There are opportunities in a shifting Paradigm

At the risk of getting into a topic too often, welcome to week 2 of the paradigm discussion. This week, an example of a company taking advantage of a changing Paradigm outside it's own industry. When walking through Dallas / Fort Worth Airport, something caught my eye as hilarious. An example of marketing gone awry I thought. I took a picture of it as a joke and posted it to facebook.

Yes that's right a makeup vending machine. My male readers will laugh and scoff as I did. Then, one of my facebook friends pointed out that she would have loved one after she got her makeup taken away at airport security. It hit my like a ton of bricks. OF COURSE... Once airport security started looking closer at what liquids you bring with you, tons of makeup must have been trashed at security. Clinique saw an opportunity and placed these right near gates at airports. I understand you can find these at Las Vegas and New York's JFK airport as well. Cosmetic maker Sephora is also said to have the technology out there as well.  Sephora Vending Machines are gracing airports in Nashville, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Dallas, New York, and Houston. (http://blog.sephora.com/2009/12/buy-your-beauty-from-sephora-vending.html)

 

If you had a chance to look at the linked Blog by Sephora, have a look at the comments. Most women were quite excited by them. In fact a point was made it saved one woman a 45 minute train ride and her husband was able to look at the Best Buy vending machine next to it. It's clear that this market accepts this technology and these will be around for years to come.

It's a great example of taking a Paradigm shift and capitalizing on the shift in a marketplace you didn't have before. So don't always focus on your own industry Paradigm shifts, keep looking outside the box. You never know what opportunities may lurk outside the box. Also pay attention to changes in your own family life. A client of mine owned a water store and their own daughter was diagnosed with Celiac desease and before you know it their pasion for learning about the desease and the quality products one needs to purchase turned their business into a combination Water Store and Gluten free products store. Until Next week, I am Larry "The Ad Man"