Marketing Expert, Stanley Obi, Releases New Book on Why Brands Fail
Stanley Obi, Founder, Innova Hive and Author, The Innovation Trap; and Dr Obi Ike, Managing Director, West and Central Africa, NigerBev, at the launch of Innova Hive in Lagos over the weekend.
- Launches new coy, Innova Hive
In a revealing book on the pitfalls of business innovation, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Innova Hive, Stanley Obi, has highlighted why many brands fail shortly after launch.
For him, the answer is not competition but internal decision-making flaws.
Speaking at the unveiling of his book titled ‘The Innovation Trap’, and launching of the new company , Innova Hive,in Lagos recentky, Obi emphasised that most brands are not built on actual consumer needs but rather on corporate politics, trend-chasing, and the misuse of company resources.
“The first question any business should ask before launching a new product is: Who needs this? Many brands enter the market without real consumer demand, and that’s why they fail,” Obi stated.
The branding expert identified three major traps that cause businesses to fail. The first is ghost brands products that enter the market but quickly disappear due to a lack of consumer demand.
The second is the trend trap, where companies rush to follow global trends without confirming if there’s local interest or need.
According to Obi, many brands fail because they are not created with the consumer in mind. Instead, they are often driven by corporate agendas, internal politics, or the pressure to launch something new. Without a real connection to consumer needs, these brands struggle to survive in a competitive market.
He added that many brands are launched to address internal company issues, like surplus production capacity, rather than fulfilling actual consumer needs.
Sharing a personal experience, Obi recounted a missed opportunity where a product with strong market potential was delayed due to excessive internal validation.
“We had consumer insights proving there was demand, but management insisted on multiple rounds of verification. By the time we were ready, the market had moved on,” Obi revealed.
This, he said, is a common mistake in corporate innovation—overanalysing instead of acting decisively.
Beyond innovation mistakes, Obi warned that consumers today are more skeptical than ever, having been disappointed by deceptive brands in the past. Companies must now work harder to prove authenticity.
“Consumers are fragile; they need proof that your brand is real, honest, and valuable to them,” he said.
The 105-page book, now available on Amazon, serves as a manual for entrepreneurs, CEOs, and marketers to avoid these costly mistakes.
Obi urged business leaders to stop chasing shadows and start building brands that are truly consumer-driven.
Head of Corporate Sales and Partnerships at iFitness, Derek Nwafor, who has read the book described chapter three of the book as a powerful and realistic take on why many businesses fail due to poor decision-making.
Speaking on the sideline, Nwafor highlighted how many products enter the market not through proper research or consumer demand but simply due to the influence of a business leader’s personal vision.
He noted that this often leads to major financial losses, job cuts, and wasted company resources.
“The author did well to include this chapter because it reflects what happens in companies worldwide. Many innovations are introduced without due diligence, and when they fail, businesses suffer,” he said.
Nwafor also emphasized the relevance of the chapter for industry stakeholders and future business leaders, noting that the book prepares them for real-world challenges.
He recalled how the author himself had experienced a similar situation, where a poorly planned product launch nearly led to significant losses but was fortunately contained.
“In some cases, companies recover, but in many, they don’t. This chapter is a must-read because it shows the risks businesses face when innovation is not backed by proper strategy,” Nwafor added.
In a nutshell, the book uses fictional stories to show what happens when brands forget their real purpose. It argues that innovation should solve real problems, but many companies focus too much on trends and end up making poor decisions that don’t connect with customers.
It also challenges the idea that consumers don’t know what they want. Instead, it argues that brands should listen to their customers while relying on experts who truly understand how to build strong brands. In a world where everyone has opinions on marketing, The Innovation Trap highlights the value of trusting skilled brand professionals.
On Innova Hive, Obi said i is an innovation and marketing strategy company designed to support businesses across Nigeria with the required support to redefine markets and compete globally.
Founded by Obi, a former Director, Marketing and Innovation at Grand Oak Limited (GOL), and previously innovation and brand manager at Heineken, Innovation Hive offers a suite of services for c-suite executives, brand owners, innovators and creators across all sectors. Its services include product design, marketing strategy, training and service innovation for Africa’s markets.
