JWT F100 2017 PDF
JWT F100 2017 PDF
JWT F100 2017 PDF
Introduction
What a difference a year makes. As we look ahead to 2017, Markets that have long been overlooked or misunderstood are about to
markets are confident, even though assumptions have get their due. Brands are finally addressing the large and growing disabled
been shaken and narratives overturned. Amid the massive population with (Dis)ability Advertising (#39), and US Latinos are being
targeted as the polycultural, influential and diverse group they are (#38).
shifts that are sure to follow, theres never been a more
Marketers lavish attention on millennials and boomers, but what about
important time for brands to keep tabs on forecasts and
generation X? Xers: The Forgotten Generation (#35) reveals why this
emerging consumer behaviors. influential group deserves another look. In Plus Size is a Plus (#70), brands
are finally spotlighting images of women who look like their customers. And
The technology industry still continues to exercise enormous cultural and Halal Tourism (#21) sees global destinations embracing the Muslim travel
economic power, but finds itself entering unknown territory on multiple fronts. market as incomes grow.
In Silicon Soup (#17), we look at how Silicon Valley brand perceptions are
blurring as companies encroach on each others territory. Airbnb is fighting
for hearts and minds amid regulatory crackdowns in Travel Action (#28).
Responding to cultural criticism, tech brands are investing in novel ways to
prevent online abuse, as seen in Tech vs the Trolls (#14), while also helping
families carve out tech-free time with Wifi Disruptors (#13). Even in the
beauty sector, we see consumers worried about how light from screens
affects skin (#60).
I NTRO DUCTI O N TH E FUTU RE 1 0 0 3
Introduction
Last year saw society embracing topics that were previously taboo, and next Instagram, and now live-streaming culture, permeates all sectors. Elemental
year will bring entirely new industries centered around aspects of life that Hospitality (#25) looks at raw, exposed yet visually stunning places to stay
have been firmly reclaimed by consumers. Vagina-nomics (#05) examines the night. In New Nails (#57), beauty trends move away from the practical
how female sexualityonce euphemized or ignoredis now taking center toward the socially sharable, as salons retool around experience culture.
stage across multiple industries. Women are choosing to unwind with the Double-take Packaging (#34) sees products mutating into surprising new
(increasingly legal) cannabis industry in Marijuana: The New Ros? (#44). In shapes and configurations.
beauty, makeup-wearing men are spearheading a shift to Gender-neutral
Beauty (#51), while consumers of color are embracing ethnic hair products in If theres anything to be learned from this year, its that change comes rapidly,
Natural Curls (#54). and often from unexpected places. While trends like Brexterity (#62) and
Political Consumers (#37) reflect a world inevitably shaped by political
Harried consumers are seeking new forms of escapism, fantasy and storms, trends such as Civic Data (#12) or Generation Z Arts Platforms
insightan extension of the Unreality trend we identified earlier in 2016. (#06) point to a future thats propelled by immense creativity and the power
New Witches (#09) looks at young people adopting a knowing perspective of consumers. As more sectors embrace the unknown, its these forces that
on occult aesthetics, while Trippy Travel (#24) asks why millennials are will drive industry forward.
participating in an ancient Amazonian ritual. New Explorers (#90) finds
unprecedented numbers of urbanites turning to the great outdoors for Enjoy!
respite, while elsewhere, developers are creating bubbles of Artificial Nature
(#92). Innovators are even turning their attention to the most universal form of
escape in Sleep Renaissance (#84).
CO NTENTS TH E FUTU RE 1 0 0
01 11Tech +
21Travel +
31
Brands +
41
Food +
Culture Innovation Hospitality Marketing Drink
10 20 30 40 50
51Beauty
61Retail
71
Health
81 91
Lifestyle Luxury
60 70 80 90 100
4
New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
01-10
Culture
CU LTU RE TH E FUTU RE 1 0 0 6
4
01
The new
New Frontiers
experiential
of Diversity
rock stars
Two Liners
At a time when consumers are spending more time and Volvox Labs is a new media design studio that uses technology to create
money on experiences than on material goods, brands are experiences that can heighten or trigger emotions. During South by Southwest
(SXSW) 2016 they collaborated with Spotify and SoulCycle to create a
turning up the tempo by hiring experiential technologists
visual installation that responded to the cyclists to heighten their workout
to engage with their audience.
experience. Also for SXSW, Kodak Alaris collaborated with artist Marcos
Time is finally catching up to experience technologists, says Justin Luytens for The Memory Observatory, an installation that kaleidoscopically
Bolognino, founder and CEO of experience production company META. projected images and memories shared by visitors and then augmented them
is. There is a demand for technology-driven experiences because finally with sounds and smells to provoke memories and emotions captured at that
brands understand that they are the only thing that leaves an authentic specific photographic moment.
impression on the audience. Bolognino identified the gap in the market and
started representing experiential directors through his company META.is. AR Why its interesting: Consumers are flocking to technology-driven experiences
[augmented reality] and VR [virtual reality] are becoming a common part of that inspire, delight and emotionally resonate with them. Stand out from the
our lexicon, which is the first step towards recognizing the creators of these crowd and hire a leading experiential technologist to take your audience on a
experiences as the true artists and future rock stars that they are. digital trip they will never forget.
02
AI art
02
Other AI artists are using neural netscomputer programs that draw
inspiration from the architecture of the human brain. Artists Sam Kronick
and Tara Shi taught a program to recognize rocks, and then generate its
own, raising the question: what is a rock, anyway? NYU researcher Ross
Goodwin recently collaborated with film director Oscar Sharp to create a
sci-fi screenplay written by AI, which was then turned into the short film
Sunspring.
Why its interesting: The possibilities and parameters of AI in art are only
beginning to be defined. As Google and others work to expand the community
of artists using these tools, we can expect surprises in 2017 and beyondbut
dont settle for a standard solution that only uses AI as a buzzword.
03
Un-tabooing womanhood:
Global edition
In last years Future 100, we discussed how previously
taboo aspects of femininity are being unearthed and
bought to the forefront of cultural discourse. Today, open
discussion of menstruation, body hair and more are going
global, with even relatively conservative societies like
China and India getting in on the discussion.
In China, regulators still ban ads for feminine hygiene products during peak
viewing hours. But the country this year saw the launch of its first domestic
tampon brand, Danbishuang, and another new brand, Fmme, hopes to
shift perceptions of menstruation from patronizing to positive and from
conservatively traditional to symbolic of contemporary female identity,
according to Yoai, the company behind Fmme. Branding by Pearlfisher
positions the item as a premium product, and aims to dispel the stigma
around tampon usage.
03
In India, where one in five girls drop out of school after they start
menstruating, according to Nielsen and Plan India, student activists are trying
to lift the shame and stigma surrounding open discussion of the issue.
At Calicut Medical College in Kerala, students launched a menstruation-
themed haiku and poetry contest in celebration of International Womens Day.
Social media publicity resulted in entries coming in from around the country.
Were budding doctors, so if we dont talk about this, who will? activist Kavya
Menon told The Guardian. It only takes a small number of people willing to
break a taboo, and then the others will follow.
04
Post womens-interest media
The notion of womens interest media appears dated in at the lack of media specifically spotlighting queer visual culture. Focused on
an age when individuals are taking control of what gender the creative exploration of identity, Posture recently joined forces with media
incubator Wayward Wild to reimagine its visual identity and create an event
identity and expression mean to them. But what is rising
series and podcast to connect with queer communities around the world.
up to take its place?
Some of the most radical work is being done in print. Ladybeard, a UK Why its interesting: As young people radically re-examine the meaning of
print title launched in 2015, has the high-quality production values of the femininity, the many companies whose products and services rely on some
standard glossy but aims for revolutionized content. Ladybeard is a feminist version of feminine messaging and branding should be watching these new
publication but it is not just for women; we are trying to play with gender, media outlets closely, or risk failing to keep pace with changing norms.
rather than dictate its terms, say co-editors Kitty Drake, Madeleine Dunnigan
and Sadhbh OSullivan.
Ladybeards second issue takes the mind as its starting point, examining the
idea of the gendered nature of the brain, exploring racial discrimination in
mental health, looking at how emotions have changed across centuries, and
investigating the therapeutic potential of LSD. By looking at a multitude of
perspectives, from different ages, races, genders, and sexualities, we hope to
offer a more holistic, organic and radical perspective, say the editors.
05
Vagina-nomics
The female genitaliaoften euphemized or not discussed Gynecological health is also coming to the forefront. The Lady Garden
at allare taking center stage as part of the ongoing un- Campaign, fronted by Cara Delevingne, aims to increase awareness of
gynecological cancers and is an example of the increased visibility of
tabooing of womanhood.
gynecological wellbeing. The campaign, launched in 2015, urges women to
talk more openly about gynae health, without stigma or embarrassment.
Arts platform Club Clitoris regularly posts illustrations on Instagram
Topshop is supporting the cause with its Lady Garden collection, giving 30%
encouraging others to love their natural bodiesvaginas, labia, body hair,
of sales proceeds to the Gynecological Cancer Fund.
and periods included. (You can purchase prints for your apartment.) Then
theres ongoing work by artist Sophie Wallace, who made headlines in 2012
Why its interesting: Taboos are breaking down as women demand not only
for her Clitoracy art project, more recently staging Over and Over and
empowerment but also education and understanding of their bodies and
Over, an installation on a similar theme. I think more women of all ages, and
health. Meanwhile, the culture of connected modern feminism is creating new
particularly young women, are beginning to increase their sense of sexual
platforms and forums for exploring womens sexual fulfillment and celebrating
entitlement, she explains.
all aspects of their bodies.
4
New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
06
Generation Z arts platforms
The teenage girls of generation Z are showing remarkable We realized that the work of people of color has been institutionally
creative prowess. New platforms are springing up that give excluded, and so we felt like we wanted to have this space where, like, kids
felt safe sharing their artwork, said actress and activist Amandla Stenberg
voice to young and marginalized creators, challenging the
in a video for Tate Modern. Its kind of become this movement about self-
traditional power structures of the art world.
acceptance and self-love as artwork.
Why its interesting: Rather than getting girls to conform, new online platforms
flip the narrative, giving teenage creatives tools to succeed on their own terms.
07
Civic Silicon Valley
7
Oh, and SpaceX founder Elon Musk is planning to colonize Mars. Silicon
Valley's companies, and its luminaries, are taking their ambitions to a grand
scale and turning their attention to civic sectors from education to health,
transport systems and beyond.
08
The attention economy
Its the attention economy, stupid, wrote Rowland capture attention, then monetize it through advertising. This has continued,
Manthorpe, associate editor at Wired UK in November says Manthorpe, with push notifications and click-bait journalism, tweets and
social media posts. From the perspective of the tech firm, it doesnt matter
2016. He was describing the new media landscape where
what you do when youre on the app. A gif of a cat falling off a table; a photo
attention is worth more than money.
of your new-born daughter; a long read on the refugee crisis: all just content,
grist for the attention mill.
