trendletters, etc.
What’s Cooking? Trends in Food
(February 2012)
What and how we eat today might look quite baffling to anyone who’s missed the past decade: buying gluten-free treats from a food truck, for instance, or “Foodspotting” an order of locally sourced, heirloom vegetables. Yet at the same time we’re reconnecting with our past, looking to eat more communally and celebrating regional food traditions, even digging up antique recipes.
“What’s Cooking? Trends in Food” surveys what’s changing when it comes to how we find, cook and eat food, how we think about what we eat and how brands are marketing food. It does so through the lens of eight relevant macro trends JWT has highlighted over the past few years—including Food as the New Eco-Issue, Screened Interactions and Maximum Disclosure—as well as three overarching trends shaping the category: the influence of technology, the rise of health and wellness, and foodie culture. Within these trends, we spotlight myriad things to watch we’ve been tracking.
In addition to desk research, we interviewed influencers and experts in food, received input from the JWT planning network and conducted quantitative surveys in the U.S. and the U.K. The surveys used SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online research tool, to poll 1,270 adults aged 21-plus from Jan. 19-24.
100 Things to Watch in 2012
(December 2011)
Facial Recognition Fury, Fat Taxes, Remaking “Made in China”—just a few items from our annual list of 100 Things to Watch for the year ahead.
It’s a wide-ranging compilation that in part reflects broader economic, environmental, technological and social developments we’ve been tracking.
As always, technology has a prominent presence: Among other things, the list spotlights the rise of LCD art, growing concerns over cloud and mobile security, the much-anticipated Facebook IPO, and interactive screens infiltrating our retail and restaurant experiences. The list also includes noteworthy events on the calendar, people to keep an eye on, and things to watch in marketing, retailing, travel, food and sustainability.
Things to Watch: Music Edition
(October 2011)
The digital age disrupted the music world, ushering in a new era for fans, artists, retailers and other key stakeholders. This year, we got a clearer glimpse of what the second decade of digital music will look like—and it’s quite different from the first in many ways. In our Things to Watch: Music Edition, we chart what’s changing from both a macro and micro perspective.
The report is the result of desk research conducted by JWTIntelligence throughout the year, inputs from JWT’s global planning network, and interviews with experts and influencers in the music industry, including Heidi Browning, svp of strategic solutions at Pandora; Mike O’Brien and Steven Huynh, co-founders and developers at Outloud.fm; and Sam Howard-Spink, Clinical Assistant Professor of Music Business, New York University Steinhardt’s Department of Music and Performing Arts Professions.
Social Good
(September 2011)
A number of macro trends are influencing social good initiatives today, including the call for greater transparency, rapid urbanization and advancements in technology. As a result, we’re seeing less “goodwashing,” more creative strategies for urban renewal and innovative new donation channels from for-profits and nonprofits alike.
“Social Good” covers these developments and more, including how corporations are starting to integrate social issues into their core strategies and how nonprofits are increasingly adopting for-profit tactics.
The trend report is the result of research conducted in partnership with EthosJWT, our unit specializing in brand strategy, ideas and activation for social change and social benefit. In addition to desk research, we interviewed experts and influencers from the nonprofit and corporate social responsibility sectors and conducted quantitative surveys in the U.S., the U.K. and Canada. The surveys used SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online tool, to poll 908 adults aged 18-plus from June 28-July 6, 2011.
Tablet Checklist
(August 2011)
Consumers worldwide have been quick to embrace the concept of a tablet computer: IDC forecasts that 53.5 million units will ship this year. As brands start to explore how best to reach consumers via this nascent medium, we outline best practices for marketing on the tablet in our latest report.
Our Tablet Checklist includes 10 actionable recommendations for brands, with case studies to help illustrate these ideas. The recommendations were inspired by conversations with a panel of interactive media professionals both inside and outside JWT.
Social Commerce
(July 2011)
Social networks are well-established, as is e-commerce, but it’s only now that we’re seeing the meshing of the two and a great deal of hype around the possibilities. This report charts how retailers and other brands are using the social graph to engage consumers wherever they may be—creating more personal, accessible experiences—and to amplify word-of-mouth.
“Social Commerce” examines three key trends: the rise of Facebook commerce (retailers selling directly on Facebook), overlaying the social graph on e-commerce sites and introducing that social graph to the brick-and-mortar world. It looks at what innovative retailers and others are doing in these areas, as well as what’s driving each trend and the significance and potential for marketers. It also spotlights things to watch in this space, from apps that enable sharing while shopping to Facebook Credits.
In addition to desk research, we interviewed experts and influencers in research, technology and business, and conducted a quantitative survey in the U.S. and the U.K. The survey used SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online research tool, to poll 971 adults aged 20-plus from May 20-June 1, 2011.
Fear Of Missing Out
(May 2011)
The fear that you’re missing out—that your peers are doing, in the know about or in possession of more or something better than you—may be a social angst that’s always existed, but it’s going into overdrive thanks to real-time digital updates and to our constant companion, the smartphone.
