An Evolving View of Evolution (& What That Means for Your Brands)

The cover story of the 3.19 issue of Newsweek is fascinating. The emerging field of Neuropaleontology is shedding new light on our understanding of the process of evolution. Neuropaleontology uses prehistoric DNA to more richly map evolutionary progress vs. archeology, which is limited to suppositions based on physical skeletal references.

DNA can be used to document when lineages split - when a generation of species was demonstrably different from the last.

Equally interesting, we’re now learning that evolution is not a straight-lined path of progress. It occurs in fits and starts, with many adaptations failing to take root. We’re discovering an evolutionary family tree of sorts, with a number of adaptive traits developing, hanging around for several million years or so, and then becoming extinct. Progress is lumpy.

And that’s where brands come in. Brand evolution is rarely a straight line path of forward progress. Quite often, brand adaptations (let’s call them line extensions or flankers) come to market, score sufficient volume to hang around for several years, and then make way for a new generation of extensions. This process may continue on ad infinitum without ever really evolving the brand - making it more relevant, more contemporary, competitively advantaged.

Survival of the fittest is about more than merely hanging in there.

For a brand to truly evolve, it needs to move beyond these experiments and take a strategic view toward innovation of the entire ecosystem. Perhaps the business model needs to evolve (see Netflix vs. Blockbuster below). Perhaps the brand needs a different approach regarding channels or supply chain. Maybe the consumer situation (the human genomic code?) has changed and new needs have arisen, requiring repositioning or structural packaging innovation. Maybe a new predator has emerged that forces the brand to take a more defensive - or offensive - posture.

Just as our species need to evolve, so do our brands. Settling for “natural growth” only gets you so far - hyperadaptation of the innovation ecosystem is needed to grow the legs that take you out of the swamp.