What is co-creation?

Hmmmm...still seems like just a new buzzword. Will be interested to see this fleshed out more. I think the "family/ecosystem" concept may work in some industries/products. Not sure how broadly it can be applied is all. :-)

First, let me provide apologia for my ascerbacity of ealier remarks under the nom de plume "Too smart for this BS". I like to be controversial and I thought I'd stir up the pot a little because I know the Apple story VERY well. And, if anything, it is the exact opposite of co-creation.
iPod/Tunes/Life are the brainchild of an organization that extends the credo of a founder (and singular personality): Steve Jobs. Jobs' genius lies in being able to *really* stich technology with human interaction at a level that isn't duplicated elsewhere in the advanced consumer electronics space. It is precisely because Steve didn't follow the heard that Apple is regaining success. In fact, I believe that Steve is smart enough to know that customers often don't know what they really want or what they want lies outside the capacity of capitalistic economics.
Company: What would you like Mr. Customer?
Customer: I dunno, how about a computer that can accurately forecast stock prices that doesn't cost me anything.
Pfffft!!!! Whatever!
The whole *point* of a company is be an expert in its *thing*, whatever that thing may be. Apple takes its role as an expert in computer electronics and digital media very seriously. They're so good they can tell the consumer: "We have delivered the single best product that's available today that will allow you to listen to music digitally within the confines of the capitalistic and legal system."
If you were to ask the customer, the customer would say (and in fact often did say): "I'm not paying for music, I can download it for free on Kazaa."
Well we know who won that battle.
My point is that consumers are often ignorant and basing your product decisions on their studies can be dangerous.
I noticed that you've now modified co-creation to be more of a consumer dialogue. This makes sense, obviously. But if the point of coining the "co-creation" term is to tell companies to talk to customers, then I don't see much value-add in concept.
I think the real thread is developing rules for when you're customers are right v. when they are wrong. But leftover remnants of "The Customer is Always Right" still capture many executives attentions. In practice, the customer will try to get away with whatever they can. Getting the customer to agree to product that fairly rewards the company while fulfilling explicit and implicit needs seems to be much more interesting (and difficult) task.
Cheers!

Great comments. I agree with you that co-creation is about a deeper dialogue. The concept isn't "the customer is always right." That doesn’t work. It’s not about being customer lead, it’s about being customer inspired. What drove me to write my last book, Beyond the Brand, was my admiration for several of the companies I've worked with over the last couple of decades. Two, in particular, Nike and Patagonia, caused me to develop my thoughts about co-creating from the bottom-up.

The thing I like about both of these companies is that, while all of the buzz is about what great marketers they are and what powerful brands they have, the truth lies deeper. The magic for both companies lies in their deep connections to their customers and the focus on creating great products, first. While many people think that designers like Tinker Hatfield at Nike (the designer behind the Air Jordan and many other of Nike’s successful products) sit in their Ivory Design Towers creating magic, that's simply not true.

Tinker's real gift is his ability to get out of the office and spend time with athletes who he's trying to solve a problem for. He is a masterful listener. Yet he doesn't create products that the customer asks for. He listens, observes and then mixes that knowledge with his resources at Nike to produce incredible products.

In the case of both Nike and Patagonia, this ability to see the world through their customer's eyes and take that vision over the horizon has created their greatness. But it starts with great product driven by deep inspirations from the street. The brand comes second.

While many might think the idea of co-creation and dialogue is silly or trite the clients we've worked with at Radar, 75 Fortune 500 companies in the last few years, all struggle with creating this dialogue. It is a battle to get out of the office and experience the reality of the world.

Speaking of Apple, I thought they did a great job of listening and co-creating a solution for the battery life issue on the iPod after the Niestat Brothers released, the “iPods Dirty Little Secret” video. Many other companies fail miserably (Kryptonite Locks) at this.

I hope that makes sense and I look forward to continuing this thoughtful dialogue.

All good comments. But, Nike and other successful companies have been doing this for a long time. And understanding your customer, their needs/wants, has been preached for almost ever. At least as long as I've been around it and I'm old.
So, "co-creation" (I like the term by the way) is really just a new term for old methods. A new buzzword.
Now, if it takes a new buzzword to get companies to re-think, great.
I'll go lay by my dish now and just observe :-)