Why track trends? Because, great brands are constantly evolving. They anticipate change. And the strongest indicator of change is culture. Our role is to help clients take a more future focussed approach to their brand strategy and positioning by tracking the evolution of culture. We use cultural insight to understand how the world is changing and pull out the patterns of change that are going to be important for a brand in the future.

1. Added Value Trends

2. Our approach to trends

3. Why Trends?
PEOPLE’S LIVES
Brands
Categories
Typical
Marketing
Focus
A deep understanding of trends provides a consumer context for the shifts happening in
a category, and allows us to ride and shape these changes, rather than just react to them.
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4. Trends vs. Fads
Understanding how trends work, enables us to differentiate between short
term fads and trends with long term potential to impact consumer behaviour
FASHION / FADS
 Fast burn - peaks and disappears
TRENDS
 Driven by socio/cultural factors,
but not necessarily aligned to  Long lived and evolving
broader consumer need changes vs.
 Rooted in identifiable
 Tend to be more local / regional sets of cultural drivers
vs. global
 Can be tracked across continents
 Typically have global reach
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5. CHAPTER TWO:
Trend Overview

6. The 10 Mega Trends and 26 Micro Trends
Freedom & More Global =
Autonomy Recognition Belonging
Discovery* More Local*
Finding Myself Flaunt Spontaneity Human Touch That’s Us
Status New
In Charge Sense-perience Township Cool
Spheres Communities
Democratization At Play
I deserve It
of Creativity with the Past
Think before
you buy
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7. The 10 Mega Trends and 26 Micro Trends (02)
Identity New
Vitality Wired World Take a Stand*
Blur* Consciousness*
Comfort of Health
Womanity Mobile Life Everyday Ethics
Simplicity Experience
Re- Masculation Mindfulness Better for Me Digital Universe Spirit of Uprising
ID: Chameleonic
Age Bend
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8. CHAPTER THREE:
The Mega Trends

