A Fresh POV

The letters POV are used when referring to a camera angle. It is the camera’s POINT OF VIEW. In essence it is all that the camera can “see” from its position. People and cameras are somewhat alike except cameras are moved around for another scene while people are sometimes stuck in a mental POV that’s hard to change.

If you are a CEO, product/brand manager or general manager, you no doubt value having other POV’s added to the discussion when critical decisions are being made. Steve Jobs admits the hugely successful iPhone would not have been possible without considerable input. Some early thoughts were changed but more importantly some here-to-fore unconsidered additions were made. Knowing how innovative Apple is, that probably comes as no surprise. But there is a twist.

What has changed in recent years is the angle of the POV. Businesses used to require that it came from inside their industry. It’s was, however, a way of thinking that didn’t allow for much innovation…just “me too” watered down. Kind of like everybody in the family ordering up the same desert at a restaurant. Today, smart marketers see it differently. “It’s not a matter of looking outside the box,” a recent client told me, “it’s having the guts to obliterate all boxes so we get a clearer view of the landscape.”

A POV is nothing more than a static position taken at some point in time and even the widest camera lens can’t see everything. If medical patients are smart to get a second opinion, good marketers are also smarter when they get another POV, especially when it comes from outside the box.

Call us. We have some great examples of fresh POV’s that literally changed product history.

Mark Alison

Business Accelerator

The Alison Group