There is a growing focus on attention as a qualitative measure of success
and as a commodity in itself. Tim Wus new book The Attention Merchants:
Time is also something to be hacked to create space for more attention
The Epic Scramble to Get Inside Our Heads traces the rise of the attention
opportunities. Driverless cars and timesaving one-click purchases will free
merchants who capture our attention for resale to advertisers.
up precious hours for other attention-grabbing messaging. However, theres
At Web Summit 2016, Gary Vaynerchuk, best-selling author and CEO of also a chance of a backlash as consumers become overly saturated. Artist
VaynerMedia digital media agency, discussed day trading attention. He Keiichi Matsudas latest film Hyper-Reality paints a dystopian landscape
suggests that, while people absorb TV as background, their real attention where the world is flooded with attention-grabbing, personalized ads.
is on mobile: TV is the new radio. He also talked about abuse of attention:
Its about time. If I spend seven seconds shutting down a pop-up mobile ad, Why its interesting: Distraction will only increase as our interactions gain an
its seven seconds of my life gone. Vaynerchuk argues that marketers who extra layer of informationchatbots and voice-controlled devices such as
simply seek a click-through, whether or not it is relevant to the user, will in Amazon Echo, as well as smartphones, iPads, TVs and screens. Securing that
fact alienate the consumers they are seeking to attract. precious attention will be harder than ever. But the problem, says Manthorpe,
is that unlike other commodities, attention is fixed. We only have so much.
In this overly saturated landscape, says Manthorpe, attention is a scarce Were at a tipping point because it can only go so farits difficult to grow.
resource. Today, tech and media companies compete for attention, in the Companies are going to have to use AI to take choice away from you, he points
form of time spent on their apps and websites. The business model is simple: out, so fewer things are competing for attention.
0 8
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09
New witches
09
In recent years, weve again been bewitched. On TV, were binge-watching
Salem and American Horror Story: Coven. In art, theres Brooklyn-based
creative collective Witches of Bushwick. Wearing matching black Yeezy-esque
jerseys emblazoned with unlucky number 13, these urban witches sage
their apartments, listen to Kanye, and identify with their namesake groups
rejection of the patriarchy and the corporate world.
Maja DAoust, also known as the White Witch of Los Angeles, holds a bachelors
degree in biochemistry and a masters degree in transformational psychology,
with a focus on shamanism, from the University of Philosophical Research.
10
Diverse Hollywood
The year also led to advances for women in lead roles. There was a female-
led Ghostbusters reboot and women fronted the Oceans 11 remake, while
2017s Wonder Woman and 2019s Captain Marvel with Brie Larson will bring
much-needed female leads to the superhero blockbuster genre.
According to industry data, minority moviegoers buy more tickets per capita
than the average consumer. Statistical analytics blog FiveThirtyEight found
that films that passed the feminist Bechdel test had a higher return on
investment than the median (a film passes if it contains dialogue between
two women about something other than a man). The same trends play out at
10
the box office: The female-fronted Star Wars: The Force Awakens was 2015s
highest-grossing movie, taking in more than $2 billion worldwide. Rap biopic
Straight Outta Compton made almost $200 million, becoming the highest-
grossing biopic of all time.
If you try to be diverse for the sake of being diverse, its going to fail,
Jeff Shell, chairman of Universal, the studio behind Straight Outta Compton,
told Variety. The real reason to do it is that its good business. Our audience
is diverse.
Why its interesting: Upcoming releases show an industry that may not be
able to afford another year of #OscarsSoWhite controversy, and one that is
waking up to the power of its increasingly diverse and vocal consumers.
11-20
Tech+Innovation
TECH+I N N OVATI O N TH E FUTU RE 1 0 0 23
11
Baby tech
2016s CES, the consumer electronics trade show that Smarter monitoring devices, tech to assist with conception, and even a one-
sets the tone for the industry each year in January, saw piece baby food maker that looks like a coffee machine are all grouped under
this emerging niche market. The second year of the events BabyTech Summit,
technology for babies emerge as a new niche market.
to be presented in 2017 by Living in Digital Times, will feature new products
that help quantify a babys life, the better to assist parents. The growth in
the Internet of Baby Things is taking the parenting world by storm, Jill Gilbert,
producer of the BabyTech Summit, says in a release. Technology is enabling
things that moms of yesteryear could have only dreamed. Every challenge is
being tackled.
Even star designer Yves Bhar, beloved by Silicon Valley, is turning his
attention to the needs of the youngest consumers (and their exhausted
parents) with a smart crib called Snoo. The crib rocks agitated babies back
to sleep, while its mesh design allows for free flow of air. The babys sleep
patterns and motion can be monitored by parents via a paired app.
4
12
CivicFrontiers
New data of Diversity
Two Liners
Municipal services like water and traffic management Miner told digital news operation Route Fifty, adding that the hackathon
rarely provoke flights of passion, unless your name helped to make people feel like they have a role in their government. In
Mississippi, the Open Jackson Data Portal launched in early 2016, helping to
happens to be Leslie Knope. But now, cities are taking
find ways to increase city revenues and decrease duplicate 311 tickets.
a page from the Wikipedia playbook and open-sourcing
data for curious hackers who just might discover the next The concept has also reached Pune, India where an open data portal launched
innovation in urbanism. City planning is gaining some of in late 2016. Anyonecitizen, business owner, researcher or developercan
the sheen and cool factor of high tech. access data relating to the city, Punes municipal commissioner Kunal Kumar
tells the Indian Express.
Los Angeles is a case in point. Early in 2016 the city launched GeoHub, a map-
based portal for city data. One application developed with GeoHub is Street Why its interesting: What uses could brands and retailers find for open
Wize, which helps make sure roadwork and upkeep projects are scheduled in city data? Perhaps a better understanding of footfall and the patterns that
the most efficient way, and coordinated across departments. GeoHub serves drive shopping behavior, or maybe a sponsorship opportunity to show their
as a foundation to do the work of making smarter cities. It pulls data from investment in local communities?
many different places and weaves various perspectives to create the most
compelling maps and apps, Lilian Coral, chief data officer of Los Angeles, told
the Data-Smart City Solutions site.
A version of this idea is happening in many cities, large and small. In fall 2016,
Syracuse, New York hosted a civic data hackathon aimed at using data to
discover solutions to improve the citys roads. Its a way of bringing new
resources and new ideas to a very traditional problem, mayor Stephanie
13
Wifi disruptors
While omnipresent wifi has been a boon for public spaces In 2015, pasta sauce brand Dolmio surveyed Australian households and
and individuals alike, one group thats less than thrilled found that 38% of them felt they had no way to limit tech use during family
dinners, and a whopping 63% of arguments at the table were found to be
by the trend is parents.
related to technology. In response, Dolmio proposed the Pepper Hacker, a
pepper grinder with a disguised wifi blocker. After what the company called
unprecedented feedback, the grinder went on sale in 2016.
Mainstream companies also began to offer a wifi switch for families looking to
unplug. Google Wifi, launched in October 2016, offers a family pause switch
that suspends wifi access at dinner or bedtime. And Eero, a similar home wifi
system, launched its Family Profiles system in June 2016, allowing parents to
adjust wifi access for younger or older children on different devices.
The options on the market today feel a bit punitive by design and over-
complicate device management, wrote Nick Weaver, Eero CEO, in a company
blog post. Were taking a different approachsimplifying the process by
focusing on whats most important: time together.
Why its interesting: Research suggests that too much screen time affects
childrens sleep and emotional management, among other effects. Despite
the push for seamless and constant connection, some consumers are
equally interested in the occasional tech-aided unplug.
Google Wifi
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14
Tech vs the trolls
Online abuse is more visible than ever. Aware of their role Such efforts are not without their critics. Technology news network The Verge
in distributing these messages (and the potential damage calls Conversation AI censorious overreach, warning that the effort could
backfire and block important information on, for example, sexual health. But in
to public perceptions of their brands), tech companies
a vitriolic online world, it may be a first step toward restoring civility.
are creating tools to consistently crack down on abusive
speech. Why its interesting: Consumers are looking for comfort and reassurance in
divided times, and looking to brands to help reduce their anxieties. How could
In summer 2016, Twitter trolls subjected comedian Leslie Jones to so much AI help achieve this in your industry?
racist and sexist abuse that she quit the platform, and later went offline
altogether, for several months. Parents of young children are aware that digital
taunts can quickly get dangerously ugly. And in the United States and the United
Kingdom, the most divisive political year in recent memory was marked by
harsh recriminations on all sides, and, not infrequently, hate speech.
Yahoo has created an abuse-detecting algorithm that the company says can
accurately identify whether online comments contain hate speech in 90% of
test cases. Through a division called Jigsaw, Google is releasing Conversation
AI, which aims to use machine learning to more accurately filter out abusive
speech. I want to use the best technology we have at our disposal to
begin to take on trolling and other nefarious tactics that give hostile voices
disproportionate weight, Jigsaw founder and president Jared Cohen told
Wired.
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15
Augmented reality evolves
In January 2016, the BBC heralded the new year as the one Apple is rumored to be planning a major AR push. The companys new
where VR goes from virtual to reality. But its another iPhone 7 Plus has two cameras, which would allow the device to intelligently
sense depth and vastly improve its capacity for AR applications. Without
technology, often discussed in the same breath, that has
announcing specific plans, CEO Tim Cook gushed about AR in a July earnings
truly gone viral: the surprise success of Pokmon Go has
call: We are high on AR for the long run, we think theres great things for
put augmented reality (AR) in the pockets of millions. customers and a great commercial opportunity. Meanwhile, Alibaba created a
location-based AR mobile game to promote its Singles Day shopping event.
The geolocative technology has been around since 2010, but people havent
really found a use case for it until Pokmon Go, says new-media artist Tamiko
Thiel. The question is, what will they find that really makes use of it?
Why its interesting: AR is more accessible than VR and offers a less totalizing
sensory experience. By definition, it blends with the real world. Now that
consumers have a sense of what its like, brands can explore new ways to use
AR at scale in retail and beyond.
16
Digital India
In 2015, the Government of India launched Digital India, With access to reliable connections for the first time, these millions of Indian
a nationwide project to connect rural areas with people represent a huge potential growth market for online retail, and in
2017 the competition is expected to become intense. Amazon has pledged
broadband internet. The plan has received the backing
to invest $3 billion in the country, while home-grown e-commerce company
of Silicon Valley bigwigs including Mark Zuckerberg,
Flipkart is determined not to cede territory to the global behemoth. (In a move
who changed his Facebook profile picture in support. reminiscent of Amazons physical bookstores in the United States, Flipkart is
Microsoft, meanwhile, pledged to provide broadband building physical stores to offer assisted commerce, though specifics are
connectivity to 500,000 villages in the country. unclear at the time of writing.)
On the B2B side, theres Amazon and another claimant to the coming gold-
rush: Alibaba is signing up Indian partners including Kotak Mahindra Bank, IDFC
Bank, DHL and Aditya Birla Finance, according to a report from Quartz. Stakes
are high: Indias potentially lucrative B2B e-commerce market is expected to
grow by 2.5 times through 2020.
Why its interesting: With its geographic, logistical and regulatory hurdles,
India is a tough nut to crack for e-commerce. Whether an American, Chinese
or Indian company ultimately corners the market, the winners in the next year
may have a broad impact.
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17
Silicon soup
Technology companies at the top of the Silicon Valley The relaunch of Facebooks Marketplace feature and Instagrams upgraded
hierarchy are looking outside their original mission as click-to-shop ads position both as potentially significant players in
e-commerce. Googles Express delivery service debuted in 2013 and by the
they strive for innovation and growth, often borrowing
end of 2016, the same-day delivery service was expected to cover the entire
from their neighbors playbook, collapsing the lines
United States, encroaching into the territory of Amazon Prime.
between brands.
