Top 10 2010 Consumer Trends From Trendwatching.com
Posted: December 22, 2009 | 18:07 ET
Amersterdam-based Trendwatching.com has just published 10 big-picture predictions for 2010.
The consumer trends firm writes, for instance, that "in thriving mega-cities, whose economic and cultural power already often surpass that of entire nations, inhabitants' identities will be closely tied to a city's culture, its brand, its heritage, its 'being.' This means that for big brands, delivering city-specific products, services and communications that truly incorporate a city's character will be a great, human and fun way to pay respect to urban citizens around the world."
Among the examples it cites:
- "The Absolut Cities Series first launched in New Orleans in 2007, when the brand developed a special mango and black pepper blend inspired by the city. Later in 2007, Absolut rolled out the City Series to Los Angeles, and in August 2009, Absolut released the taste of Boston--a black tea and elderflower vodka that has a backdrop reminiscent of Fenway Park's Green Monster."
- "Since August 2009, people using five bank machine ATMs in East London have been able to opt to have their prompts and options given to them in Cockney rhyming slang."
"EezeeRator is a free travel companion from French Air Valid that allows passengers to post airline reviews while in flight. Travelers need only download the application—an Android version is available now, with iPhone software coming next month. With an on-board wifi connection, they can then use the application to search for airline and flight information, post reviews, and send messages, tweets and pictures in real-time from their phones. All messages are moderated by the EezeeRator team, and a GPS function confirms that users are where they say they are."
Discussing a trend it dubs Tracking & Alerting, Trendspotting.com claims that it's "something that consumers actually need and want, that delights them, that they crave. They are quite literally asking for relevant information, even giving you permission to provide them with more...Learn from examples below, then start adding to the current information overload in meaningful ways...
- "The Warm Cookie Radar from Specialty's Cafe & Bakery sends customers email alerts when batches of just-baked cookies have rolled out of the oven."
- "Launched in October 2009, Lufthansa's MySkyStatus lets passengers keep their friends and loved ones up to date on their travel progress. The online service sends automatic status updates on location, altitude, departure and arrival to passengers' Twitter and Facebook pages."
- "The NetHaggler browser plug-in allows consumers to capture the details of any product from participating online retailers and then choose whether to Tag, Nag or Haggle. Tagging simply allows users to set an alert when the product reaches a certain price. If the user chooses to Nag, then their preferred price will be sent to the retailer who will respond with a yes, no, or counter offer. Haggling is similar, but allows NetHaggler to aggregate demand and negotiate a bulk discount."
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