08 May

See What Else is Changing this Year

DS.Emotion has produced ‘the edit’ of JWT Intelligence’s ‘The Future 100’ trends report for 2018. Explore the ten key trends that are the ones to watch for those pushing boundaries in property, branding and design.

The next billion digital
Thanks to falling smartphone prices, the next billion digital consumers are coming from emerging economies, dislodging the axis of innovation away from America and Europe to places such as Israel, India and China. Caesar Sengupta, Google’s vice president of product management, told the Wall Street Journal. “The next generation of global tech companies are just as likely to come out of a local coffee shop in Bangalore or Ho Chi Minh City as they are from Silicon Valley.”  This means our pool just got a whole lot wider.

Property:

Second city renaissance

Good news for Manchester and Leeds, “Xennials and millennials are leapfrogging the suburban life to reinvent affordable second cities. Making the most of groovy and gritty urban lifestyles at an affordable price”, digital flexibility means people are not tied to one place for work anymore so it’s not just the capital that is flourishing.

Farming 2.0

Of huge interest to property developers trying to create unique elements within their places, “vertical farms, a popular experiment in urban agriculture, may finally be poised for a mainstream breakthrough.” This new trend is especially valuable in urban developments that are lacking in green, community space and can be contributed to and enjoyed by all.

Wellness interiors:

It’s not just about designing a place that looks good, but one that makes you feel good too. New age wellness guru Deepak Chopra says that “Biological living is the next revolution in real estate,” Chopra told Forbes. “This has been a long time in coming… The wellness features and technologies that we are designing will enhance both the physical and emotional wellbeing of the homeowner.” Chopra’s first residence in Miami incorporates customized circadian lighting systems and state-of-the-art air and water purification as mood-aligning paint colors that mimic nature.”

Experiential dining trends:

A good one for developers wanting meaningful place activation strategies: “Food and drink experiences are becoming a key source of entertainment for consumers, and are being viewed as a cultural experience as much as a form of socializing.” Everything goes from extreme immersion, to foodie theme parks and cannabis fine dining. Considered cultural experiences are also highly shareable, social media occasions that help developers spread the word about a new site.

Branding:

Brandlessness:

“A wave of disruptive new companies are offering premium beauty, personal care, and groceries at a fraction of the cost of branded equivalents. Millennials are apparently less susceptible to traditional branding and advertising and are increasingly backing high-quality private label offerings.”  This is of note to those marketing to millennials are are seemingly shifting to the belief that less is more.

The female gaze

More women will be working behind the lens in creative and design industries, meaning film, photography and media will experience what JWT are calling ‘the girl gaze’. A more realistic approach to storytelling and documenting will see entirely different cultural works created with women in the driving seat.

Lifestyle:

Global nomads

Millennials and younger generations are seeing freedom and flexibility as their biggest ambition. Offices and companies need to work harder to make sure their physical and digital work spaces are dynamic enough for the younger talent coming through.

Millennial travel evolved

Many of the original millennials are now all grown up and are commanding higher salaries. The millennial market now means serious business for travel brands, “with the annual spend predicted to reach $1.4 trillion in the United States alone by 2020.”

Here come the Xennials

But what about xennials? This is considered a ‘microgeneration’ made up of people aged 30 to 40. “They still seek brands that are edgy and relevant but, today, they increasingly want a more refined and “adult” experience.” For more on the generation game stay tuned for our upcoming post on baby boomers through to generation Z.

2018 is set to be a year of  ‘feeling good’. People want brands to focus on experiences that help them live life to the max and that are tailored to them. Customers are more astute than they’ve ever been and are craving diversity, variety and, ultimately – fun.