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July 01.2025

2 Minutes Read

Colombian Gangs Use Social Media to Recruit Children: How Communities Can Fight Back

Hundred-dollar bill on a hook symbolizing enticement, linked to Colombian gangs use social media to recruit children.

A Dangerous New Trend: Gangs Targeting Vulnerable Youth

In recent years, Colombian gangs have masterfully adapted to the digital landscape, exploiting social media platforms to recruit children. By utilizing relatable content, vibrant imagery, and targeted messaging, these groups are increasingly luring youth into a life of crime. The stark reality is that as children scroll through their feeds, they could unwittingly become part of a sinister agenda, highlighting a pressing issue for communities everywhere.

Why Social Media is a Double-Edged Sword

Social media offers children a sense of connection, entertainment, and community. However, it can also serve as a breeding ground for dangerous influences. Gangs are capitalizing on this dual nature of social media, using it to build a persona that resonates with young audiences. They leverage platforms like TikTok and Instagram to share enticing narratives filled with glamour, bravado, and often, a false sense of belonging.

The Role of Communities in Countering Recruitment

For local businesses and community organizations, there is a vital role to play in combating this trend. Awareness and proactive engagement can make a significant difference. Establishing community programs that teach digital literacy and promote safe online practices can empower kids to navigate social media wisely. Collaborating with schools to foster open discussions about gang influences and their real-world impact can further protect children from these online traps.

Setting Up Help Networks for the Youth

Creating an environment where young people feel valued outside the digital world is crucial. Businesses can get involved by sponsoring mentorship programs, digital literacy workshops, or local events that encourage youth participation in safe hobbies. By maintaining a presence in their lives, local businesses can be pivotal in steering them away from negative influences, helping to fortify community bonds.

Conclusion and Call to Action

The emergence of social media as a recruitment tool for gangs is alarming, but it is not insurmountable. Local businesses can be a part of the solution by taking an active stance in their communities. By promoting awareness and supporting programs aimed at youth empowerment, we can safeguard our children from falling into the clutches of criminal organizations. Let’s galvanize our resources and work collectively to foster a nurturing environment for the next generation.

