Hi Reader,
I've received glowing feedback from the last 'Wild Idea' video I made (you can check it out here), and to be honest, it's taken me a bit by surprise.
I produced the video on a whim - while I had the script prepared and ready to go, the decision to film it wasn't nearly as prepared. I had some plants I needed to pot for my office (the same ones you'll see behind me if you're on a video call with me). I grabbed my phone and set it up on an old milk crate in front of me, pressed record and then donned my gardening gloves.
And people loved it!
I shouldn't be surprised - I tell my clients all the time about the power of authentic marketing to convey an intentional message. Quietly, I was telling myself off for not thinking about what I was wearing (torn jeans and a hoodie weren't the most professional of attire, nor was the unkempt 'messy bun' either, come to think of it!).
But people loved it.
In our current era of AI-produced content and art, deepfakes, templated marketing approaches, and unclear corporate jargon, the antidote and cut-through potential is through doubling down on humanity. Raw, real and unpolished.
So the takeaway I'll leave you is: how can you create greater connection to help your message land with your audience with greater impact?
I'd argue all brands - and yes, even corporate or professional brands - have an opportunity to add a little more humanity into marketing.
Let us know what you think.
Cheers,
Melissa
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Business Reimagined
βSwegreen is transforming food production by integrating in-store vertical farming with advanced technology, enabling hyper-local, chemical-free food cultivation. Their model eliminates transport emissions by growing crops directly inside retail spaces, addressing the "last mile" problem while reducing waste and resource use. Swegreenβs AI-driven farming system optimises growth conditions, ensuring nutrient-rich produce year-round, while their Farming-as-a-Service (FaaS) model removes upfront costs for retailers, making sustainable innovation accessible.
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π ROI & Impact: The impact is pretty striking - 99% less water usage compared to traditional farming, zero transport emissions, and a cultivation yield equivalent to 2.5 to 3 hectares of farmland in a fraction of the space. By eliminating pesticides and herbicides, Swegreen is ensuring healthier, cleaner produce. In terms of return on investment, the savings in time through distribution channels and significant reduction in costs of freight would be highly compelling. Cutting out transport also increases produce shelf life, meaning it is less likely to go to waste (and be written off).
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π Transferrable Ideas: Swegreen's approach highlights the potential of solving inefficiencies in supply chains, leveraging hyper-local supply, and adopting service-based models to create scalable solutions.
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π Minimum Viable Adaptation:
- What opportunities could localisation open up for your business model?
- Look at your processes and inputs. Is there one thing (to start) that can be shifted to local?
- The change itself might be more expensive, but consider how a local option may be different in terms of efficiency, agility or reliability.
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π€ The Cynical Questions:
- Do we really need to grow food in the shop that it's being sold from? Especially as there are probably local growers. Is the real issue that large supermarkets have large distribution centres feeding all stores, increasing food miles?
- Should the focus be on non-perishable foods? Supermarkets transport frozen and preserved foods from around the globe. Wouldn't it be more exciting to see supermarkets looking at their supply chain as a system ripe for innovation, rather than writing it off as Scope 3 and allocating responsibility to suppliers?
Signals & Noise
This discussion on cybersecurity and the energy transition is quite interesting for anyone curious about the intersection of tech, security and clean energy. While US-focused, there are some potential implications regarding Australia's relations with China.
Signal Strength: π²π²π²π²π³ (4/5)
Why it's a Signal:
- The convergence of clean energy transition and cybersecurity represents a fundamental shift in how critical infrastructure will be secured and operated
- The digitalisation of energy systems is creating new vulnerabilities, but also opportunities for enhanced security through "digitally native" infrastructure
- Major tech companies' growing involvement in energy infrastructure signals a significant shift in industry dynamics and security considerations
- The potential for energy abundance through clean technology could reshape geopolitical relationships and business models (however, we need to be increasingly cognisant of the 'Green Growth' fallacy and the evidence supporting absolute decoupling of growth from emissions)
- The emergence of common ground between security experts and clean energy advocates indicates a significant shift in how these sectors interact
The Insight:
We need to view the clean energy transition as about more than decarbonisation - as it's also a fundamental reimagining of grid security and resilience. While traditional infrastructure relied on physical security and air-gapping, the future grid will be inherently digital, requiring new security paradigms. This creates an opportunity to build security into the foundation of new energy systems rather than retrofitting it later. These same considerations are crucial for business leaders to consider.
Questions for Leaders:
- How are you evaluating and managing cybersecurity risks in your organisation's clean energy investments and digital infrastructure?
- While digital technologies may enable more efficient energy use, how are you addressing the possibility that increased efficiency could lead to higher overall consumption (see Jevons paradox)?
- As energy systems become increasingly digitalised and complex, how are you evaluating the trade-offs between potential efficiency gains and increased system vulnerabilities?
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Before we upset anyone, we are obviously in awe of researchers that find unique approaches to wicked problems. These scientists from the University of Hawaii have identified a possible way to reduce ocean plastics using marine fungi. Great! But this kind of story has potential to be counterproductive.
Signal Strength: π²π² (2/5)
Why it's Noise:
- The research is still in the lab and has yet to scale.
- It doesn't address the root cause of the ocean plastics problem.
- It has a technological saviour feel which, again deviates attention from the root cause.
- It fails to consider unintended consequences or look at the problem and solution as part of a system.
Watch Out For:
- How advanced solutions are. It's a long way from lab to viable commercial application.
- Quick fixes. If something seems to good to be true......
- Tunnel vision. Be sure to consider how new solutions fit into the larger system.
The Real Signal to Watch:
- Your own outputs. Are you part of this waste problem?
- Comprehensive waste management solutions - practices that reduce plastic production and improve recycling rates (tackling both ends of the problem).
- Commercialised technologies. If it's in the lab, you can't use it yet.
What We're Reading
βEchidna Strategy: Australiaβs Search for Power and Peace, by Sam Roggeveen is on the coffee table right now and not just because we have been seeing actual, wild echidnas at our new home (a total joy!), but because it feels timely to be reading about Australia's opportunity for competitive advantage and security, in the current geopolitical climate.
Some of the great conversations we've been having with business leaders in our networks in the last couple of weeks have revolved around the ideas of sovereign capability (Australia's ability to create value on our own shores) and international relations (and tensions).
Questions that come to mind for business leaders:
- How might our current sovereign capability (or lack thereof) impact supply chains, business models or the ability to deliver on our brand promise?
- How might geopolitical relationships impact (positively or negatively) our new market prospects?
- What stakeholder engagement ought we consider?
Calling back to our Business Reimagined and Signal sections above, connecting all of these dots feels like a potential to identify risks and uncover new (possibly unexpected) opportunities for future-proofing business.
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