Wanderlust Automotive 2010

anderlust
2010 North American International Auto Show
If you don’t stop and look around once in a while,
you could miss it.

- Ferris Bueller

When We Wander...
We love to wander, and we love direction. What matters to us is at the periphery and at the center.
Wanderlust is our campaign to find inspiration in everything around us, no matter how small or subtle.
We believe that if you look closely, every detail has its place, its potential. In the end, everything
matters.

Wanderlust aspires to be more than the collection of cool stuff you can typically find in your RSS feed
each morning. Rather, we curate and organize our collection into the most meaningful set of ideas,
objects, environments, and experiences. Unlike hefty powerpoint documents touting broad, often
intangible, macro trends, we start small and work our way out. Through this process, we know from
the start that the opportunities we identify will be actionable and useful to our work. Because our
Wanderings are already manifesting themselves in tangible ways, we’re inspired to adapt and reapply
them to new projects.

http://kascope.com/ 2

...We Always Come Back
We believe that small details can lead to big ideas. To find those details, Wanderlust begins it’s process
by studying trends in the most forward-thinking industries. We love the inspiration they provide and
the level of access they offer. We then extract the higher level meaning behind each of the trends
we identify. Not all patterns grow into deeply rooted trends, and not all trends impact all businesses.
However, we see all of our observations as opportunity and inspiration.

Wanderlust: 2010 Auto Show 3

We asked Kaleidoscope’s Karl Ludeman to tell us
a little more about his experiences this year at the
auto show in Detroit

What inspired you to make this volume of
Wanderlust?

We like to go places and see things and think
about why they are that way. Hopefully we’ll inspire
ourselves and get others to think about things a little
differently. Plus, it’s fun.

How did the trends you identified change from
this year to last?

Covering the auto show is new ground for us this
year. We initially approached it as separate entity
from the furniture trends book. While there are some
trends unique to auto, most interesting were the
similarities that began to emerge. Some trends were
very aesthetically similar, while some were born out of
the same consumer trend but expressed themselves
in very different ways. You’ll see the results in part
two of both books.

What do you hope people will take away from
looking through this document?

Looking for trends will only give you a snapshot of
right now, the immediate present. But understanding
the root causes behind a given trend can give you
insight into what drives people to choose one
experience over another.

What are the root causes for the choices today’s
consumers are making?

Anxiety and self-determination, which actually are
not mutually exclusive as they would seem, but each
driven by the other. It’s a vicious, beautiful, and
ultimately very productive cycle.

part one:

wanderings
We look to the work of designers globally
for inspiration and understanding. From our
observations at the North American International
Auto Show, three key patterns emerge:

CYBORG

6
(‘sahy-bawrg)
A living being whose powers are enhanced
by computer implants.

RETROSEXUAL

16
(‘re-troh ‘sek-shoo-uhl)
Embraces classic pop culture. Retrosexual
is the love of the traditional life style of
the 1940’s to the 1960’s

STRONG, SILENT

22
(strawng, ‘sahy-luhnt)
A man of action who is reserved. Someone
who is assertive but not talkative.

part two: applications

CYborG
Cyborg (‘sahy-bawrg) n. orig. Science Fiction

1. A living being whose powers are
enhanced by computer implants.
2. A social acceptance that
electric = earth friendly.


Seeing Patterns
Mathematic patterns inspired by nature.

Moody Lighting
Traditional light features come alive with pattern.

Mercurial Lights
Expressive, emotional lines carry over from sketches to final concepts.

Visible Alternative
INFoMAP
Does alternative fuel lead to alternative design?

k ndoew nsgfoxisgree
ut hybri v rsio o e ting mode n
yeocien
ffi ned w
ls Asian Automakers
ih
esiugdated details atd twso
fu s

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d p
r
e

e m
n
ca

us
ak
e
Ad
break

etrofiles
the

Ex

va

d
nce

p
fin in
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hininspired by new techn in
d rede
er
t

in
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gthe car in

g new in m
theside and oud
Basic 2010 2011 mol
Alternative
Fuel Cars
t

US Automakers
japan korea
olo d
gy

europe
European Automakers
*alternative fuel car list from hybridcarscom

Vents and Layers


Retrosexual (‘re-troh ‘sek-shoo-uhl) adj. orig. english slang

1. Embraces classic pop culture.
2. The love of the traditional life style of the 1940’s to
the 1960’s.

RETROSEXUAL http://kascope.com/ 16

Vintage Details, High Tech Execution
A slow but steady evolution of the classics.