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01.16.2026

How Context and Expectations Shape Customer Experience

Did you know that a hotel’s perceived quality can hinge more on what customers expect than on objective features? This startling insight highlights the powerful role that customer experience context plays in shaping how people perceive and engage with your brand. Understanding this concept can transform the way you design your customer journey, improve your customer experience, exceed customer expectations, and create unforgettable customer experiences. In this article, we'll delve into why context matters more than ever and how to harness it effectively.Startling Insights: Why Customer Experience Context Matters More Than EverThe idea that customer experience context can outweigh even the tangible qualities of a product or service might seem counterintuitive. However, Rory Sutherland of Ogilvy & Mather explains that "the nature of our tension affects the nature of our experience"*. This means what customers expect going in — rather than just what they find — often shapes their overall satisfaction significantly.For example, a hotel once converted from a former police station in East Berlin offered Spartan rooms and a quirky looped TV channel. Instead of being a negative, guests who arrived expecting a conventional hotel were disappointed, but those anticipating an authentic local experience considered it one of their best stays ever. This illustrates how managing expectations is a powerful lever in customer experience context.In today’s competitive landscape, businesses that fail to consider the importance of context risk delivering customer experiences that customers find bland or unsatisfactory, even if technically sound. Embracing the nuances of context enables companies to differentiate themselves and create lasting emotional connections with customers.What You'll Learn: Mastering Customer Experience Context to Improve Your Customer JourneyThe critical role of context and expectations in shaping customer perceptionsHow to leverage customer feedback and data to enhance user experienceStrategies to design customer journeys that exceed customer expectationsCommon pitfalls in customer service and how to avoid themExpert insights on creating a sustainable experience strategyUnderstanding Customer Experience Context: Definitions and Core ConceptsWhat is Customer Context?Customer experience context is the backdrop of expectations, emotions, prior experiences, and situational factors that influence how a customer perceives a product or service at every touchpoint. It extends beyond the physical attributes or functional performance of a product to encompass subjective elements such as mood, environment, and cultural associations.Rory Sutherland highlights that "context is a marketing super weapon, and it works because it works magically."* It challenges the traditional notion that customer satisfaction depends solely on improving the product itself. Instead, customer context invites us to rethink how perceptions are shaped and how value can be created through reframing and narrative construction.This understanding is vital for businesses aiming to design experiences that resonate deeply and feel personalised to every individual customer, rather than a generic "one size fits all" solution.As you consider how context shapes customer perceptions, it's also valuable to explore how emerging technologies are influencing the expectations and experiences of younger audiences. For instance, the rise of AI is rapidly transforming the landscape for young professionals, as discussed in how AI is shaping job opportunities for young tech workers, offering fresh perspectives on adapting your customer experience strategies for the next generation.The 4 P's of Customer ExperienceThe 4 P's — Product, Place, People, and Process — are foundational pillars that influence the customer experience context. Each interacts with customer expectations differently:Product: Not just the physical item, but its perceived value and emotional resonance.Place: The environment or channel where the experience occurs, including ambiance and convenience.People: All human interactions, from frontline staff to digital assistants, shaping perceived service quality.Process: The flow of customer interactions and how seamless or frustrating they feel.By carefully orchestrating these elements within the right context, companies can elevate customer satisfaction and loyalty.Contextual Experiences vs. Traditional Customer ExperiencesTraditional customer experiences focus largely on delivering consistent, objective standards—cleanliness, speed, accuracy. While important, this approach assumes customers evaluate experiences rationally and uniformly. Contextual experiences, instead, recognise the subjective, dynamic nature of perception under varying situational factors.For instance, a personalised digital interaction tailored to a customer’s preferences creates a warmer, more engaging context than a generic paper form process. In this way, contextual experiences provide emotional relevance and adaptability, which can turn routine transactions into memorable moments.The Role of Customer Expectations in Shaping Customer Experience ContextManaging and Exceeding Customer ExpectationsManaging customer expectations is central to shaping positive experience contexts. When expectations are too high and unmet, customers feel disappointed; when too low and comfortably exceeded, they feel delighted. The key is to anticipate and consciously design for these customer expectations throughout every stage of the customer journey.Rory Sutherland emphasises that often, improving the objective service without adjusting expectations fails to create a magical experience: "If you simply think that people perceive the world objectively, you will be confined to improving people's experience exclusively by doing objective things."* Therefore, using context to influence how customers frame their experience is crucial to exceeding expectations.Practical ways to manage customer expectations include setting clear, realistic messaging, personalising communications using customer feedback, and creating narratives that turn compromises into choices customers accept happily.Designing Customer Journeys with Context in MindUsing Customer Data to Personalize ExperiencesLeveraging customer data effectively allows businesses to craft bespoke customer journeys that align with individual preferences and situational contexts, enhancing overall user experience. By analysing behavioural patterns, feedback, and preferences, companies can tailor interactions in real-time to maximise relevance and satisfaction.For example, digital retailers can adjust product recommendations based on past purchases and browsing history using customer data, enhancing context relevance and improving user experience. Offline, retail stores can use loyalty data to personalise offers and customer service interactions, thereby creating a bespoke journey rather than a generic shopping experience.This level of context sensitivity turns every interaction into an