Spread the love! Forward this email to your trend-obsessed friends and share on social media >> Last month saw Australian hearing aid company Cochlear launch Hearprint , a browser plugin that calibrates online sounds to a listener’s individual hearing ability. Hearprint configures video players against four key sound frequencies (250 hz , 1000 hz , 3000 hz , 5000 hz ) using an online process with five steps. The free app improves the clarity of sound rather than simply amplifying it. This innovation demonstrates how understanding emerging consumer expectations, and the trends that underpin them, can help you reach entirely new customer segments. ‘Everyone knows’ that hearing aids are a medical aid to help old people regain their ability to hear. Right? Well, not anymore. Recognizing that consumers now expect every aspect of their lives to be able to be seamlessly-yet-exquisitely customized, this browser plugin offers to improve your audio experience, rather than restore it. So, let this example inspire you. Don’t get trapped by ‘everyone knows’ thinking. Is there a new customer expectation that your business could meet? Indeed, could you flip your brand proposition on its head (or should that be ear?!) as Cochlear has done, and in doing so unlock an entirely new market? Want more? Premium clients can set up weekly innovation digests for relevant topics. They also get full access to the 19,000+ innovations in our online database and 50+ reports a year, including our exclusive 2018 Trend Report. Learn more »