UNDERSTAND TODAY. SHAPE TOMORROW.
What has been driving interest of leading marketing and innovation
experts in 2016?
Snapshot: Inspiration-Hub Signs & Insights
TOP 25 SIGNS
OF 2016
LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016
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INTRODU
CTION.
Welcome to our annual collection of top 25 signs according to
marketing & innovation experts using & working daily with our
Inspiration-Hub.
We have selected the 25 most game changing and important
signs that drew the attention of our readers this year the most.
Explore the collection of disruptive signs from categories such
as consumer insights, product innovation, service innovation,
experience innovation & communication and see where the
market is going.
Enjoy,
Inspiration-Hub Team
LHBS is a marketing & innovation firm with offices in Berlin and
Copenhagen. We help clients to understand today's emerging
customer expectations and to shape their business offerings for
tomorrow.
http://www.lhbs.com
INTRODUCTION
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016

CONTENT.
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Chapter 1 CONSUMER INSIGHTS
REPORT TITLE // CONTENT. INTRODUCTION
3
PRODUCT INNOVATION
SERVICE INNOVATION
EXPERIENCE INNOVATION
COMMUNICATION
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
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1. CONSUMER INSIGHTS
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What is next after hipsters?
How do men embrace ageing?
How connected are our customers?
What is bigger? TV or YouTube?
LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016

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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
THE HIPSTER IS DEAD
- WHAT'S NEXT?
Yuccies - Young Urban Creatives are the next
hipsters
Explore Sign
Generation Y, born in suburban comfort, well-
educated and convinced that we shouldn't only
pursue our dreams but also profit from them.
Yuccies make up the majority of inhabitants of
metropolitan areas. They want to make money, but
prefer to do so in a creative way - they are creating
Uber for weed or Tinder for dogs, or own a boutique
selling sustainably harvested bamboo sunglasses.
Many didn't attempt a traditional career path after
college but instead work for start ups and put their
company's sense of purpose above their own
personal gain. Even though salaries might be lower,
the sense of personal validation makes it worth it for
them.
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FOR MILLENNIAL
MEN, GRAY HAIR IS
WELCOME
For a new generation of adventurous men, dyeing
one’s hair gray is gaining traction, appropriating a
naturally occurring phenomenon from older men
and giving it a millennial twist
Explore Sign
Gray and silver hair has definitely been trending, said
Aura Friedman, a senior hair colorist at Sally
Hershberger Salon in New York. “The demographic
of guys who come to me to go gray are doing it more
as a fashion statement,” she said, as opposed to a
more natural look. Ms. Friedman has dyed the hair of
Phillip Picardi, the digital editorial director of Teen
Vogue, and Drew Elliott, the chief creative officer for
Paper magazine, among others.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 CONSUMER INSIGHTS

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THE CONNECTED
CUSTOMER
By 2020, more than six billion smartphones and 50
billion connected objects will completely
transform the customer experience and only
companies with advanced sales and marketing
capabilities will be able to successfullly compete
Explore Sign
Salesforce Research issued a report called “State of
the Connected Customer” for which it surveyed
more than 7,000 consumers and business buyers.
61% of consumers say technology is redefining their
behaviors and that’s why companies have to pay
attention to the customer experience as the new
battlefield for competitive differentiation.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 CONSUMER INSIGHTS

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YOUTUBE REACHES
MORE PEOPLE ON
MOBILE THAN TV
NETWORK
YouTube now reaches more 18-to-34-olds and 18-
to-49-year-olds than any TV network—broadcast
or cable—on mobile
Explore Sign
More than half of the 18-to-49-year-old
demographic YouTube users surveyed said they
watched YouTube on their TVs. However, 90 percent
said they use a smartphone, tablet or computer while
watching TV.
Finally, the report found that 61 percent of people
who subscribe to YouTube creators say their
opinions about a brand were influenced by the
creator they follow.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 CONSUMER INSIGHTS

2. PRODUCT INNOVATION
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016
What are the innovations in the automotive industry?
Is Kodak making a comeback?
Do customers really want to have environmentally-friendly beer?
Is drone racing becoming a sport?

