You know how some campaigns seem empowered by a certain immediacy? Some adjectively challenged even refer to them as “so right now!”
Aside from luck and production overtime, those campaigns are timely thanks to close attention to global trends—what nations, cultures and economic blocs are doing right now that will spur a certain behaviour in several months. Trendwatching.com, a 10-year-old trend firm, scans the planet for the stickiest consumer trends and business ideas, courtesy of hundreds of “spotters” in more than 120 countries. And on Sept. 24, their globetrotting Trend Seminar arrives at Toronto’s Design Exchange. Besides insights on key consumer trends and how to apply them to your business, Culture of Future’s Jody Turner will reveal the 10 North American demographic trends to watch.
Below, she shares a sample of what she’s seeing.
Reinvention
“Nations are in flux. It is an upside down world and we are learning great things from each other. Mobile ideas implemented in Africa are influencing our mobilescape. We are adopting an enlivened and hyper-local entrepreneurial spirit.”
Idea Villages
“Cities are becoming idea villages where people believe “if my town does well, I do well.” Cities restructure themselves to support better mass transit, support bike/car shares, support smaller and emergent startups, support festivals important to local industries—think SxSW—and integrate digital into everything.”
Old Is New Again
“Companies are returning to traditional behaviours that work, moving from the impersonal industrialized modes of operation and communication to a modern version of old and new. For example, Chipotle Mexican Grill is moving away from industrialized farming to a more humane and healthy approach from the past.”
Cross-Fading
“A musical term applied to business and lifestyle behaviours, this is about taking one idea and applying it out of context to combine powers, shock us into attention or to help us creatively solve problems. The world is a meme place.”
Want to attend the Toronto edition of Trend Seminar on Sept. 24? Marketing is partnering with TrendWatching.com for a ticket giveaway.
Visit our Facebook page to submit a consumer trend or brand innovation you think will broadly affect business in 2013. Marketing‘s editors will choose the most compelling, well-argued case and award a seat at the event.
This article originally appeared in the Sept. 10 issue of Marketing
