes in production and is available in stores globally.

Air Max I is considered to be one of the greatest sneakers in history. Inspired by Centre Pompidou visit, it was created in 1987 by Tinker Hatfield – apparently a legend in design world – who also developed a lot of hugely successful Nike shoes including many Air Jordan models  and self-lacing shoes worn by Marty McFly in “Back to the Future II”. Since then Air Max has grown into a huge product family, gained an army of loyal fans and left a mark in fashion and street culture. For example, surge of popularity in Japan in 90s led to a phenomenon known as “Air Max hunting”. High prices of the shoes led to a rash of muggings (in otherwise peaceful Japan!) wherein Air Max wearers were attacked and their shoes were stolen!