Why its interesting:Its no surprise that tech companies want to compete in
Consider the red-hot delivery sector. In October 2016, Facebook added an profitable markets. What is surprising is the degree to which all technology
option to order food from a business page. UberEats, which evolved from the companies seem to be encroaching on each others area of specialization.
companys Santa Monica based delivery service UberFresh, launched in 2015 As consumers get used to Silicon Valley brands blurring their own lines, tech
and has expanded steadily since. Once ruled by dedicated delivery platforms companies will be left to sort out the competitionprovided they havent
like GrubHub or Seamless, food delivery is now facing challenges from a social already been cannibalized.
media platform and a ride-sharing app.
Facebook food
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18
Social virtual reality
At the 2014 Web Summit, Oculus Rift CEO Brendan Iribe Why its interesting: Social networks have had a transformative impact on
pointed to revolutionized communication as the biggest how consumers interact, network, and discover content and new experiences.
As VR emerges, providing rich landscapes for storytelling and immersion, it
opportunity in VR. Next, Facebook promised to enable
could further be enhanced by allowing consumers to interact in virtual worlds,
teleporting by 2025.
fictional or real.
19
Security in the IoT
In October 2016, a massive national cyberattack took The experiment prompted an extensive security review (and a 1.4 million
down popular sites for nearly an entire day. Hackers used vehicle recall) from Chrysler. And in November 2016, researchers at Israels
Weizmann Institute of Science and Canadas Dalhousie University hacked
home devices such as routers, security cameras and DVRs
a set of Philips smart lightbulbs through a drone, proving the feasibility of
connected to the Internet of Things.
remote attacks. And with the Internet of Things encroaching everywhere from
For consumers, the attack was one of the greatest security fears around the office to the nursery, consumer privacy is also in play.
new technology brought to life.More than 20 billion devices are expected
to be connected to the Internet of Things by 2020, according to technology Why its interesting: In the United States and the United Kingdom, consumers
research firm Gartner, meaning that more than five million devices will be care more about brands management of their personal data than about price,
brought online per day. This deluge of smart appliances means that, without according to a survey conducted by J. Walter Thompsons SONAR division.
proper security measures, hackers could have more access points to a Future Internet of Things companies will have to work much harder than their
consumers home network than ever. predecessors to convince consumers that products are safe.
If we want to put networked technologies into more and more things, we also
have to find a way to make them safer, Michael Walker, a computer security
expert at DARPA, the Pentagons advanced research arm, tells the New York
Times. Its a challenge for civilization.
The results can be far more nefarious than a frozen web. In 2015, a pair of
hackers carrying out car-jacking research successfully hijacked a Jeeps
digital system, cutting the brakes and causing the car to come to a standstill
in the middle of the highway.
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20
Techucation
In October 2016, tech giants Apple and IBM partnered Why its interesting: The style and quality of education is changing, and tech
brands are stepping in to engage with young students by assisting, teaching
to introduce IBM Watson Element for Educators, an app
and evolving with them. The 2015 Gallup Student Poll survey revealed that
that intuitively measures a students interests, learning
only 50% of students in grades five through 12 feel engaged during school.
experiences and behavior. The IBM Watson Element for Educators app aims to instill confidence and
enthusiasm for school in students, and gather individual information for
The app helps teachers gain a deeper understanding of individual needs and educators to further improve students learning quality.
personalize their teaching styles from the data aggregated. For example,
if a student has difficulties with a specific subject, educators are able to
personalize content by integrating the students hobbies to engage him or her,
which, according to IBM, has previously proved an effective technique.
IBM Watson Element for Educators in collaboration with Apple, October 2016
4
New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
21-30
Travel+Hospitality
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Halal tourism
The tourism industry is waking up to the growing city tourism commissioner Yu-Yen Chien told Malay Mail Online. In Japan,
spending power of the Muslim traveler, particularly in Muslim-friendly tour operators report rising business, and the Syariah Hotel
Fujisan opened in July 2016 to host Muslim tourists visiting the area near
Europe and Asia, which account for 87% of the market.
Mount Fuji.
Taiwans capital Taipei has provided prayer rooms at the citys main train
station, while seven new halal restaurants opened in the city during 2016,
2
22
Gen Z hotels
2
Marriott created an innovation lab at its Charlotte property to explore
features for the next generation of travelers, with beta buttons for
customers to give feedback at any point during their stay. The propertys
rotating concepts include a market of local small businesses, curbside
check-in and on-demand workouts in the high-tech fitness center. Successful
initiatives will eventually roll out to all Marriott properties.
The demographic of our guests is changing, and its very important to stay
in dialogue with them, managing director Mike Dearing told Fast Company.
Generation Z are discerning consumers, but travel is extremely important to
this global-minded and diverse demographic, 42% of whom say they travel to
make their lives more complete, according to the Cassandra Report.
Marriott hotel
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23
Polar travel
At the opposite end of the planet, the White Desert camp in the interior of
Antarctica has been fitted with new luxurious amenities, such as bamboo
headboards, Saarinen chairs, fur throws, and en suite bathrooms stocked with
sustainable Lost Explorer-brand toiletries, according to Bloomberg. Guests
will be able to sail to the Antarctic aboard the Crystal Endeavor, a new luxury
megayacht debuting in August 2018.
Why its interesting: As the urge to post the perfect travel shot on social
media pushes people ever further into the wild, travel and hospitality brands
are under increasing pressure to provide novel experiences.
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Trippy travel
In past decades, countercultural types flocked to the Participants at the 2016 World Ayahuasca Conference in Rio Branco, Brazil,
coffee shops of Amsterdam to sample legal marijuana, but heard that an estimated 40 therapeutic retreats around the world now
specialize in ayahuasca, a potent psychoactive brew of vines and leaves used
todays aspiring psychonauts are traveling farther afield.
as traditional spiritual medicine among the indigenous residents of Amazonia.
Ayahuasca tourism has exploded in the past few years.
Perhaps it was only a matter of time after Chelsea Handler indulged on
camera from Peru for her Netflix show, but the backlash has already begun:
Millennials on spirit quests are ruining everything about ayahuasca,
proclaimed Vice. Indeed, channeling demand for ayahuasca into benefits for
indigenous people has proven difficult, and efforts in this area are ongoing.
But demand is only going up. With the potential therapeutic benefits of
psychedelics increasingly studied and reported on, and young people
interested in mindfulness as an escape from cyber-states of mind,
ayahuasca may be to the 2010s what LSD was to the 1960sa shortcut to the
enlightenment du jour.
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Elemental
New Frontiers
hospitality
of Diversity
Two Liners
The latest hospitality experience opens the doors Why its interesting:
(and walls) to guests desiring a closer connection The popularity of Null Stern Hotels
open-air concept has shown that
with Mother Nature.
consumers are demanding new and
novel ways of disconnecting and being
Null Stern Hotel invites guests to an open-air double bed in the Swiss Alps,
fully immersed in nature. The room,
6,463 feet above sea level. The hotel provides a butler to deliver food to
which costs roughly $300 a night,
guests, and a public restroom is only 10 minutes away. The hotel concept
strips back to hospitality basics and
launched in July 2016 and is already booked through the end of 2017, according
redefines the hotel experience.
to co-founder Daniel Charbonnier. There are already plans to launch more of
the same hotel concept across the Swiss countryside.We wish to bring back
guests to the center of the creative process while pushing the boundaries of
the hospitality industry, says Charbonnier. In the last 10 to 15 years, guests
have shifted their focus from tangible to intangible aspects of hospitality,
such as guest service, emotional experience, guest recognition, and
anticipation of needs.
A similar wall-less hotel concept called Memu Earth Hotel launched this
summer in Hokkaido, Japan. Guests are whisked away into the heart of the
Japanese countryside with the stars as their blanket. For those needing some
boundaries, the hotel also offers a premium plan which includes a fully kitted
yurt-like tent.
The Only Star is You by Null Stern Hotel, Switzerland, 2016. Photography by Atelier fr Sonderaufgaben
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The Only Star is You by Null Stern Hotel, Switzerland, 2016. Photography by Atelier fr Sonderaufgaben
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Homeware hospitality
Home goods chains are expanding into the hospitality Boutique hotels with an established lifestyle component to their brand
sector, hoping to cash in on consumers desires for are also hoping the idea works in reverse. Londons Artist Residence hotel
recently launched an online store, where guests can purchase trendy
lifestyle brands that offer more than just towels.
furniture and artwork straight from the hotels rooms.
Restoration Hardware kicked off the trend last year by announcing plans for
Why its interesting: As The Innovation Group noted in the Frontier(less)
a hotel in New York Citys meatpacking district. (The hotel has yet to set an
Retail report, the boundaries between retail and other sectors are breaking
opening date.) This fall, West Elm announced that its first hotels would open
down. The hospitality sector is the latest industry that stands to benefit from
in Detroit and Savannah in 2018. All rooms will be designed and furnished
becoming shoppable.
entirely by West Elm. If they like the furniture, guests can purchase pieces
either through the chains app or via the West Elm website.
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DNA tourism
For generations, Americans of European descent have Why its interesting: As more people become aware of DNA testing and the
journeyed back to Ireland, Germany and elsewhere science behind it improves, were likely to gain an even more precise picture of
our origins, and genetic heritage tourism is likely to grow. Which sector will be
seeking a connection to their ancestors. But for obvious
the next to see products personalized by DNA?
and tragic reasons, most black Americans have had little
idea of their specific originsuntil recently.
DNA testing services such as 23andMe and AncestryDNA are now able to
identify specific countries in Africa likely to have been home to an individuals
ancestors. The Nomadness Travel Tribe, an interest group whose 14,000
members are mostly black women, conducted a survey and found that 30%
of members had used a DNA kit to determine their ancestry, and 6% were
actively planning a trip based on the findings. These trips arent your typical
Kenyan safari.
Genetic heritage tourism may be in its infancy, but it has already caught the
imagination of the wider public: Travel search engine Momondo caused a
social media stir with a campaign that offered people DNA tests to determine
which parts of the world their ancestors came from, and then offered to
take them to those places. People often ended up journeying far from where
they expected. The resulting video ad has been viewed over 175 million times,
according to Momondocomparable to music videos from leading pop stars.
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Travel action
More travel and hospitality brands are putting their Why its interesting: Expect more travel platforms to leverage their existing
ethical credentials front and center, as discerning networks for social responsibility initiativesand more ethical stances from
hospitality providers in generalas the impact of travel becomes more
travelers demand transparency.
widely known.
Helping shore up its green credentials, Airbnb also recently partnered with
energy services provider SolarCity, which will offer Airbnb hosts up to $1,000
in rebates on home solar panels. SolarCity customers can also receive a $100
credit toward travel with Airbnb.
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New Orleans
Next year, New Orleans will expand its events cachet with Collision, a rapidly
growing tech conference.Last year, New Orleans had the biggest growth rate
for international travelers of any US city, and seems ready for more.
Next spring, British Airways will add nonstop flights from London to New
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Orleans in what local business leaders called a game-changer. Condor
Airlines will also add seasonal flights to Germany in 2017. The city also plans
to open a tourism bureau in China next year, laying the groundwork for drawing
more Asian tourists to the region.
As interest in the city grows, the hip Ace Hotels group has opened its first
New Orleans outpost. Launched in March, the Ace Hotel New Orleans has
turned a 1928 art deco building on the outskirts of the French Quarter into a
hip high-rise with a rooftop pool and its own music venue.
Why its interesting: The Big Easy hasnt had it easy in recent years. But
after a decade of rebuilding, New Orleans vibrant arts sector and growing
hospitality scene mean that its open for business.