This trend report explores the FOMO phenomenon, identifying which cohort is most prone to FOMO and how they respond to it, spotlighting how FOMO is manifesting in the zeitgeist, and looking at the wide-ranging potential for brands seeking to tap into FOMO.
In addition to desk research, we interviewed experts and influencers in technology and academia, and conducted a quantitative survey in the U.S. and the U.K. The survey used SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online tool, to poll 1,024 adults aged 18-plus and 87 teens aged 13-17 from March 4-15, 2011.
Rebooting Travel
(April 2011)
Today’s travelers are different from those even a few years ago. They’re tech-enabled, with infinite information at their fingertips, and they’re driven to share experiences as they have them. The countertrend is that more vacationers are looking to escape their technology.
“Rebooting Travel” explores how mobile devices, real-time connectivity, social networking and the growing expectation of instant gratification are reshaping the travel experience.
In addition to desk research, we interviewed travel experts and influencers and conducted quantitative surveys in the U.S. and the U.K. The surveys used SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online tool, to poll 1,024 adults aged 18-plus from March 4-15, 2011.
Transmedia Rising
(March 2011)
Transmedia has been a buzz word for a while, but it’s rapidly rising up the radar: Content creators are increasingly seeking innovative ways to develop stories that arc over platforms, providing consumers with multiple entry points. Our trend report this month explores why transmedia is bubbling up right now, how it’s significant for brands and where it’s going.
“Transmedia Rising” includes a half-dozen case studies, a guide to finding more information (from events to podcasts to books and video clips) and a timeline charting some of transmedia’s milestones. It also features insights from experts, including several we interviewed for the report: commercial and music video director Mathew Cullen, a co-founder of the new transmedia studio Mirada; Wired contributing editor Frank Rose, author of the new book The Art of Immersion; and Dean Baker, managing director of JWT Entertainment in London.
Social Media Checklist
(March 2011)
While the fast-moving social media sphere is still in its infancy, it’s getting increasingly crowded and, as a result, increasingly confusing. It’s humbling—the Twittersphere delivers new headlines to digest seemingly every nanosecond. But it’s exciting at the same time.
Whether today’s social media darlings will thrive or go the way of Friendster doesn’t matter as much as how this media platform—which is clearly here to stay—is changing consumer attitudes and behavior and how it should drive brand behavior.
JWT’s Social Media Checklist includes 12 actionable recommendations for brands, with case studies to help illustrate these ideas. Our recommendations were inspired by conversations with a globally diverse panel of 18 professionals (both inside and outside JWT) in the social media sphere.
To see our Social Media Checklist 2-minute video, click here.
100 Things to Watch in 2011
(December 2010)
Beer Sommeliers, F-Commerce, Objectifying Objects … just a few items from our list of 100 Things to Watch in 2011.
It’s a wide-ranging compilation that in part reflects broader shifts we’ve been tracking over the past few years. It also reflects some counter-trends—for instance.
Many of our Things to Watch are technology-centric, with smart infrastructure ramping up, the rise of tablets for tots and some truly futuristic-seeming developments (3D printing, virtual mirrors, electronic profiling). And the people on the list—from pop culture, sports, architecture, fashion and other sectors—have the potential to drive or shape trends in the near future.
The Reality of the Working Woman: Mexico
(October 2010)
This JWT study conducted in partnership with AMAP explores the changing attitudes among multiple generations of working women in Mexico. The quantitative online study polled 422 Mexican working women 18 and older from Sept. 29-Oct. 4, using Preguntame, JWT’s proprietary online research tool. This follows similar research we carried out in the U.S. in April with Advertising Age.
We explore women’s attitudes, behaviors and anxieties related to the workplace and work-home life balance. We also dig into how their work life influences other aspects of their life, from what they prepare in the kitchen to why they apply makeup. We then identify opportunities and strategies for reaching this powerful group of consumers.
iHealth
(October 2009)
Technology is changing the way doctors practice medicine and empowering consumers to take health and wellness into their own hands. This trendletter touches on topics including how technological advancements are taking the human touch out of health care and how the evolution toward Health 3.0—the convergence of online content, community and commerce—is changing the game for patients, medical professionals and businesses alike.
Other areas covered include how telemedicine is changing health care, both in the developing and developed world, and the barriers to widespread adoption; how self-monitoring of health and wellness is affecting health care; and how health care businesses are leveraging online health and wellness communities.
The New Face of Work
(September 2009)
The workplace is being upended by advancements in technology, a generational shift in workplace attitudes and the global financial crisis.
The global downturn has forced organizations to rework their business models as well as their physical space. It’s also changed people’s attitudes toward the role of work in their lives. And for many it’s changed how and how much they work.
These shifts will translate into new workplace values and new ideas about worker productivity. Trends including the rise of mobile and freelance workers, the growing influence of the Millennial mind-set and the adoption of Enterprise 2.0 tools will translate into an office culture that’s a marked contrast to what we’ve seen before.