opportunity to delight customers, improve your customer experience, and encourage loyalty and repeat business.Customer Service Excellence: The Intersection of Context and Experience StrategyCommon Customer Experience Pitfalls and How to Avoid ThemMany businesses falter by focusing exclusively on rational, mechanical improvements to customer service, neglecting the contextual layer that shapes real customer experience and customer perceptions. Common pitfalls include treating all customers as averages, ignoring emotional cues, and failing to adapt service based on context.Rory Sutherland identifies a critical rule here: "Don't design for average." Trying to satisfy the 'average' customer often leads to bland, uninspired experiences that please no one. Instead, focusing on extreme or niche customer segments can generate innovations that later become mainstream, providing an edge in competitive markets.Furthermore, allowing room for testing counterintuitive or unconventional ideas can reveal unique insights unavailable to competitors too entrenched in logic and risk aversion.Expert Insights: How Context Creates Magical Customer Experiences“Context is a marketing super weapon, and it works because it works magically. If you simply think that people perceive the world objectively, you will be confined to improving people's experience exclusively by doing objective things.” — Rory Sutherland, of Ogilvy & MatherLeveraging Customer Feedback to Refine Customer Experience ContextTools and Techniques for Gathering Customer FeedbackIntegrating real-time customer feedback is essential to adapt customer experience context continuously and improve your customer service strategy. Modern technologies, from digital kiosks to mobile surveys and social media monitoring, provide rich data streams reflecting how customers feel about their interactions.For example, implementing touch-screen survey kiosks in retail environments enables frictionless feedback collection that captures emotional and contextual nuances immediately after the experience. These insights guide iterative improvements and help anticipate shifts in customer expectations.Measuring Success: Customer Experience Metrics and BenchmarksMetricDefinitionIndustry BenchmarksNet Promoter Score (NPS)Measures customer loyalty by asking how likely customers are to recommend your brand.Average NPS in retail: 30–40; Above 50 is excellentCustomer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)Direct rating of satisfaction immediately after interaction.Typical CSAT: 75–85%Customer Effort Score (CES)Assesses how easy it was for customers to get their issues resolved.Lower scores indicate less effort, better experienceFirst Contact Resolution (FCR)Percentage of issues resolved on the first interaction.Good FCR: >70%Actionable Tips to Improve Your Customer Experience ContextFocus on extreme customer segments rather than average users to innovate effectively: Target niche needs that can evolve into broader market trends.Create narratives that help customers reframe compromises as choices: Utilize adaptive preference formation to minimise regret and dissatisfaction.Allow experimentation with counterintuitive ideas to gain competitive advantage: Encourage small-scale, “bonkers” tests your competitors avoid.Incorporate small, trivial changes that can have outsized impacts: Often tiny adjustments yield butterfly effects.Use adaptive preference formation to minimize customer regret: Construct contexts enabling customers to feel positively about trade-offs.People Also Ask: Common Questions About Customer Experience ContextWhat is customer context?Customer context refers to the emotional, situational, and expectation-related factors surrounding a customer’s interaction with a product or service that influence their overall perception and satisfaction.What are the 4 P's of customer experience?The 4 P's stand for Product, Place, People, and Process — the core elements that collectively shape the customer experience environment and contextual perceptions.What are contextual experiences?Contextual experiences are customer interactions designed to consider the situational and emotional factors that influence how the experience is perceived, going beyond just objective service delivery.How do you explain customer experience?Customer experience encompasses every interaction a customer has with a brand, shaped by both tangible factors and the context that affects their perceptions and feelings throughout the journey.Key TakeawaysCustomer experience context is crucial for creating meaningful and memorable customer interactions.Conventional logic often limits innovation; embracing context allows for magical and unexpected value creation.Small, seemingly trivial changes can have significant impacts on customer satisfaction.Experimentation and adaptive preference formation are powerful tools in experience strategy.Measuring and acting on customer feedback ensures continuous improvement.Conclusion: Embracing Customer Experience Context for Business SuccessBusinesses that embrace customer experience context foster innovation and delight by rethinking customer expectations, experimenting boldly with experience strategy, and creating personalised narratives — essential steps to sustainable success in today’s market.If you’re inspired to take your customer experience strategy even further, consider how broader shifts in technology and workforce expectations are influencing the future of business. Understanding the interplay between customer context and trends like AI-driven transformation can help you future-proof your approach and stay ahead of evolving demands. For a deeper dive into how these forces are shaping opportunities for the next generation, explore the insights in AI’s impact on job opportunities for young tech workers—it’s a valuable resource for leaders seeking to align customer experience with tomorrow’s innovations.Contact Us for Expert HelpFor Help to Show Your Business in Action, Email SmartMarketing@dylbo.comSourceshttps://example.comInsights and quotes from Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & MatherUnderstanding the nuances of customer experience context is pivotal for businesses aiming to enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty. The article “Customer experience (CX) basics: Strategies and real-world examples” provides a comprehensive overview of CX, emphasizing the importance of seamless, personalized interactions across all touchpoints. It highlights how aligning marketing, sales, product, and service teams can drive loyalty and growth. (business.adobe.com)For a deeper academic perspective, the study “Customer experience: fundamental premises and implications for research” explores the subjective and context-specific nature of customer experience. It discusses how various contextual variables, such as consumer attitudes and socio-demographic factors, influence customer responses and evaluative outcomes. (link.springer.com)If you’re serious about mastering customer experience context, these resources will provide valuable insights into both strategic applications and research-based understandings.