The car has become…an article of dress
without which we feel uncertain, unclad,
and incomplete.
-Marshall McLuhan, Understanding Media, 1964


Heritage Industry
PREDICTIoN
Asia creates a legacy of its own.

While the US and Germany call upon Japanese and Korean automakers have been taking a different
approach. Toyota’s release of the hybrid Prius in 1997, while not
strong histories in tough times, newer a full electric, marked a line in the sand on alternative fuel that
American manufacturers had been dancing around for over a 100
Asian manufacturers are forced to look years. The first “successful” electric vehicle was built in the US in
1891. Let’s just say it wasn’t a linear process from here to the Volt.
forward. Could hybrids and electrics
Fast forward to 2010. The eco-friendly trend has blurred with
be the Asian heritage vehicles of the complex geopolitical issues and a simple need to spend less
future? on fuel. These socioeconomic factors combined with the tech
cultural brand of the countries that bring us Samsung and
Sony are creating a perfect storm of demand and credibility for
Asian automakers to own the alternative fuel market. Could the
It’s no coincidence that referential nods to a more confident time 2010’s be the golden (or should I say silicone?) age for Asian
remain prevalent into what was supposed to be the age of the flying automakers? I’ll let you know in 2040, when I anticipate the
car. American consumers are comforted in chaotic times by the re-release of the Prius. (I really hope that covered wheel comes
muscle or status cars of their parents. back!)


Wheel Appeal

Strong,Silent
Strong, Silent (strawg-’sahy-luhnt) orig. english phrase

1. A man of action who is reserved.
2 .Someone who is assertive but not talkative.


Luxury is in the Details
Clean, uninterrupted surfaces accented with micro-patterns and texture.

Subtle CMF
Matte and satin finishes as high end. Barely-there pops of color.

May I Be Blunt?
“Pedestrian Safe” chopped off profiles and chunkier proportions.

Design improvements could prevent 8% of all pedestrian Will pedestrian safety laws kill the beautiful car?
fatalities and 21% of serious injuries. -Matthew Phenix for Wired.com
-UK Transport Research Laboratory

Where’s my Smart Car?
oPINIoN Ctrl+V

2011 autos are pulling design cues People are moving back to the cities. Gas prices and allocation
remain controversial. Consumers are back to basics. Hummer is
from hybrids to stay current. Except dead. Your mom just bought a Prius.

for that whole size thing... Seems like the perfect time for a flood of “only what I need”
efficient cost and eco-friendly cars filling the showrooms. What
we seem to be finding is a field of new cars that look and feel like
hybrids, except for their size. Some called the SUV a fad, others
called electric a flash in the pan. It looks like both will be with us
for a while and now they’ve begun to collide. As the SUV tries to
reinvent its reputation as a crossover, watch the copy/pasting unfold.


Glass That Back Up!

Now it’s time to put it all together. We’ve done
the deep dive during part one, and now it’s time
to step back and see how everything fits together,
where patterns overlap, and how they might affect
the world we live in and the work we do.

Trends raise our awareness of the social and
cultural changes that are constantly occurring
around us. Use the predictions and observations
in this section to discover new ways to address
consumer needs and to design new products,
services or experiences. At Kaleidoscope, we
expect Wanderlust trends to inspire action.
Built from tangible examples that can be easily
reapplied, each connection made in this section
is designed for easy access. Feel free to modify or
evolve the ideas to best fit your needs.

We’re constantly referencing our past work to see
where patterns have held steady, transformed, or
died off. The content in this section references
past editions of Wanderlust, so if you’d like a copy,
let us know.


part two:

applications
Our applications combine hours of observation
and analysis over the past few years at multiple
trade shows and events. Check out our past
editions if you’d like to dive more deeply into the
concepts.

TRACkER

32
See how the Wanderlust observations have
sustained, evolved, or faded over time.

BLENDER

34
Where transportation and furniture worlds collide.

FORECASTER

37 Predictions for how trends impact key industries.

CALL TO ACTION

41
What are you waiting for?

31

2009 2010
ICFF, Salone ICFF, Salone, NAIAS

FLYTTER
1

FoLLoW THE LIGHT
le MONDE ANCIEN
2

MASH AESTHETICS

CYBORG

BACK To BAUHAUS STRONG, SILENT
3

NATUUR
4
SUPPLY AND DESIGN 6
5

DIY
8

7
DIREkT

CoNCRETE JUNGLE RETROSEXUAL

See a trend here you’re not familiar with? Let us know
and we’ll send you one of our previous editions.


Tracking Trends 1 Light continues to be a source of experimentation in design far beyond the lighting
category. Affordable and effective lighting technologies enhance the animated, moving
objects that make up Flytter.