Ace Hotel New Orleans, opened in spring 2016. Located in downtown New Orleans
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Ace Hotel New Orleans, opened in spring 2016. Located in downtown New Orleans
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Three travel spots
The Middle East may grab headlines more for its geopolitical
conflicts than its luxury resorts, but that hasnt stopped
adventurous travelers from exploring the regions hidden gems.
The following countries are poised for a tourism boom in 2017:
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Gamevertising
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media platform Twitch does not quite computeis this
really entertaining? But for a generation of digital-native
gamersmostly, but not all, maleits intuitive.
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The Carls Jr brand, which aspires to reach young, hungry guys, sponsored
a Twitch rollout of the gaming-focused Waypoint platform, Vice Medias
newest vertical. This audience appreciates the rawness that these live ads
presented, and they roll with it, Brad Haley, CMO of Carls Jr owner CKE
Restaurants, told Adweek.
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VR ads
VR is still in the early stages of adoption. But with headsets like Googles $79
This year, it finally seemed that consumers
Daydream View or the $29 Xiaomi Mi VR making VR more accessible than ever,
were ready for virtual reality (VR). Are brands?
mass adoption of VR suddenly seems much closer than it used to. As more
consumers embrace VR, the question arises: Will it one day be common for
users to see advertisements in VR, sponsoring games or video clips? In fact,
the future for VR ads is already here. In October 2016, publisher Gannett ran
ads in VR on a new virtual reality talk show called VRtually There. Users were
transported to a cube-shaped room, where a 15-second Toyota Camry video
ad played from each wall.
Why its interesting: Virtual reality may be a fringe content platform now, but by
2026 the industry is projected to bring in $38 billion in revenues, says Greenlight
Insights. Brands should experiment in the sector sooner rather than later.
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Age of the single lady
Single women are a powerful consumer force. But do brands know how to
reach them? The challenge for marketers will be communicating with single
women as if they were people, rather than defining them by their unmarried
status, Rebecca Traister, author of 2016s All the Single Ladies, told the
Innovation Group. You still tend to see marketing reach out to women based
on the fact that they are single.
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In China, where young unmarried women are still called leftover women,
skincare brand SK-II launched a documentary-style ad in April 2016 that
challenged perceptions of singledom through the voices of three young women
and their parents. The campaign touched a nerve and spread rapidly, earning
more than 2.7 million views on Chinese social media within just a few days.
Aside from singledom, women are redrawing the map in other important
ways. In the United States, nearly half of women of childbearing age are
childless, says census data. Online communities like SavvyAuntie show the
rising strength of this demographic, which spends an average of 35% more
per person on groceries and twice as much on hair and beauty products,
according to a DeVries report. Womanhood Redefined, an innovative 2014
promotion at the Westin New York Grand Central, was aimed exclusively at
this Otherhood group.
The Age of the Single Lady stands to shift how marketers think about women
overall. I think, ultimately, its about acknowledging that women are motivated
by all kinds of things, including romance, sex, work, a desire for travel, and
familial comfort, Traister said. Its about acknowledging women as full
human consumers.
Why its interesting: As consumers, women are too often placed in boxes like
mom or wife. Not only do these boxes not speak to womens experience,
they also leave out certain consumer groups entirely. Its up to the next
generation of advertising to move past that.
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Double-take packaging
What is this? A fragrance or a detergent? In late 2015, Designers are borrowing forms from other categories and bidding farewell to
Moschino Fresh took a very familiar, everyday household packaging stereotypes. The Beauty Chefs food products are packaged and
cleaning bottle as its latest fragrance container. At marketed for beauty, as is Super Elixir by WelleCoa supplement stocked in
retail stores under both beauty and food.
a glance it looks as though product designers are
deliberately confusing consumers, but they are actually
In autumn 2016, organic garment-care specialist Tangent GC moved into
responding to consumers who are increasingly adopting a personal care with the launch of perfumed soaps. The bottle aesthetic
holistic approach to wellbeing. remains the same as the companys garment and shoe care products, despite
the new products purpose being very different.
Apa Beauty, an oral-care brand launched early 2016, crosses into the beauty
sector and adopts a clean, minimalist cosmetic design approach. Ilas kitchen
ingredients are delivered in sleek black bottles and containers reminiscent
of beauty packaging. The scent of luxury laundry detergent LEaundry was
inspired by high-end perfume.
Why its interesting: Reconsider where your product can sit on the retail shelf
by rethinking the packaging first. Food brands can be marketed for beauty,
beauty products can adopt the form of cleaning productsthis is about
maximizing the retail floor by breaking the packaging norms.
Honey by Ila
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Xers: the forgotten generation
Remember generation X? The so-called slacker of youthfulness and cool for as long as we possibly could, she said. Now,
generation, now aged 35 to 55, seems to have slunk off generation X for the first time in its history finds itself quite uncomfortably
sandwiched in the middle. Its not young and cool any more, and it doesnt have
into obscurity as far as marketers are concerned (at least
the sort of economic or power of time that the boomers have above them.
compared to millennials, boomers and, increasingly,
generation Z). But now, the overlooked gen Xers are now Nonetheless, Darke says, gen X is a potent influencer group. We are in a
set to have their moment (again). position where we are influencing our elders, our elderly parents, specifically
in things like digital, helping them to get online, helping them to navigate this
Karen Grant of NPD group characterizes gen X as highly engaged users new fast culture. And of course were bringing up the generation Z underneath
when it comes to beauty products. In the 35- to 54-year-old group, more as well so we are influencing them. I would say that we are profoundly
women are using five or more makeup products, which is more than the 18- to important for brands to talk to.
24-year-olds and as many as 25- to 34-year-olds, she told Racked.
Why its interesting: Were used to hearing about millennials as the first digital
Media industry veteran Emilie McMeekan cofounded The Midult, a media natives, but what about gen Xers status as a bridge between the digital and
platform aimed at women in this age group, after noticing a gap in the market. analog worlds? Watch as marketers take a new look at this cohort.
The conversations we were having with our friends and our colleagues in our
age group just werent chiming with what was aimed at us in the media, she
says. We want to be the Lad Bible for middle-aged women.
Tiffanie Darke, author of the forthcoming book Now We Are 40, thinks
brands are making a mistake to overlook this group. We were basically the
generation that invented the term middle youth, and we hung on to the mantle
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Unexpected platform tie-ups
Go where your audience is, they say, and Hood By Air Why its interesting: Tinder has an estimated 50 million users. In 2015, over
hit the headlines at New York Fashion Week in September four million hours of porn were streamed on Pornhub. Grindr has 10 million-
plus users. Dating and porn hubs arent just a provocative, headline-grabbing
2016 by collaborating with Pornhub, the online porn
tie-up opportunity; they also boast large audiences and frequent daily
streaming platform.
engagement. Location-based apps such as Happn also have the added benefit
of potential contextual data. Watch this space.
Models walked the catwalk in garments emblazoned with phrases such as Never
Trust a Church Girl, Do You Know Where Your Children Are and Hustler.
Grindr, the worlds largest gay social app, recently created its first capsule
fashion collection to raise awareness and funds for LGBT athletes. In January
2016, Grindr also teamed up with London designer JW Anderson and streamed
the designers AW16 show. Campaigns for Calvin Klein, Budweiser and other
lifestyle brands have worked with Tinder.
Hood by Air in collaboration with Pornhub for New York Fashion Week, Fall 2016
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Political consumers
Maria Grazia Chiuris Dior debut at New York Fashion Week fall 2016
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Three key trends:
The Hispanic consumer
Hispanic-first approach The new polycultural America
US Hispanics have become trendsetters in the digital, food, music, beauty and The combination of a more vocal and proud Latino community and the
fashion sectors, helping the entire nation to stretch its limits and experiment polycultural nature of US millennials and generation Z are resulting in more
with new brands, ideas and products. From Hispanics traditionally being an Hispanic values and brands crossing over to reshape the mainstream culture.
afterthought in siloed marketing plans, marketers are transitioning into a Total
Market targeting approach: Latino insights informing the overall marketing Growing numbers of Americans are polycultural, embracing cultural
strategy from inception, says Antonio Nuez, head of planning at the *SCPF experiences beyond their own heritage while also maintaining strong
agency. Why? Because Latinos are the ultimate influence machines. attachments to their heritage: 65% of US millennials say their preferences in
food and cooking have been shaped by their interactions with people of other
This escalating role of the Latino community influence can be explained races and ethnicities, 59% say the same of music, 53% of movies and 53% of
because Hispanics are digitally savvy, early adopters and vocal when fashion and clothing, according to Kantar Futures.
sharing their discoveries. Hispanic Americans over-index the general market
considerably when it comes to social media use. According to eMarketer, Among Hispanics, 55% consider themselves bicultural, according to GfKs
76.6% of US Hispanic internet users accessed social networks at least KnowledgePanel Latino, up from 43% in 2009. The cultural shift towards retro-
monthly in 2015, versus 69.4% of all US internet users. Kantar Media finds that acculturation (Hispanics going back to their roots and being proud of their origins)
59% of Hispanics Tweet, Facebook and text about a TV show while that show combined with the fact that they are the most digitally savvy group, means that
is live, versus 37% of non-Hispanic whites. young Latinos are expressing their cultural pride online more than ever.
Why its interesting:As the Hispanic market delivers superior return on Why its interesting: Hispanic brands have an opportunity to go from niche to
investment per marketing dollar than the general market, brands might mainstream, and this is already happeningCorona beer, Carolina Herrera,
consider investing in Hispanics first, not as an afterthought. Zara and Manolo Blahnik are just a few examples.
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The Urban Institute forecasts that Latinos will account for 55.5% of
new homeowners between 2010 and 2020. They are also enthusiastic
entrepreneurs; 47% of Hispanic millennials perceive owning their own business Why its interesting:
as a strong indicator of success and 48% view it as a future goal, according to While African Americans have found
the Sensis marketing agency. their luxury icons in cars, spirits, retail
and so on, the Hispanic luxury segment
Upscale Latinos are young, tech-savvy, big users of mobile, have large in many categories is up for grabs.
families, and are likely to be dual income earners, which makes them a Brands have the opportunity to create
very attractive untapped segment. And they are highly concentrated in five truly iconic luxury brands for Latinos
cosmopolitan US cities (LA, Houston, Miami, New York and Chicago). by culturally connecting with them.
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(Dis)ability advertising
In the age of Transparent, Orange is the New Black, people, in the United States have a disability, and that ratio is expected to
and other groundbreaking television, viewers have grow substantially over the next several years, yet for the most part, few
are represented in ads and many are challenged to find representation in the
seen many characters belonging to groups that havent
industry, Loebner continues. Advertising plays a role in shifting understanding
been portrayed previously, but there has been little
and attitudes, Loebner says. The inclusion of disability in advertising is
representation of disabled people in either television or imperative to better educate, interpret, and accept people with disabilities as
advertising. That is now changing. a viable part of our economy, community and culture.
Speechless, a new ABC show, has a central character named JJ who has Why its interesting: As mentioned above, the disabled population is much
cerebral palsy, but is, crucially, three-dimensional and not defined by his larger than many of us believe. Add to this the many people caring for
disability. The New York Times Disability series features personal essays on disabled people, and there is a huge opportunity for brands to promote
topics from deaf rights to the importance of facial equality to reproductive empathy toward the disabled. As this group becomes more conscious of a
decisions for disabled people. The Paralympics also offered an opportunity shared identity, it will also become a larger market.
for brands to celebrate the achievements of athletes.
