This too shall pass

A couple of weeks ago our colleague Glory Joseph wrote an excellent, and somewhat heart-warming reminder that although we appear to be living in through a sea of change and sometimes turmoil, some things remain steady and constant.

But apart from providing welcome reassurance part of our job as media practitioners is to highlight trends, so as we come to the end of the year here are a few starters for ten that we’ll look to expand on over the coming months.

Let’s start with tech. The digital detox trend has led to a resurgence in nostalgia and we’re seeing younger consumers driving the ‘dumb phone’ movement. These minimalist devices are meeting a need for simplicity, an awareness of the negative impact of too much screen time and a more mindful approach to technology. We’re seeing millennium inspired designs with modern features from Nokia, and Motorola just marked its 95th anniversary with a Razr flip phone.

In the business world AI is starting to have a real impact with various industries incorporating it into their operations to improve efficiency and productivity. Portuguese start-up Onda recently made the headlines by appointing Chat GPT as its CEO, achieving profitability in just 1 week. 

AI is also making its way into the world of consumer fashion. Many consumers return items bought online because of poor fit, the wrong colour or a simple change of mind. We’ll see more fashion retailers enhance the online experience (and reduce returns) using AI to enhance the experience, provide recommendations, and answer questions. Canadian fashion retailer Ssense has just recently launched a Chat GPT enabled bot to help customers with personal styling.

Sustainability remains a key consumer concern and we will see more gravitate towards brands and their outlets that actively address the impact of consumerism. Zero-waste grocery stores and eco-friendly refill stores are on the rise. There are now over 100 in the UK alone.

And many brands will start to incorporate zero waste strategies into their manufacturing process. For example in the world of watch-making brands such as Timex are using ocean bound plastic in some of their timepieces whilst Tag Heuer and Diesel recently released a range of solar-powered watches.

When it comes to health and wellness we know that our diets are not always healthy and balanced which can lead to deficiencies that we are not aware of. As concern over our well-being intensifies expect to see more healthtec appearing on the market. applications. As opposed to broader diet-tracking apps, these will track signs of vitamin

deficiencies, such as discolored fingernails or rashes, helping people to redress the balance in their diet.

And away from the world of tech and AI enhanced services we’ll see a return to the ‘In Real Life’ world. Brands, and also parents, are recognising the importance of time away from the screen and real world engagement. Brands are introducing new experiences to enhance the creative growth of Generation Alpha.Lego has launched free in-store workshops for 6-12 yr olds, Boogie Board has created a range of screenless toys, and gaming company Roxs has created a pre-programmed game that you have to play outdoors. These experiences are hands-on engagement with the physical world, enabling real social interactions without using digital devices.

Sustainability, AI, tech, continue to drive a lot of change across numerous industries but there is a recognition amongst consumers and brands that ‘normal’ or ‘old fashioned’ is something we can always return to when we need it.