2 Light technologies, in particular LEDs, have become more accessible and affordable.
By applying light in unexpected features on cars, furniture, and other objects, designers
bring their products to life in new ways.
Some patterns sustain over long periods of time,
some die off quickly, and others morph into 3 Trends in sustainability continue into the auto show, with an emphasis on the short term.
Hybrid and eco-friendly production cars indicate the urgency with which manufacturers
new ideas. Constantly refining our point of view, are trying to provide solutions.
our observations are tracked over time. Along
each path, markers indicate key influencers and 4 An evolution of 2009’s Supply & Design, Natuur adjusts the trend’s path slightly,
incorporating realistic nature imagery and objects in a more serious tone.
motivators for each trend.

Tired of last year’s pure form of rationality, the Direkt style of modern design
5
incorporates subtle, idiosyncratic details to hold one’s attention, while not straying for
classic Bauhaus roots.

While not immediately obvious, there is a connection between Concrete Jungle
6
and Cyborg through the expressed importance of original, natural ingredients and
components.

While transparency remains important across products and brands, there has been
7
a shift away from knowing a product’s lifecycle towards using a more pure, unaltered
product in the first place.

Nature remains a popular form of inspiration, with each year bringing new
8
interpretations and variations on the theme.


BLENDER

Reverse Abstraction
A Blend of Natuur & Cyborg

once filled to the brim with abstract metaphors intended to evoke emotions It seems that the more our world advances technologically, the more it
and strengthen strong bonds with users, the design world is moving away attempts to incorporate natural forms and signals. Last year, we identified
from poetry and moving towards prose. Gone are the gestures of plants and the furniture trend Concrete Jungle, which introduces elements of nature
other living things in favor of the real thing. Coat racks aren’t inspired by tree into our uncompromisingly modern world. This year’s trend emerges out
branches; they literally look like them. Cars feature leafy fabrics, lamps, and of many of the same reactions. Some consumers cope with the pace of
interfaces. Taxidermy, perhaps the ultimate expression of literalism, appears technology and urbanity by surrounding themselves with reminders that
to be everywhere. simpler lifestyles still exist. others thrive on the pressures of modern life,
using Reverse Abstraction as a humorous, ironic way to show self-awareness.


BLENDER

Differentiation is in the Details
A Blend of Direkt & Strong/Silent

Aware of their role in encouraging rapid consumption, Design’s internal For the mass consumer, access to everything is enabling people to be
struggle with this power has often resulted in products that are more simple, more discerning. Teens in oklahoma can now easily track denim trends in
austere, long-lasting, and well-crafted. While this point of view remained happening osaka. overloaded with information, people learn how to filter
uninteresting to many businesses, evolving consumer sophistication out pushy messaging and visual noise. Economic troubles force higher
indicates a shift in priorities. Products with simple impressions and refined end shoppers to be more restrained as well, since their mass counterparts
silhouettes in both automotive and furniture categories indicate a newfound disapprove of any outward expression of wealth or advantage. Regardless of
interest in attracting consumers through curious simplicity. once they’ve class or status, everyone desires indulgences, so they head off in search of
begun to interact with a product, consumers find these products filled with something more subtle.
interesting details to delight them.


BLENDER

Mash to the Future
A Blend of Le Monde Ancien & Retrosexual

The postmodern design world constantly references its own history The current approach is like firing a shotgun loaded with design cues from
for inspiration. In the past years, one key decade or design movement myriad eras and movements. We’ve seen mash culture in music and fashion
triumphantly reemerges for a short time to rule over it’s tradeshow. However, for years, and now more mass-produced objects have adopted the trend.
we’re now seeing an explosion of experimentation with historical design. Entire cultures are now built around the pieces and parts of past generations.
Everything from Victorian to Vuvuzela is appearing in the furniture world, It’s important to remember that the vintage and retro themes are not
while the automotive industry leans on redesigns of successful models from always about an escape for modernity, not about nostalgia. This trend is for
four different decades. Strangely enough, all these designs coexist pretty innovators looking forward, as they use their unprecedented access to style
nicely, feeling less and less like nostalgia. Building on the Mash Aesthetics to find new solutions to new problems.
trend from 2009, our post-post-modern reality relies on the juxtaposition of
once opposing elements for new sources of innovation.

FoRECAST

Simpler Times
Can you tell which products are vintage and which ones are new? (We can’t either.)

