‘OUTSIDE THE BOX’ OR ‘VUJA DE’ ?
Creativity and innovation play a crucial role for businesses looking to stay ahead of their competitors with their brand and marketing strategies. In this context, I would like to introduce you to a lesser-known approach called "vuja de". While you may be familiar with the more common phrase "thinking outside the box", "vuja de" represents a different perspective and approach to generating creative solutions. Let's explore the differences between these two concepts with some examples.
Thinking Outside the Box
This phrase encourages marketers to break away from conventional or traditional approaches and explore new ideas, strategies, or tactics. It often involves looking for innovative solutions within the existing framework.
Example
A soda company looking to market its product differently can think outside the box by creating unique and eye-catching packaging for their beverages, using unconventional materials like biodegradable bottles or creating interactive labels. Although these ideas are different from the norm, they still fit within the existing context of soda marketing.
Vuja De
Vuja de, on the other hand, involves looking at familiar things with a fresh perspective, as if you've never seen them before. It encourages marketers to challenge assumptions and view their products, customers, or market in an entirely new light.
Example
Let's consider the same soda company, but this time, they embrace vuja de. Instead of focusing solely on the product itself, they step back and ask questions like, "What if our soda wasn't just a beverage but an experience?" This leads them to create marketing campaigns centered around the emotions and experiences associated with their soda. They might host events, collaborate with artists to create unique visual displays, and position their soda as a catalyst for memorable moments. This approach completely reimagines the role of their product in consumers' lives.
Key Differences
Perspective
"Thinking outside the box" typically involves looking for creative solutions within the existing context.
"Vuja de" requires marketers to step outside the current context and see things from a new perspective.
Innovation
"Thinking outside the box" often results in incremental innovations or improvements.
"Vuja de" can lead to more disruptive and transformative innovations.
Approach
"Thinking outside the box" encourages divergence from the norm, but it's still tethered to the box.
"Vuja de" encourages marketers to question the very existence of the box, encouraging a more radical shift in thinking.
In essence, while both approaches aim to foster creativity and innovation, "thinking outside the box" seeks to optimize and improve existing strategies, while "vuja de" challenges the fundamental assumptions and narratives surrounding a product or industry, potentially leading to disruptive, paradigm-shifting campaigns.
Both approaches have validity and have their place within the development of your marketing strategy, but I suggest viewing your strategies through the lens of fresh eyes.
BE BOLD!