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AUDI CARS KNOW
WHEN TRAFFIC
LIGHTS TURN GREEN
Audi is implementing a traffic light information
system in its latest cars for the US that should help
drivers determine when a traffic light will turn
green
Explore Sign
The feature will provide a countdown for when a
traffic light will switch from red to green to support
smooth traffic flow. The system is based on data from
city infrastructure, which limits the service to those
metropolitan cities who have such services.
This innovation is an industry first and might
encourage more integrations between smart city
infrastructure and connected cars. EnLighten is
another service that similarly tries to diminish driver
stress, which is a smartphone app and not connected
to your car type.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 PRODUCT INNOVATION

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VOLVO REPLACES
KEYS WITH AN APP
With the beginning of 2017, Volvo automaker will
offer their cars without a key at all– everything
will be handled by an app
Explore Sign
New Volvo owners will be asked to use a dedicated
app to unlock and even start the car. The car will
connect and communicate with the app though the
Bluetooth connection without any hassle for the
driver himself.
That solution will also simplify car sharing between
family or friends without the need to keep the key
constantly circulating around. This way of sharing
cars would also let you use the app to sync your
personal setting for it e.g. Spotify lists.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 PRODUCT INNOVATION

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SMARTPHONE FOR
PHOTOGRAPHY
LOVERS
Kodak as a brand wants to get started in the
smartphone market with its “Kodak Ektra”
Explore Sign
Kodak developed a smartphone for photography
enthusiasts, which is called “Kodak Ektra”. The look of
the professional-quality, photography-first
smartphone is inspired by a 35mm camera that has
been released in 1941.
The handling reminds of the use of a real SLR camera
- you can manually change white balance, exposure
or aperture. The android device has a 21 megapixel
camera and a 13 megapixel front camera, as well as a
“Super 8 Video Recorder” that lets users make retro
style shots.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 PRODUCT INNOVATION

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PATAGONIA’S
ENVIRONMENTALLY-
FRIENDLY BEER
Patagonia Provisions, a food brand centring on
sustainable sourcing, is entering the beer business
Explore Sign
The company produced soups, Buffalo jerky and
other snacks before, but the beer is new in its
product range. It is launched in partnership with
Hopworks Urban Brewery as a Long Root Ale.
The beer is a breakthrough because it is made from
Kernza, a grain that doesn’t require pesticides and
uses less water. It also reduces erosion and cuts
carbon from the atmosphere.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 PRODUCT INNOVATION

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DRONE RACING
BECOMES A
TELEVISION SPORT
Speeding drones is another non-contact sport that
is becoming more popular
Explore Sign
Both European and US television stations signed
deals to broadcast a season of drone racing. The
drones will race through obstacle-filled courses at up
to 80 miles per hour. The drones will be piloted by six
stationary humans who are wearing a virtual reality
headset and will be steering with joysticks. Whereas
the drones will be installed with small cameras, which
gives the pilots a cockpit-like view.
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3. SERVICE INNOVATION
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016
How are messaging platforms improving service experience?
How to use social media in an innovative way?
How to make the most out of social media potential?

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TAXI IN GERMANY
NOW AVAILABLE VIA
WHATSAPP
Taxi companies in Germany have teamed up with
Whatsapp to make ordering a cab faster and
easier than before
Explore Sign
The service works as follows: the customer saves a
taxi number 0170-339 8423 on his phone. If he
wants to order a taxi, all he needs to do is to start a
Whatsapp-chat with the taxi company and send his
pick-up location. Then he receives a confirmation and
the car is on its way. It is possible to order a taxi up to
24 hours in advance.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 SERVICE INNOVATION

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REWE USES
SNAPCHAT TO
ATTRACT, HIRE
EMPLOYEES
Rewe, a supermarket chain in Germany, has joined
the Snapchat bandwagon in order to attract young
people for a career with the company
Explore Sign
Melanie Berthold is responsible for employer
communication at Rewe. Berthold explained that
joining Snapchat to communicate with trainees was a
strategic and obvious decision because of its
popularity with young people. In addition to meeting
them where they hang out, Rewe wanted to
understand their behaviours.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 SERVICE INNOVATION

4. EXPERIENCE INNOVATION
CHAPTER TITLE
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016
How are companies using VR?
How to let your customer fully experience the brand?
How to locally adapt the experience customers get with the brand?
How to expand the experience across social media channels?

