Editorial
The Gist
- CMOs as orchestrators. Digital transformation isn’t just IT—CMOs are now shaping customer experience and the organization’s digital story.
- Disruption as progress. Scott Anthony reframes disruption as the force that simplifies complexity and makes the expensive affordable.
- History as a guide. Epic Disruptions shows that past failures and successes provide the best playbook for navigating AI and future waves.
- Innovation’s paradox. Companies often fail not from ignoring customers, but by listening too closely to yesterday’s needs instead of tomorrow’s.
- Collective innovation. Breakthroughs aren’t solo acts—they emerge from ecosystems, persistence, and leaders who create fertile ground for change.
Capgemini and MIT jointly coined the term digital transformation in 2011, and more than a decade later, its significance continues to grow—especially for CMOs. The reason is clear: CMOs often are the strategic orchestrators of digital transformation efforts, responsible for shaping both the customer experience and the organization’s digital narrative. Their role goes well beyond brand and promotion—it now includes redefining value delivery through digital channels and offerings.
This fact was foreshadowed in "Designed for Digital," which argued that digital transformation produces two outcomes: improved customer experience and the creation of digital offerings that deliver new forms of value. Today, we might call digital offerings agentic AI—intelligent, autonomous systems that act on behalf of users to create or capture value. In fact, in my own research on agentic AI, I mirrored the definition of digital offerings, reinforcing the tight connection between transformation and innovation.
Unfortunately, much of the mainstream discourse has treated transformation as unrelated epics. We hear declarations like those from the World Economic Forum, proclaiming a “Fourth Industrial Revolution,” which leads executives to look only forward neglecting the lessons embedded in past disruptions. This forward-only mindset is a mistake.
A new book, "Epic Disruptions" by Scott D. Anthony, clinical professor at The Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth, offers a compelling correction to this thinking. Anthony encourages readers to look back at prior waves of disruption to understand patterns, responses and consequences. And the consequences of missing a wave have never been trivial—throughout history, failing to adapt has meant extinction, whether in business or civilization itself.
Epic Disruptions is more than a history lesson—it’s a thoughtful blend of insights into disruption, transformation and a tribute to the late Clayton Christensen, one of the most influential thinkers in innovation and strategy. Unlike many business books, it’s entertaining, full of storytelling, and perfect fodder for cocktail party conversation. I strongly recommend it to marketing and business leaders who want to navigate the future more wisely by understanding the past.
Table of Contents
- The Power of Disruption
- Innovation Unpacked: What Marketing Leaders Must Know
- Fascinating Case Studies and Lessons for CMOs
- Parting Words: Understanding Customers on a Deeper Level
The Power of Disruption
Anthony urges CMOs and business leaders to stop thinking of “disruption” as a noun—a standalone event or crisis—and instead, embrace it as an adjective that modifies innovation. This shift in mindset is powerful. Rather than viewing disruption as destructive, Anthony suggests we see it as the engine of progressing something that simplifies the complex and makes the expensive affordable.
Why CMOs Must Redefine Disruption
This perspective couldn’t be more relevant than today, as generative AI reshapes industries at a staggering pace. A recent Fortune article even posed the provocative question: Could Apple become the next Nokia or BlackBerry? The implication is clear—if today’s giants don’t adapt to disruptive innovation, they may suffer the same fate as those that failed to respond to the last major shift.
Anthony draws on the thinking of the late Clayton Christensen, who coined the term disruptive innovation. Christensen sought to understand why seemingly smart, well-managed companies fail. Years before, my professor Ian Mitroff offered a related insight: the seeds of failure are often planted at a company’s founding. As companies grow, they develop organizational "DNA" and internal "antibodies" that resist the very change they need to survive.
The Innovator’s Dilemma for Today’s CMOs
Christensen’s research found that companies tend to succeed when they focus on improving performance along traditional dimensions for their best customers. This makes sense—investments in high-value customers have historically delivered premium prices, healthy margins and strong returns.
But when innovation redefines what performance means, these very practices can become liabilities. Companies fail not because they ignore customers, but because they listen to them too well, delivering more of what yesterday’s market wanted rather than what tomorrow’s market needs.
This is the essence of the innovator’s dilemma. You do what you're supposed to do: listen to customers, meet their evolving needs and deliver feature-rich products. Yet, in doing so, you may miss the weak signals of transformative change. In the software world, I’ve seen this play out firsthand. Too often, product teams lean heavily on customer design partners to shape road maps, resulting in incremental improvements rather than meaningful differentiation. When I led product management teams, I began asking a different set of questions: What are we missing in the market? What early signals are emerging? What bold investments could reshape our position? These are the kinds of questions innovation thought leaders like Rita McGrath encourage us to ask—and the kind Anthony believes are crucial in disruptive times.
Disruptive innovation, as Anthony defines it, “transforms an existing market or creates a new one by making the complicated simple and the expensive affordable.” It creates dilemmas, yes—but also enormous opportunities for those willing to challenge assumptions and reimagine their business.
Related Article: Marketing Leadership Strategies: Lessons Learned in My First Year as CMO
Innovation Unpacked: What Marketing Leaders Must Know
Anthony sets out to answer several persistent questions in business. First, who drives innovation? Through its case studies, the book makes it clear that innovation is neither the work of a lone genius nor the product of a faceless, monolithic organization. Instead, it is what Anthony calls a “collectively individualistic” activity—a coordinated effort conducted by many individuals working across functions, often aligned by a shared vision but driven by diverse perspectives and capabilities.
