Paradigm Busting - AEF

Paradigm Busting

Winning Big By Breaking the Rules

Paul Kurnit

Founder and President

March 21, 2007

Paradigm Busting

! What is a paradigm?
! Why bust a paradigm?
! What’s a phenomenon?
! Kid paradigm busters
! Traps and trips
! Steps and methods
! Paradigm busting for fun and profit

What’s a Paradigm?

By Definition

! “A pattern, example or model
An outstandingly clear or typical
example or archetype” Source: Webster’s

! Rules of the road
! The way it’s always been done
! Conventional wisdom

What’s Good About
Paradigms? Busting

! Proven, tried and true
! Safe road, safe results
! Time and market tested

Why Bust a Paradigm?sting

! No risk…no reward
! Research can only tell what is…

not what can be
! “Conventional wisdom”

is an oxymoron
! Innovation is all about…

new over tried and true

Blockbuster Wins

! Blockbuster wins come not from the
proven past, but from…

! Paradigm busting…
break-throughs in

"product and
"marketing

A Classic Paradigm Buster

! Arm and Hammer Baking Soda

"From one tablespoon at a time
"To an entire box in the fridge

Kid Paradigm Busters

! Kids are wide open to new ideas

"They are not burdened by the “rules”
"Fun comes in all shapes, sizes, products,

services and behaviors…
"New ideas capture the hearts, minds, fun

and play of ever-changing kids

! …that can become cultural and
brand phenomena for them

Kid Paradigm Busters

! Across industries and
crossing over industries

"Toys
"Games
"Food
"Entertainment
"Apparel

What’s a Phenomenon?

! “Anything that is extremely unusual;
extraordinary occurrence” - Webster’s

! For the kids’ business:
A break-through or break-out brand or
business success

"Huge popularity
"A frenzy of kids appreciation
"Huge demand
"A cultural sea change

Kid Phenomenon?

! There are no guarantees…
! But, the factors underlying one

can be put in place and nurtured

1. New paradigm
2. Stand out product or service
3. Marketing and marketing communication

that surrounds the kid consumer
4. Partners and events to drive the idea
5. Time to let the phenomenon develop

Kid Paradigm Busters

That achieved phenomenon status

Kid Tried and True…

Conventional Wisdom

to New

Paradigm Buster

GI Joe

! Conventional Wisdom

"Dolls are for girls
"Dolls are about nurturing and

dress up

! Paradigm Buster

"“Dolls” can be for boys

(when they’re not called dolls)

"Male mannequin play is
heroic role play

Cabbage Patch Kids

! Conventional Wisdom

"Dolls must be beautiful
"Kids don’t understand adoption

! Paradigm Buster

"One of a kind kids
"Parental nurturing

“I promise to be a
good mommy…”

Transformers

! Conventional Wisdom

"Puzzles are hard
"Kids don’t relate to robots

! Paradigm Buster

"Transforming is empowering
"Autobots vs. Decepticons
"“More than meets the eye”

“Robots in disguise”

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

! Conventional Wisdom

"Heroes are human
"Heroes are serious

! Paradigm Buster

"Turtles deliver
kid transference

"Heroic humor is fun and
kid accessible…
“Cowabunga, dude”

Mighty Morphin
Power Rangers

! Conventional Wisdom

"Transformation has
to be cool

"Special effects must be slick

! Paradigm Buster

"Simple transformation
emulates kid play

"Special effects aren’t real

Mighty Morphin
Power Rangers

! Conventional Wisdom

"Transformation has to be cool
"Special effects need to be slick

! Paradigm Buster

"Simple transformation emulates kid play
"Special effects aren’t real

My Little Pony

! Conventional Wisdom

"Dolls are human
"Ponies come in black,

brown and white

! Paradigm Buster

"Girls love horses. Horses can be
anthropomorphized into a
doll human world

"Girls love pink, purple and rainbow

My Little Pony

! Conventional Wisdom

"Dolls are human
"Ponies come in black, brown and white

! Paradigm Buster

"Girls love horses. Horses can be
anthropomorphized into a doll human world

"Girls love pink, purple and rainbow colors

Hot Wheels

! Conventional Wisdom

"Hot wheels are cars

! Paradigm Buster

"Hot wheels are skateboards
"Hot wheels can be

anything cool with wheels

Bratz

! Conventional Wisdom

"Barbie is the archetype for fashion dolls
"Fashion doll beauty is Miss America

body type emulated

! Paradigm Buster

"Hip-hop is the new girl
cool fashion sense

"Attitude trumps
conventional beauty

Beanie Babies

! Conventional Wisdom

"Bean bags are old fashioned
"Collectible baby animals

is babyish

! Paradigm Buster

"Cute and cuddly
never goes out of style

"Collectibility is cool

Family Game Night

! Conventional Wisdom

"Adults don’t play board games
"Kids don’t want to play

games with their parents

! Paradigm Buster

"Kids and parents want quality
experiences together

"Kids and parents like to play
board games, like the same titles
and want to play with each other

Video Games

! Conventional Wisdom

"Nintendo and Sega
make videogames

"Sony makes music
and movies.
Microsoft makes software.

