This PDF is a sample of the

2015 TREND
REPORT

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 Packed with NEW trends and features, it’s our most actionable report yet!
• Comprehensive but instantly applicable 80+ page
report.
• All the key consumer trends and the big new
opportunities for 2015. From LEAPS OF FAITH to
LASTING SPACES to INSTANT ENCOUNTERS.
• New visual trend timelines to add context.
• Exclusive spotter insights to reinforce the trends.
• Practical tips and case studies on how clients
are using consumer trends to build a culture of
innovation.
• Three formats: easy-to-read PDF, a ready-to-
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Check out some pages from the actual report below, including featured
trends/ examples...
2015 TREND REPORT

FULL TABLE OF
CONTENTS
// TREND FRAMEWORK 6
// HOW TO USE 8
// TREND EVOLUTION 10

STATUS SEEKERS 14 PLAYSUMERS 38

// STATUS DENIERS VS. BRAND FANATICS 16 // LEAPS OF FAITH 40

BETTERMENT 18 EPHEMERAL 42
// M2P 20 // DIGITAL BREADCRUMBING 44

YOUNIVERSE 24 HELPFULL 48
// BRAND ECOSYSTEMS 26 // END OF WAITING 50

LOCAL LOVE 32
// LASTING SPACES 34 JOYNING 54
// INSTANT ENCOUNTERS 56
2015 TREND REPORT

FULL TABLE OF
CONTENTS

HUmaN BraNdS 58 prICING

// deaTH OF HUmaN BraNdS 60 paNdemONIUm 82
// dealS: ON demaNd 84

BeTTer BUSINeSS 64
// BIG BraNd redempTION 66 TrIBeS & lIVeS 86
// pOST-demOGrapHIC CONSUmerISm 88

UBITeCH 68
// INTerNeT OF BeTTer THINGS 70 remapped 90
// made BeTTer IN mINT 92

INFOlUST 74
// INTImaTe INFO 76

FUZZyNOmICS 78 apply 94
// peer armIeS 80 // KNOW - GeT TreNd SaVVy 96
// FOCUS - TreNd prIOrITIZaTION 100
//dO - INNOVaTe! 104
2015 TREND REPORT

MEGA-TREND
Update on the direction of travel
for each of our 16 mega-trends
in 2015.

STATUS SEEKERS
Two types of consumer,
one epic quest for status.
2015 TREND REPORT

MEGA-TREND
Update on the direction of travel
for each of our 16 mega-trends 19

in 2015.

n 2015, two emerging – and apparently polar

I opposite – forms of STATUS SEEKING are thrown
into sharp focus.

First: rising numbers of experienced, sometimes

jaded, consumers (from San Francisco to Shanghai)
increasingly consider themselves ‘post-status
consumers’: drawn to brands and products not because
of status but for reasons of quality, history, story,
aesthetic, impact, ethics, purpose and more.

Second (and seemingly opposite): a subset of

brand fanatics are reacting to hyper-abundance by
unashamedly finding status in extreme and often very
public celebration of chosen brands.

Two status plays. And not polar-opposites, but two sides

STATUS DENIERS
Wholesale rejection of consumerism of the same coin. Indeed, the two strands often exist in
in favor of other values? When it
the same person. Welcome to the world of the complex,
comes to status, often DENIAL is
just another form of SEEKING. often superficially-contradictory 2015 consumer ;)

BRAND FANATICS
Public, passionate brand fanaticism
as a counter-intuitive status play. Read moRe in the innovations database: STATUS SEEKERS
2015 TREND REPORT

TRENDS &
EXAMPLES 20 STATUS SEEKERS
New featured trends and
examples highlight key
innovation opportunities.
STATUS R a m a LL a m a

DENIERS
World’s first sustainable
sleeping bag

STATUS DENIERS will embrace

Anything but status (all for the status).
niche, storied products that are
ostensibly all about higher values.
Funded on Kickstarter in April
The narrative STATUS DENIERS loudly tell the world (and 2014 and created by US-based
themselves) is that they’ve zero interest in the circus of Deneb Outdoors, the Rama Llama
claims to be the first sustainable
consumerism and the pursuit of consumer status. But
sleeping bag, stuffed with a blend
look closer at their ‘post-status’ obsessions with utility, of llama fleece and natural fabrics.

quality, generosity, simplicity or ethics, and you find – yup!