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L’ORÉAL VR TRAINING
PROGRAM
For training stylists the cosmetics company is
launching an educational VR program
Explore Sign
In a partnership with 8i and hair care brand Matrix,
L’Oréal created the the Matrix Academy’s training
program. It features a stylist and a client, two photo-
realistic ‘humans’ in a 360-degree setting.
L’Oréal’s program is offered for free to students that
will be wearing the VR headset and assume the
Stylist’s role and watch the process or technique
being taught from any angle. The learning experience
will be similar to have someone right in front of you.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

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BURGER KING OPENS
A SPA IN FINLAND
The fast-food restaurant redesigned one of its
stores to include a spa
Explore Sign
Since customers entering fast-food joints order food
and immediately exit the store, Burger King decided
to revamp one of its Finland’s locations to lure
consumers into staying there longer. The store has a
built-in spa inside with branded towels, television
sets and a lounge. While the food is being prepared,
consumers can relax, take their time and enjoy the
venue.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

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REPORT TITLE // IMPLICATIONS.
BUDWEISER GIVES
BASKETBALL FANS
THE FIRST NBA VR
EXPERIENCE
The Cleveland Cavaliers are giving away virtual
reality headsets, sponsored by Budweiser
Explore Sign
The Cavaliers are the first NBA team to build in VR
technology into their official app. Budweiser
sponsors the cardboard VR headsets that enable
fans to view basketball footage. The headset also
functions as a beer carrying case.
The VR videos on the team’s app and Budweiser’s VR
YouTube channel include a locker room tour and a
courtside view during the anthem and player
introductions.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

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NIKE’S UNLIMITED
YOU TRAINING
SPECTACLE
Nike created a multi-sensory event that combined
a high-intensity training experience with lighting
installations and a live orchestra in London
Explore Sign
Nike master trainers, fitness programs from Barry’s
Bootcamp and boxing lessons from the Kobox studio
brought the athletes to their limits. Guests could
combine a full-throttle round by Kobox with a Nike
Run Club Session, or a Barry’s treadmill workout with
a Nike Training Club session.
Per day, there were seven different sessions
scheduled which each lasted two and a half hours.
For refuelling, guests were provided with food from
Maple & Fitz Health Eatery and Juice Bar and with
nut butter items from Pip & Nut.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

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WATCH NBA WEEKLY
GAMES IN VIRTUAL
REALITY
Next VR has teamed up with NBA Digital to offer
weekly NBA games live-streamed in virtual reality
Explore Sign
The games in VR can be seen via NBA League Pass
subscription service. The broadcasts will be "fully
produced" - with several camera angles, behind-the-
scenes footage, announcers and commentary.
First, the footage will be available only for Samsung
Gear VR users, but later in the season, other devices
will be added.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

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SNAPCHAT FOR
SUMMER OLYMPIC
GAMES
Snapchat made a deal with NBC to create daily
live stories from the Summer Olympics in Rio De
Janeiro
Explore Sign
Snapchat will create a Discover channel within the
app for the whole time the Olympic games run.
BuzzFeed channel will create highlights from the
event, as well as share behind-the-scenes photos and
videos.
Snapchat sees it as way of giving people an idea of
how it is to gather world's biggest and most talented
athletes in one village.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 EXPERIENCE INNOVATION

5. COMMUNICATION IDEAS
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016
What has been the most powerful story this year?
How do legacy companies do advertising creatively?
How do companies adapt to emoji texting?
How to best use VR in communication?
How to make packaging playful?
Is podcasting a new thing?