! Paradigm Buster

"Sony makes PlayStation.
Microsoft makes XBOX.

"Sega makes software.

Video Games

Smurfs

! Conventional Wisdom

"Who cares about
little blue characters?

! Paradigm Buster

"Fantasy community is
powerful and comforting

"Strong father figure
"One flirty girl
"Role players who

do only one thing

Smurfs

Rugrats

! Conventional Wisdom

"Babies are babyish
"Babies can’t be cool

! Paradigm Buster

"Kid empowerment is powerful
"Babies as child representatives

make kids feel extra empowered

SpongeBob SquarePants

! Conventional Wisdom

"Geeks are not cool
"Underwater is no place for kid drama

! Paradigm Buster

"Geek is the new chic

Underpants are always
kid fun

"Kids love new inventive worlds of fun



Go-gurt

! Conventional Wisdom

"Kids hate yogurt

! Paradigm Buster

"Go-gurt is yogurt made for kids
"Portable food for on-the-go eating is fun

Lunchables

! Conventional Wisdom

"Bringing lunch from home is un-cool
"Lunchables is a lunch idea

! Paradigm Buster

"Packaged food especially
for kids is cool

"Playing with food is fun
"Lunchables can be any

packaged food fun

Kid Magazines

! Conventional Wisdom

"Kids don’t like to read
"The stuff kids read is drudgery

! Paradigm Buster

"Visually driven reading is fun
"Kids love to read stuff they care about and

that fascinates them about their world

UberBabies

! Conventional Wisdom

"Parents wants their
children to have the
best advantages

! Paradigm Buster

"Genius starts in infancy

Gap Kids

! Conventional Wisdom

"Gap is for adult
baby boomers

"Gap is preppie

! Paradigm Buster

"Gap turns kids and babies
into adult badges

"Babies and kids in
preppie gear emulates
adult narcissism

GapTech

! Conventional Wisdom

"Clothes are for fashion and protection

! Paradigm Buster

"Clothes are
vehicles to
communicate
and entertain

ToySounds

! Conventional Wisdom

"Girls like music

! Paradigm Buster

"Musical toys can become tween
transitional business

LifeSounds

! Conventional Wisdom

"Apple makes computers

! Paradigm Buster

"Apple iPod
owns music

Traps and Trips,
Methods and Steps

Traps and Trips

! Adult think in the quest for a
genuinely new kid idea

! Re-treading an old idea
! Follow the leader
! Fad fanaticism
! Anointing a novelty

Trips: Green Ketchup

! Conventional Wisdom

"Ketchup is red
"Good ketchup is thick and rich

! Paradigm Buster

"Green is yucky kid fun
"Kids have no patience trying to get ketchup

out of a bottle

Ketchup Paradigm Buster

! Ketchup Trip

"Green and purple are novelty
"Ketchup is red

! Paradigm Buster Win

"EZ Squirt is fun
"EZ Squirt is easy
"EZ Squirt enables kids to use more ketchup

Follow the Fad Leader

! Blue and Pink Margarine

! Pepsi Blue
! Funky Fries

Paradigm Busting

Steps & Methods

1. Create a culture of innovation
2. Benchmark and crossover
3. Use research to learn, not discover
4. Develop an innovation methodology
5. Engage and empower people

who think out of the box
6. Suspend disbelief
7. Find and utilize alpha kids
8. Reward risk taking
9. Create a paradigm model
10. Develop new testing methodologies

Phenomenon Seekers

Caveats and Cautions

! There are no guarantees to the next
kid business phenomenon

! But, without paradigm busting…
there’s no shot

"big ideas don’t come from the
tried and true

"your category always always needs new…
"New paradigms can open new sub-

categories…and entirely new categories
"New paradigms + kid traction =

phenomenon status

To help you find your new

Winning Paradigms

Paul Kurnit

914 737-0300
[email protected]
www.kidshopbiz.com

Paradigm Busters in the
Adult Space