We've all heard it — ad nauseam at times. Sprinkled into headlines, pitches, and “About Us” pages, the use of “Disruption” aims to convey boldness and innovation. Like many corporate buzzwords that came before it, the meaning of the word has become less concrete over time.

But what does disruption mean really? What are people asking for and what are they really wanting? For clients, agencies, lifestyles, how has this concept been used effectively, and when and why has it failed? In this series we aim to answer these questions and start a discussion. Join us in examining disruption and sharing your thoughts as well!

4 min read.

By Jennifer Gerich, with original art by Haley Mosher

At a recent conference, I met a young up-and-comer who worked for a finance app. I asked her what her company does, expecting to hear a well-rehearsed and pithy elevator pitch. I was not disappointed. “Right now the banking world is totally backwards in terms of app design and UI, so we are creating a new experience for people to manage their personal finances. Basically, we are completely disrupting the finance industry in the realm of customer experience.” Sigh.

Granted, I had heard better and worse definitions for “disruption” just at this event alone—from clear to muddled, inspiring to baffling. Some threw the word out with confidence. Others were obviously less secure in their understanding. To be sure, “disruption” has become the go-to corporate buzzword—the new “agile,” “reinvent,” “evangelize.” Sprinkled into headlines, pitches, and “About Us” pages, it aspires to convey boldness and innovation.

People are asking for it, but what are they asking for, really—and what does it mean?

The term “Creative Disruption” first came on the scene in 1992. TBWA Chairman Jean-Marie Dru published a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal simply titled “Disruption”. The ad described TBWA’s disruptive methodology, introducing “disruption” as a marketing phrase for the first time. This also marked a shift in the connotation of the word from negative to positive. This concept continued to grow and take on a life of its own.

The resulting movement seemed to blanket the business world. I recall attending a Microsoft event in the late 90s, which centered around disruption. My coworkers and I grabbed lunch afterward and were buzzing, captivated by this invigorating new approach. Disrupting the industry? It seemed completely radical and provocative. I wonder if Millenials today know that “Creative Disruption” is not a new notion.

It’s safe to assume when people are asking for disruption, they are asking for a way to do things differently and get a positive result—a way to “shake things up,” so to speak. But is disruption a synonym for innovation? I believe it means something more. 

True disruptive marketing is something you can’t ignore; something that forces you to stop and reconsider your company’s—and the industry’s—current strategy and status quo. Top-of-mind examples are Uber, DoorDash, and Airbnb, which by virtue of their very existence have transformed their respective industries. Another example is the advent of social media influencers and the effect they wield. Today, for any consumer product company, excluding influencers from your marketing strategy is practically self-sabotage; it’s something we couldn’t have predicted 15 years ago, but is now so prevalent it's practically mainstream. 

Even so, at a typical networking event you are likely to hear “disruption” again and again, with more than one meaning. So what does disruption really mean in our world today—from both client and agency side? As a creative agency, it often means a hopeful-yet-empty request. Clients like to ask for disruption, but in the end are not willing to take the plunge. 

...and so goes the pattern:

1. We are asked to develop a truly “disruptive” idea, with a side of “outside the box,” “something new,” “not the norm”

2. We deliver something “disruptive” that we believe fits the bill

3. Client is invigorated by this exciting, new “disruptive” idea

4. Client ends up sticking with what they know

Years ago, we bid on a training event for a major auto brand’s Parts and Service training. The key ask of the RFP was to really do something “out of the box”, helping them become an industry leader in terms of their approach to Parts and Service. We took them at their word: Our concept was highly creative, grounded in research, smart and slightly irreverent. (Okay—maybe a tad more than slightly.) The client was blown away and kept us in the pitch meeting for nearly 3 hours, questioning, discussing, and dissecting. In the end, we did not get the business because our pitch was “too different.”

And guess what they ended up doing? Same old, same old…Sigh.

The resulting message seems to be: Shake things up! Wait—not really. Because it’s become common corporate speak, we often forget that disruption is scary; it involves taking risks that may not pay off. In the creative world, we’re constantly pushing to see more of the practice and less of the word. Disruption is a valuable approach, and is a necessary key to longevity. I’m aware that my scope only reaches so far, of course. In the event and digital world, disruption usually refers to disruptive marketing: “How we can design and leverage disruption to gain more business, brand awareness, etc.?” But what does it mean for employees? For agencies? For clients? For entire industries? What does it mean for all our lifestyles moving forward? There is much to learn and understand. 

In this series, we’ll explore some of Campos’ experiences and observations around disruption over the past 26 years in the creative space. It would be great to get back to that frenzied optimism that was once associated with the idea of disruption and the incredible ideas it can produce. And, we want to hear from you. What does disruption mean to you and your business, and what is disruptive marketing for you in 2020? How have you disrupted in your career and how has it succeeded/failed? If there’s anything I’ve learned from 26 years of endless networking events and client meetings, it’s that everyone has an opinion. We want to hear yours!