Difference in innovation and disruption

I used the dreaded words in our industry - innovation. I think that many people mistake disruption for innovation. Disruption is defined by Webster's as ":?the act or process of?disrupting?something:?a break or interruption in the normal course or continuation of some activity, process, etc." while Innovation is defined as: ":?a new idea, method, or device?:?NOVELTY, the introduction of something new"

These terms are confused with media because they believe innovation is the disruptive (and it can be) but innovation is to bring something new. Most people get caught up in the "novelty" part, what we used to call the "bells and whistles".

Innovation in media - It's really about a new idea or a new method, the use of a new device, so platforms bring innovation as they bring a new method, they introduce something new. Meanwhile most people want disruption, to break the normal course, this causes change in behaviours or patterns. I have a transport client that wants to disrupt commuting. We propose innovation by thinking about a CDP that will be a better method for data.

When Novelty wears out, and that unfortunately causes fatigue in the word Innovation by media folks, we go back to doing what we have always done in advertising. We go back to the old tropes that are familiar and safe. However the you can innovate without need to disrupt, but you have a much harder time to disrupt without any innovation. Its paradoxical.

I have always loved the MarTech world as it has these two realitees hold hands - the innovation and the disruption. So today - think about how to change a course of activity to disrupt, but become an innovator on how to make a method better.

Have a great week!!