JWT's 100 Things To Watch In 2010
via slideshare.net
My name is Conrad Lisco, and this is my blog, where I post odds and ends, things and thoughts.
I work at R/GA in the Mobile & Emerging Platforms group. I'm most interested in the intersection of technology and culture. Addicted to location-based services. Live in Chinatown and love sneakers and street art.
Opinions are my own.
Like some other trend forecasts, Mintel is observing how recent [economic] adversity is reshaping value systems. Consumers around the world are finding new ways to save and experience. They are resilient and have new resolve that will drive new decisions - about lifestyle, purchases, experiences, etc.
"Balance has become the new mantra for a changed society. A balanced cheque book, and a balanced diet are all hot topics, but as some consumers fi nd that they are able to spend again, 2010 could find balanced spending and balanced consumption key developments for the year ahead."
What's more, consumers are going to be much more value-focused this year. And they're not just buying discount brands - they're scrutinizing products and brands across the board, and only buying those that they perceive as "good value." So, brands that really resonate with and demonstrate their for consumers will see success despite price.
In this new value proposition/expectation, consumers are also holding more brands accountable. Obviously accountability isn't a new concept, but the extent to which consumers are demanding proof and/or results is higher. Despite living in the most measurable society in history, there's so much information out there consumers are having to wade through data to find answers. If brands can mitigate the amount of time and effort needed to get real answers, they'll been seen in a positive light.
Finally, 2009 saw explosive growth in consumer adoption of microblogging and social networking, making digital media part of more people's everyday lives. This means more people will use social channels and tools to get information, search for and ask about products and generally consume content differently. These new channels and behaviors means brands will really have to meet consumers in some new places this year to stay (or become) relevant. This isn't new either as brands have had to adapt and overcome for the last decade. What's new is the scale and the speed. Brands can't afford to get behind the eight ball on this one...
Trendwatching.com is often a bit too gimmicky for me - with words and phrases that border on silly. They've just released their latest trend briefing and there are a handful of good calls. Here are a few:
Real-Time Reviews - In short, with even more people sharing, in real time, everything they do, buy, listen to, watch, attend, wear and so on, and with even more search engines and tracking services making it easy to find and group these ‘live dispatches’ by theme, topic or brand, this year will see ready-to-buy consumers tapping into a live stream of (first-hand) experiences from fellow consumers.
(F)Luxury - This year, luxury, and what it means to a bewildering number of ‘consumer segments’, will remain in flux. Closely tied to what constitutes status (which is becoming more fragmented), luxury will be whatever consumers want it to be over the next 12 months.
Mass Mingling - Online lifestyles are fueling and encouraging 'real world' meet-ups like there's no tomorrow, shattering all cliches and predictions about a desk-bound, virtual, isolated future. Basically, the more people can get their hands on the right info, at home and on the go; the more they date and network and twitter and socialize online, the more likely they are to eventually meet up with friends and followers in the real world.
Eco-easy - To really reach some meaningful sustainability goals this year, corporations and governments will have to forcefully make it 'easy' for consumers to be more green, by restricting the alternatives.
Tracking & Altering - Tracking and alerting are the new search, and 2010 will see countless new "infolust" services that will help consumers expand their web of control. Consumers are asking for relevant information, even giving you permission to provide them with more.
Every year, Contagious Magazine creates this report featuring the most talked about trends and technologies that influenced marketing in the past 12 months. Categories include things like apps, online, design, gaming and more. It's a great read and worthy of a bookmark...
