ORIGINALITY IS UNIQUE

What do we mean by originality? Where did that concept come from, and how does it help us?

by Steve Copestake, Owner, Acuity Marketing & Communication Pte Ltd

The 18th century Romantics have a lot to answer for. Their pre-occupation with the individual, emotion and creativity marked something of a watershed from a time when you and I were much more used to the kind of adaptations, iterations and improvements that allowed mere tradition to evolve. It was a turning point not without irony as the Byron’s and Wordsworth’s were inherently sceptical of the process of science and its industrial application, the focus of so much of today’s creativity, invention, and Intellectual Property (IP) registration.

Fast forward to 2023, and the threshold set for originality by the Supreme Court in the US. To be considered original, an idea “must possess some creative spark no matter how crude, humble or obvious it might be.” It’s basically a legal litmus, limited in scope perhaps, but by introducing the ‘c word’ (creativity) it takes a step beyond the more puritan ‘sweat of the brow’ principle it replaced where it was hours and effort invested that established whether something was ‘new’.

But there’s something very significant missing from this definition. It must go further to celebrate a critical distinction.

I would argue that in ideas, there’s a difference between the new and the truly original. Originality is more than basic novelty. Originality is a genuine spark of imagination. To be original is to be meaningful and resonant.

The scramble for Intellectual Property

Success, the saying goes, has many fathers, but failure is an orphan. For creative minds, IP helps draw the line between inspiration and imitation. Now more than ever Intellectual Property courts are full of those claiming paternity rights to successful ideas. Just ask Ed Sheeran.

It’s symptomatic of a clear trend; the aperture for ownable ideas is narrowing. In 2021,18.1 million trademarks were filed, 3.4 million patents applied for, and 1.5 million industrial designs registered. Those numbers may make the aspiring inventor despair, but to me they also speak to an inspiring truth. It might be getting harder to originate ownable IP, but you could argue that the upward trend in trademark registrations shows how fertile and rich our imaginations really are.

What is a ‘good’ idea?

Levels of wastage in the ideas business are phenomenal. That’s not down to a lack of ‘newness’ in the thinking, it’s because so many ideas lack the power and appeal of a true original.

Just as the art world differentiates genuine pieces from forgeries and imitations, we all somehow instantly recognise the hallmarks of an original idea. It has the depth of something genuine and authentic. I refer to what I call ‘generous’ ideas. Ones rich in potential, simple in expression and as inspiring to others as they are inspired themselves.

It is a formula both understood and expressed as far back as the 1740’s by Dr Samuel Johnson, never one to let the mediocre go un-ridiculed: “Your manuscript is both good and original. But the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good”.

In fact, I’d argue that in defining originality, ‘good’ has another meaning. Original ideas have the power to do good. They speak to our needs and emotions. When Jonas Salk first developed a successful polio vaccine and was asked who owned the patent, he replied “Well…the people. There is no patent. Could you patent the sun?”. Originality and big-hearted philanthropy don’t have to go hand-in-hand, but by definition ‘good’ ideas are an improvement on what came before. They are relevant, useful and improve our lives.

Case in point, as marketing types we often talk about satisfying unmet needs. Originality finds a compelling way to meet those needs. The iPod was not the first MP3 player. The iPhone was not the first mobile phone. Apple’s originality lay in its focus on our experience and emotions. It used design as a language to speak to those emotions.

Originality: innovation with heart

The Apple example raises an important distinction. We can be quick to cloak originality in the over-used language of innovation. But the truth is that an original is worth ten innovations. Sharing the story of your company’s original insights and the products or services they gave birth to – putting your audience in touch with your originality – will win you a lot more supporters than promises of R&D investment and continuous improvement.

But it isn’t always about the humble origin story. The Royal Armouries in Leeds is a museum of historic weapons, but they have used original thinking around a tragic modernity to become relevant and accessible to new generations. Their simple and original idea was to become a champion against knife crime and lead an amnesty that would see dangerous weapons put where they belong: in an armoury, not on the street. True originality is difficult, but that is what makes it valuable and worth pursuing.

So, the next time you hear the lament of the unimaginative – “Oh, there’s nothing new under the sun!” – take it as your cue. To put meaning before novelty, insight before innovation.

And be that rarest of things: an original.

About The Company

Acuity Marketing & Communication is a company that helps businesses prosper from authenticity in two crucial areas – Brand Strategy and Positioning, and Presentation / Pitch / Public Speaking coaching for leaders, executives, and teams. Contact Steve at http://uk.linkedin.com/in/stevecopestake.