iMedia: You've worked with Levi's organizational training team to put together an "insights to innovation curriculum." What does this entail? Did the recent Dockers iPhone app-based ad come out of this initiative?
Perman: We've provided "insights to innovation" training for more than 8,000 people in the company around the world in the past few years. It's part of a broader initiative where people become immersed in our company values, strategies, and ways of doing business. Deep consumer insights and innovation is a big part of that. Everyone observes consumers, tells stories, develops insights, brainstorms, and creates innovation prototypes based on what they learned. The teams use the process frequently. Maybe that led to the new iPhone app.
iMedia: How do you, personally, define innovation? Can you train people to be innovative in digital creative, or is it a skill that they either have or don't have?
Perman: I define innovation as the ability and courage to create the future. Anyone can do it. Everyone is inherently innovative; this started several thousand years ago -- or more, if you include the invention of the wheel. However, I think there are forces in society and in organizations that naturally thwart innovation, sometimes inadvertently. That's where courage comes in. We can coach people to unleash their natural talent and to navigate the obstacles. Of course, some people are inherently stronger and more creative than others -- there's always a spectrum. But teaching innovation is not as hard as teaching someone to bowl a perfect 300.
iMedia: You bring up a good point there, about forces that create barriers to innovation. The economy seems to be one such barrier, particularly now. So how do you recommend keeping staff up to speed in digital innovation, when budgets are being tightened and the overall corporate culture is clamping down on untested strategies?
Perman: You get up to speed by being immersed and participating as a consumer rather than as a marketer. Build empathy for the experience. Join in and participate -- even though you might get too much email as a result.
As for the "clamping down" you referred to, I don't think companies are clamping down on ideas that deliver business impact.
iMedia: So, what's the fastest way you know to make a big splash online with the least money? For example, is viral more of an option now that budgets are lower?
Perman: I think being as humble as you are inventive is the right formula. Just look at the dancing guy on YouTube ("Where the hell is Matt?"). Got 20 million views from a humble beginning. That's splashy.
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