Trends that shape(d) 2005

I know we’re already more than halfway through the year, but I just stumbled onto some useful predictions of the 10 trends that will shape 2005. There’s still time to jump on the trendwagon, if we all hurry. Says the study’s author: #

”Manufacturers and retailers must face up to the fact that the days of conjuring up new products without basing them on these consumer mega-trends are numbered. Now, it is changing values and attitudes calling the shots. To be successful, a product or service will have to be founded on at least one and ideally several of these mega-trends.”
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While the list isn’t earth-shattering, and some of these trends have been simmering for decades (and boy, do I wish I’d seen evidence that number 8 was true…I’m still looking), it’s always handy to have a checklist to hold against your marketing, your development, and your organization’s voice. So, here they are: #

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1. Age complexity
   Today’s 12-year-old is more likely to think he or she is 17….adults are behaving more like teenagers. #

2. Gender complexity
   Traditional distinctions between men and women are becoming blurred…in roles, behavior, and consumer preferences. #

3. Lifestage complexity
   There’s been a sharp decline in the number of people with a family and rapid growth in people living alone, not getting married or not having children. #

4. Income complexity
   We are curbing our spending in one area so we can splurge in others. #

5. Individualism
   We want ever more personalisation, in the way we live and the marketing we receive. #

6. Homing
   Consumers are spending more money on (and time in) their homes. #

7. Connectivity
   We are now more connected through technology…but many also have an increased desire for belonging at the community, national and even global levels. #

8. Sensory experiences
   We are all becoming more tolerant of risk and change and are actively seeking out more intense experiences. In our everyday lives, consumers are more prepared to experiment with new products, discover authentic ethnic foods and try intense flavours. #

9. Convenience
   As the pace of life gets faster still, there will be more multi-tasking. #

10. Health
    People are putting greater value on healthiness.
    

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