2010 Trends to Watch

Trendwatching.com recently published a list of trends to watch in the coming year (some of which may have already begun, as trends don't necessarily follow the calendar). I will summarize them here:



1. Business as Usual: Despite any difficulties in the economy, businesses need to continue to follow consumer trends and demands, which include stepping up to sustainability or being a good corporate citizen, in order to compete for business. Which ironically is not really "business as usual..."

2. Urbany: More and more people are now living in cities, and becoming more "sophisticated, demanding, try-out-prone, and super-wired. This also leads to a sub-trend of pride in one's own city.

3. Real-Time Reviews: Consumers crave instant gratification, and are sharing more of everything they do, including reviews of everything they consume.

4. (F)Luxury: The definition of luxury is whatever seems scarce to the consumer, which can be any number of things, and seems to be in flux.

5. Mass Mingling: Although people are spending much more time socializing online, the trend has not been to create more homebodies. On the contrary, people are spending more time socializing offline, perhaps driven by finding social networks online with similar interests, the need to be with warm bodies away from the computer more often, etc.

6. Eco-Easy: A trend toward making it easy for consumers to do the right thing for the environment, which is made most possible by strong government or other large entity intervention, such as city-wide bans on plastic bags or bottled water.

7. Tracking & Alerting: The idea that relevant information will find its way to consumers based on their preferences, instead of consumers having to hunt down the information.

8. Embedded Generosity: Making gift-giving easy and painless, if not automatic, such as companies who automatically donate something to a charity when you make a purchase.

9. Profile Myning: This isn't about advertising mining your personal information, but about users managing their own digital profiles, whether it be offering bits up for sale to advertisers, or hiring someone to manage digital real estate after death, etc.

10. Maturialism: No doubt due to much more exposure to racy media, people don't want to be treated as uninformed or easily shocked, and can handle much more quirkiness, raciness, and daring and exotic innovations and communications in marketing and otherwise.

/summary



What is interesting to me in all of this is how these trends overlap. There is definitely an increased trust and dependence on technology (3, 7, 9) and a movement toward edgy youth away from the traditional (2, 10). There is also more focus on doing the right thing (6,8). Any companies that are not already finding ways to reach consumers through these trends are really missing an important opportunity and will likely have a difficult time staying relevant. It is also interesting that these trends point away from the thrifty and cautious consumerism of the recession and toward spending a little more, whether it be on technology, sustainability, social activities, or the more expensive urban lifestyle. 2010 will be an interesting year, as we will still be seeing the effects of the recession with jobs struggling to come back and consumers slow to start spending again. But the desire is there--people are tired of being holed up in their homes watching every penny. They will invest again eventually, get their jobs back eventually, and start spending again soon. They are ready.