This document defines mega trends and counter trends that influence markets. It discusses how trends like an aging population, immigration, and individualism affect marketing responses. Examples of behavioral mega trends include smart products and time compression. Global consumer trends involve complexity in age, gender, life stage and income. Innovative marketing uses tools like consumer generated advertising and crowd sourcing. Counter trends go against the grain. The document advises being consumer centric, thinking small, tapping pop culture, and standing for a brand personality. It provides resources for keeping up with marketing trends.

1. Mega Trends & Counter Trends:
How to Rock Your World
August 2010
Catch the Wave

2. Our mission today…
Define and describe mega trends and counter
trends that influence your markets.
Understand how today’s trends affect how your
markets respond to your messaging
Learn how to get an edge in creating marketing
plans and advertising campaigns with impact
2

3. Definition
• Fads
– Fleeting, in the moment
– Louboutin skin cage pumps
or Kors gladiator flats?
• Trends
– Individualism is established
– Flavors, sounds, styles that
appeal to the “me” inside
– Retro-looking automobiles
– 60s clothing
3

4. Mega Trends
• Aging population
• Immigration and diversity
• Population growth
• Suburban sprawl
Megatrend: large, social, economic, political, environmental
or technological change that is slow to form. Influences wide
range of activities, processes, perceptions, possibly for
decades
4

5. Megatrends and Trends
Megatrend: Aging population
Trends: Buying habits, elder care, healthcare, workforce gaps
when baby boomers retire
Megatrend: Assimilation
Trends: Shift from acculturation to maintaining ethnic identities
Megatrend: Redefinition of family and role of family
Trends: Single-headed HHs, unmarried couples, home schooling
5

6. Behavioral Mega Trends
• Smart products
• Smart kids*
• Time compression
• Libra effect
6

7. Where kids can do what they Wannado…..250 ways
Art Academy
Movie production
State Farm Bank
Circus training
Storytelling
Flight simulators
Broadway theater
Pizza chef school
City courthouse
Publix supermarket
Coffeehouse (adults)
7

8. Global Consumer Trends
• Age complexity
• Gender complexity
• Life stage complexity
• Income complexity
• Sensory experiences*
• Connectivity
• Individualism
• Less is more
8

9. Travel Anywhere….(Be One with the World)
9

10. Consumer Trend #1: Business as Unusual
10

11. Consumer Trend #2: Urbany
11

12. Subtrend: Urban Pride
12

13. Consumer Trend #3: Real-time Reviews
Live reviews from aboard the maiden flight of BA’s new all-business service between London
City and JFK
13

14. Innovative Marketing Trends – Tools
• Leveraging offline & online
connections
• Green & grey
• Co-creation (ideation &
products)
• CGA (consumer generated
adv’g)
• Buzz tracking
• “New” value marketing
• Crowd sourcing (open call)*
14

15. Consumer Trend #4: [F]luxury
15

16. Old Brands are Fresh
16

17. 17

18. Counter Trends
• Trend
– Life is good
• Counter Trend
– Trust no one
• Trend
– Eat healthy
• Counter Trend
– Eat like a king
18

19. Consumer Trend #9: Profile Myning
19

20. Consumer Trend #10: Maturialism
20

21. Trends in How We Work
• Outsourcing / collaboration
• 24/7 culture
• Authenticity…
21

22. Authenticity
• Outsourcing / collaboration
• 24/7 culture
• Authenticity
22

23. Trends in How We Work
• Outsourcing / collaboration
• 24/7 culture
• Authenticity
• Spirituality in the workplace
• The third place …
23

24. The Third Place
• Def: A place other than
home or work where a
person can go to relax
and feel part of the
community
• Comfortable place
where it’s easy to enter
conversation
• Are your clients creating
this for their customers?
• Are you creating this for
your employees…your
clients?
24

25. B-to-B Marketing Trends
• Define customer needs / REAL VALUE
• Lead charge / process for ORGANIC GROWTH
• Better UNDERSTANDING/ TOOLS for MANAGING VALUE
• Generate better B-to-B marketing / METRICS – ROI
• SPEED NEW OFFERINGS / HIT RATE – De-
commoditization
• Bring full strategic impact of marketing to THE C-SUITE
ISBM Trends 2010 Study
25

26. 26

27. What do do?
• Consumer centric – immerse yourself in their lives
• Think small – be a brand evangelist – word of mouth,
limited run makes it exclusive
• Keep your edge – stay fresh, on trend, cool curiosity
• Tap in to pop culture – celebs are trendsetters
• Free agents empowered by tech – like niche brands like
LG, changing brand loyalty – all about NOW
• Brand personality – live relationship with customer –
stand for something
27

28. Want to Keep Up with Marketing Trends?
tenbyten.org Collects pictures and words every hour with headlines of what’s happening right now. Interactive presentation
of the pictures and words that define the time.
news.agendainc.com A blog about pop culture and brand strategy.
blogpulse.com An automated trend discovery system for blogs.
thecoolhunter.net Roaming the globe so you’re in the know.
dailycandy.com The latest trendy items by city. Updated daily with features on new products, services, restaurants, more.
flavorpill.com Publisher of filtered cultural information, distributed in a series of graphical email magazines.
google.com/trends/hottrends A fascinating look at the top search terms, by category. What’s on other people’s minds?
iconoculture.com Translates emerging trends and consumer insights across product categories, lifestyle segments, and
demographic groups.
influxinsights.com Articles about emerging trends.
marumushi.com/apps/newsm A visual snapshot of world news.
ap/newsmap.cfm
psfk.com A blog dedicated to interesting cultural trends and tidbits.
splendora.com A fashion and style site with city guides, weekly forecasts, articles, and more.
springwise.com New business ideas from around the world.
transculturalism.com Focused on cross-cultural interests including identity and the modern quest for belonging.
trendcentral.com Bite-sized insights into global consumer trends.
trendhunter.com A magazine dedicated to finding what’s cool before anybody else.
trendwatching.com “Most visited source” for information on consumer trends. Taps over 6,000 trend-spotters to identify emerging
trends.
urbanpioneerproject.com A global social anthropology eliciting the aid of urban volunteers.
utne.com Reprints the best articles from over 2,000 alternative media sources to collect the latest ideas and trends
emerging in our culture.
Source: GetFutureThink.com
28

29. Life Philosophy: Keep the Shiny Side Up!
Contact me at ssaurage@SaurageResearch.com or on Facebook or LinkedIn
Blog: www.RealitySpikes.com
@RealitySpikes
29