Marketing Expert, Stanley Obi, took double steps recently when he opened shop, Innova Hive, an occasion that also saw the launching of his new book, Innovation Trap. It is a book that dwells on why brand fail and what could be done to mitigate such failures.

According to Obi in a statement, Innova Hive, 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 himself, a former Director, Prime Business at Grand Oak Limited (GOL), and previously innovation and brand manager at Heineken, Innova 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.

The company was strategically launched alongside his book, which dwells on the pitfalls of business innovation. Obi, highlights why many brands fail shortly after introduction into the market.

For him, the answer is not competition but internal decision-making flaws.

Speaking further during the launch, according to the statement, 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.

Obi Ike, Managing Director, West and Central Africa at Nigerbev, emphasized the need for all c-suite executives, brand owners and innovation managers must read the book, which he referred to as an essential at this time.