A Change for the Better?

I’ll be honest. When it comes to album release dates, I don’t really pay much attention. Generally, I don’t find out an artist or band has a new CD until I stumble across it at the store. But I knew Coldplay’s new album, Viva la Vida, came out this past Tuesday and it wasn’t because of the massive media push leading up to its release. Nope. It’s because my best friend is an uber fan of the band from across the pond and her excitement for the new CD led her to talk about it all the time.

So, when Tuesday came around, I thought, for sure, she would be raving about the new disc. Instead I was surprised to find her looking a little miffed. For as much as she loved the previous releases, she wasn’t turned on by the latest and the disappointment was clear in her expression.

The reason my friend didn’t like the album is the same reason the band loves it – it’s different from what they’ve done before.

So, how does this all relate to retail design or business or anything even remotely close to this blog? I have a point, I promise, and here it comes: who should be the main driver of change?

In the case of Coldplay, millions of fans embraced the band and its first 4 albums. The critics, on the other hand, rained all over them and the band itself was eager to try something different. Now they have this new album with a new direction and a new sound and some fans who liked the band because of their first 4 albums -like my friend- are left thinking, “What happened?”

From the articles and interviews that I have read, I get the impression that Chris Martin and the boys are quite pleased with the new album. For them it was about breaking free from the past and growing as musicians and a band. It wasn’t about getting bigger, but getting better.

Growth requires change, but can you afford to leave behind those characteristics that loyal customers have grown to appreciate to pursue something new because you think it will make you better? Viva la Vida is still projected to sell millions of copies, so I guess that Coldplay can. A small business, on the other hand, might not be able to.

Customer or company? Or maybe it’s both. Just something I’ve been thinking about. What do you think? Spill it in our comments section.