The Now Web
(August 2009)
A new Web is emerging, one characterized by constantly updating streams of real-time information, conversation, memes and images. This real-time Web—explored in this trendletter—has given rise to an increasingly mass culture—people around the globe are experiencing events together, using the Web to rally like-minded people, spreading Internet memes and sometimes rumors rapidly.
As the stream of information that people consume, produce and share online flows ever faster, they will increasingly expect brands to be along for the ride: by meeting their expectations now, by answering complaints and questions now, and by simply joining in the ongoing dialogue. Given the growing influence of these streams, brands must understand what the Now Web is about and jump in.
The Small Movement
(July 2009)
Everything is getting smaller, from homes to cars to technology to packaged goods. This trend is being fueled by a recession that’s forcing people to live with less but is also an outgrowth of the environmental movement, a necessary response to a growing global population with a rising standard of living, and a backlash against the long-held “bigger is better” mind-set.
In this trendletter, we discuss how the shift toward smaller—as well as simpler and more streamlined—can benefit business, the consumer and the environment.
The Rise in DIY
(June 2009)
DIY isn’t just what you do after a shopping spree at IKEA. Today, do-it-yourself is influencing a range of categories, including entertainment, food, beauty and fashion. A confluence of factors is shifting this movement from the fringe to the mainstream, chief among them the anxiety brought on by the Great Recession.
This trendletter explores how DIY ideas and attitudes are affecting consumer behavior and purchasing habits in a range of categories, and looks at what it means for brands and marketers.
The Recession and Its Impact on Luxury
(May 2009)
Pre-recession, luxury was big, bold and blingy. Now, the sector is shrinking—not only because consumers can’t afford the luxe life but because attitudes toward conspicuous consumption have shifted dramatically, especially in older, more established markets. This trendletter discusses how the recession has affected consumer attitudes toward luxury, how prospects for the luxury industry differ between developed and emerging markets, and how luxury brands can respond to consumers’ newfound appreciation for modesty and value, among other topics.
Balancing Health, Wealth and Budgets
(April 2009)
Before the recession, there weren’t as many barriers when it came to spending on things that contributed to overall health and well-being. Today, of course, the world has changed, and price has become a far more central consideration. This trendletter examines how the boom in health and wellness has been affected by the global financial crisis and the growing consumer desire for thrift.
As a complement to the trendletter, we also surveyed adults to find out how their health and wellness attitudes and behaviors were being affected, looking specifically at grocery shopping, dining out and pharmaceutical compliance. The quantitative study was conducted in the U.S., U.K., Australia and Canada.
The Energy Race
(March 2009)
The Energy Race is under way, driven largely by economic rather than ecological incentives. Governments, investors and entrepreneurs are all ramping up efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels. Doing so won’t be easy or cheap, although numerous innovative ideas are being developed around the world.
Among consumers, the conservation movement has been democratized, and interest in green living is surging. Consumers feel better about consumption when they buy from brands and retailers that embrace a green ethic, and businesses that adopt forward-thinking sustainability policies will come out ahead.
The Collective Consciousness
(February 2009)
One of the macrotrends we highlighted in our 10 Trends for 2009, the “Collective Consciousness” speaks to a new global mind-set: People are thinking less about “me” and more about what “we” can do together—whether for pure fun, for sharing resources or for addressing global issues like climate change.
The Collective Consciousness refers to a mind-set that’s common not among any one society or nation but rather among a group of global citizens around the world. These globalists are using digital technology to connect, swap ideas and organize events. They share an ethos of responsibility and cooperation that’s markedly different from the rollicking, individualistic party of the late 1980s and the 1990s. This worldwide collaboration of smart, engaged citizens has the potential to produce viable ways to attack the world’s most difficult issues.
Books: The Next Chapter
(January 2009)
Books have remained largely unchanged for 500 years. But today the Internet is changing the way we think, the way we process information, even the way we read. Rather than reading in a quiet corner, we’re plopped in front of our laptops with the music blaring, toggling between inputs and windows dozens of times in the span of an hour.
The Internet is also changing how we access books—eventually all information will be digital. Slowly, publishers, authors and booksellers are adapting to this new reality. The savviest among them—those who realize they’re in the story business, not the paper and glue business—are engaging the digital generation through everything from social networking to mobile phone novels to multimedia add-ons to electronic readers.
Rethinking Aspirations
(December 2008)
The global economic crisis is challenging the aspirations of hundreds of millions of people, especially in the developed world, forcing consumers to focus on basic needs rather than higher-level hopes and ambitions. This trendletter considers how expectations are being downsized as economies transition out of a long boom period into the most serious recession in decades.
It explores signs that hard times are prompting people to re-examine their lifestyles, the new role that governments will play in shaping aspirations, how frugality will morph from distressing necessity to smart lifestyle aspiration, and how marketers and brands should respond to this shift in aspirations.