– it’s all about status.
a L S ice bu cket ch a LLen ge
WHY Viral social media campaign sees consumers
donate USD 115 million to charity

// VALUES The impact of STATUS DENIAL on social media?

STATUS DENIERS will insist they engage with brands only
as a means to serve other values: aesthetics, quality, story,
sustainability – the list of STATUS DENIALS is endless. But when
it comes to status, nothing is ever that simple ;)
// IT’S STATUS, STUPID
In the end, this eschewal of status – and indeed of consumerism
itself – is only another status play: ‘I am a more evolved human
being, and therefore have transcended the status imperative that
drives so many of my peers.’
// 2 SIDES, 1 COIN
While STATUS DENIERS may seem the polar-opposite of BRAND
FANATICS (right), in fact they’re two sides of the same status
coin. Both, in the end, are about public statements of elevated
understanding and sensibility. And, of course, a single consumer
can be both an ALS Challenge STATUS DENIER and an Ikea
BRAND FANATIC...
Posts that are ostensibly about anything but the
author. Between June and September 2014,
over 17 million videos were shared on Facebook
in which donors were drenched with icy water
in support of US charity the ALS Association.
a beRcRo m bie & Fi t ch
US fashion brand eschews label for
Spring 2015 collection
In August 2014, Abercrombie & Fitch announced
that it would drop the distinctive moose logo from
clothes in its US Spring 2015 collection. CEO
Michael Jeffries cited changing teen mindsets
when it comes to logo display. The move followed
a 10% drop in Abercrombie & Fitch sales in 2013.

VERSUS
2015 TREND REPORT
TRENDS &
EXAMPLES
New featured trends and
examples highlight key
innovation opportunities.
S tar buckS
Fans of seasonal favorite can
‘unlock’ it at local branches
On 4 August 2014, Starbucks
opened a Twitter account for the
Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). Devotees
(#basicbitches and beyond ;) were
tweeted clues to ‘unlock’ the drink at
a local branch before its official fall
launch. Fans who cracked the code
got their names on display in-store.
In the off-season, black market PSL
syrup sells on eBay for up to USD 120.
Ikea
Malaysian fans of furniture store
dress up as their favorite product
In August 2014, Ikea Malaysia asked
consumers to dress up as their favorite
Ikea product and post a picture of
themselves on the brand’s Facebook
page. Over 120 superfans of the brand
participated in the Ikea Look Alike Contest.
VERSUS
r eeb o k
Campaign encourages fans
to get Reebok tattoo
In August 2014, Reebok Forever
encouraged participants of
Sweden’s Tough Viking fitness
event to get a Reebok’s delta logo
tattoo. Ten agreed, and 24-year-
old Camilla Nilsson won a USD
5,800 sponsorship for getting
the largest. Nilsson starred in a
Reebok campaign, tagline: ‘Pain
is temporary. Reebok is forever.’
21
STATUS SEEKERS
BRAND
FANATICS
Total control. Total fanatacism.
While STATUS DENIERS help define consumer status in
2015, their apparent polar opposite comprise the second,
counter-intuitive half of the picture. In 2015, one powerful
emerging way for consumers to display status? Public,
loud, sometimes extreme fanaticism for a chosen brand.
WHY
// COUNTER-INTUITIVE
Yes, BRAND FANATICISM runs against everything we know about
the democratized brand/consumer relationship. But that’s part of
the point for post-democratized consumers: ‘I know I exist in an
ocean of (fragmented) marketing messages, but I choose to be a
FANATIC anyway, because I understand consumer culture and I
am in control.’
// gUIlT fREE
BRAND FANATICS are being encouraged by a host of more
transparent, ethical, sustainable brands (established and startup)
that are making consumption something to be proud of, not guilty
about.
// JOYfUll CONSU-ME-ISM
Diminishing guilt meets the FANATIC’s counter-intuitive mindset
to produce a knowing joy in devotion to a chosen brand, and in
loud, sometimes theatrical statements of that devotion that tell
the world, ‘this is who I am’.
2015 TREND REPORT

SIGNS OF THE
TIMES
Key statistics to evidence trends
and support your presentations. SIGNS OF THE TIMES

