I have been watching, following and studying trends for many years. To see how demographics, events, cycles all intersect, converge and impact our lives in such immediate and long lasting ways is fascinating! The financial and banking collapse at the end of 2008, was a long time in coming, but once it hit it changed things dramatically for all of us.
The great news is there is opportunity in change and change in opportunity.
Here are some very cool, clever consumer trend ideas that have developed and emerged that can present great opportunity for branding yourself and your business. The global trend site Trendwatching.com offers monthly briefings on trends they see impacting business, sales, lifestyle, media and consumerism.
Newism
“The ‘new’ has never been hotter, as the entire world, from emerging to mature economies is now creating new products, services and experiences on a daily, if not hourly basis”.
The ‘speed of new’ is quite astounding and is our current, radical reality. We have come to expect it and are trying to keep pace with it.
Creating and Innovation Outpacing Declining
“Despite recessions, bank runs and collapsing currencies more new products, services and experiences are being launched , created and emerging in every B2C industry”.
It is amazing and inspiring that people and companies are responding with such innovation, resilience and perseverance! Once we accept how things are, we can get on with making and getting the most out of and from them.
The Speed of FSTR
‘Everything is getting FSTR in the the online world, with its relentless acceleration and amplification – of information, of excitement, of attention”. We have witnessed the social phenomena Instagram with 10 million users in under a year, products too, such as Pebble raising over USD 10 million in 37 days on Kickstarter and Taco Bell sold 100 million of its new Doritos Locos Tacos in 10 weeks, making it the chain’s fastest ever product launch.
Own Less and Re-Commerce
“For consumers who’ve embraced OWNER-LESS solutions, renting or sharing everything from cars to clothes to electronics, perpetual upgrades and ‘new’ experiences are but a booking away”. The RECOMMERCE trend now offers brand buy-backs, exchange plans, online platforms and mobile marketplaces, offering smart and convenient options for consumers to ‘trade in to trade up’.
We are all looking for ways we can downsize, re-size, streamline, re-use, re-purpose to save and simplify.
The Value in Heritage Brands
There will still be endless value in heritage brands, known to deliver constant, trusted quality. There will always be value in well-told, compelling stories about tradition and the local”.
Brand longevity, especially now, is a relentless challenge and a major accomplishment for any personal brand and company.
‘Talk to Me In Person’ Actually Preferred
In spite of and regardless of the major shift to the web and online, people still do prefer talking in person! This is great news for the importance of building strong, personal relationships in business.
MarketingCharts.com reports: “Compared to the results across 25 markets, in which an average of 81% preferred to talk in person, the US is slightly above-average in this preference”.
They remind us that, “For brands, new and established, it boils down to capturing and holding consumers’ attention. While consumers’ attention spans might be shorter and shorter, the rewards can be instant and massive”. Connecting in person can only enhance those rewards.
What trends are impacting you the most? How can you apply, adapt and use current trends to grow your business and personal brand?
Author:
Deborah Shane is career author, branding/media strategist, nationally published writer and speaker. She hosts her Toolbox Blog and a popular weekly business radio show that has over 42K downloads! She is a regular contributor to several national blogs and websites, including Smallbiztrends.com, MonsterWorking.com, Blogher.com, Personalbrandingblog.com. Her book Career Transition-make the shift is available on Amazon.com and all major book sellers. Deborah delivers smart, no-nonsense ideas and solutions, which make her a popular go-to resource for national media including CNN, CBS, Fox. Engage with her @DeborahShane, and visit her at www.deborahshane.com.
