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THE POINT: For superior innovation outcomes, dump the tired left/right brain dichotomy. Deploying Multiple Intelligence Theory creates stickier ideas, appealing to more people. It’s more fun, too.
LEFT BRAIN/RIGHT BRAIN IS DEAD
The idea that left-brain logic and right-brain emotion are both important to purchase decisions has long been embraced as a no-brainer.
There’s just one little problem.
The left-brain / right-brain model is basically useless. Not wrong. Just useless. At least to those of us tasked with creating the next ten Next Big Things.
Left brain / right brain fails to offer any rich explanation of the very special breed of ideas and brands that are, as we speak, transforming lives, lifestyles, marketplaces, and companies – game breaking ideas with the caliber and impact of the iPod, Google, Red Bull, Guitar Hero, the MINI…insert your favorites here.
Far more importantly, left brain / right brain is of little help as we set out to develop the next wave of ideas worthy of a place on that list. It’s about as useful as telling car designers to build something that goes and stops. OK, but what will make people notice it and want it?
Is there a better guide to inspire the innovator’s thought process?
One that lends both a framework and the pheromones shot that spurs previously disconnected things to mate and produce the next market-moving idea?
At Fahrenheit 212, we think we found it. [Actually, we tripped over it on the way to school one day.] It’s called Multiple Intelligence Theory and is the brainchild of Harvard’s Dr. Howard Gardner. Dr. Gardner spent decades studying why so few of the ideas served up in the world’s classrooms actually penetrate kids’ gray matter and stay there.
His finding? The retention gap wasn’t a result of little Johnny being a doped-up slacker with divorced parents, odd pants that show his underwear and a head rendered mushy by video games, but rather something more fundamental and profound.
Turns out, harnessed in those two cerebral hemispheres of ours are eight measurable types of intelligence. Each plays a part in how we process ideas. These aptitudes span verbal intelligence, mathematical/logical intelligence and intelligences of the physical, visual, emotional, worldly, musical kind. (Dr. Gardner’s terms have way more syllables; consider this our USA Today version.)
Perhaps because some divine force wanted to keep life on Earth interesting, we’re each born with our own mix of intelligence strengths and weaknesses.
And without knowing it, we each lean on our stronger suits to process ideas and make decisions. How you perceive an idea, what turns you on about it is probably quite different from the folks in your Starbucks queue.
Those who lean on Visual Intelligence process ideas based largely on what they see.
The Verbals are best reached through words, stories and engaging turns of phrase.
The Physicals understand best when there is something interesting they can touch and interact with.
The Worldlies take in an idea through their cultural lens, seeing how well it fits what’s happening in their peer group, and are typically first to grab onto the new.
You’re likely conducting a personal Multiple IQ test right about now. The theory is simple, logical and enormously attractive.
It makes retrospective sense of big innovation successes in a way that ‘logic + emotion’ cannot.
The iPod? A compelling experience for every intelligence type.
For Verbals: a sticky, aspirational name.
For Physicals: delightfully novel shapes, textures and finishes, topped off with the joy of the flywheel.
For Visuals: brilliantly simple yet provocative packaging. (Apologies to all you Visuals for the lack of pictures in this article.)
For Emotionals: a new feeling of empowerment and freedom.
For Math/Logicians: lists and pattern-making a go-go.
For Musicals, how smart was Apple to buy those beautifully wordless ads? Making the marketing of the iPod all about the music instead of the gadget.
As for the Worldly folks, they got off on the iPod’s cultivated trendiness.
And since most of us have several dominant intelligence types in play, we ended up with an attachment worthy of Shakespeare – how do I love my iPod…let me count the ways. It’s no wonder why, despite the onslaught of high performing, lower priced and reasonably well-designed competitors, the iPod’s share is still growing.
Think about how Guitar Hero and Rock Band transformed gaming by combining music, instrument physicality, fantasy fulfillment, social fun and wrapped it in a competitive experience that quantifies musical notes as points – a quantum leap for the category.
Consider what happened when W Hotels brought together sensory delights with sleek technology to offer an exquisite boutique experience that scaled.
Now if applying this model seems daunting, if you’re asking – Which intelligence type is most prevalent among my consumers?
How does my brand fare across the eight dimensions? – worry not. Fahrenheit 212 knows how to suss those things out and what to do about ‘em.
Because, for innovators, these issues don’t matter all that much.