Seeing Beyond the Familiar:
Expanding Innovation Visibility
The 10 Second Summary
WHO WE HELPED
A high-end athletic footwear brand driving innovative solutions to market.
THE PROBLEM
Relying on the well known partners and suppliers as they always had, the brand wanted to know "what else was out there” beyond their field of view.
ZEFYR’S APPROACH
Discovery & Alignment
Understand the Brand’s current state to identify potential blind spots
Strategic Mapping
Organize research in key functional platforms: uppers, midsoles, outsoles, and plates
Execution & Strategy
Deliver concise, single page briefs detailing capabilities and contact information for new target partners
THE SOLUTION
Zefyr scouted global innovation across materials, methods of make, and performance technology, equipping the brand with strategic insights and the questions to ask to evaluate the most promising opportunities.
THE IMPACT
3 Innovation Pillars Mapped (Foam, Molds, and Assembly)
15+ cutting edge (and previously unknown to the brand) Global Suppliers vetted
Brand-Ready relationships for teams to move forward
THE BOTTOM LINE
Zefyr helped the brand’s innovation team break out of their “Known World”, providing visibility and enabling them to evaluate their best options going forward.
THE PROBLEM: THE DANGER OF "COMFORT ZONE" EXPLORATION
We walked the brand from the broader landscape down to 3 focused investigations, with evaluations of how each applicable innovation could fit with the brand, including vendor information and contacts.
At the end of the engagement, the brand’s leadership team had complete clarity on what was previously beyond their field of vision, and on the overall current and future state of innovation in the field of Footwear materials, methods of make, and performance technology.
WHAT ZEFYR DID:
SCOUTING THE WORLD’S MOST CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY
Zefyr’s decades of experience in innovation and vast network of innovation partners allowed us access to things that traditional advisors would never see. We understood what the brand needed because we spoke their language. It enabled us to narrow an otherwise unmanageable search to three key areas:
New Materials:
Next-generation, high-performance foam and cushioning tech.
Methods of Make:
Advanced molding techniques for structural components and plates.
Performance Tech:
Modern factory automation and automated assembly processes.
WHAT ZEFYR DELIVERED
When you build footwear for a living, it’s easy to get comfortable sticking with the partners you know, the materials you prefer, and the processes you have developed.
The risk? While you rely on your usual network, the global footwear landscape moves fast, and new materials, methods of make, and performance technologies are constantly surfacing outside your radar’s reach.
Our client recognized they needed to look further, but didn’t have the resources required. What disruptive partners, materials, and technologies were they unaware of because it was outside their core network?
THE PAYOFF
Visibility Outside of the “Comfort-Zone”: Expanded horizons and exposure to cutting-edge partners.
Clear Innovation Roadmap Opportunities: Clear, one page briefs of relevant opportunities
Decision Making Tools: Insights and follow up questions to be leveraged to evaluate the options and choose the best path forward.
