HelloMasters Podcast Episode 10: Délia Lauret – Director at AREA52 (PVH Europe)

HelloMasters Episode 10

A new episode, but with a familiar voice! Together with co-host Ellen Bark-Lindhout, co-founder of Collider Amsterdam, we speak to Délia Lauret, Director of AREA52 at PVH Europe (Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein). Délia has been a guest in our show before, where she talked with Maarten Stramrood about innovation labs. We continue discussing this subject in this episode, where Délia shares her experiences with AREA52, the digital incubator of PVH Europe.

Definition Of Innovation

We asked Délia about her definition of innovation and the importance of innovation for corporations and agencies. “For me, innovation goes beyond the classic disruptive service or product. It’s about creating something new, but also about a mindset that you need to foster.” She continues with a quote she likes to use to describe the current situation is: “Technology doesn’t care about your feelings, it’s coming anyway.”

Co-host Ellen can relate. Companies that find the best way to predict the movements of the market have the best chances of success: “Survival of the fittest is not about the best at what you do today, it’s about adaptability in a changing environment.”

The Right Mindset

We also discuss the topic of mindset, which, according to Délia, is closely connected to innovation. She states:“There is not one specific skill that you need to drive [innovation] forward.” She’s noticing a shift in people’s mindsets, specifically in the amount of knowledge sharing that has been happening lately. She happily uses this, regularly speaking to external partners and other corporate labs. “There is a big trend happening in the business, where it’s all about sharing and learning from each other.”

Ellen emphasizes this by stating her belief in facilitating the right circumstances: “The open-mindedness is super important. I believe in serendipity, which is about creating both the mind space and environment to have luck come to you.”

We understand that you sometimes need a burst of quick and specific marketing knowledge. We can help you with that! Go to www.hellomaas.com to learn more.

Topics

[00:00:00] Intro HelloMaaS

[00:00:26] Intro Louise & Délia

[00:00:52] Intro co-host Ellen Bark-Lindhout

[00:01:20] PVH introduction & AREA52

[00:02:04] What is fashion tech?

[00:02:40] Background of Délia – why do you do what I do?

[00:03:26] Common denominator of Délia’s work

“With a lot of different positions I’ve had over the years, I was the first employee.” – Délia

[00:04:10] Definition of innovation

“For me, innovation goes beyond the classic disruptive service or product. It’s about creating something new, but also about a mindset that you need to foster.” – Délia

[00:04:40] Why is innovation needed?

“Technology doesn’t care about your feelings, it’s coming anyway.” – Délia

“Survival of the fittest is not about the best at what you do today, it’s about adaptability in a changing environment.” – Ellen

[00:07:15] Délia’s journey to AREA52

“Freelancing for me was the opportunity to have a look inside other companies and find out what I really want.” – Délia

[00:08:25] Difference between freelancing and in-house employee

“The main difference is the mindset. With freelancing you really come into a business for a certain project, and you know you’re going to leave again. So the politics, you don’t pay attention to it as much.” – Délia

[00:09:40] Délia’s insight on the difference in marketing at the companies she’s worked (agency vs tech vs corporates)

[00:12:10] Challenge of agencies

“Agencies are in the midst of transforming as well, seeking help and collaboration with corporations on these broader projects. Beyond just executions.” – Délia

“The creativity and concepting power that agencies have, together with strategy and the tech-power, they have a lot of potential to drive value for big corporations.” – Délia

[00:14:00] Are agencies not evolving?

[00:16:35] Louise about how HelloMaaS disrupts the model

“Agencies operate from a premise of scarcity.” – Louise

“There usually is some kind of focus area, because marketing is becoming so broad, that one agency might not be the solution for one brand.” – Louise

[00:19:10] Innovation teams

“Within marketing you’re always looking for the latest way to promote yourself.” – Délia

[00:20:05] T-shaped / full stack marketers – skills for innovation

“There is not one specific skill that you need to drive [innovation] forward.” – Délia

“To quote Jeff Bezos: 1. Do I find this person inspiring, 2. Does this person bring the average productivity of this team up, 3. Does this person excel in the skill that he/she has.” – Délia

[00:22:40] External input

“There is a big trend happening in the business, where it’s all about sharing and learning from each other.” – Délia

[00:23:52] Dealing with competition

[00:24:10] Labs that Délia looks up to & Horizon 3

“Horizon 3 is disrupting the industry that you are in, horizon 2 is expanding the industry, horizon 1 is improving the industry that you are in.” – Délia

[00:26:25] Education & takeaways (Singularity university)

[00:28:10] Character traits and background to thrive in a corporation innovation environment

“Being open, being patient, things don’t change overnight in a corporate. And celebrate the small wins.” – Délia

[00:28:50] Top three tips to take on a role in an innovation lab

“Your network comes from the most unexpected places.” – Délia

[00:30:10] Characteristics in the eyes of Ellen

“The openmindedness is super important. I believe in serendipity, which is about creating both the mind space and environment to have luck come to you.” – Ellen

[00:31:50] Outro HelloMasters