90% ‘In the spring season we are

of iPhone owners expressed
‘loyalty’ to Apple, up from
73% in December 2011.
Morgan Stanley, March 2014
looking to take the North
American logo business to
practically nothing.’
Michael Jeffries
CEO, Abercrombie & Fitch
2015 TREND REPORT

SPOTTERS
INSIGHTS 23
STATUS SEEKERS
Authentic on-the-ground insights
and viewpoint from our global
network. insights
Fro m o u r s p ot ters

Nick BELL
26

UK
FREELANCE
DESIGNER.
UNITED KINGDOM

I pray at the church of Uber. I

have ever since its arrival on this
isle. Admittedly, they seduced
me with their generous referral

PH
rewards, but it was the staggering
efficiency of their service that
made me an unbridled evangelist.
I made my own Uber sunglasses
and cap and when I wear them
out, other Uber uber-fans try to
steal them.

I am not particularly interested in k ar L V EN dEL L

consumer status, or brands for the sake 26
of status. If brands provide the right LEGISLAtIvE
quality and value for my money, then I OFFICER At thE
OFFICE OF SENAtOR
can be loyal. I don’t mind if other people
BAm AquINO.
know about this apathy towards brands
PhIlIPPINES
and consumer status. If people ask me
for a recommendation, I’ll share brands
that have worked for me.
2015 TREND REPORT

MEGA-TREND
Update on the direction of travel
for each of our 16 mega-trends
in 2015.

LOCAL LOVE
Real partnerships. Real
purpose. Real impact.
2015 TREND REPORT

MEGA-TREND
Update on the direction of travel
for each of our 16 mega-trends 19

in 2015.

he special connection that consumers feel to their

T locality – whether framed as their neighborhood,
city, country, or some other way – is an impulse as
old as human nature. But expectations of how that
connection is manifested and shared – and the role that
brands should play – are evolving fast.

Now long-accustomed to the idea that brands must

engage constructively in their local area, in 2015
consumers will look beyond simply fleeting and fun
branded spaces. Instead, smart brands will stand out
from the crowd by making deeper commitments and
lasting, meaningful impact on a chosen locality. In
2015, LOCAL LOVE becomes about purpose and (near)-
permanence. Call it the year of ANTI-POPUPPING.*

*If you have to ;) We’re sure a million POP-UPS will rise, flourish and fall in
2015, just as they have every year for the last ten or more. But it’s the best
LASTING SPACES that will really tap into evolving consumer expectations.

LASTING SPACES
Branded spaces built around
deep commitment and real
purpose. Read moRe in the innovations database: LOCAL LOVE
2015 TREND REPORT

MEGA-TREND
TIMELINE 20 LOCAL LOVE
New featured trends put in
context by evolution visuals.
Th e e vo luTi o n o f

LOCAL LOVE BR A NDED

GOV ER N MEN T
Rising demand for LASTING
SPACES has evolved out of past
Brands fill the
infrastructure gaps
2013
Samsung solar-
trends around brand that governments
powered truck
leave behind.
engagement in cities, brings healthcare
to rural Africans.
neighborhoods and localities.

P O PU PPIN G U R BA N L AS T IN G
PRIDE SPACES
2003 2009 2014
Delight consumers
with transient fixed- Consumer love Delight consumers
location retail spaces. for a specific with lasting spaces
Target, US fashion Guerlain, iconic Shell launch world’s
urban locality. that deliver real
chain open a French perfume first footstep-
temporary, floating house launch city- improvements. powered football
store on the themed perfumes. pitch in Rio favela.
Hudson River.
2015 TREND REPORT
SPOTTERS
INSIGHTS
LOCAL LOVE
Authentic on-the-ground insights
and viewpoint from our global
network. insights
Fro m o u r s p ot ters
I currently live in Vishnal Nagar,
a small suburb of Pune. The
community does not have any
public spaces for athletics.
Young cricket players often play
makeshift games on small streets
and abandoned agricultural fields.
I would love to see sustainable
sporting fields implemented in
Vishnal Nagar, and I think it is vital
for brands and businesses to create
projects with a lasting impact.
21
F r a nzisk a Lu h
32
DE
MAnAGinG Director
At KAtAlysten
GMBH & co. KG
GERMANY
IN
For Germans who often still have
issues with national pride, city pride
is easier to indulge in. In Hamburg,
the city and citizens organize and
finance most local projects. With
the help of brands, much more
could be done. For example, we
have six urban gardening spots
in Hamburg, of which I know. All
M a x Ber ne y financed by members and small
22 sponsors. What about a restaurant
Guest Business or food brand launching an ‘urban
DesiGn AssociAte
garden plus restaurant’ concept to
At onio DesiGn.
help? The brand would get great
INDIA
press and word-of-mouth publicity.
2015 TREND REPORT

