In our final digital edition, we are looking at 2 success stories & 2 victims of digital disruption & wondering what could have been, if only...
It’s funny to think that 2 success stories have come from publishing & 2 of the victims have been technology companies.
New news
The Mail Online is now the No. 1 online newspaper. So how’s it stormed to worldwide domination? The website’s success is in part down to a decision to break with the editorial priorities of its print counterpart.
The Mail went from being a relatively conservative paper in the UK, to essentially, a showbiz-driven US news site. Those at the paper argue they are simply doing what makes commercial sense.
Read more: MailOnline: what is the secret of its success?
More than print
Remarkably, National Geographic is now better known for its TV channels than for the magazine. Moving from print to TV has allowed the brand to develop new content & appeal.
The National Geographic Channel is a joint venture with News Corp. and features programs you might expect: ‘Great Migrations’ & ‘Explorer’, but it also produces the ‘Dog Whisperer’ & ‘Banged up Abroad’.
National Geographic has gone from most doctors waiting rooms to places none of us would have imagined!
Read more: Reinventing the National Geographic Society
Not a happy snap
Kodak employee Steve Sasson is credited with building the first digital camera in 1974, and yet Kodak filed for bankruptcy in 2012. Kodak thought low margin digital images would cannibalize its high margin film business, so Kodak did not take decisive action to combat the inevitable challenges.
What if Kodak created Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube or even made really good digital cameras..?
Read more: Barriers to Change: The Real Reason Behind the Kodak Downfall
Wrong number
In 2008, Nokia had one of the most valuable brands in the world, but it failed to appreciate its customers’ appetite for innovation.
Oddly, innovation was part of Nokia’s history, but in the 90’s they focused on handsets & became complacent. Imagine if Nokia had ploughed its huge resources into touchscreens, built a great operating system & allowed developers to create apps for its eco-system… You may be paying for your groceries with your Nokia phone today!
Read more: Where Nokia Went Wrong