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REPORT TITLE // IMPLICATIONS. COMMUNICATION IDEAS
"ENGLISH" FOR
BEGINNERS
Allegro online marketplace in Poland created a
touching holiday story about an elderly man
striving to learn English - for a great reason
Explore Sign
The ad tells a story of an elderly man learning English
and using every opportunity to do so - even placing
Post-its on his dog.
Allegro's story is deeply rooted in reality Polish
people are in now. Based on the fact that many young
Poles left the country for better jobs out there in
Europe, the story perfectly resonates with
everyone's experiences.
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LUFTHANSA'S AIRBNB
AD
Lufthansa airline has found a new way to reach its
customers - via housing platform Airbnb
Explore Sign
Titled "Luxury Awaits Above the Clouds", the
Lufthansa post advertises accomodation in the sky.
The airline is renting out plane seats on Airbnb.
The offer is topped with personal food and beverage
service at 910km/h, multimedia entertainment and
WiFi. The price for the flight from Frankfurt to NYC
(699€) also includes a return ticket.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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"BEAUMOJI" FOR
GLAM TEXTING
L'Oréal released a free emoji keyboard for beauty
lovers and cosmetics enthusiasts
Explore Sign
The keyboard consists of 130 playful and trendy
characters. The emojis include pictures of current
beauty trends, characters during pampering rituals
and icons from L'Oréal's top portfolio brands. All of
the emojis come in different shades of skin color,
male, female and different hair styles to appeal to any
individual that is passionate about beauty.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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"THANKS 2016, IT'S
BEEN WEIRD" -
GOBAL CAMPAIGN BY
SPOTIFY
Spotify has playfully used their listener data to
kick off their largest-ever global, outdoor
campaign
Explore Sign
The campaign has been developed by Spotify's
internal creative team. The whole idea is about
aggregating data and turning them into playful
headlines such as: "Dear person who played 'Sorry'
42 times on Valentine's Day, what did you do?"
Spotify has cleverly used big data to "humanize" the
service they are providing which is great in the area
of music that brings so many emotions to people.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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SHARE A COKE, MAKE
A MUSIC VIDEO
Coca Cola's new campaign features bottles with
song lyrics from Queen, Taylor Swift and other
musical artists
Explore Sign
The third annual Share a Coke program is employing
a musical twist this year, thanks to a collaboration
with the Shazam app. The company is rolling out new
lyric-stamped bottles that can be scanned via the
music discovery app, unlocking a chance for fans to
make a music video on their phone. Once the video is
complete, fans can share their content on social
media using the #ShareACoke hashtag.
The campaign is aiming to inspire people to celebrate
a mood, feeling, moment or memory. The chosen
lyrics span a wide range of sentiments, including
falling in love, moments of friendship and celebrating
victory.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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REPORT TITLE // IMPLICATIONS.
VR MAGAZINE COVER
Immersing readers into reality of creating a
magazine
Explore Sign
Elle Canada has recently included a VR film into their
magazine's cover which takes viewers on the set of
the shooting and lets them experience it as editors.
According to Elle, “readers will actually feel like they
are on set with us rather than observing it from afar.”
The magazine brand wanted to immerse readers into
the reality of creating a cover by letting them
experience it first hand.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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TESLA REFERRAL
PROGRAM
Tesla found its way of thanking their customers for
their loyalty in their new referral program
Explore Sign
Anyone who orders a new Model S or Model X during
the dedicated period using the referral link of a Tesla
owner will get a $1,000 credit towards the purchase
price.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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BIG BRANDS TURN TO
PODCAST
PRODUCTION
Big brands including Avión, GE, HBO and
Intercontinental Hotels are investing heavily in
producing their own audio content.
Explore Sign
HBO, Avión and Intercontinental Hotels are just
some of the big brands kicking off their own podcasts
in a bid to attract customer engagement. This is
following the increasingly popular ‘storytelling’
strategy for content.
The technology giant - GE - has already proven the
potential success of creating audio content
themselves, with their initial podcast series "The
Message" in 2015 reaching 4.4million downloads.
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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016 COMMUNICATION IDEAS

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LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016

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Discover
ABOUT
LHBS. Define Develop Deliver
We are an unconventional strategy firm that helps clients to
better understand today and successfully shape tomorrow. LHBS
has extensive experience & expertise in business development,
brand building and customer experience. The firm works across all
major industries for clients from the FT Global 500, German
Mittelstand and fast growing startups.
http://www.lhbs.com
ABOUT
UNDERSTAND TODAY. SHAPE TOMORROW. 35
We work with legacy organisations to adapt their customer value
proposition to meet emerging customer expectations. Together with our
clients we discover business opportunities and deliver integrated customer
offers for products, services, experiences and communication.
http://www.lhbs.com
LHBS // TOP 25 SIGNS OF 2016

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HUB.
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This case study has been created with the help of the LHBS
Inspiration-Hub.
The Inspiration-Hub is a service that gives marketing teams constant
access to the latest insights and inspiration, so that they can develop
more relevant marketing ideas.
http://www.inspiration-hub.com
INSPIRATION-HUB
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