The romantic notion of the lone inventor, Anthony argues, is a myth. Innovation, as Anthony illustrates, is never a solo act. Even the most iconic breakthroughs emerge from ecosystems of collaborators, enablers, and supporters. This doesn't negate the role of visionary leaders, those capable of seeing around corners and mobilizing others—but it reframes their role as catalysts rather than sole creators. Innovation, in this view, is everyone’s responsibility, not just the job of a select few.
Innovation Is Collective, Not a Solo Act
Second, is innovation random? Anthony argues that disruption is predictably unpredictable. While we can’t always forecast exactly when or how it will strike, we can understand the conditions that make it more likely. Innovation tends to flourish at the intersections—where disciplines, technologies and perspectives collide. All breakthrough innovations follow a kind of hero’s journey, complete with early promise, adversity, perseverance and ultimate payoff. While randomness plays a role—timing, luck, serendipity—leaders can still tilt the odds in their favor by creating fertile ground for new ideas and staying attuned to weak signals of change as Rita McGrath suggests.
Third, is innovation accelerating? In some ways, yes. Technologies evolve faster, markets shift quicker and expectations grow more intense. But Anthony reminds us that true innovation still requires patient perseverance. The iPhone, often seen as a flashpoint in consumer tech, was built on decades of prior innovation—from capacitive touchscreens to wireless networking and mobile processors. Likewise, mainstream AI feels sudden, but the journey has taken over half a century. Innovation may feel faster, but success demands long-term commitment and resilience.
Innovation Is Progress, But Not Always Positive
And finally, is innovation a universal good? Not always. Anthony doesn’t shy away from the dark side. Innovation brings progress, but it also brings pain—especially for those who fail to adapt. Companies falter, careers end, industries collapse. Disruption creates winners and losers, and the transition from old to new can be chaotic. That’s why leaders must not only drive innovation but also manage its consequences with empathy, agility, and foresight.
In sum, Anthony offers a deeply human portrait of innovation—not as a mysterious flash of genius or a linear process, but as a complex, collective, and often messy journey. It's a call for leaders to embrace both the opportunities and the responsibilities that come with change.
Fascinating Case Studies and Lessons for CMOs
In Epic Disruptions—each story is well worth your time. Each makes clear that innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about timing, transformation, and the willingness to challenge what’s always been.
Big Bang: Disruption Can Erase Entire Markets
Gunpowder evolved from fireworks to weapons of empire. Orban’s cannon toppled Constantinople, proving one breakthrough can collapse entire systems.
Lesson for CMOs: Disruption doesn’t just reshape industries—it can erase them.
First Information Revolution: Today’s Win Can Be Tomorrow’s Threat
Gutenberg’s press empowered the Church, then fueled Luther’s Reformation, showing how innovation changes who holds power.
Lesson for CMOs: Even innovations that help you today can undermine you tomorrow.
Data Revolution: Data Only Matters When It Drives Change
Florence Nightingale used statistics and visualizations to reform battlefield medicine, creating evidence-based practice and modern data storytelling.
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Great Democratization: Breakthroughs Come From Refining, Not Inventing
Henry Ford didn’t invent the car, but by perfecting scale and cost control, he put the Model T within reach of everyday people.
Lesson for CMOs: Breakthroughs often come from refining, not inventing.
Transistor: Transformation Requires Patience And Partnerships
From hearing aids to Intel, transistors powered personal computing and global tech revolutions through ecosystems and long-term bets.
Lesson for CMOs: Transformation thrives on patient investment and partnerships.
Recipe: Reinvention And Authenticity Drive Impact
Julia Child reinvented herself and made French cooking accessible, changing how Americans saw food through passion and persistence.
Lesson for CMOs: Reinvention and authenticity can fuel category-defining impact.
Special Sauce: Consistency Can Outperform Product Innovation
McDonald’s scaled the Speedee Service System, proving that process innovation and consistency can create global franchising success.
Lesson for CMOs: Experience consistency can be as powerful as product innovation.
Pampers: Small Fixes Win Big Markets
Pampers solved leaks, fit, and absorption, winning 92% market share by making diapers convenient, reliable, and affordable.
Lesson for CMOs: Small fixes in customer pain points can win entire markets.
Nucor Vs. Bethlehem Steel: Adapt Or Become Irrelevant
Nucor’s mini-mills thrived while Bethlehem Steel clung to scale, showing how ignoring disruption ends in irrelevance.
Lesson for CMOs: Refusing to adapt is the fastest path to extinction.
iPhone: Bold Bets Reshape Entire Markets
The iPhone nearly failed at launch, yet decades of cumulative advances and bold risk-taking made it a category-defining success.
Lesson for CMOs: Big bets with uncertain odds can still reshape entire markets.
Looking ahead, Anthony outlines the next frontiers of disruption: AI, autonomous vehicles, cleantech, distributed ledgers, drones, mixed reality, smart health, and more. He’s an optimist—but not blindly so. I am the same. I was reminded of a class I took in grad school from the former dean of the University of Texas Business School. He warned of the coming convergence of five disruptive forces—like AI and genetic engineering—and their potential impact on democracy. At the time, the risks were speculative. Today, they feel urgent. For this reason, a well-functioning democracy is more important than ever. Let’s hope we get Marge from the Jetsons—not The Terminator.
Parting Words: Understanding Customers on a Deeper Level
Disruption isn’t new, it’s just wearing new clothes. From the printing press to generative AI, history shows that innovation reshapes markets, reorders power and rewards those bold enough to act early. Anthony’s book reminds us that navigating the future requires more than foresight—it requires hindsight.
For CMOs and business leaders alike, the call is clear: don’t just chase current customers and next big thing—understand emerging customer needs. Because in the patterns of the past lie the playbooks for tomorrow’s breakthroughs.
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