Still, its very early days for visibility for the disabled, including in the ad
industry. While pockets within advertising are championing and advancing
greater inclusion of people with disabilities, large opportunities still exist
for many segments of the industry to make better strides, says Josh
Loebner, director of strategy at Tennessee-based agency Designsensory
and a member of the advisory board of the Global Alliance for Disability
in Media and Entertainment. Nearly one in five adults, or over 53 million
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She owns it
Weve seen movements for gender equality in Hollywood Thalia Mavros, founder of media platform The Front, places female ownership
representation, Silicon Valley and even Madison Avenue, at the core of her business model. Even though we see a huge disparity in
ownership, we still had a few potential investors aggressively challenge the
so whats next? Increasingly, brands of all stripes are
importance of investing in female media entrepreneurs, says Mavros. A few
highlighting their commitment to ownership structures,
heated arguments and door slams later, I am proud to say we are founded and
supply chains and staff that are either exclusively or run by women, our investor has a female chief executive at the helm, and even
proportionately female, and some are using this as a our board of directors is all-female.
selling point.
Manufactory, the latest project from San Franciscos Tartine Bakery, offers
a wine list with at least half of selections sourced from vineyards that have
women owners. In a male-dominated industry, its not the easiest quota to
meet. When we had this conversation not long ago about the wine list, I was
mortified with myself that it was not even on my radar, the aspect of having
female producers on there, Tartine co-owner Elisabeth Prueitt told online
drinks magazine Punch. Over 50% of my staff are female, and its important
to mirror those qualities in every aspect of the operation.
Why its interesting: Women are looking for brands to pay more than just lip
service to feminismeven a hyper-inclusive H&M ad campaign was criticized
by some in light of the brands reliance on low-paid female labor in developing
countries. Build in feminism throughout your supply chain to stand out.
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Spiked seltzer
Craft brewers and major labels alike are lining up to offer these new wellness-
branded products. In March, the Wachusett Brewing Company rolled out Nauti
Seltzer, an attempt to diversify its brand in the crowded craft beer market.
Anheuser-Busch InBev acquired SpikedSeltzer in September, while the Boston
4
Beer Company launched Truly Spiked & Sparkling in April.
1
Theres a reason you see people in yoga pants all over New York Citynot
because theyre working out, Valerie Toothman, vice president for marketing
innovation at Anheuser-Busch InBev told Bloomberg in August. Its this idea
that a kind of health and wellbeing is the new premium.
The alcohol sector is playing off the meteoric rise in interest in flavored sparkling
waters. Flavored sparkling water brand LaCroix has become an unlikely cult hit,
with sales exploding from $65 million in 2010 to $226 million in 2015.
SpikedSeltzer
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Three hot spirits
Hangar 1 vodka
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Ayurvedic eating
In fall 2016, New York Citys first Ayurvedic restaurant, Divyas Kitchen, opened
in the East Village. If the explosion in popularity of turmeric is any indication,
theres sure to be more to follow. Turmeric, a bright-orange spice used in the
Ayurvedic system to fight disease, is one of todays trendiest superfoods
thanks to its powerful anti-inflammatory powers. It was ranked as one of the
years top food trends by Google, and can be found in lattes and juices at
hip eateries including Los Angeles Sqirl, where chef Jessica Koslow ranks it
among her favorite ingredients.
Why its interesting: Ayurvedic eating aligns with the next-gen wellness
consumers, who are looking to foods with a function.
Sqirl restaurant, LA
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Marijuana: the new ros?
In a Vanity Fair interview in March, newly minted Women are also angling to play a key role in cannabusiness. In LA, Cheryl
ganjapreneur Whoopi Goldberg expressed frustration Shuman, founder of the Beverly Hills Cannabis Club, has been dubbed the
Martha Stewart of Marijuana for her work with groups including Moms for
that women were still considered a niche market in the
Marijuana. In Colorado, Jane West runs Edible Events, one of the states
medical marijuana industry. This niche is half the
premiere pot catering companies; shes also the founder of Women Grow, a
population on the earth, she laughed. networking group that aims to make female leadership a key component of
the growing cannabis industry.
Whoopi & Maya, a collaboration between Goldberg and Maya Elisabeth,
launched in April 2016 with a line of cannabis-infused edibles designed to treat Why its interesting: The perception of female weed smokers is changing
menstrual cramps. Foria, a company perhaps best known for its cannabis- radically: TV shows, such as 2014s Broad City or this years Mary + Jane,
based lube Foria Pleasure, also launched a cannabis suppository this year illustrate that women can be smart and stylish, and still unwind with a joint.
to treat cramps. Today, however, women in the marijuana market are looking With recreational marijuana newly legalized in California, Maine, Nevada and
beyond remedies for menstrual pain. Massachusetts, its clear that the drug doesnt suffer the same stigma it used to.
In fact, marijuana may be on its way to overtaking wine as the hip indulgence
of choice. In West Hollywood, White Rabbit High Tea hosts a chic tea party for
women, with a focus on vaporizers rather than hot drinks. Gourmet edibles,
including Dfonc dark chocolate bars and Angel Haus cannabis ice cream,
mean you can also bring the party home. Marijuana accessories are even
getting a high-end feminine makeover from brands such as AnnaBs, who
designed a chic handbag with concealed pockets for lighters or vapes.
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Smart kitchens
Moley has created the worlds first robotic kitchen, Why its interesting: The smart appliances market is forecast to grow at
which is set to launch for consumer purchase in 2017 a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.4% between 2015 and 2020,
according to research company Research and Markets. Whether it is simply a
and claims to include an iTunes-style library of recipes.
pan or an entire robotic kitchen, companies are investing in the smart kitchen,
Kitchens and their appliances are becoming smarter,
giving consumers the tools to serve up the perfect, healthy menu.
making cooking more intuitive and complex meals
more accessible.
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New vegan
Jackfruit, a spiny-shelled Asian fruit thats closely related to the fig, has
been popping up on menus around the country as the fruits texture makes a
convincing, all-natural alternative to pork. Brooklyn pop-up Chickpea & Olive
makes its barbecue jackfruit sandwich southern style, with pickles and fried
shallots. In London, Club Mexicana makes jackfruit tacos, while Seattles No
Bones Beach Club has the fruit in flautas form. It has even appeared on the
menu at authentic barbeque spots, including Sneakys BBQ in San Francisco.
Why its interesting: New natural vegan alternatives dont stop at jackfruit.
Try coconut jerky, cauliflower nuggets, or any of the nut milks currently
sweeping the country. As even vegan foodies seek more natural, unprocessed
options, plant butchers will finally have the chance to shine.
47
Drive-up grocery wars
7
milk, meats and other perishable items that customers
can take home, according to the Wall Street Journal.
A Seattle-area location is in the works, and reports suggest the service will be
available to AmazonFresh subscribers, who currently pay $15 per month for
the companys grocery delivery service. Walmart, meanwhile, began testing
curbside grocery pickup last year, and has recently rolled out the service in
Portland, Oregon and other markets.
The stage is set for increasingly pitched battles between the two retail
giants. While Amazon possesses the stronger e-commerce delivery network,
Walmart has the advantage in terms of store footprint, with its 3,500 US
supercenters ready for conversion into pickup points (70% of Americans are
said to live within five miles of a Walmart). At this point, it could go either way.
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Nootropics
Blame Silicon Valley. Following the optimized nutrition cumulative long-term benefits. Hackers Brew starts with the highest-quality
trend (embodied by brands such as Soylent, featured in ingredients, including organic coffee, coconut cream and cacao. We then
added a good dose of adaptogens, and extended the half-life of caffeine so
last years Future 100 report), startups are using so-called
that it lasts longer. Full-day performance, with the same amount of caffeine
bio hacking to engineer products that offer brain-
as a normal cup of coffeethis isnotyour ordinary coffee experience!
boosting properties without negative side effects. promises the company.
The Nootrobox startup, fresh from a $2 million seed investment by Why its interesting: Self optimization is the watch word of the wellbeing
Andreessen Horowitz, has launched Go Cubes, a new chewable coffee gummy movement, which is now moving beyond natural enhancement to body
candy product. Packaged in cartoonish, candy-like wrapping, Nootrobox hacking, and rising comfort. With the desire to both chemically stimulate and
Go Cubes are made with L-theanine, B6, and methylated B12 that improve self-improve while still emphasizing natural, consumers continue to want it all.
caffeine for enhanced focus & clarity. Two cubes are equal to an entire cup of
coffee, according to the brand.
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Three new proteins
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Bygone fast-food revival
The past two years have been defined by a backlash fast-food market, mainly coming from California: Locol, launched by Daniel
against fast-food giants offering cheap food laden with Patterson and Roy Choi, brings healthy locally sourced fast food at an
affordable price point to California residents.
chemicals, sugar and soynot to mention sodas.
Amys Drive Thru, a vegetarian fast-food restaurant, follows similar principles:
Once heralded as wonders of food standardization and affordable quality,
Amys Drive Thru is returning to the roots of American fast food, serving
this side of the industry has been replaced by a message that emphasizes the
lovingly handcrafted food to nourish hard-working citizens, busy families and
artisanal and handmade, as companies seek to reassure consumers that
road-weary travelers. The aesthetic of early American fast-food restaurants
goods are healthy.
is also being revisited. Torchys Tacos, launched in Austin, Texas in 2006,
references mid-century American roadside buildings and signage. A new
A new crop of restaurants is now seeking to revive fast food by revisiting its
Austin branch that opened in 2016 on the site of a 1970s burger joint features
roots. There was a time when fast food was house-made and nutritious,
a distinctive zigzag profile supported by red-painted structural columns.
when the ingredients used were unadulterated and understandable. Weve
turned that past into the present, reads the website of Starbird, a recently
Why its interesting: Its the latest sign that were entering a post-artisan era
launched California chicken restaurant. Our positively delicious food, served
where an apron and a mustache no longer necessarily denote quality. These
from morning til night, is the result of a few essential elements: purposefully
restaurant concepts also share more than a hint of Americana, celebrating
sourced, quality ingredients, an unwavering commitment to cook in house, and
early fast food restaurants where affordable quality was the mission. They
never sacrificing flavor and ultimate craveability.
formed a key part of American culture in the 1950s and 1960s and were a
source of national pride because standardization allowed them to produce
Menu items include Chicken and the Egg, a sandwich made with crispy
cheaply at scale. As many businesses place social good at the core of their
chicken, egg, organic American cheese, bacon and a house-baked roll. The
DNA, embracing this early stage in American fast food is a creative way to
Chicken Feed breakfast dish features Greek yogurt, local fruit preserves
offer quality at accessible prices for consumers of all incomes.
and small batch granola. Starbird is one of a few recent additions to the
4
New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
51-60
Beauty
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51
Gender-neutral beauty
Legions of makeup-wearing men on YouTube, Instagram Its not that women arent also doing this. But male MUAs (short for
and other platforms are adding a new twist to the long- makeup artists) are breaking the strong social taboo against men wearing
makeup, and getting a lot of attention for it. The most obvious sign of this
standing debate about beauty and feminism. Rather
shift was CoverGirls decision in October 2016 to feature a Cover Boy in
than framing their work as a way to conceal perceived
its advertisements for the first timethe teenage Instagram star James
flaws, these men are using their faces as a canvas for Charles. Other popular male makeup wearers on Instagram include Skelotim,
creative expression, and reminding consumers of the whose looks are often inspired by his favorite snack foods, and Angel Merino,
transformative power of beauty products in a fresh way. whose glam style has netted him 1.2 million Instagram followers.
