NEW YORK – December 6, 2013 – A visually-based vocabulary replacing text, and mind- and mood-reading technology sound like elements of a science fiction novel set way into the future, but according to JWT, these are two key trends that will be changing the world sooner than we think.
The marketing communications brand recently released its ninth annual forecast of key trends that will drive or significantly impact consumer mindset and behavior in 2014 and beyond.
According to the forecast, thanks to image capturing and sharing tools, more and more people are developing a vocabulary that supplants text with visuals like emojis, photos, and video snippets.
The forecast, which was released along with a video, also said that the rise of brain-computer interfaces and emotion recognition allows brands to understand consumers’ minds and moods and react in a more personalized way.
The top ten trends, according to the forecast are:
1. Immersive Experiences – In a bid to capture our imagination and attention, entertainment narratives and brand experiences will become more immersive and enveloping.
2. Visual Vocabulary – Thanks to the explosion of image-capturing and sharing tools, we’re developing a visually-based vocabulary thats supplanting text. Photos, emojis, and video snippets are becoming a new lingo that needs to be mastered.
3. Speed and ease – Our expectations for speed and ease are rising exponentially, as businesses make their products and services available more instantly, our impatience will only keep rising.
4. Mobile device – For the next billion consumers in emerging markets, the mobile device is becoming a vital channel for serving up life-changing opportunities in business, healthcare, education, finance, and more.
5. Telepathic technology – Thanks to the rise of brain-computer interfaces and emotion recognition, brands are getting more adept at understanding minds and moods and reacting in a personalized way.
6. The end of anonymity – With the rise of sensors, biometrics, drones, and more, its getting all but impossible to remain off the grid. Anonymity is becoming elusive.
7. Rage against the machine – As we move further into the digital age, we’re starting to both fear and resent technology, fretting about what’s been lost in our rush for progress. We’ll increasingly question technology’s siren call.
8. Remixing tradition – With social norms quickly changing and a new anything-goes attitude, we’re mashing up cherished traditions with new ideas, creating our own recipes for what feels right.
9. Imperfection – Imperfection and even outright ugliness are taking on new appeal. The quirky, the messy, and the flawed are coming to feel more authentic and meaningful.
10. Mindful living – Drawn to the idea of shedding out distractions and focusing on the moment, more of us will develop a quasi-zen desire to experience everything in a more present, conscious way. Enter the era of mindful living.
“Consumers are both welcoming and resisting technology’s growing omnipresence in our lives—for many, technology is a gateway to opportunity, but those who are most immersed are starting to question its effect on their lives and their privacy,” said Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. “One result is that more people are trying to find a balance and lead more mindful, in-the-moment lives.”
JWT’s “10 Trends for 2014 and Beyond” is the result of quantitative, qualitative and desk research conducted by JWTIntelligence throughout the year and for this report. Specifically for this report, JWTIntelligence conducted quantitative surveys using SONAR™, JWT’s proprietary online tool, from Nov. 5–8, 2013, surveying 1,003 adults aged 18-plus (500 Americans and 503 Britons). The report includes input from nearly 70 JWT planners and researchers across more than two dozen markets, and interviews with experts and influencers across sectors including technology, health and wellness, media and academia.
“With our annual trends forecast, our aim is to understand the forces of change that are shaping culture, consumer behavior and business, and actively participate in driving that change,” says Bob Jeffrey, Chairman and CEO, JWT Worldwide. “This type of intelligence allows us to identify emerging opportunities in the global marketplace that we can leverage on behalf of our multinational clients.”
Among the trends JWT has forecast in past years: “Play as a Competitive Advantage” in 2013 (more adults adding play into their lives to foster imagination, innovation and creativity—all competitive advantages); “Food as the New Eco-Issue” in 2012 (the environmental impact of our food choices is becoming a prominent concern); “De-Teching” in 2011 (more people logging off, at least temporarily, to get a break from technology); “Location-Based Everything” in 2010 (the explosion of location-based or -aware services that leverage data from mobile phones); “The Small Movement” in 2009 (the shift away from “bigger is better” in everything from homes to cars to stores); and “Radical Transparency” in 2008 (the “nothing to hide” ethos seen in some online behaviors).
The “10 Trends for 2014” report is available at JWTIntelligence.com.
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