01.09.2026

The Competitive Edge of Being Illogical in Business Strategy

Can embracing illogical business strategy unlock unseen competitive advantages? In a world obsessed with logic and rational decision-making, what if the true growth and innovation—but also the secret to sustained business success—lies in deliberately thinking outside the box? This article delves into why illogical business strategy can provide a competitive edge that conventional business strategies often overlook, guided by insights from industry expert Rory Sutherland of Ogilvy & Mather.What You'll LearnWhy conventional logic may limit business innovation and growthHow illogical business strategy can create unique market opportunitiesKey rules to profit from being less logical than competitorsExpert insights on balancing logic and creativity in strategy executionCommon misconceptions about rationality in business decision-makingOverview of Illogical Business Strategy in Modern Business Settings“If a problem is persistent, it’s fairly likely that the reason for the persistence is that it’s logic proof.” — Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & MatherDefining Illogical Business Strategy and Its Role in Business StrategiesThe term illogical business strategy might sound counterintuitive in a field traditionally driven by data, analytics, and reason, yet it challenges conventional business strategy norms. However, Rory Sutherland defines it as a deliberate departure from the quest for a single “right” answer. Rather than relying solely on rigid logic and aggregated models, this strategy embraces subjectivity, perception shaping, and seemingly irrational ideas to find opportunities overlooked by competitors locked into logic-based thinking. Illogical strategy thrives on creativity, experimentation, and the acceptance that sometimes multiple valid solutions coexist or that the “best” path defies conventional reasoning.In practice, this means creating business approaches that focus on human behavior nuances, emotional context, and adaptive preferences. It leverages psychological insights and reframes value creation beyond what pure economics or engineering might suggest. In the hypercompetitive modern landscape, illogical business strategy isn't chaos but a structured method to unlock untapped market potentials.Why Traditional Business Strategy Often Fails to Deliver Breakthrough ResultsTraditional business strategies often hinge on seeking a single, optimized solution to problems—an approach popular among consultancies and corporate boards alike, but one that can limit innovation in strategy execution. But, as Rory Sutherland articulates, this "logical" search tends to make businesses predictable and confined within a narrow problem framing, limiting innovation and competitive differentiation.By designing with averages or relying only on quantitative metrics, companies frequently miss out on distinctive demands from niche or extreme segments, a common pitfall in many business strategies. Furthermore, competitors tend to converge on similar logic-driven choices, leading to a "race to the bottom" in pricing or commoditisation. Ultimately, when rigidity replaces flexibility, breakthroughs become rare and persistent problems remain unsolved.Interestingly, the rise of artificial intelligence is also challenging traditional business logic, especially in how it shapes opportunities for the next generation of tech professionals. If you're curious about how disruptive technologies are influencing strategic thinking and job prospects, explore how AI is shaping job opportunities for young tech workers for a practical look at innovation in action.The Limitations of Conventional Business Strategy and the Case Against Designing for AverageThe Pitfalls of Seeking a Single Right Answer in Business StrategyOne central flaw in conventional strategy is the obsession with locating a single “right” answer. Rory Sutherland describes how business and policy makers love this approach because it removes subjectivity and protects decision-makers from blame, as decisions can be justified by data or models alone.However, this approach is often disastrous for originality and innovation. It assumes the problem is linear and neatly solvable, which rarely reflects real-world complexity. The fixation on one best answer tends to exclude alternative, less obvious ideas that could disrupt markets or solve stubborn issues more effectively.Why Designing for the Average Customer Can Lead to Dead Ends“Most models cause you to aggregate people so that you’re solving the problem for a single representative individual... That’s a dead end.” — Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & MatherDesigning products or services around an “average” consumer dilutes innovation. Since the average person rarely fully represents any specific market segment’s desires, attempts to satisfy everyone often end up satisfying no one. Instead, Rory Sutherland advises business leaders to focus on consumers at the extremes—those with distinct, non-average needs. These markets often form the testing ground for novel products that eventually permeate into broader mainstream appeal.Ignoring the extremes constrains creativity and discounts emergent trends. Businesses that stray from average-centric design often discover fresh opportunities and build loyal customer bases less vulnerable to commoditisation.Why Illogical Business Strategy Outperforms Purely Logical ApproachesThe Risk of Predictability in Logical Business StrategyLogical business strategies are inherently predictable—the very characteristic that makes them vulnerable in competitive markets. Rory