Root trend: Retrosexual

While the furniture and auto worlds look to the past for inspiration, new Designers can also look to the past for innovative ideas that will help
opportunities emerge in everyday consumer products through many of products stand out at retail. old school ideas applied to modern times, often
the same motivations. In a chaotic world, consumers respond to vintage resurrected through technological advancements, have the potential to form
and retro themed packaging as it reminds them of a simpler (and higher something groundbreaking.
quality) time in their life. Brands use their heritage to reconnect with jaded
consumers and provide peace of mind. By reverting to a simple message,
many products cut through marketing hype and get to the core of consumer
needs.


FoRECAST

Bioelectronic
Root trend: Natuur

The more technology advances, the more people yearn to reconnect Glossy black plastic is becoming antiquated, soon to be replaced with forms,
with the natural world. Bioelectronics is an emerging field, particularly in textures, and colors that remind the consumer that nature provides the best
healthcare, but we see it’s application across all consumer electronics. Form color palette. Authenticity will be a key to success in this approach; a revival
following function, these electronics tend to mimic their inspiration found of beige-colored plastics won’t make the cut.
in nature. We see this explicitly in furniture and automobiles, and we expect
to see this trend continue to creep into more aspects of our lives. The Image: kennymatic | Flickr
natural symbols are not a rejection of technology, it is technology and nature
existing in paradoxical harmony.


FoRECAST

The Car You Build Yourself
Root trend: DIY

People have always enjoyed customizing their cars. Whether they apply has helped their service businesses, they may also be missing out on an
a few crudely-placed stickers to the back windshield or replace every important return to do-it-yourself resourcefulness.
mechanical component with chrome-plated aftermarket parts, it seems like
everyone wants to make the products they own more personal. Imagine if anyone could assemble a car without instructions. While proposals
like this require a lot of investment, the auto industry aches for change.
While customization grows in categories like footwear and consumer What if automakers created a plug and play system that allowed consumers
electronics, major automakers have yet to fully capitalize on this trend. to replace parts as easily as plugging a socket into the wall? Allowing
Despite some efforts in this area, cars have become increasingly more consumers better and more intuitive access to their vehicles makes them
complicated to repair or refine. Most automobiles cover up most of the more aware of the help they need to make their car perform at its very best.
working parts under the hood, discouraging self-maintenance. While this

FoRECAST

Direkt Health
Root trend: Direkt

Not surprisingly, many healthcare product providers must prioritize other The Direkt trend will help emerging healthcare businesses jump the
aspects of their business before design. The resulting products have curve. on products, the clean, uninterrupted surfaces will emphasize the
historically been difficult to use and intimidating for patients. Leveraging technology beneath while comforting patients through it’s modern appeal.
design as a tool to improve recovery times and quality of care, the healthcare Especially with capital equipment, applying the Direkt aesthetic will help
industry’s perspective on design is shifting. once technology optimizes products that need to retain a classic aesthetic for extended periods of time.
certain processes and procedures, design becomes the key tool for In environments, the modern-but-idiosyncratic aesthetic reminds patients
businesses to differentiate their offering. of their homes and aids recovery. Doctors will choose the tool that seems
precise, durable, and free of excessive styling.


Trends should raise your awareness of the social and cultural changes happening around you. More
importantly, they should inspire you to act. Use these trends to discover new ways to address consumer
needs through new products, interactions, or experiences.

If You Don’t Use It, You’ll Lose It
Our call to action

At Kaleidoscope, we like trends that inspire ideas, but we love trends that inspire action. With each
new project, we assess the cultural landscape to identify trends and brands that are a good match. A
trend may represent an opportunity to express your brand in a new way. However, sometimes it is more
authentic for a brand to be part of an anti-trend.

To fully understand each opportunity, we immerse ourselves in the trend. We gain empathy by
designing and interacting with a space that represents our target. Most importantly, we don’t stop after
we’ve achieved awareness. We generate tangible directions for how our insights will inform our current
and future work.

The final step is to inspire teams, seeking both excitement and investment in an idea. Through visionary
concept work, designers envision trends through the lens of a specific product or brand. Concepts can
be quick cardboard models, life-like prototypes, or outlandish pieces solely for inspiration. Regardless,
this step of creation is absolutely essential in making your ideas succeed. Good luck and have fun!


Thank You
We hope you enjoyed this book and found our observations valuable. If you have questions about
Wanderlust, please contact us. We look forward to collaborating with you to bring these trends to life.

Katie Buchmann
kbuchmann@kascope.com
800.930.5793

This presentation is a collection of past and present work by designers around the world
and does not intend to solely represent work by Kaleidoscope.


The refusal to rest content, the willingness to risk excess
on behalf of one’s obsessions, is what distinguishes artists
from entertainers, and what makes some artist adventurers
on behalf of us all.

- John Updike

anderlust

Wanderlust Automotive 2010

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