We-Think is the dynamic behind social media. Check out why this trend is affecting everyone from doctors to bankers

1. We-Think
10 Insights into
a Mega Trend

2. Growth
Stories
Bringing you a flavour of business
growth trends...in just 5 minutes
A Futures Coaching initiative
www.futurescoaching.com

3. it's about....
Growing belief in 'people like me'...
bringing a deeper sense of togetherness...
a need for more trusted references...
an excited desire to share & build...
and all catalysed by new technologies

4. people like me
In today's society, people
increasingly ignore former social
markers like class or politics
Now, we find 'friends' amongst
people who do the same things as
we do, go the same places as we go
I witnessed many informal
conversations in Starbucks recently
between customers and Baristas.
Social status was no barrier; both
enjoyed Starbucks – that was
enough

5. togetherness
Sharing collective
emotions is a key desire
Working for Cancer
Research UK, I have
witnessed the power of
Race for Life bringing
together suffers and
survivors of cancer and
creating powerful bonds

6. tous ensemble
As I write this blog, a
typical example of
We-Think plays on the
television
'Tous Ensemble' is typical
of a new genre of reality
TV where an entire
community comes
together to rebuild the
home – and the lives - of
an unfortunate family

7. trusted references
Clearly we are moving to a 'bottom-up' society
What counts is the opinions, advice and recommendations
of 'others like me'
Brands, leaders and authorities
have less to say in this new
world order
Even doctors find their status
challenged by new patient
communities

8. hierarchies get it
The power of We-Think is causing strategic rethinks in the
corridors of power
Some banks are now proposing to let small businesses use their
overspaced banking halls as their own private office
Supermarkets continue to invest
in on-site cafés to help the isolated
meet other lonely shoppers
and mums team up
In growth countries, the FMCG
brands are all about sponsoring
local roadshow events (right)
to bring the community together

9. striking gold
A great example of We-Think from,
of all places, a goldmining company
Goldcorp were desperate to reinvigorate
an exhausted mine in Canada
They took the unprecidented step of
publishing all geological data on line
They got 1,400 participants looking for
gold, several promising sites were
examined and the result is that Red Lake
is now Goldcorps' most profitable mine

10. tech enabled
Did tech create We-Think or did the social need to
belong spur tech developments?
'Socio-tech' is a term I like. It suggests an iterative loop
People want to connect;
technology comes along
and builds the links;
encouraging people to
network more; giving
new incentives to invent

11. vi deo
There will be an explosion of
video use over the next 10 years
Already, more content is
uploaded to Youtube every 2
months than the entire output
of NBC, ABC and CBS since 1948
Video will ramp up even more
since we are hardwired for
face-to-face communication
- and video will give us this

12. making money
If you need to be convinced that We-Think is a
money-spinner look at the story of Instagram
In the news recently since Facebook agreed to pay
$1bn for this photo-sharing and photo manipulation site
Why did Zuckerberg pay so much? He could have
downloaded the App for 0.99 cents!
Or maybe the 30 million users sharing 5 million photos
a day had something to do with it

13. What is Futures Coaching upto
during April 2012?
Helping reinvent an entire supermarket department
Deep-diving into global banking technology trends
Building a key note speech to NGO Fundraisers in
Geneva in June
Pitching to build an international development strategy
for a major European agency
Preparing a business trip to Jakarta and Singapore
Blogging on Asian trends and growth strategies

14. Working with Future Coaching

Conference speeches on major trends - accelerating
management awareness

Workshopping trends – evaluating impacts on
businesses or brands; future-proofing existing offers

Brainstorming sessions – innovating to harness growth

Reports on the future of sectors or industries –
jumping ahead of the curve; achieving thought
leadership; building in longevity

Training for consumer insight teams – boosting
internal futuring capabilities

15. LONDON • PARIS
Website: www.futurescoaching.com
Blog: http://futurescoaching.typepad.com
Email: chris@futurescoaching.com