Sutherland points out that in military or business strategy, predictability equates to defeat. When everyone applies strict rationality, competitors anticipate your moves easily, eroding potential advantages.Being logical when everyone else is logical is a recipe for becoming just another player in a crowded market space. This predictability results in price wars, market share battles, and margin squeezes rather than original value creation or differentiation.Exploiting Competitors’ Logical Blind Spots for Strategic Advantage“It doesn’t pay to be logical if everybody else is being logical... Find out what your competitors are logically wrong about and exploit it.” — Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & MatherSuccess in business strategy lies in identifying where competitors’ logic oversimplifies or excludes critical factors. For example, in real estate, most people aim for proximity to tube stations—a logic that inflates prices and competition around these hubs. But thinking illogically by targeting railway stations overlooked by most can deliver faster commutes at significantly lower costs.This principle can be applied across sectors: find logical blind spots in market assumptions and exploit them creatively for an undeniable competitive edge.Alchemy in Business Strategy: Creating Value Through Perception and ContextHow Expectations Shape Customer Experience and Business OutcomesRory Sutherland emphasises that value in business strategy is not objective but deeply affected by customer expectations. For instance, he details a hotel in former East Berlin with Spartan rooms and limited amenities. For guests expecting luxury chains like Marriott, this would be a terrible stay. For those seeking an authentic East Berlin experience, it was among the best hotels they've known.This example shows how the “nature of tension”—what customers expect versus what they receive—shapes the perceived quality and satisfaction. Businesses that master controlling expectations and delivering contextually aligned experiences can create wildly different outcomes without necessarily changing the product itself.The Power of Context as a Marketing Super WeaponContext works like alchemy in marketing, transforming mundane products or services into captivating experiences that feel magical to customers. Sutherland calls context a “marketing super weapon” because its subtle influence often bypasses rational evaluation, triggering emotional responses and higher perceived value.Apple is a stellar example: a company built on subjective experience rather than objective superiority, commanding massive market value not just because of product specs but the entire ecosystem, design philosophy, and cultural meaning it creates for users.The Role of Experimentation and Counterintuitive Testing in Strategy ExecutionWhy Testing Illogical or ‘Bonkers’ Ideas Can Yield Sustainable Competitive AdvantagesBusiness environments typically discourage ideas that appear “bonkers” because failure risks are high, yet embracing such ideas can enhance strategy execution and lead to breakthroughs. However, Rory Sutherland argues that this very risk aversion is where businesses lose out on unique, sustainable advantages. Allowing safe spaces for experimentation with counterintuitive ideas enables organisations to discover novel paths competitors avoid.Such bold experimentation often uncovers solutions that logical thinking ignores, especially when persistent problems have resisted conventional approaches. Encouraging trial and error with seemingly irrational ideas can yield breakthroughs that redefine markets.Creating Organizational Space for Risk-Taking Beyond Rational Comfort ZonesLeaders must foster cultures where risk-taking beyond strict logic is safe and encouraged to improve overall business strategy execution. This means empowering teams to think divergently and testing ideas outside rational comfort zones. Rory Sutherland highlights that harnessing human creativity and psychological diversity requires breaking free from narrow model constraints, allowing a wider array of solutions to emerge.Such environments turn “irrational” insights into strategic assets, while competitors stuck to rigid rationality fall behind.Balancing Rationality and Creativity: Using Multiple ‘Clubs’ in Your Strategic ToolkitLimitations of Rationality in Addressing Complex Human MotivationsRationality alone is insufficient to navigate the complexities of human behaviour influencing buying and decision-making. Rory Sutherland likens relying solely on rational analysis to playing golf with just one club; while useful, it drastically limits victory chances.Economic incentives and logic-based models capture only a fraction of the motivations people have. The rest—emotions, cognitive biases, cultural narratives—dance beyond the grasp of simplistic rational strategies. Business strategists must widen their perspective to incorporate these dynamics.Incorporating Psychological and Behavioral Insights into Business StrategiesIntegrating behavioural science insights enables companies to fine-tune business strategies reflecting real human motivations. Illogical business strategy embraces these nuances, adapting incentives, communications and product designs to better resonate emotionally and culturally.This integration improves engagement, loyalty, and even product utility by respecting the unpredictability and diversity of customer needs and responses.The Power of Small, Trivial Changes in Complex Business SystemsHow Minor Interventions Can Trigger Butterfly Effects in Business OutcomesContrary to the common economic assumption that big changes require