This is the presentation that I gave at the 2016 #InnovationStories event

1. How to make it/fake it as an Innovation Director
(Delete as appropriate)
@mrtomollerton

2. If you haven’t got time to read this presentation, the next slide gives a nice overview

3. @Phishtitz

4. This presentation looks at three of the many
lessons I have learned in my first year as the
Innovation Director @wearesocial

5. My approach to driving innovation at We Are Social as been to deliver a program of
innovative thoughts, events and actions

6. In 12 months we produced over 15 pieces of thought leadership that focussed on
innovation and the future of social. This included a monthly social innovation report
and a social trendspotting piece.

7. In the past 12 months we’ve held 11 events exploring innovation in social

8. We Are SocialWe Are Social
Our FMCG Social Summit
trended at #2 on twitter

9. We Are SocialWe Are Social
We attracted brands and agencies who were keen to learn how to be more innovative in social

10. Lesson Learned No1:
The internal sell is as important as the external
Just because you are excited about an innovative way of thinking or a new technology - it
doesn’t mean that everyone else is. It’s not enough to convince yourself. You have to
persuade the rest of the agency before you can convince the wider world.
The agency is busy delivering business as usual and taking on new ideas takes effort, so
don’t let up on them. Keeping on selling it until they are as excited as you are.
Once the whole team get it, you’ll have more success with everyone else.

11. We also ran regular hack days to:
Advance tech team skills
Educate new and existing clients on our tech capability
To have fun, to take risks

12. Some hacks should never happen, maybe this was one of them..

14. Lesson Learned No2:
Ask for forgiveness not permission
If you are not making people feel uncomfortable then you’re probably not being innovative
enough. So it’s best to take a small and forgivable risk and hope you get away with it
rather than ask permission. If you ask people for permission to innovate they will
generally tell you that you’re mad.
Instead, take the smallest risk and show how your idea works.

15. And finally, a cautionary tale..

16. About a year ago we had the idea to turn a happy meal box into a Google Cardboard VR headset,
the client loved it.

17. But, then we got this email..

18. “I am struggling to see this technology working for us, I think we need to park it for
now. I am sure you will prove us right in 6 months to a year..”
Important McDonalds Person

20. F*ck!!!!!!!

21. Lesson Learned No3:
Be ruthless with innovation opportunities.
Innovation projects will always be less important to your client than business as usual.
Just because a project is ‘happening’ that doesn’t guarantee that it will happen.
Once you have the go-ahead, don’t let go.

22. The approach of innovative thoughts, events and
actions has created a new culture of experimentation
of curiosity in the agency and is driving revenue
through events and several paid for social innovation
client projects.

23. Lessons Learned
1. The internal sell is as important as the external
2. Ask forgiveness not permission
3. Be ruthless with innovation opportunities

24. Thanks
@mrtomollerton
bit.ly/ChatApps101