TRENDS &
EXAMPLES 22 PLAYSUMERS

LEAPS OF FAITH
Let fun-seeking consumers jump into the unknown.
70
Accustomed to now long-entrenched control, transparency and endless of Millennials say they are at least
choice, in 2015 millions of consumers will find light relief in pursuing just the ‘somewhat likely’ to base purchasing
opposite. That means taking a chance on mystery experiences, playful risk decisions on the social media posts of
and participation for an unknown outcome – all in the name of (pulse-
friends, more than any other age group.
ShareThis, September 2014
raising) fun!

WHY NEXT

// SUSPENSE // SIZE DOESN’T MATTER

This trend may be emerging now thanks
to deeper shifts in consumerism (see
below) but it hinges on something as
old as human nature: the excitement of
suspense.
// SOCIAL
Social media continues to push
connected consumers to be more open
to risk. Their reasoning: now that any
experience can be instantly shared
with millions, the standard is likely to
be high. And if the experience is terrible
– sharing that (and embarrassing the
guilty brand) could be even more fun ;)
// SURPRISE ME!
Control and choice are the default
expectation for most consumers – but
making the perfect purchase requires
effort. Rising numbers will seek a
vacation by letting brands do the
choosing sometimes.
Want to apply this trend? Both big and
small LEAPS are valid. The Golden
Village cinema in Singapore offered
a ticket for mystery film. Meanwhile,
airline KLM offered a ticket for a mystery
holiday.
// CASINO CONSUMERS
Hein ek en
Find innovative ways to let consumers
take a gamble on your brand. Porsche Passersby in NYC answer mystery payphone call
offered drivers the chance to swap their
car for an as-yet unanounced Porsche. In July 2014, beer brand Heineken staged a ‘social
experiment’ called The Payphone on the streets
// LEVERAGE of New York City. Consumers passing an ordinary
A LEAP OF FAITH can make for great payphone noticed that it was ringing; those who
(and shareable) branded content, as answered were asked to ‘come across the street’.
Spinnr discovered when it placed an Those who did were invited to appear immediately
empty box in a shopping mall alongside on stage at the Comedy Cellar Club with Saturday
a request for cash. Night Live comedian Fred Armisen, who appeared
in a teaser video for the campaign as the mystery
caller. By October, the video had 13.8 million views.
2015 TREND REPORT

TRENDS &
EXAMPLES 23
PLAYSUMERS // LEAPS OF FAITH

K lm
Airline offers tickets to
mystery destinations

In April 2014 Dutch airline

KLM launched Monday’s
Mystery Ticket. Every Monday,
visitors to a special Mystery
Ticket website were invited to
book a euro 99 KLM ticket to
an unknown destination. On
Tuesdays, the destination was
sPin nr Ph revealed to the participating
consumers, and flights were
Mystery marketing stunt rewards
scheduled for Fridays.
passersby for donating cash

Philippines-based music streaming

app Spinnr promoted its May 2014
launch with a mystery competition.
An empty box was placed in a local
shopping mall, alongside a request for
PHP 600 (USD 13.40) for no reason.
The first individual to donate the
amount was rewarded with a variety
of gadgets (including speakers and Go lden V illaGe
an iPad Mini), concert tickets and a P o rs che cin ema
year-long subscription to Spinnr PH.
Automaker invites consumers to gamble Singapore cinema launches
their car for chance to win new one ‘surprise screening’ program

In February 2014, Porsche launched Porsche In April 2014, the Golden Village
Blind Trade in the Netherlands. The campaign cinema in Singapore launched its
offered Dutch motorists the chance to trade Surprise Screening promotion.
in their current vehicle for the chance to win For SGD 7 consumers could
an as-yet unannounced new Porsche. More buy a ticket to an unknown
than 2,000 motorists gambled their cars film, never before screened
within the first few hours of the launch. at a Singapore cinema.
2015 TREND REPORT

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