big investments, Rory Sutherland points out that trivial, small-scale adjustments often produce outsized effects in complex systems, much like butterfly effects in chaos theory.These minor tweaks—such as altering a marketing message slightly or changing the order of procedural steps—can ripple through organisational processes or customer perceptions, producing exponential business impact. Ignoring trivialities risks missing these powerful levers.Examples of Trivial Adjustments Leading to Significant Competitive GainsFor example, Sutherland shares a personal anecdote about electric car grants requiring customers to first own the vehicle before qualifying for a charging station subsidy. This illogical rule blocks many potential buyers. Simply reversing the order could accelerate adoption dramatically — a small change with likely huge impact.Similarly, adding a single sentence to a call centre script might widen throughput bottlenecks more effectively than expensive, large-scale interventions.Expert Insights: Quotes and Lessons from Rory Sutherland“Debt looks stupid. One of the simplest ways to solve a problem is to ask a question that no one’s asked before.” — Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & Mather“Context is a marketing super weapon, and it works because it works magically.” — Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & MatherCommon Misconceptions and Mistakes in Applying Illogical Business StrategyMisunderstanding the Role of Logic Versus CreativityA key misconception is that illogical strategy negates logic entirely. In reality, it balances logic with creativity—using logic to define parameters but creativity to stretch beyond limits, unlocking new value spaces without abandoning rational decision-making entirely.Avoiding Over-Reliance on Rational Models That Limit Solution SetsOver-dependence on rigid models creates tunnel vision and excludes unexpected solutions. Businesses must remain aware that models simplify reality and should be complemented by iterative experimentation, hypothesis testing, and openness to serendipitous discoveries.Tables: Comparing Logical vs Illogical Business StrategiesAspectLogical Business StrategyIllogical Business StrategyApproachSeeks single right answerEmbraces multiple good ideasCustomer FocusDesigns for averageTargets extremes and nichesRiskPredictable, competitive parityUnpredictable, competitive advantageInnovationLimited by modelsEncourages experimentationOutcomeRace to bottomCreates unique valuePeople Also Ask (FAQs)What are the 5 P's of business strategy?The 5 P's are Plan, Ploy, Pattern, Position, and Perspective. Each represents a different dimension from planning to viewing strategies as emergent patterns or competitive maneuvers.What are the 4 types of corporate strategy?The main four types include Growth, Stability, Retrenchment, and Combination strategies, each aimed at different business conditions and goals.What is a downside to an unethical business strategy?An unethical strategy risks reputational damage, legal penalties, loss of customer trust, and long-term sustainability.What are the 3 C's of business ethics?They refer to Compliance (with laws), Conduct (moral behavior), and Culture (organizational environment fostering ethics).Key TakeawaysIllogical business strategy challenges the dominance of conventional logic to unlock innovation.Designing for extremes rather than averages can reveal untapped market opportunities.Experimentation with counterintuitive ideas fosters sustainable competitive advantages.Small, seemingly trivial changes can have outsized impacts in complex business systems.Context and perception are powerful tools that can create value beyond objective improvements.Conclusion: Embracing Illogical Business Strategy for Future SuccessDare to think beyond logic. Embrace experimentation, context, and perception to unlock breakthrough innovation and resilient competitive advantages in today’s complex market environment.If you’re inspired to rethink your approach to business strategy, consider how the principles of illogical thinking can be applied to broader trends shaping the future of work and innovation. The intersection of technology, creativity, and unconventional problem-solving is rapidly redefining what it means to gain a competitive edge. For a deeper dive into how these forces are transforming opportunities for the next generation, especially in the tech sector, take a look at the evolving impact of AI on job opportunities for young tech workers. Exploring these insights could spark your next breakthrough or help you future-proof your business in a world where logic alone is no longer enough.Call to ActionFor Help to Show Your Business in Action, Email SmartMarketing@dylbo.comSource: https://example.comIn exploring the concept of illogical business strategies, two insightful resources offer valuable perspectives:“The Icarus Paradox” by Danny Miller examines how companies can fail due to the very strategies that once led to their success. This work highlights the dangers of overconfidence and complacency, underscoring the need for businesses to remain adaptable and open to unconventional approaches. (en.wikipedia.org)“The Strategy Paradox” by Michael E. Raynor delves into the inherent uncertainties in strategic planning. Raynor discusses how rigid adherence to a single strategic path can be perilous, advocating for flexibility and the consideration of multiple future scenarios to mitigate risks. (en.wikipedia.org)If you’re serious about enhancing your strategic approach, these resources provide critical insights into balancing logic with creativity to achieve sustainable success.

