Is the Return of ‘Big Ideas’ the Key to Creating Ownable Digital Experiences?

For ownable digital experiences, there is a need to prioritise ‘big ideas’ over routine best practices in user experience design. Creativity is essential for making digital platforms distinctive and memorable.

When we talk about “big ideas” in marketing, we usually refer to them in the context of an innovative campaign or brand refresh. However, in a world where best practices, optimisations, and conversion rates drive all key decisions in the creative process, we see that websites, apps, and ecommerce experiences have begun to lose their originality.

This was not always the case.

A decade ago, it was common to align on a core creative or experiential concept before jumping into the formal design and development flow. Further iterated by the Interaction Design Foundation, this foundational work aimed to make each website visually unique and engaging, often resulting in memorable user experiences that stood out in the digital landscape. 

For example, I remember working on the redesign of a very prominent editorial experience over a decade ago. We proposed a “big idea” of using an oversized, prominent image at the top of the homepage to create an impactful visual experience – now known as a “hero image.” 

This approach was unconventional then, as most sites prioritised multiple stories, key navigational elements, and trending topics “above the fold.” The idea was bold and a bit risky at the time, but it worked. Now, It’s almost challenging to find websites across any category that doesn’t leverage the prevalent “hero image” execution. 

Fast forward to today, and things have changed. Speed to market and best practices like intuitive navigation, optimising for search results, and streamlined advertisements now drive most, if not all, critical decisions. The reality is best practices have been established for almost every interactive element across all mobile and app experiences. While these components will always be critical, I believe brands need to start making their destinations truly ownable again.

With 93% of web designers admitting they have used an AI tool or technology to assist with a web design-related task in the past five months, evolving technology is primed to continue to commoditise the industry quickly, positioning actual human innovation at a premium. With this in mind, I predict that best practices are on the verge of a reset. In the next few years, we may see a radical shift where experiences like shopping online will become as intuitive as trying on clothes in a store. 

Picture this: you’re lounging on your couch, engrossed in your favourite TV show. With a few taps on your phone, you enter a retailer’s ecommerce store. The site knows your exact measurements and style preferences and even integrates your digital assets like accessories, artwork or tattoos. 

In this experience, YOU are the model. There is no longer any guesswork about whether something will not look right. You can mix and match outfits, try on clothes virtually, and seamlessly purchase, all without leaving your living room. This vision promises heightened efficiency and is likely to reshape consumer expectations, blurring the lines between online and in-store shopping.

To create these kinds of distinguished digital experiences, I advocate for creative teams to begin leveraging website briefs as an opportunity to have fun and experiment. Even if only 20% to 30% of the experience is dedicated to identifying a big idea or new interaction model, reintegrating this approach could lead to something truly ownable, and who knows, maybe even become one of the many new best practices or standards we’ll be leveraging for the next ten years. 

So, how can marketers and brands strike the right balance?

We need to ensure that websites and apps are not only intuitive and user-friendly but also visually and conceptually compelling. The challenge is to rebalance creativity with functionality, which requires reprioritising creative in the upfront brief, having a willingness to experiment, and committing to new technologies that help set the standards for the next era of the internet. 

A case study that strikes this symmetry is Sixpenny’s website. Sixpenny, most known for its premium sofas, was looking to diversify beyond the living room. We pitched the “big idea” of creating an immersive visual and navigation experience akin to taking a guided tour through a beautifully furnished home. 

The experience highlighted Sixpenny’s expanded offerings and gracefully introduced the user to different rooms. The result sets the mood and vibe authentic to Sixpenny’s brand, inviting customers to experience their aesthetic and craftsmanship throughout the home. 

So, is the return of ‘Big Ideas’ the key to creating unique digital experiences?

While ensuring online experiences are optimised for usability and conversions is important, they shouldn’t stifle creativity. Looking ahead, as AI continues to reshape digital experiences, we stand at a pivotal moment where we have the opportunity to redefine best practices and take digital creativity into a different direction. 

This calls for embracing the “big idea” mindset and reintroducing concepts that inspire and shape the future of digital innovation. It’s time to challenge conventions, embrace new technologies, and make our digital destinations truly unique and ownable once again.