Rentokil Initial have been a market leader in business services for decades. To maintain this position, they need to keep a keen eye on competition, including awareness of where market disruptors are likely to come from. To help them do this, we carried out an innovation review and created a unique startup proposition.

Assessing disruption risk

Overview of drone applications in agriculture, pest control, oil rig inspection, and urban planning, featuring a case study on Sky Urban in India working on drone solutions for urban planning.

What we did

Innovation review

Taking a depth look at the broader innovations happening across the world, we created a thorough report of those relevant to Rentokil Initial’s businesses. Amongst other topics, the report covered:

  • Internet of Things

  • Blockchain

  • Sensors

  • VR/AR

  • Gaming and social networks

  • Social good

Two people working on a large whiteboard filled with yellow sticky notes in a room with white walls and a window.

Creating the disruption

New ideas can feel nebulous until you see them for real. To bring the potentially disruptive scenarios to life, we chose the most viable elements from the report to explore further. I then “stole” a couple of key members from the digital team with deep sector experience for a week of working in startup mode to create a whole new company operating in the same space.

Together, we created a startup with a working platform that leveraged the latest technology, tested it within the market and created a strong business case for launch that showed clear market viability.

A detailed service blueprint diagram for a customer service process, featuring sections for customer support, product review, targeted marketing, live video, user reviews, and different channels for communication, with icons and flowchart steps.

Bringing it to life

The end-to end experiences across the service lifecycle were mapped in detail, alongside marketing efforts and the underlying tech stack which created a clear overview of what each step of the new offer entails.

A colorful delivery van with branding for Isidore, featuring a yellow top, dark blue middle, pink stripe, and green bottom, displaying the company logo and website.

Taking it a step further

We didn’t stop there. To really showcase the company, we created a strong brand proposition for the new company, defining the brand values, brand experience principles across both digital and physical experiences, potential collaboration partner selection and the visual identity.

Small piglet with black and white spots pecking at the ground in an outdoor animal enclosure with dirt and hay, wooden fencing, and a blue sign with a pig illustration.

Project outcomes

Whilst Isidore sadly never launched, parts of her live on, as key elements of the customer experience and marketing strategy were rolled into the organisation’s own experience.

The proposition and underlying research were also used to ensure senior leadership were aware of the state of the market and potential future disruptions.

The core team members that worked on this project gained valuable experience in innovative thinking and a fresh perspective which they carried with them into their day to day tasks. (And they got to meet a pig in London whilst on a break from all the thinking)