01.02.2026

Why Designing for the Average Customer Can Kill Innovation

Startling fact: Most products fail to truly delight because they are designed for an "average" user who doesn't exist in reality. Instead, innovation blooms when businesses step away from trying to please the average and focus on the extremes. This approach challenges conventional logic and offers fresh pathways to user experience design.Opening Hook: The Hidden Cost of Designing for Average Users and Its Impact on InnovationDesigning for average users is a widespread practice in business and product development, but it carries a hidden cost: innovation suffers. By targeting a mythical average, companies often create bland and uninspiring products that fail to excite or satisfy anyone fully. Rory Sutherland, Behavioral Economics expert at Ogilvy & Mather, highlights a crucial insight — “Conventional logic loves the idea of the single right answer... If you want to have an original idea, it's potentially disastrous.”This fixation on finding a single solution that fits everyone results in mediocrity, as no real users fit neatly into this ‘average’ persona. Instead, products risk becoming generic, lacking uniqueness or standout appeal. For business owners aiming to differentiate their brand, grasping the pitfalls of designing for average users is vital to unlock new opportunities.What You'll Learn: Key Insights on Designing for Average vs. Extreme UsersWhy designing for average users limits innovation and market successHow focusing on extremes can lead to breakthrough productsThe psychological and strategic pitfalls of conventional logic in designExpert perspectives on embracing irrationality and creativity in businessUnderstanding the Pitfalls of Designing for Average Users and How to Avoid ThemThe Myth of the Single Right Answer in Business and DesignThe business world often prefers clear-cut answers and measurable success metrics, fostering the belief that a single, logical solution exists for every problem. Yet, Rory Sutherland warns that the pursuit of this "single right answer" often kills creativity: "Business and policy making loves the idea of the single right answer... If you want to have an original idea, it's potentially disastrous." This mindset restricts innovation and encourages risk-averse, derivative products designed to appeal to a statistically average user.Appealing to an average customer leads to decisions grounded in aggregated data, smoothing out individual preferences and unique needs. The ‘average user’ concept risks trapping design solutions within a narrow band of possibilities, where no particular customer feels truly catered for. For example, a software designed solely around average user metrics may lack features that delight power users or novices, reducing overall user satisfaction.Interestingly, the challenge of designing for diverse needs is not limited to product development—it's also evident in how emerging technologies are reshaping the workforce. For example, AI is influencing job opportunities for young tech professionals, highlighting the importance of adapting strategies to serve both mainstream and niche talent segments.Why Aggregating Users into an Average Persona Fails InnovationAggregating diverse users into a single average persona ignores the wide variation in user needs, preferences, and behaviours that exist in any market. Rory Sutherland points out that "Most models cause you to aggregate people so that you're solving the problem for a single representative individual," which often results in products nobody truly loves.Designers who focus on the average risk missing important niche segments that could be early adopters or influencers. For instance, products aimed at gym enthusiasts tend to fail when designed only for average fitness levels rather than targeting the high-performance or beginner extremes. Embracing user diversity better equips businesses to develop unique propositions and competitive advantages.Competitor Insight: The Limitations of Designing for the Average UserCompetitors caught in the trap of designing for a median user often face stagnant growth and thin differentiation. Whereas competitors who embrace niche markets and diverse needs innovate faster and capture passionate followers. Rory Sutherland advises spotting where competitors’ logic errs and exploiting those gaps: "Find out what's wrong with their model and exploit it." This approach transforms design from a safe, but uninspiring activity, into a dynamic driver of growth.The Power of Designing for Extremes: Unlocking Innovation and Market SuccessHow Extreme User Needs Drive Mainstream AdoptionDesigning with extreme users in mind can uncover revolutionary ideas that eventually appeal to the mainstream. Rory Sutherland explains: "Look out on the extremes, however, and you may find things that will be adopted by extreme or unusual consumers, which then make their way into the mainstream." This approach harnesses unique user challenges and preferences as innovation catalysts rather than obstacles.By appreciating the needs of outliers, businesses can develop products that break mold and set new standards. Examples abound, such as rugged smartphones developed for extreme conditions becoming popular for everyday use, or accessibility features enhancing usability for all. Designing for extremes thus serves as a strategic seedbed for broader market impact.Case Study: Innovative Products That Emerged from Non-Average User FocusConsider the example of electric cars and charging stations. Initially, electric vehicles were designed for niche green consumers but rethinking user needs beyond average assumptions has made them increasingly mainstream. Rory Sutherland identifies that “small, trivial changes” in design or process order can have outsized impacts — such as reversing the order of grant applications for chargers, which can affect adoption significantly.Similarly, Airbnb’s rise emerged from understanding travellers and hosts who fall outside traditional hotel user averages. This enabled a new market segment formed around trust, unique stays, and local experiences — a sharp contrast to average user-based hotel design. Businesses adopting extreme user focus discover new growth trajectories unreachable via averaged strategies.Why Logic Alone Can Stifle Creativity and Innovation in Product DesignThe Danger of Predictability in Business StrategyLogic-driven strategies, while seemingly sound, often lead to predictability. Rory Sutherland highlights: “It doesn’t pay to be logical if everybody else is being logical... Being logical will probably get you to the same place as everybody else, and that’s essentially a race to the bottom.” Predictability reduces competitive differentiation and innovation, capping growth potential.In highly competitive environments, being too rational and formulaic limits fresh thinking and adaptation. Truly innovative companies balance logic with creative irrationality to defy expectations and open new market spaces. This mindset shift helps avoid the trap of conformity that comes with designing solely for average user models.Exploiting Competitors’ Logical Blind SpotsBusinesses gain an edge by identifying flaws in competitors’ logic and models. Rory Sutherland offers a practical example: “If you want to buy a house in London, nearly everybody goes, I want to be near a tube line... But nobody’s thinking about rail stations which can offer better value and shorter commute times.” This indicates how stepping outside conventional logic reveals unmet needs and opportunities ignored by others.Capitalising on these blind spots requires curiosity and courage to break established norms. Rather than follow existing average user assumptions, exploring alternative logic and user behaviours leads to genuine breakthrough innovation and stronger market positioning.Embracing Irrationality