Imitators are not loved in the market. We think of organizations that build really cool things as innovative. The truth is that large companies also imitate to survive. Imitation is the critical component for human survival. Copycats analyzes the art of imitation and combines innovation to conclude that a synergy between the two can produce great results.
Why is this important to me? I always want to ask this question as if he was sitting in his shoes. I do not want to waste your time. Imitators can be used to improve your business or any other field you decide to pursue. Imitation is fundamental to our survival as human beings. You know the old saying that actions speak louder than words. This is true because the human race has survived thanks to our ability to imitate and amplify the actions of others. We can tell our children not to drink alcohol, but if they see us doing it often, they will imitate our actions. Actions are much more powerful than words in this regard. Our ability to imitate has been facilitated by our ability to speak and understand language. The power of partnership produces phenomenal results in either direction depending on who you plan to partner with.
Copycats is a quick read and to better illustrate the points I will give three examples to show the power of imitation, innovation and mix-ups.
1. Innovation – It is the introduction of something new. True innovators are usually NOT successful. Novell is a software company that had innovative networking software when PC networking was just beginning. Its technology was very robust and reliable. They dominated the market. Today, they have very little market share in this space. They have been overtaken by imitators even though their technology was better. Apple is seen as another market innovator. They innovate in all areas of their business, including product, distribution, packaging, and service.
2. Imitation – This is more common than you think. You have to be careful who you imitate. Apple is a great imitator. The IPOD is basically a newer version of the Sony Walkman. Sony did the real innovation and Apple used its ability to imitate using better engineering and smarter marketing. This is a classic example of an imitator beating the innovator.
3. Mash-ups: the real goal is to combine innovation and imitation. In Copycats, this is called imovation. A mash-up is basically a combination of things. Ray Charles was an excellent musician. He changed the landscape by combining Gospel with R&B. This was controversial and very successful. Kid Rock has done the same. He combines Country, Rock and Roll and Rap to create unique music. These are great examples of imovation.
Copycats is a great book to show that imitation should be a real strategy for all businesses. Imitation isn’t glorious and lazy, but the differentiator is Execution. McDonald’s spends tons of money on potential locations. They seek out the best real estate in the world so they can continue to build their world-class organization. Burger King takes advantage of this by building its restaurants in close proximity. It’s much cheaper for BK to follow McDonald’s.
I hope you found this short overview video helpful. The key to any new idea is to work it into your daily routine until it becomes a habit. Habits are formed in as little as 21 days. One thing you can take away from this book is the power of mash-ups. Look at businesses in and out of your niche and take away the best of them. Apple came up with the magnetic plug, so if you trip over the cord, the laptop will NOT fall off the desk. This was a great feature that Steve Jobs took from the oriental cooking industry. Copy catting at its best!