'I see my path, but I don't know where it leads. Not knowing where I'm going is what inspires me to travel it.’
Rosalia de Castro

On a dull Tuesday afternoon I was wandering around the sock department of my local Marks & Spencer - with a view to stocking up, so to speak.

It was all rather confusing.

Did I want Egyptian cotton, organic cotton or just cotton-rich? Merino wool or lambswool perhaps? Did I need thermal socks, sport socks or slipper socks? Would I like dots or stripes or sea-life emblems? Would I prefer them long or cushioned? Maybe a special finish? Freshfeet TM or Cool and Fresh TM? The latter, I discovered, ‘draws moisture away from the skin, while a peppermint oil-based finish fights bacteria to prevent odours.’ Blimey.

Then suddenly I spotted a small section dedicated to Gentle Grip socks. 

I had not heard of this category before. And yet, as I inspected the explanatory literature, I sensed a sharp pain in my ankles. The elastic in my incumbent, rather run-of-the-mill, socks was squeezing my flesh like a tourniquet. I could feel the blood struggling to flow properly. My calves were bursting. 

At that particular moment there was nothing I wanted more in the world than Gentle Grip socks. 

In a wave of enthusiasm I invested in a number of pairs, in sober shades of blue and grey (no sea-life emblems). And I rushed back home to try them on. 

My Gentle Grip socks seemed instantly considerate and calming. As I carefully pulled them over my heels and up, they gave my ankles a firm caress, a reassuring embrace. And they were secure - sufficient to stay in place, but not so tight as to cause any discomfort or leave a mark.

This was a revolution in my sock drawer.

'Knowing what you want is the first step toward getting it.'
Mae West

Perhaps there is a lesson for us all here.

My Marks & Spencer Gentle Grip socks solved a problem I didn’t know I had. They answered a question I wasn’t asking.

Too often in business we take a literal and linear approach to innovation. We commission research and ask consumers their needs and desires; their nagging problems, their hopes and aspirations. And then we set about addressing them.

But sometimes the public don’t know what they need and can’t articulate what they want. They don’t envisage a superior product or improved service. And this can set limits on innovation.

'If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.’
Henry Ford

Category leading brands anticipate change. They have an expert understanding of what technology makes possible, and an instinctive feel for where tastes and preferences are heading. Predicting tomorrow’s demands and passions, they surprise and delight. By inventing Gentle Grip socks, for instance.

The best brands imagine the future, rather than delivering it to order.

'A lot of times, people don't know what they want until you show it to them.'
Steve Jobs

'I like the dimple in your chin.
I like the tricky way you grin.
Still you ain't no kind of cat.
(You know why, don't you?)
Boy, your socks don't match!’
Louis Jordan and Bing Crosby, ‘Your Socks Don’t Match' (L Corday / L Carr)

No. 371