When we think of Unordinary Ideas in the world, we often go to the big, extraordinary, showstoppers – the internet, i-phone, streaming services etc. And while these ideas have had immense impact, there are Unordinary Ideas out there, that don’t require you to be a technological marvel, just to think deeper, different, or more generously.
We were reminded of this by TFL’s 25-year anniversary campaign currently doing the rounds at a tube station near you. It celebrates milestones across the 25 years that TFL’s been around. And one of those was the ‘Baby on Board’ badge. Simple, lo-tech – but effective, smoothing the way for both the wearer and the sitter. And all it took was a little human insight into the everyday psychology between the two parties.
Another humble but effective Unordinary Idea – wheels on luggage. For a hundred years or more people struggled with heavy cases, lugging them around by handles that would break, spilling your holiday outfits over the airport floor. Heck, airports even provided trolleys to put your unwheeled luggage on to wheel it around. Till someone challenged that status quo, thought, this is bonkers, why don’t we just put wheels on the luggage…
Lastly, the three point car safety belt. Invented by Volvo engineer Nils Bohlin in 1959. It’s a great example of ‘living the brand’, reflecting one of the companies best known statements from their 1936 founder’s handbook “An automobile is driven by people. The fundamental principle for all construction work is and must therefore be, safety.” But for me, what makes it Unordinary is the fact that they gave the patent free to the world, allowing rival manufacturers to install them on their cars and credited with saving over a million lives in the process.
