Strategic insights
Blue is Dead, Hail the Red

Imagine if we lived in a world where Blue was the only color. All our houses would be painted Blue, we would have Blue cars, Blue shoes, (Blue-ray), Blue refrigerators, and Blue sidewalks. Many people even have Blue hair and makeup. Blue is how the world works.

Then imagine that some brilliant company invents the color red. The effect is amazing, everyone wants to see it - everyone wants to get it. Red is announced the new World 2.0, Blue is dead - long live the Red.

Sounds familiar? Yup, I thought so too.

The world is never black or white, but there is always one thing that people see as more important than others. If people want Red - give them Red.

You can also be visionary and try for Green but you cannot do it before the market is ready for it. Do it too soon and people think you live in a fantasy? Do it too late and you might have been better off with Blue.

...or you can go for mediocrity and try a bit of both. If you do a good job, it can be very pretty; some will even call it the best of both worlds. Other people will simply call you boring.

It is the safe thing to do - the majority of people will like this... for a while!

You can also try to be different. Do something that no other person does. Sometimes it can be really cool and you will be called a brilliant artist. But, most people will just think of you as strange.

What kind are you?

• Oldtimer (blue)
• Trendsetter (red)
• I-just-want-to-be-safe (a bit of everything)
• Visionary (green)
• Strange/Artist (something else)

But most importantly, what do you do when Red dies - and everything changes (again)? Are you ready for this?

See Also

• The Secret to Understanding Design, Baekdal.com (June 3, 2007)