Why do some innovations live unnaturally long lives? None
last forever. Even the wheel will someday meet its maker. Most ideas die as
unfertilized ova. The lucky ones are born, grow up, and reproduce. Some get squeezed
out by siblings, others are ruthlessly assassinated by the new kids on the
block. Some do, of course, go gray and die of natural causes. Therefore, it’s truly
exceptional for a thing to survive in its original form for more than a
century.
It’s been estimated that 1 out of 5,000 inventions have
successful product launches. Our success rate at SRG is considerably better
than that, but still, a lot changes after an idea is born.
Product lifecycles have gotten shorter for most. If new
inventions are less than differentiated or easily copied, they won’t last. The
success of Apple’s iPod is largely attributed to the integrated iTunes model.
The combined experience was so compelling that it took competitors years to
emerge with even marginally distinctive offerings of their own.
What insulates successful inventions from obsolescence?
Branding, of course. When an idea develops a powerful following, it’s much
harder to replace or kill. Assuming an idea is worthy in the first place and is
nurtured and supported over time, value can transcend the original utility. The
emotional, often lifelong bond between people and the brands that ideas become
is the ultimate goal of our kind.
As much as innovators analyze the present with an eye to the
future, it’s often helpful to look to the lessons of the past. It’s also
refreshing to investigate categories far from those we’re most familiar with.
I’d been to San Francisco many times, but only on a recent trip
did I develop a true appreciation for the mechanical mastery of the cable car.
Perfectly suited for its intended purpose, the cable car was invented for these
steep hills in particular. Twenty-five U.S. cities and several in Europe once
featured them. Those remaining in San Francisco are the last mechanically
driven trolleys anywhere.
In 1873 San Franciscan Andrew Smith Hallidie’s creation made
its maiden voyage. By 1888, the cable car system was described as the most
distinctive and progressive feature of California. A vast network of lines
crisscrossed the city, allowing riders to casually and efficiently navigate the
steepest streets. They were billed as the sophisticated choice for intercity
travel.
Large steam engines provided the power for the original 23
lines. The cable remains a thick continuous steel rope—over four miles long for
the California line. A network of self-adjusting pulleys and gears keeps it
moving smoothly below the city streets. The cable cars themselves are equipped
with hand-operated, vise-like devices that grip the cable to go and release to
stop.
Rival electric
streetcars began operation in San Francisco in 1892. At that
time, it was estimated that it cost twice as much to build and six times as much
to operate a line with cable cars.
Cable cars would barely survive the earthquake of 1906 and
the competitive onslaught of newer alternatives, especially automobiles. The
system fell into disrepair and was considered unsafe. It was shut down during
the 70s.
In the 1980s, the voice of the San Franciscans, channeled
through politicians, would prevail and federal funding was secured—the surviving
cable car system was completely rebuilt. A few improvements were implemented,
but the design intent, mechanical workings, and aesthetics were preserved.
Cable cars are now expensive to maintain—and ride. The wait
for even short trips can be excruciatingly long. Usage is down and half the
riders are reportedly riding for free. So why keep cable cars on life support?
Hasn’t their time come and gone?
They have survived 140 years, partly because the original
invention was an elegant solution to a critical need. It was consistent with
the city’s progressive, “Paris of the West” reputation. San Francisco continues
to be one of the world’s most innovative cities—Apple is just down the road
after all. Shouldn’t cable cars be replaced with some kind of sleek, hovering, climate-controlled
futuristic experience?
Never. The cables will continue whirring below the streets
and the bells will ring indefinitely. The people insisted the cable car had
become a unique symbol of the city. They were right. Brand love had intervened.
Apple would certainly not want to get in the way of that.
The cable car had become a brand unto itself—a
sub-brand of San Francisco.
Coincidentally, Rice-A-Roni was one of SRG’s early clients. We
did both new product development and positioning work for this 54-year-old brand.
One project was designed to evaluate the relevance and equity of the cable car
with a national audience. The cable car, we were told, was the soul of San
Francisco—a spirited representation of exploration and discovery.
The reason cable cars have endured has everything to do with
their status upgrade from mode of transportation to brand icon. Right up there
with the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, the cable car has become an integral
part of the San Francisco brand. Of course, that took time and the continued
love and loyalty of the city.
The link between successful innovation and long-term in-market
viability clearly has a lot to do with the work that happens on the brand
front, not to mention the extra effort required to cultivate a relationship
with the consumer.
With our industry’s emphasis on future-forward thinking, it’s
helpful to occasionally look back. History is full of great lessons where
companies gambled to signal change. Some won big. Some, well, those often make
for the more interesting stories. Fresh and exciting are rarely substitutes for
authentic and lasting. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” does not apply to
innovators and designers, but in our quest for the next thing, we need to be
respectful and careful to cultivate loyalty and transfer every drop of brand
love possible. This applies equally for the zygotes and gray-bearded.
--Jeff Curry,
Creative Director / Partner
