It’s that time of the year again when trendcasters and futurists list their predicted trends, whether it’s global, local, consumer-driven, marketing (and every other category you can think of) trends for 2011. We think writers should be aware of these trends so you can figure out what to write in your blog, column, book or wherever else. Writers these days cannot afford to be irrelevant or behind the times. We’d like to share with you some of the interesting and relevant trends culled from different sources
1. Technology (has been, and will continue to be) Is King – The sooner we accept this, the sooner we can start to learn and adapt. We don’t have to be a slave to technology, but we do have to learn to live with and on it
2. De-teching – But because technology is so prevalent, people will also choose to detach themselves from it every once in a while so as to “rewire their brains to be more effective”
3. Generation G – Nope, it doesn’t stand for greed, but rather that wonderful word called generosity. People will look at a brand or company’s “giving factor” before buying or supporting the brand. It’s time everyone puts their money where their heart is.
4. Working Through the Sunset Years – A lot of older people are working beyond their retirement years, either because of financial reasons or they’re enjoying the work and lifestyle too much
5. Urban Nation – Urbanization will still continue to be a major trend in the coming years. Urban dwellers tend to be “more daring, more liberal, more tolerant, more experienced, more prone to trying out new products and services”
6. Being “Wellthy” – More than just a status symbol, fitness and well-being will be on an all-time high in the next few years, as people become more conscious of their bodies and living a better quality of life.
7. Get Engaged – Since everyone spends a huge amount of time online, look at offline brands trying to engage consumers in the most creative, innovative and out-of-the-box hands-on experiences that they can think of. Engagement, not just straight-forward advertising, is the key.
8. Evolution of Social Media – It’s more than just about how many Facebook friends you have. News, debates, selling, marketing, self-promotion, music, reunions, fights, viruses, events – all of these things and more will be done on either Facebook, Twitter, MySpace (yes, it’s still alive), Foursquare, podcasts, etc
9. Content Matters – Actually, the hardest thing to do is sift through all the content that is readily available at the tip of our fingertips. And even harder is to create content that other people will find meaningful and useful.
10. “They Said” Mentality – People will give value and credence to what their peers and idols say about products and issues. Before buying or supporting anything, it’s already common for you to refer to what other people have experienced already with the brand. Which makes what we write about things all the more important
11. A Spiritual Revival – As everything becomes more complex and complicated, people start looking inward into things that matter to their souls. And for us who are in the business of giving inspiration, instruction and insight through the written word, this is the perfect time to expand our reach and horizons.
Do you have your own trend forecast? What do you think will be big in 2011?
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Sources:
JWT 10 Trends That Will Shape the World
11 Crucial Consumer Trends for 2011
11 Branding and Marketing Trends for 2011
OMF Literature 