9. Mega Trend : Autonomy
MEGA TREND: People are taking control of
their life, individual choices are driving economic,
socio-political and lifestyle trends
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
authenticity, self-realisation, recognition
TREND DRIVERS:
 New values are emerging. Individuality is
no longer just about being unique and
different, it’s about taking control of life
 Success is changing its focus from superiority
to self realisation and defining yourself – finding
and pursuing the things that really matter
 Time management is key
Finding
Micro Trends: Myself
In Charge
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10. Mega Trend : Recognition
MEGA TREND: Recognition is about showing others that one
possess discernment and has achieved. While material goods once
signified one’s achievements and status they no longer do. The symbols
of status have become more complex and multilayered
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Sophistication, pleasure, confidence, respect, power
TREND DRIVERS:
 The recession has taught people that life is not
only about money. Frugality and even living without
money have become niche yet emergent trends
 Enjoyment is not extinct, but people place higher
meaning on the little things in life, e.g. relationships,
connecting with friends, family and with themselves
 Moderation and balance have become key
Micro Flaunt
Status
I
deserve
Think
before
and the same is expected from companies
Spheres
Trends: It you buy
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11. Mega Trend : Freedom & Discovery
MEGA TREND: Consumers increasingly seek experiences
rather than products and services; products and services
are often simply a means (tools) to an end (experience).
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Discovery, challenge, curiosity, passion, adventure
TREND DRIVERS:
 Exploring physicality – Pushing the boundaries
of physical representation and experience
 Driven by the desire for new sensations, experiences and a
search for things that challenge the way we think about
the senses. Technology is enabling us
to experience new things e.g. advances in
Micro Spontaneity
Sense-
Democratization
of
biotech and augmented reality technology
perience
Trends: Creativity
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12. Mega Trend : More Global = More Local
MEGA TREND: While globalization is forging a
homogenous global identity it has reached its tipping point.
People are starting to resist global culture and look for the
authenticity of the local and the familiar for inspiration
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Authenticity, pride, self-esteem
TREND DRIVERS:
 The rise of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India
and China) has started to challenge Western driven
globalisation and South Africa is now one of them
 People are more hopeful and look
forward rather than backwards
 This goes hand in hand with modern creative
Micro That’s Us
Township Backwards
expressions and lifestyle inspired by
SA culture and traditions
Cool to the Future
Trends:
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13. Mega Trend : Belonging
MEGA TREND: People form communities
as a space of comfort and solidarity
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Belonging, connection, care, security, harmony
TREND DRIVERS:
 Hyper Connectivity – The growing need (and
expectation) to be connected to others 24/7
 Stress increasing worldwide. Most
people expect the future to be less safe
 Anxiety is on the rise: crime, terrorism,
Human New pollution, overcrowding, water, food safety
Micro Trends: Touch Communities
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14. Mega Trend : Identity Blur
MEGA TREND: Gender and life-stages are beginning to blur.
Identity is fluid, changing and layered. People alter their identity over
time as situations change, and adopt many different expressions of
identity simultaneously, making identity more complex than ever before
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Discovery, self-actualisation, challenge
TREND DRIVERS:
 As life becomes more complex and the established
social structures break down, people have less
strict boundaries and conventions to follow
 Today, the concept of identity has changed into
something we construct and invent, rather than
something given by gender, age, race and class
Micro Womanity
Re- ID:
Age Bend
Masculation Chameleonic
Trends:
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15. Mega Trend : New Consciousness
MEGA TREND: Strong need for life to be
made simpler, easier and less threatening
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Effortlessness, convenience,
pragmatism, security, stability
TREND DRIVERS:
 Infinite choices and finite time. People try to do
more in less time. More consumer choice than ever
before, better access to info than ever before
BUT
 People suffer from sleep deprivation, burn out
syndrome, constant multitasking and
Comfort of
Micro Trends: Mindfulness
Simplicity
over scheduling, even for kids
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16. Mega Trend : Vitality
MEGA TREND: Proactive health management
and extended definition of wellbeing
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Engagement, accountability, empowerment, respect
TREND DRIVERS:
 Medical breakthroughs, alternative medicine,
and growing consumer knowledge of health are
combining to redefine health, wellness, and aging
 Explosion of scientific knowledge:
Genetic engineering, biotech, nanotech
 Expanding the boundaries of what it means to be human
 Life expectancy about to increase dramatically
Health Better
Micro Trends: Experience for Me
 Higher expectations from food, vitamins, supplements
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17. Mega Trend : Wired World
MEGA TREND: New Technologies have
entered all part of our life and allow
us to manage our lives 24/7
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Convenience, efficiency, connection, immediacy
TREND DRIVERS:
 There is nearly one cell phone for every South African
The phone is not only for conversation but
it is a way to access services and data. Mobile web
use and social networking are growing fast
 Over six million people have access to the
Internet in SA; SA Facebook estimates
that there are 3.35 million users
 New developments in digital technologies e.g.
Digital e-ink, near field communication, augmented
Micro Trends: Mobile Life
Universe
reality, GPS, 3D, HD and explosion of ‘apps’
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18. Mega Trend : Take a Stand
MEGA TREND: From cynicism and mistrust to a new found
determination and drive for new solutions to past problems
KEY CONSUMER VALUES:
Transparency, respect, compassion,
determination, challenge
TREND DRIVERS:
 Increasing knowledge of our impact as consumers; impact
of technological innovations and of
scarcity of natural resources
 Recent natural disasters showed the impact of climate
change on people’s lives e.g. Katrina, floods in Australia,
landslides, the Tsunami, earthquakes in Haiti and Pakistan
 Economic uncertainty and political instability
leading to the rise of high profile demonstrations
(e.g. Tunisia, Egypt, Libya )
 People are starting to fight for what they believe in,
Everyday Spirit of
Micro Trends:
the return of protest and people power. They
Ethics Uprising don’t just believe in it, they do it
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19. Thank YOU