With the success of Apple based on its category-creating innovations like the iPod, iPhone and iPad, companies are focusing more heavily on developing their own innovations. A recent article in The Wall Street Journal reported the following statistics on the growth of innovation:

• A search of annual and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission shows companies mentioned some form of the word “innovation” 33,528 times last year, which was a 64% increase from five years before that.
• More than 250 books with “innovation” in the title have been published in the last three months, most of them dealing with business, according to a search of Amazon.com
• Four in 10 executives say their company now has a chief innovation officer, according to a recent study of the phenomenon released last month by Capgemini Consulting.

In addition, business schools are revising their curriculum to focus on innovation.  According to The Wall Street Journal, schools such as University of California, Berkley and University of Portland offer majors in entrepreneurship and innovation management.

Supporting this trend, below are three recent innovations developed by companies:

Clorox Fraganzia

A recent AdAge article revealed how Clorox developed Fraganzia, a line of products for the Hispanic consumer. These products are based on the insight Clorox had that the Hispanic consumer tends to clean in three steps – cleaning, disinfecting and aromatizing.

The Fraganzia line includes a bundle of three products, including a multipurpose cleaner, an aerosol freshener and a toilet-bowl rim hanger. The marketing campaign for Fraganzia will be entirely in Spanish and will include the messaging “delicious fragrances for the final cleaning touch for floors, bathroom and rooms.”

City Target

About 10 percent of Target’s stores are in urban areas, but there is a trend in the United States where cities are now growing faster than suburban areas. To capitalize on this trend, Target has created “City” stores, profiled in a recent article in Businessweek.

Opening this past July in Chicago, Los Angeles and Seattle, the stores are tailored to city shoppers. Target executives have placed athletic clothes near the entrance to appeal to business travelers and have removed lawn furniture in place of air mattresses – catering to people with apartments and included a fresh food section to encourage customers to visit more often.

Ford Escape

Ford’s new Escape SUV includes a feature that allows you to make a kicking gesture beneath the rear bumper to open and close the trunk. Jason Sprawka, the Ford Escape brand manager, said that “new Escape owners will be able to load their vehicle without ever having to set packages or gear down.”

Domus and Innovation

If you are interested in improving your company’s innovation strategy and process, Domus can help. Our in-house staff of strategic experts and deep network of creative resources can help you solve your innovation challenges.

Ed Samide is a Senior Account Manager at Domus, Inc., a marketing communications agency based in Philadelphia. For more information, visit http://www.domusinc.com. For new business inquiries, please contact CEO and founder of Domus, Inc. Betty Tuppeny at betty.tuppeny@domusinc.com or 215-772-2805.