Why its interesting: While the market for mens makeup is likely to remain
small, the widespread appeal of male makeup-wearing personalities on
social media suggests that all consumers, including women, are hungry for
an approach to beauty that focuses on creative enhancement. Repositioning
makeup as a creative tool rather than a feminine product could boost sales.
52
Beauty tech
In 2015, French company Feeligreen launched the i-feel Beauty, a set of face
and body creams with an electronic device to apply them via micro-currents
and LED light therapy. The device is steered by a smartphone or tablet app
which can make personalized application recommendations. In 2016, Wired
Beauty used Kickstarter to launch Mapo, a connected face mask that links
with the users phone and analyzes the wearers skin to suggest the optimal
beauty routine. WAY, a compact-sized device from South Korea that began
shipping in the spring, can monitor a users skin as well as the environment,
making product recommendations based on weather and pollution levels.
i-feel Beauty
B E AUT Y
52
By tracking a users skin conditions, connected beauty devices provide the
ultimate in personalized experience. And companies are just beginning to
scratch the surface. Research firm Gartner predicts almost 21 billion devices
will be connected to the Internet of Things by 2020. Mintel suggests that
future implementations could include conductive makeup with sensors or
cameras, antiperspirants that report on sweat levels and composition, and
hair grips that measure hair hydration.
Is it possible that makeup brands will even begin launching Silicon Valley
style technology hubs? In fact, one already has. In January 2015, LOrals
Technology Incubator unveiled the ultra-thin patch My UV Patch which
adheres to the skin and analyzes the amount of UV exposure a user
receives, connecting to an app that tracks a users exposure over time and
recommends treatment.
53
The new nude
53
But as more brands join the diversity bandwagon, discerning consumers are
not afraid to call out companies that dont take their demands seriously. In
June, mineral foundation brand BareMinerals was criticized for touting the
diversity of its Complexion Rescue cream foundation line, most of which
appeared to be designed for light-skinned women.
Why its interesting: Although many brands are now beginning to incorporate
deeper shades as part of their nude lines, its not enough to pay lip service.
Instead, look to the brands that are getting it right. LOrals Women of Color
Lab employs chemists to create shades that blend with darker skin, while
Bobbi Brown, already popular among women of color, this year added five
new, deeper shades to its 24-strong Skin Foundation Stick line.
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Natural curls
Many young consumers of color are turning their back At the forefront of the trend, celebrities like Lupita Nyongo are keeping it
on hair relaxers, opting instead to embrace and celebrate natural, showcasing a range of styles on the red carpet and in music videos.
Consumers are lining up behind them: According to Mintel research, sales of
their natural hair.
styling products now make up 35% of the black haircare market, while relaxers
are on track to fall from the second-largest segment to the smallest by 2020.
The movement is starting a wave of new products. New apps like Trest,
launched in November 2016, connect women with textured hair to suitable
stylists, based on recommendations from friends and social networks.
Recently launched product lines include Pure-Fro from Vernon Franois,
celebrity hairstylist. Crwn magazine launched in August and is all about
natural hair, while Brooklyns CurlFest 2016 beauty festival staged an all-day
celebration of natural curls.
I think that we are finally able to really see ourselves, and to see the gains that
weve made, the contributions weve made to this country and to culture, and
we can stand back and say, Hey, yeah, we did that, says Nikia Phoenix, founder
of the Black Girl Beautiful movement. And we deserve to celebrate us.
5
55
Second skin
5
What they have done is design a clever biomaterial that recapitulates the
properties of young and healthy skin. They can use it as sort of a Band-Aid over
old and aging skin and get very significant results, Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic,
professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia, told the New York Times.
Why its interesting: Anti-aging may not be the message 50+ consumers
want to hear, as the Innovation Group has previously reported, but solutions
that help support the skin and reduce the appearance of under-eye bags will
remain popular. This one could be a game changer.
56
Three hot beauty ingredients
By-product beauty
Ingredients made from manufacturing by-products Why theyre interesting: All of the above are trends
are getting another look as brands seek to make that started first in food and drink. Avocado toast,
skincare more sustainable. The online publication turmeric as a food ingredient, coconut oil and foods
Cosmetics Design presented a best ingredient made from by-products have all caught on in recent
made from recycled materials award in September years. Food and drink innovation remains a powerful
with nominees including Alban Muller for Borealine predictor of upcoming beauty trends.
Expert, an anti-aging ingredient made from the bark
of red maple trees; Lipotec for Actiguard, a skin
soother extracted from sorghum bran; and Active
Concepts for AMTicide, a preservative made from
fermented coconut oil. Expect to see these and
other recycled ingredients hitting store shelves soon.
57
New nails
The nail industry has a new lease of life. Cult nail Although gel polish has dominated the salon recent years, the buzzy Base
artists on Instagram have given way to innovative retail Coat Salon in Denver, Colorado points to a growing interest in natural nail
care. Base Coat is proudly non-toxic, using vegan-friendly products with no
concepts, while health-focused and increasingly surreal
additives. Base Coat even launched its own nail polish collection this year, a
nail art concepts point toward plenty of room for this
testament to consumers steady interest in all things natural.
$2 billion industry to evolve.
Why its interesting: The nail-care market is poised for an upswing through
Sharmadean Reid, founder of Wah nails, is largely responsible for kicking off 2020, according to research firm Mintel, and new initiatives show that
the nail art craze. She opened Wahs permanent flagship salon in Londons consumers are ready to think outside the nail box.
Soho district in November 2016. Part salon and part club, the space upgrades
the traditional nail experience with immersive virtual-reality experiences, a
product testing zone and even a cocktail bar.
5
58
On-demand spa
8
massages from a network of professionals and have them come to their home
as quickly as a takeaway. The company recently achieved $35 million in series
B funding to expand.
Following the likes of GlamSquad (an in-home beauty service app), the
recently launched Nomi app offers hotel guests on-demand hair and makeup
services that are billed straight to their hotel account. It is available in
New York at the Quin Hotel and WestHouse, and recently partnered with
InterContinental and the Refinery Hotel. The Ritualist, an at-home, on-demand
facial and massage service has also recently launched, allowing consumers to
book facials whenever they please.
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Private-label beauty renaissance
For years, beauty advertising has been aspirational, We wanted the products to smell and feel great, but also embrace who we
defined by brand, mystique and perhaps a celebrity are as a brand with our playfully optimistic point of view. This shows up in the
colorful packaging and little story behind each product. Everything is sized for
endorsement. But these factors are less important with
our customers on-the-go lifestyle, says Andres Dorronsoro, vice-president
todays savvy millennials who seek value and quality
and general manager of Old Navy Kids.
without the need for bells, whistles and a Hollywood star.
Amazon has also announced an expansion of its private-label goods and
Millennials and gen Zers are increasingly non-aligned to brand names, and Target has recently invested in private-label offerings, putting out Defy &
this is blurring the boundaries between retailers and brands, as many of the Inspire, the companys first private-label nail polish range, as well as three
largest retailers have begun producing more private-label products to achieve Target-only bath and body lines. It also has a beauty incubator developing
growth. With younger shoppers looking more at product quality than branding, private-label beauty brands.
retailers can cut out wholesalers and pocket more of the proceeds.
The private label trend isnt limited to fashionin supermarkets,
Retailers are coming up with a wave of private-label lines that boast private-label brands reached sales in the US of $118.4 billion in 2015,
sophisticated designs and affordable prices, transforming the humble an all-time high, according to an April 2016 report by the Private Label
connotations that the private label term used to carry. Old Navy has Manufacturers Association.
developed its first private-label personal-care line, Kindred Goods, a series
of fragranced beauty products including Sea Salt & Fig, Sweet Cream & Why its interesting: Online subscription service Dollar Shave Club with its anti-
Honey and Orange Blossom & Tea ranges of hair-and- body mist, hand cream, brand basics message was perhaps the bellwether. Millennials are showing
foaming body scrub and body lotion. indifference to traditional brand cues and the mystique of brand names, and
sophisticated new private-label offerings are bolstering the effect.
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Three beauty
worry spots
61-70
Retail
6
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Retail naturalism
1
natural touches like wooden fixtures and plant walls mark a departure from
Apples classic, bordering on clinical, aesthetic.
61
Increasingly, Apple is working to preserve the architecture of historical
buildings, rather than impose contemporary layouts. In February 2016, the
New York Landmarks Conservancy gave the company an award for its work
protecting New Yorks rich architectural history at its locations, including
Grand Central Terminal and a Beaux Arts bank on the Upper East Side, where
architects preserved the vault.
Left, top right and following page: Apple store, Regent Street, London
Bottom right: Sonos store, New York City
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Brexterity
First it was the Marmite scare. A price dispute between Apple raised UK retail prices 20% at the end of October 2016, making
Tesco and Unilever over the polarizing breakfast spread MacBooks in the United Kingdom about $275 more expensive than in the
United States. Microsoft has announced a similar plan to harmonize prices
grabbed viral headlines in October 2016, worrying
with the EU. The likely implication is that, absent salary increases, British
devoted fans that it might disappear from British
consumers buying power will decline next year and onwards, especially as
supermarket shelves. talk of a hard Brexit continues to spook traders.
Ultimately, Marmite remained in stock, but in the long term, consumer prices Why its interesting: Globalization has delivered small but incremental
in a Britain with a weakened pound suggest future declines in buying power. increases in buying power to consumers across the board in recent decades.
Unilevers chief financial officer Graeme Pitkethly told investors on an earnings Watch to see whether this trend is fully reversed along with the rising tide of
call that prices should start to increase to cover the cost of imported goods economic nationalism. And double down on delivering more value for less.
due to weaker sterling.
In November 2016, Toblerone began shrinking the size of its famous triangular
chocolate bars in the UK to cover lost revenue caused by higher prices of
imported chocolate. The cost to print books jumped from 1.50 ($1.86) per
unit to over 3 ($3.72) per unit between June and November, Sam Jordison,
codirector of Norwich-based publishing company Galley Beggar Press, told
CNBC, adding that the company had been in danger of folding as a result.
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Productless flagships
When tech giant Samsung opened its new branded Samsung 837 is a space that purposely does not stock any products and is
space in Manhattans Meatpacking District in February not focused on sales. Instead the 40,000-square-foot space is an immersive
culture center that allows visitors to experience the Samsung products.
2016, it also set a new precedent for what a flagship store
With Samsung 837, we are creating the flagship of the future, Zach Overton,
should represent.
vice president and general manager of Samsung 837, said in a news release.
Reimagining the traditional store experience, 837 is a fully immersive cultural
center, featuring programming which will tap into peoples passions such art,
music, entertainment, sports, wellness, culinary, technology and fashion, all
powered and enriched by technology.
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Co-working as a retail destination
Why its interesting: Its time to drop-kick the glass ceiling and reconsider
the next retail destination. Think beyond the obvious boutique or department
store and reach out organically to your target audience in spaces where youll
be seen alongside likeminded brands.
65 66
Convergence payments Gesture payments
Sure, weve all heard of one-click retail and autofilled While some brands work to streamline present-day online
online payment fields. Its old news. So why do we still payment systems, others are already thinking about how
find ourselves typing in credit card information all payment will work on retail platforms that havent yet
the time? emerged.
Finally, the World Wide Web Consortium, which sets the international Virtual reality offers a potential new platform for retail that could infuse
standards for the World Wide Web, has convened the worlds most prominent some of the best features of bricks-and-mortar into the online shopping
tech companies to work out a new solution for online payments, according to experience. Alibaba is one company looking ahead; its VR Pay system, which
the New York Times. It promises to be much smoother and more automatic could launch as early as the end of 2016, allows shoppers to purchase items in
than existing payment methods. VR stores simply by nodding their heads.