and Magic in User Experience Design to Enhance EngagementHow Perception and Expectation Shape User ExperienceUser experience is not only about objective product features but also about perception and expectation. Rory Sutherland shares an insightful example of a hotel in former East Berlin, which guests either loved or hated depending on their expectations. “Whether a restaurant or a hotel is good or bad doesn't just depend on what the hotel is objectively, it depends on what we expect the hotel to be like.”This highlights the power of framing and storytelling in shaping user satisfaction. Designing experiences that align with or cleverly manage expectations can deliver magical outcomes, often outperforming purely functional improvements.Context as a Marketing Super WeaponContextual factors dramatically influence user perceptions and purchase decisions. Rory Sutherland emphasises, “Context is a marketing super weapon, and it works because it works magically.” By crafting environments, narratives, and brand stories around products, businesses can amplify value beyond tangible features.This ability to create perceived value through context differentiates successful products and services in crowded markets. Recognising this allows designers and marketers to incorporate psychological “magic” into their offerings, enhancing user delight and loyalty significantly.The Role of Costly and Creative Advertising in Conveying MeaningSutherland critiques the efficiency obsession in advertising, stating “advertising works because it’s costly to deliver, costly to generate, and displayed indiscriminately.” Much like nature’s flowers which evolved costly displays to attract pollinators, advertising effectiveness depends on creative extravagance rather than mere efficiency.For businesses, investing in rich, emotional advertising can powerfully communicate brand meaning and differentiate in the user’s mind, transcending the limits of purely rational design approaches.Practical Steps to Avoid Designing for Average: Let Us Innovate Differently and Embrace User DiversityAllowing Space for Counterintuitive and ‘Bonkers’ IdeasInnovation thrives when organisations permit testing of counterintuitive ideas that may initially seem irrational or ‘bonkers.’ Rory Sutherland explains the significance of creating permission spaces for experimentation: “You can enjoy an extraordinary competitive advantage in your business if you create a small space where people can test things that don’t make sense.”This mindset combats the risk-averse corporate culture that tends to shut down unconventional thinking. Embracing this freedom accelerates discovery and uncovers hidden solutions that competitors avoid.Testing Small, Trivial Changes for Big ImpactSmall, seemingly trivial design changes can yield disproportionate benefits in complex systems. Sutherland observes: “Adding a single sentence to a call center script…has a bigger effect than much bigger things.” Businesses should invite low-risk experiments with minor tweaks that might unlock major performance improvements or user satisfaction gains.Encouraging Adaptive Preference Formation in Product ChoicesAdaptive preference formation allows users to reframe compromises as positive choices rather than losses. Rory Sutherland illustrates how enabling multivariate choices with balanced upsides and downsides can minimise regret and increase satisfaction. Designing decisions that support this psychological mechanism creates net added value from otherwise neutral or suboptimal options.Comparison of Design Approaches: Average User vs. Extreme User FocusAspectDesigning for Average UsersDesigning for Extreme UsersInnovationLimited due to homogenised featuresHigh potential through niche focusUser SatisfactionGenerally mediocre for all usersStrong for targeted segments, trickling to mainstreamMarket DifferentiationLow; products appear genericHigh; unique product offeringsRiskLower short-term, higher long-term stagnationHigher short-term, greater growth opportunitiesDesign FlexibilityRigid, constrained by average metricsAdaptive, embraces diverse needsCommon Misconceptions About Designing for Average UsersAssuming one-size-fits-all solutions maximise efficiencyBelieving rationality always leads to the best outcomesIgnoring the power of narrative and perception in user satisfactionFAQs: Addressing Common Questions on Design Efficiency and ProcessWhat are the 7 steps in the design process?The seven fundamental steps are: research, definition, ideation, prototyping, testing, implementation, and evaluation. Each stage refines understanding of user needs and iterates solutions to better match those needs, mindful that average assumptions should be challenged throughout.What is the efficiency of design?Efficiency in design means achieving the greatest user satisfaction and business impact with minimal resource expenditure. However, efficiency does not equate to designing for average users: true efficiency balances creativity, user diversity, and effective resource use.How to create a perfect design?Perfect design is a myth as user needs are diverse and context-dependent. Instead, aim for designs that solve core problems creatively, accommodate diverse user profiles, and adapt over time. This approach embraces imperfection as a pathway to continuous improvement.Key Takeaways: Why Designing for Average Users Limits InnovationDesigning for average users often leads to uninspired, ineffective products.Focusing on extreme or niche users can spark innovation and broader adoption.Logic and rationality have limits; embracing creativity and irrationality can unlock new solutions.Small, seemingly trivial changes can have outsized impacts in complex systems.User perception and context are critical components of successful design.Conclusion: Dare to Design Beyond the Average“If there were already a logical answer, we would have already found it... The problems that persist are logic proof.” – Rory Sutherland, Ogilvy & MatherChallenge conventional wisdom by daring to reject the average and let us explore innovative design approaches. Embrace extremities, creativity, and the magic of perception to uncover untapped innovation and delight your users.If you’re inspired to push beyond the boundaries of average thinking, let us consider how these principles apply not just to product design, but also to the evolving landscape of work and technology. The rise of AI is a prime example of how innovation can disrupt traditional models and create new opportunities for those willing to adapt. For a deeper dive into how emerging technologies are transforming career paths and what it means for the next generation of professionals, explore the insights on AI’s impact on job opportunities for young tech workers. Discover how embracing change and thinking beyond the average can unlock new avenues for growth and success in your business or career.Call to ActionFor Help to Show Your Business in Action, Email SmartMarketing@dylbo.comSources: https://example.comDesigning products for the “average” user often leads to mediocrity and fails to meet the diverse needs of real users, so let us rethink design strategies to foster innovation. The article “Why Designing for the Average Will Result in the End Product Being Less than Average” (equitusdesign.com) discusses how this approach can result in generic offerings that lack distinctive features, ultimately compromising user satisfaction. Similarly, the piece “The ‘Average’ Fallacy” (uxmag.com) highlights the misconception that designing for an average persona can effectively serve the majority, emphasizing that no single user embodies all average characteristics. By understanding these pitfalls, businesses can shift towards more inclusive and innovative design strategies that cater to a broader spectrum of user needs.

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