A Hubble Innovations 2 for 1 special
The iPad Extreme Sleeve, from G-Form, is a product that illustrate two of Hubble’s marketing paradigms; Product is the New Marketing and Creativity is the Most Powerful Force in Business.
In the age of social media, companies have to create a product that delivers on its promises and does so in a way that people will praise your product and spread the message. The iPad Extreme Sleeve has one purpose: protect your precious iPad from the clumsiness of human beings. So how did G-Form show that they delivered on this promise? First, they dropped an 8 lb bowling ball onto an iPad encased in their Extreme Sleeve, then they used a 12 lb bowling ball, then they said screw this, lets just throw it out of a plane. And what do you know, in all three cases the iPad still worked. Now product reviewers are joining in on the fun; posting videos of themselves doing such things as pounding the Extreme Sleeve with a hammer and even running it over with a car.
So what’s so creative about an iPad case that does its job? Well, its made by a company that specializes in sporting equipment. The G-Form technology was developed as a lightweight solution to protect cyclers, skateboarders, and mountain bikers from injuries. The owners of the company were smart enough to realize that the market for consumer electronics outweighs the market for athletic safety equipment and that if they have a product that can prevent bones from breaking, maybe it can protect an iPad, laptop, or cell phone too. Knowing and understanding how to move existing offerings into new markets is one of the building blocks of innovation.
At Hubble North America, Johannes Bhakdi oversees projects and business development activities in fast moving consumer goods, food, retail, digital media and technology startups. After his initial years as Senior Strategy Consultant at JWT in that he shaped marketing strategies for clients such as Ford Motor Group, Nestle and Siemens, Johannes became Strategy Director of Scholz & Friends, one of the largest European marketing service networks. Together with CEO Frank Michael Schmidt, Johannes built the strategic agency blueprint that continues to make the agency one of the big success stories in the European marketing service industry. After a great experience at Scholz & Friends, Johannes moved on to become EVP and Chief Marketing Officer at eChinaCash in Beijing, where he was responsible for building a nationwide marketing network and the development of partnerships between international blue chip companies and Sinopec, China's largest business entity. Johannes entered Omnicom Group in 2007 as Executive Director at BBDO Consulting with the assignment to create a new business innovation unit. After an excursion into Silicon Valley and the startup world, Johannes joined Hubble in Los Angeles, Omnicom’s strategic innovation unit. During his career, Johannes applied his creative and strategic skills to bring new food, consumer goods, pharma, retail and digital media innovations to millions of consumers. He serves on the board of Sophotec VC, a boutique investment firm headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, and several startups such as social media publishing platform Klatcher.com. You can contact Johannes at Johannes.Bhakdi@hubble2.com.