Blockbuster Brand Acceleration Lab

November 1, 2017 at Zurich, Switzerland (client event)

The “Acceleration Lab” will focus on the big opportunities for fast growth – strategic initiatives that can be accelerated faster, alongside quick wins that are obvious and practical. It will do this through process and tools to be provided, and facilitated group work. The teams will present their outcomes the following day to business leaders, ready for agreed implementation. In particular, the workshop will stimulate new thinking and behaviours, learning from each other, sharing best practices, and finding best use of resources.

Format

The Acceleration Lab is designed as a high energy, focused and interactive experience. Following an initial session to reflect on the opportunities for innovation and growth, with some external inspiration, most of the day will involve teams working in “Growth Accelerators”. There will be 3-4 (as appropriate) teams, each focusing on one distinctive challenge, and all working through the stages of the growth acceleration process. The process will be facilitated by Peter Fisk, a highly experienced facilitator, consultant and thought leader with vast experience of similar challenges, including in beauty.

Agenda 

Part 1: Launch Pad

  • Growth opportunities  – why we need to think and act differently, exploring the opportunities of innovation and faster growth.
  • Inspiration from beyond – focusing on other sectors with similar challenges, relevant insights and innovations, how other companies (eg from Amazon to Zipcars, Red Bull to Tesla) have thought and acted differently.
  • Key phases of a fast and focused approach to innovation – how to ensure that it is customer-centric, creative and commercial, introducing the key tools and sequence, and why they matter.
  • Introduction of three big challenges (to be definined – for example, how to integrate new businesses, how to rethink our channel mix, how to redefine relationships with customers and what they mean locally.
  • Participants decide which “growth accelerators” to join for the rest of the day, each with a different challenge (there will be time during day to share ideas across groups too). Briefing of process for next 3 sessions

Part 2: The Opportunity Map

  • Each group works independently, guided by a large one page templates with a series of questions to guide their process. This focuses on
  1. Growth opportunities – identify options for growth and profit potential
  2. Consumer insights – hypothesis of key needs and aspirations
  3. Partner insights – hypothesis of key needs and aspirations
  4. Define the challenge – establish a clear objective, or problem to solve
  5. Priorities for focus – agree which growth opportunities matter most
  6. Size of the prize – initial feel for the revenue and profit potential and time.
  • Each group shares their one-page “Opportunity Map” with the other two teams, with 5 mins to present, and 5 mins for facilitator/others to give constructive feedback.

Part 3:  The Innovation Canvas

  • Each group works independently, guided by a large one page templates with a series of questions to guide their process. This focuses on
  1. Fast ideation – generating initial ideas, against priority growth opportinities
  2. Stretch stimulus – learn from one non-beauty brand to stimulate new thinking
  3. Idea fusion – connect ideas to find richer, and focus on strongest concepts
  4. Consumer concept – what each idea means, as products and services
  5. Partner concept – what each idea means, as products and services
  6. Fast evaluation – H/M/L for revenue, cost, risk, and time to find best concept
  • Each group shares their one-page “Innovation Canvas” with the other two teams, with 5 mins to present, and 5 mins for f constructive feedback.

Part 4: The Acceleration Plan

  • Each group works independently, guided by a large one page templates with a series of questions to guide their process. This focuses on
  1. The big idea – what’s new and better, what’s different and disruptive
  2. Value proposition – the benefits to salon partners, and consumers
  3. Business model – how it works, how we make money, costs and revenues
  4. Implemention roadmap – key phases of deliverables, timeframes in months
  5. Commercial check – high level revenues, costs, investment, risks, timeframe
  6. Make the case – how to tell the story in 3 minutes using “SCQA” framework
  • Each group shares their one-page “Acceleration Plan” with the other two teams, with 5 mins to present, and 5 mins for constructive feedback.

Step 5: Review and next steps

  • Review of the Acceleration Lab outcomes and next steps – what else to think about, and work on, before presenting to stakeholders. This will include practical advice in terms of how to best articulate and present.
  • Summary of the approach, with participants reflecting on the learning, the process and techniques used, and any key questions. Plus a high energy closing to leave them inspired.
  • Groups can work in their own time during the evening to prepare for the following day. Additional blank copies of the one-page templates are availale, or they can choose their own preferred style of presentation.