11 Consumer Trends for 2011
Consumer Trends and Insight agency, Trendwatching, has released their yearly ‘briefing’ – a list of 11 consumer trends which they believe will shape the year ahead.
Despite the jargon, there are some excellent brand case studies in the report, which are well worth a read. If you’ve only got time for a quick overview, however, here is a summary of what they predict is in store this year:
1. RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
Companies to monitor consumers’ public moods and spontaneously act upon them with random acts of kindness…
2. URBANOMICS
Catering to city-citizens in these vast urban entities requires a local, dedicated approach in products, services and campaigns that mirror if not surpass the usual country-specific approach.
3. PRICING PANDEMONIUM
Flash sales, group buying, GPS-driven deals: this year, pricing will never be the same…
4. MADE FOR CHINA (IF NOT BRIC)
Expect an increasing number of ‘Western’ brands to launch new products or even new brands dedicated (if not paying proper respect) to consumers in emerging markets.
5. ONLINE STATUS SYMBOLS
This year, you can’t go wrong supplying your (online-loving) customers with any kind of symbol, virtual or ‘real world’, that helps them display to peers their online contributions, creations or popularity.
6. WELLTHY
The ‘consumerization’ of health means that more consumers will expect to share, compare and discuss their personal health issues with other consumers via medical social networks and choose products with embedded health benefits that are actually well designed, and desirable.
7. SOCIAL-LITES AND TWINSUMERS
The rise of ‘brand me’ means that we can expect even more consumers to become curators: broadcasting, compiling, commenting, sharing and recommending content, products, purchases, and experiences to both their friends and wider audiences.
8. EMERGING GENEROSITY
Brands and wealthy individuals from emerging markets (yes, especially China) will increasingly be expected to give, donate, care and sympathize versus just sell and take.
9. PLANNED SPONTANEITY
Fragmented lifestyles + denser urban environments + smartphones = a generation who have little experience of making (or sticking to) rigid plans, and instead rely on facilitating spontaneous activities via services that allow for endless and almost effortless mass mingling.
10. ECO SUPERIOR
When it comes to ‘green consumption’, expect a rise in ECO-SUPERIOR products: products that are not only eco-friendly, but superior to polluting incumbents in every possible way.
11. OWNER-LESS
This could be the year when sharing and renting really tips into mainstream consumer consciousness as big brands and governments put their weight behind this cultural shift…
