#IITM gets digital: Conversations with 3 disruptors

CES is all about technological firsts, and the 2023 event was no exception. The first FDA-certified wearable fitness tracker. The world’s first wireless TV. The first major U.S. airline to introduce free WiFi for all travelers.

That got me thinking about three of our inimitable #IITM guests, each at the forefront of brands that are all about firsts when it comes to digital innovation. From Snap, the creator of an app that forever changed the social media game?by making your pictures disappear, to Domino’s,?the innovator behind the first online delivery tracker, to Delta Air Lines,?the?pioneer in personalization and customer centricity in the travel industry, these episodes were a masterclass in what it takes to truly disrupt.

Throughout these conversations, I was struck by how, across three different industries and three different stages of digital growth, these brands were all united by a first-mover mentality. One that continuously ups the digital ante in their respective categories.

Here’s what I took away from our conversations.??

The native: Snap

Find your use case and run with it.

Snapchat (now Snap Inc. ) was born into the digital space, starting out as a little-known social media messaging app and growing into a juggernaut with over 363 million daily active users. So how did Snap break through?

According to Kenneth Mitchell , the brand’s first-ever chief marketing officer, it all boils down to a meaningful, differentiated use case—and then, running with it. For Snap, their use case honed in on a clear human truth: we love to communicate, especially with close friends. So, Snap made it its mission to embody how that happens naturally in real life when we’re connecting with each other. Most interactions aren’t archived or kept on a shelf; they’re ephemeral.

Snap brought that natural experience to users in a social media context; as a result, users feel comfortable, happy, and willing to come back for more.

This is made more powerful through augmented reality, says Kenny, “Snapchat AR started as this fun little toy, you know, the puking rainbows and the dog ears, and quickly transitioned to this utility and this ecosystem and something that we believe will continue to enhance the experience that people have through things that they care about.”

And it’s paid off—Snap has a recurring spot on Fast Company's Most Innovative Company list and a slew of partnerships with brands from the NFL to Amazon, bringing AR to the masses and helping other brands along the way.

The gamechanger: Domino’s

Challenge the sacred cows.

Domino's is a tech company with a pizza obsession. It’s been challenging the status quo ever since it invented the idea of food delivery in 1960. Now, with almost 20,000 international locations, it’s transformed from a pizza place into a tech titan, from creating a revolutionary online tracker to the ability to order pizza through your voice assistant, your smart TV, or even a tweet. It’s laser-focused on serving up food faster, safer, with less friction, and in a more magical way than anyone else, and in the process has continually changed the fast-casual game.

According to Kate Trumbull , Senior Vice President of Brand and Product Innovation for Domino’s, moving first on these digital frontiers means challenging the sacred cows at every turn: “The world has changed. Consumers have changed, our competitive set has changed. And what might work now maybe didn’t work before. I think that’s a really healthy part of innovation too—challenging all of your own assumptions and truths within your organization.”

While Domino’s has a legacy of trying new things (what Kate fondly refers to as spin innovation), not all of them have succeeded. But using those failures to stymie the conversation is a recipe for stagnation; be willing to reinvestigate, challenge what was previously accepted, and go fearlessly into the future. Because at the end of the day, that’s what keeps Domino’s winning.

The industry mover: Delta

Lead the industry by being customer-led.

Delta Air Lines has always been a standard-bearer for the travel industry. In fact, it was the first airline to have a presence at CES, back in 2019, with a keynote about investing in innovation to create a next-gen experience for its customers. This year, at CES 2023, they made good on their promises with the launch of?Delta Sync, a new platform that encompasses Delta’s customer personalization efforts spanning the entire journey–from pre-trip, in-terminal, in-flight, and after a trip. [Full disclosure: an amazing team of strategists, designers, names, and experience architects at Lippincott partnered with Delta on the creation of the Delta Sync brand.]

This customer-centricity has truly been Delta’s bread and butter, and to Molly Battin , former Senior Vice President of Global Brand Marketing at Delta, it’s also the key to staying ahead when it comes to digital innovation. Take the category-defining?PARALLEL REALITY?(revealed at CES 2020), a new technology that allows up to 100 customers to see personalized flight information tailored to their unique trip on a single, shared digital screen, simplifying their journey through the airport. It’s an innovation that’s a step towards taking the stress out of travel, grounded in true customer needs. And it’s only the beginning. “We think the future is continued human connection,” Molly told me. “So, I think we’re going to be seeing more investment in technology, but investment not just for technology’s sake, investment so that we can improve the customer experience and the human connection that our employees have with our customers.”

While digital was a hot topic for all three conversations, each covered a lot of other ground—from the keys to building authentic partnerships, to how to structure your organization for success, to lessons in leadership. Listen to all three episodes?here?and let me know what you think.