Trendwatch

In 2009 we have observed a continued shift of influence from companies to consumers, an overall increase in corporate responsibility and a growing desire for intimacy. Brands are becoming decentralized. Since publishing content to the web and sharing it with others has become so simple and widespread through channels such as blogs, social media sites and product reviews on retailer sites, companies are no longer in complete control over the messages that are being published about their brand.

To stay relevant and maintain a good reputation, brands must work with this changing current and engage with their customers, in the digital space especially. Many brands are choosing to invest more in their social media efforts to connect with their customers, learn from them and use their feedback to innovate new products and business practices that better serve their needs and deepen their relationship with them.

Brands are also becoming more and more conscious of the need to measure their success against the triple bottom-line; economic, social and environmental. This is a trend we like to see and expect it to grow as our collective social conscious evolves around the desire to do the right thing, consumer demand goes up for doing business with responsible companies, and more companies realize that it makes economic sense.

Finally, we have identified a growing need for consumers to disassociate themselves from mega-brands and connect with ones that feel more intimate to them. Those take on a variety of forms from locally-produced, artisan-crafted goods, to focused, consumer-packaged goods that convey a friendly, humble personality.