Theres a convergence going on, retail consultant Dave Birch told the New It is very boring to have to take off your goggles for payment, Lin Feng, who
York Times. In the future you will have one experienceit wont matter if you has worked to help develop the technology, told Reuters. With this, you will
are at the store or on the phone. It will pop up on your phone, you will put your never need to take out your phone. Theres already an interested market. A
thumb on it and you will be done. SONAR study for our Frontier(less) Retail report found that 59% of Chinese
millennials would be interested in trying out clothing in VR, while 57% would be
Why its interesting: Online shopping, and mobile commerce especially, can interested in exploring a travel destination.
be clunky from a user experience perspective, and final purchases often dont
get made because of the sheer hassle involved. It might seem like a minor Why its interesting: Emerging platforms like AR and VR are already being
tweak, but one-touch online payments could seriously help to grease the used in a retail context. Start thinking about how to process payments on
wheels of e-commerce. these platforms now, so your brand will be ready when the technologies hit
mass adoption.
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Test-drive culinary retail
Food culture and culinary pursuits remain a key focus for Why its interesting: As experience culture becomes pervasive, retail stores
consumersand now a new wave of retail concept stores are trying to make their physical stores more immersive, on the grounds that
the longer a customer spends with the company, the more likely they are to
is bringing luxury and professional cookware to life. The
buy something. The events at these culinary temples also provide convivial
high-end Pirch kitchen-and-bathroom retailer opened
reasons to visit. These stores are entertaining weekend destinations; and if
a New York flagship temple to cookware in 2016 which you buy a bathtub or refrigerator afterwards, all the better.
offers kitchen demos with chefs and allows visitors to
experiment with ovens and equipment installed as
though in a real home.
The store is designed to ignite inspiration and fuel discovery, says CEO and
cofounder Jeffery R Sears, and contains 30 interactive kitchen and bathroom
displays in a three-story, 32,000-square-foot space. Bloomberg describes it
as theme park retail: Take your dog along to try out the pet spa and enjoy a
coffee or a glass of wine as you browse.
Zwilling, the German specialist in knives, cookware and cutlery, has launched
a new culinary concept store in Shanghai, set in a groovy industrial-style
space with atmospheric lighting and exposed brick walls. Chefs demonstrate
the items, preparing food on long marble counters in the center of the store.
Visitors can also use the equipment, testing their knife skills in the polished
concrete kitchens. Guest celebrity chef appearances add to the buzz.
Pirch showroom
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Shipping wars
Technology companies are ratcheting up the competition Why its interesting: Shipping may not be the sexiest aspect of retail, but
in a sector of retail that was, until recently, left mostly to control of the shipping supply chain could give companies a serious edge in
a hyper-competitive delivery market. Consumers are turning up the heat on
its own devices: Shipping.
delivery: According to a survey conducted as part of the Innovation Groups
Frontier(less) Retail trend report, 29% of US millennials and 35% of gen Zers
On the West Coast, Amazon is experimenting with an in-house delivery
expect items ordered online to arrive in two days or less, while more than 80%
service, building the capability to pose a challenge to its long-time partners
of all generations expect shipping to be free.
like the postal service, FedEx and UPS. Although the company does not plan
to replace traditional delivery, but rather to supplement it heavily, according
to Jeff Bezos, a more efficient delivery model could allow Amazon to cut
costs below rising UPS rates. Amazons shipping costs now consume close to
12% of its revenue, according to the Wall Street Journal, up from 6% in 2010.
Uber is also eyeing the shipping industry with its August 2016 purchase of
Otto, a startup that makes self-driving trucks. In fall 2016, the company made
its first successful delivery, a 120-mile shipment of cases of Budweiser. While
the service pairs nicely with Ubers other ambitions to develop self-driving
cars, autonomous trucking is potentially more practical, as highway driving
eliminating variables like pedestrians and stop lights. It may also be more
lucrative. Trucking revenue topped $700 billion in 2015, 81.5% of the entire US
freight industry, according to American Trucking Associations figures.
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6
69
Platformless retail
9
advertising, and demand authenticity at every turn.
Obsessee launched by Clique Media Group. Founders Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr
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6
69
Brands are experimenting with creating more content designed exclusively
for social media. At New York Fashion Week in fall 2016, designer Misha Nonoo
opted to stream her latest line as a live lookbook on Snapchat, a 24-hour
experience in partnership with Refinery29. As more social platforms integrate
e-commerce, strategies are becoming more sophisticated: Instagram is
now testing shoppable photo ads, while Snapchat ran its first shoppable
campaigns from Target and Lancme in April 2016.
Why its interesting: Pew research shows that 92% of teens go online every
day, including nearly a quarter who are online almost constantly. Social
9
media platforms are clearly key to winning this demographic. But as teens
become increasingly platform-agnostic, retail brands have a chance to
expand their scope.
Obsessee launched by Clique Media Group. Founders Katherine Power and Hillary Kerr
7
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70
Plus size is a plus
The average womens clothing size in the United States is now 16, so theres
a market imperative, too. Womens media platform Refinery29 has already
dived in, launching #seethe67%, a new photography collection in partnership
0
with Getty Images; #seethe67% acknowledges that, while 67% of women in
the United States are over size 14, they appear in less than 2% of imagery. The
platform seeks to normalize images of larger women.
70
Teens also seem to be more accepting of their own bodies than in the past,
and less swayed by unrealistic societal standards than other cohorts at a
similar age. NPD found that in 2015, 34% of 13-17-year-old girls had bought
plus-size clothing, more than double the 16% who did so in 2010. In part, this
is a response to brands such as Torrid, which are finally bringing a fashionable
aesthetic to the formerly neglected plus-size category. A standout example is
Aerie, American Eagles lingerie outlet geared toward the 15- to 25-year-old set.
Why its interesting: Brands have been missing out on a huge market, tailoring
their imagery and advertising to a constructed ideal instead of reality. In an
0
age of user-generated content, portraying women as they are goes a long way
toward convincing them your brand is on their side.
71-80
Health
H E A LTH
71
Quantified blood
The companys user base is expanding. Most of our users are in their thirties,
forties and fifties, because at that age you see you are not immortal,
cofounder Gil Blander, biology PhD and former MIT research scientist, told
Elle. But some just want to lose weight; some want to sleep better.
71
By cutting out the doctors visit, at-home blood tests allow consumers to
track custom measures of their own health more precisely, with less expense
and shorter wait times. It also makes it easier to test regularly enough to
track progress over time.
The global market for diagnostic testing stands to reach $63 billion by 2024.
Although much of that still takes place in hospitals, at-home kits are a rapidly-
growing slice of the pie. The direct-to-consumer lab test market was worth
$131 million in 2015, up from just over $15 million in 2010, according to research
firm Kalorama Information.
Why its interesting: In the era of the quantified self, no health metric is
off-limits for consumers wanting to take control of their health and better
understand their own physical makeup.
4
72
GeneFrontiers
New editing of Diversity
Two Liners
Any idiot can do it. Genome editor CRISPR could put and protg battle for control over the humangenome in a game of cat and
mutant mice in everyones reach. This surprising claim mouse in which the future of our species may rest and all disease could one
day be eradicated, wrote the Hollywood Observer. The show, naturally, will be
in a November 2016 Science headline reflects both the
called C.R.I.S.P.R.
promises and the fears stirred up in 2016 by the gene-
editing technology, otherwise known as clustered Why its interesting: CRISPR is adding heat to bioethics debates and, if
regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats. headline-grabbing treatments emerge, the technology could even prompt
a shift in public perceptions of GMOs. As scientists try out new ways of using
Often described as a pair of molecular scissors, CRISPR promises to make CRISPR, the effects will likely ripple outward, touching more species, more
it much easier to selectively edit bits of DNA, potentially leading to miracle markets, and perhaps even more items on your Christmas list, commented
cures and manmade mutants, or elements of both. the Atlantic.
Lest this all seem too esoteric, pop culture has already caught on and is
spinning out sci-fi scenarios around the technology. NBC is developing a
near-future procedural starring Jennifer Lopez as a CDC scientist trying to
save humanity from a deranged former boss. The drama will see mentor
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Human cyborgs
73
Today, a new wave of biohackers is exploring the possibilities of high-tech
body modification. Seattle-based company Dangerous Things, which sells
implantable biomagnets and RFID chips, has seen sales of its products grow
700% over two years. In a 2013 TED Talk, founder Amal Graafstra called
biohacking a new kind of human evolution.
74
Brain-body training
Along with this, were seeing a greater focus on mental wellbeing among gyms
and fitness brands. HeadStrong, a new workout class from luxury fitness
chain Equinox, harnesses insights from brain science for physical wellbeing,
with exercises that promote mindfulness and neuroplasticity. Each of four
stagesfocus, adapt, willpower and rebootcomes with its own colored
lighting to reflect changing physical and mental challenges.
Why its interesting: As boomers retire and seek to stave off the effects of
aging, we expect to see a more holistic concept of exercise that includes both
physical and mental wellbeing. Fitness brands would do well to tailor their
products and marketing with this in mind.
HeadStrong by Equinox
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Sexual healing
Why its interesting: Womens sexual fulfillment has become another focus of
attention as feminism reaches beyond an activist base. Within that, sensuality
is being aligned to overall health. This also sits with the increasingly holistic
view consumers have of health in general, seeing their bodies, minds and
beauty as one ecosystem.
SmileMakers
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4
76
Fitness
New Frontiers
festivals
of Diversity
Two Liners
With big-name Instagram fitness trainers selling out rock
star-sized arenas around the country, could the next
extension of the rock-star model be a fitness Coachella?
One of the biggest names in athletics is exploring ways
to meld the fitness zeitgeist with todays demand for
experience culture.
In August, Nike held a three-day immersive fitness event in London with all the
trappings of a music festival. As part of the brands Unlimited You Olympics
promotions, Nike guests could participate in high-intensity workouts from
company trainers or guest celebrity fitness gurus. A background of flashing
lights and video installations from Artisan, the creative studio from the United
Visual Artists, and a custom soundtrack from electronic duo Hot Chip pulsated
throughout the eventall designed to enhance the workout experience.
Why its interesting: Events like the Wanderlust festivals, which place yoga
and music side by side, or Croatias Obonjan festival, a month-long wellbeing
retreat that opened August 2016 as a twist on the European festival scene,
have laid the groundwork for combining fitness and fun. Nikes Olympic-sized
spectacle shows there is plenty of room for fitness brands to get creative
with the festival treatment.
4
New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
7 6
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Caregiver economy
The global population is aging rapidly. By 2050, senior Other companies introduced similar benefits this year, though none quite as
citizens are expected to make up 17% of the worlds comprehensive. Nike employees now receive eight weeks of paid family care
leave, while Vanguard Group offers two.
population, compared to just 8.5% today. The shift
is revolutionizing the $88 billion at-home healthcare
Why its interesting: In recent years, companies have expanded maternity
market, as Americas baby boomers continue to age. New and parental leave to woo candidates. But the needs of an aging population
platforms are springing up to address adults thrust into are set to play a pressing role in society. In 2015, 43 million American adults
caring for aging family members. provided unpaid care for an aging family member, a figure that is only set
to increase.
Wellthy provides access to care coordinators who can tackle everything from
insurance paperwork to locating support groups, while Kindly Care matches
families to professionals through a sleek mobile interface.
In another sign of the changing times, paid leave for caregivers is becoming
the newest corporate perk. At Deloitte, a policy launched in September 2016
gives the companys 78,000 employees access to 16 weeks of paid family
leave per year, which covers anything from elder care to paternity leave.
By placing caregiving in the same bucket as other family responsibilities,
the policy also stands to normalize caregiver leave.
Kindly Care
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New mental health
The stigmas surrounding mental health are breaking message that offers resources, such as a local support helpline or talking to
down, thanks in part to new publications such as Anxy, a friend. Parent company Facebook has a similar tool, which was expanded in
June for users of all languages it covers.
launching in January 2017, which allow individuals to
share their own stories.
Why its interesting: Nearly half of American adults will develop at least one
mental illness during their lifetime, and anxiety rates for generation Z are
Every day millions of seemingly normal people suffer in silence, writes already through the roof. In stressed-out times, consumers are beginning
designer Indhira Rojas, Anxys founder. Whether they are hurting in response to consider mental health alongside physical health as one of the many
to tragic events similar to mine, or other equally impactful experiences, these components that comprise wellbeing.
seemingly normal people are riddled with so much pain and shame that, like
me, they work hard to make sure no one ever notices.
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Healthtopias
9
urbanites. Will the 21st century have Lake Nonas?
Lake Nona, on the edge of Orlando, Florida, has been designed with its
residents health and wellness in mind. A cluster of medical and research
facilities known as Medical City provides employment to many of the towns
11,000 residents, expected to grow to 25,000 before long. The medical centers
will soon be joined by a 63-acre home to the United States Tennis Association,
with 100 courts on site.
Why its interesting: If Levittown was about convenience and insularity, Lake
Nona represents a new utopian ambitionperfecting ones life through
the right balance of healthy activities. We expect to see more communities
organized around this principle.
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Augmented gyms
New York gym Asphalt Green has installed an entire room covered with LED
lights, which provide visual cues for movement during group classes. The
system behind it is Prama by Pavigym, already in use at gyms in Europe.
0
Participants in AG6, the 45-minute high-intensity workout that uses the
technology, are pushed to their limits. The systems visual cues train reaction
time in a way conventional training methods cannot, says a spokesperson.
Why its interesting: These new tech setups suggest that augmented reality
could soon have practical and widespread applications in health and fitness
in gyms today, maybe throughout cities tomorrow.
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Lifestyle
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Drone racing
Why its interesting: The rise of e-sports has demonstrated that a substantial
market exists for new and increasingly niche sporting events. Todays niche
technology could easily become tomorrows moneymaker.
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New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
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Future Hollywood
Technology isnt at odds with craftsmanship, its just a Favreau unveiled his latest project Gnomes & Goblins, an interactive VR
new tool for filmmaking and storytelling, said filmmaker experience set in an enchanted forest. It launched September 8 on HTC Vive
as a preview, and is still being refined. In Gnomes & Goblins there is no object
Jon Favreau at TEDxHollywood. Speaking on VR, AR,
except to wander the landscape, which features hidden miniature cottages,
AI and beyond, he outlined his vision for how these
floating fireflies and glowing candles.
new technologies could add rich new landscapes to
entertainment, rather than devour the industry. Players are encouraged to engage with small gnome and goblin characters,
forming virtual relationships with them by earning their trust and giving them
snacks. Its quite emotive, Favreau said. The project is in beta but could
be just the beginning for the likes of Disney and fantasy storytelling movie
franchises. Will VR gaming theme parks be next?
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The second
New Frontiers
screen
of Diversity
comes first
Two Liners
Until recently, apps and social networks were delegated to In 2016, Twitter inked deals with the MLB, NHL and NFL to bring live streams
a background role during major televised events. Today, of select professional sporting events to its users. Twitters already active
sports community had a running feed beneath the live stream, creating a
these second screen platforms are increasingly opting
one-stop shop for games and conversation. For the NBAs 2016-2017 season,
to host live TV themselves, blurring the lines between the
Twitter will also stream exclusive ESPN-type commentary shows, drawing
first and second screens. even more first-screen eyeballs.
The network even live streamed its first awards show, The Game Awards,
in December. The Game Awards conversation already unfolds on Twitter,
said the shows founder Geoff Keighley. This unique partnership brings that
commentary and the full live show broadcast together in one place on Twitter
around the world. As social media chatter around the US election cycle
became ever more heated in 2016, both Twitter and Facebook also opted to
live stream the presidential debates, at no cost to users.
Why its interesting: Consumers are turning their attention from TV to mobile
at a rapid clip. Last year, consumers spent 25% of their media time on mobile
devicesnot far from TVs 36%. Millennials already stream more than half of
the TV they watch, making the shift to mobile intuitive. As consumers become
increasingly relaxed about how they access content, expect more blending of
the first and second screens.
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Sleep renaissance
Were in the midst of a soporific renaissance as innovators to rest overnight at the Sydney Opera House in June 2016. At the National
respond to our cultures chronic undervaluation of sleep. Sawdust arts space in Brooklyn, artist Theo Bleckmann performed a musical
meditation in the dark to an audience reclining on cushions and pillows. If
The sleep space has been given the Silicon Valley
people fall asleep, its completely fine, he told the Guardian.
makeover in recent years, with the rise of hip online
startups includingCasper,Tuft & Needle and Yogabed. Why its interesting: We never realized our eight hours were so precious
until technology and life demands began to take them away. Consumers are
These direct-to-consumer brands arent just shaking up the old-school now reclaiming the value of shut-eye through pro-sleep lifestyles and sleep-
bedding business by making mattresses more compact, affordable, and easier friendly group experiences.
to transport; theyre also turning the pro-sleep lifestyle into an art form, with
bedroom design hacks,nappingtours and more.
Casper, poised to become the Amazon of sleep, has already added pillows
and sheets to its product line, hosted asleep symposiumin New York with
Arianna Huffington as a keynote speaker, published atrend report on sleep
in partnership with Sean Monahan of trend forecasting agency K-Hole, and
hosted free sleep-themed pop-up shops across the United States, complete
with waffle stations and pillowcase screen printers.
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Smart clothing
In 2016, a wave of new seamlessly smart clothing Technology is seamlessly integrated into our lives, so we dont talk about
hinted that the long-promised wearable technology analog and digital, we just talk about solutions, says Amina Horozic, product
design jury president at Cannes. This is something that could change every
revolution might be closer to functional integration in our
aspect of our lives.
everyday garments.
In March, Emil + Aris launched the Smart Coat, a collection of sleek, battery- Why its interesting: As consumers have become accustomed to smart
powered coats that heat themselves to adapt to changing weather. They are health-tracking accessories, the next wave of wearable clothing will be
available in cotton or cashmere and wool, and start at 1,195 ($1,480). When expected to provide real benefits without sacrificing style.
talking wearable tech, there is a fine line between geeky and tasteful, founder
Rana Nakhal Solset told Vogue. Emil + Aris, like other new launches, errs on
the side of tasteful.
At the 2016 Cannes Lions festival, the Grand Prix in product design went
to Googles Project Jacquard, launched in collaboration with Levis, which
weaves touch interface directly into textiles, allowing for touch-sensitive grids
to be woven discreetly into any part of a garment. The first garment to get
the Jacquard touch looks like a normal Levis Commuter Trucker jacket, but
responds to taps and gestures, and can even be paired with a smartphone for
hands-free control. The jacket is expected to be available in early spring 2017
in selected Levis stories and online, according to the company.
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Platonic dating apps
Dating apps are pushing their own boundaries, A handful of other apps have sprung up exclusively for friend-swiping. Squad
betting that a generation of users who grew up building is for groups of friends to meet, while Vina uses platonic connections to
empower women (and was also the beneficiary of a recent investment by
friendships online is interested in swiping for more than
Tinder). Patook, the newest entry, uses an AI-based algorithm to suggest
just dates.
potential friends.
In July, Tinder added a Social mode, which allows groups of users to team Why its interesting: While the longevity of any of these platforms remains
up and make crew connections for a night out. A few months before, to be seen, they show that users are becoming more comfortable with
Bumble added BumbleBFF, a separate mode that lets users swipe left or the mission creep of dating apps. Dating apps have already disrupted one
right on potential friends. Over the winter, the company also plans to roll out important form of human connection; for the smartphone generation, there
BumbleBizz, a networking platform that operates like a hyper-mobile LinkedIn. could be more to come.
For established dating apps, the shift to platonic swiping means they can
expand their profitable user base beyond just singles. (According to Apptopia,
Tinder pulled in $3 million in October alone.) We have an incredible user base,
and so many of them were using this app to find friends, Bumble founder
Whitney Wolfe told CBS. And theyve been requesting a feature forHey, Im
in a relationship, but I love Bumble. I still want to be able to use it.
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Cashless labs
We would like to be a catalyst for taking cash out of the Cook was speaking of the companys plans for Apple Pay, but recently a
system, Apple CEO Tim Cook told Japanese news service few corners of the world have gone nearly cashless without Apples help
perhaps offering a preview of cashless societies to come. In Sweden, only a
Nikkei in an October 2016 interview. We dont think the
fifth of retail transactions were being conducted in cash as of 2014. Cafs,
consumer particularly likes cash.
banks, and other establishments routinely refuse cash, and charities have
even distributed card-readers to the homeless to allow them to accept
donations. Proponents say the shift eases transactions and reduces fraud.
Why its interesting: In different ways, Sweden and Zimbabwe offer a glimpse
of a cashless future that has long been predicted. They offer a natural
laboratory for observing cashless societies in action.
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Social media credit scores
Big banks have tightened up on lending since the Advocates argue that by providing an intimate look into a users day-to-
recession, making room for alternative lenders that day life, social media helps lenders take a more complete look into a users
personality, as opposed to using a narrow range of financial metrics.
increasingly use nontraditional metrics like social
media presence to evaluate customers.
Social media tells you a lot about the person, Rene Griemens, chief financial
officer of Kreditech, told the Financial Times. We may be able to see whether
Lenders taking a big data approach to qualifications are including Facebook he has friends who have already repaid a loan to usthat usually is a
and Twitter feeds in their constellation of data points. This year, JP Morgan good indicator.
Chase launched a partnership with OnDeck Capital, which includes social
media presence in its analysis of small business owners. Kabbage uses a Not everyone is sold on the idea, however. Detractors worry about consumer
similar process to offer small business loans. And German startup Kreditech privacy and banks that monitor social profiles. Chinas proposed social
has raised more than $100 million to lend to individuals with no credit history, credit system, which assigns every user an official credit score based on
using information from Facebook and LinkedIn in its algorithms. comprehensive monitoring of online activity, shows the potentially invasive
extent to which the concept may be taken. But for now, social media may help
In emerging markets, where traditional lending is complicated and small businesses and new borrowers stand out in a difficult lending economy.
unorganized, social media is coming into play in a big way. In India, numerous
platforms like InstaPaisa and CashCare use social media to rate borrowers Why its interesting: As alternative lending flourishes, consumers looking to
and match them to lenders. Nigerias Social Lender, which recently expanded the sector may start to think twice before posting that selfie.
to South Africa, makes social reputation a cornerstone of its lending process.
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See now, buy now
While developed markets wait to see whether the model translates into sales,
The fashion industrys flirtation with the see now, buy
many developing markets are embracing it without reservations. At the 42nd
now modelwhich allows consumers to purchase items
SoPaulo Fashion Week, which took place in October 2016, founder Paulo
as soon as a collection hits the runway, instead of six Borges encouraged designers to do away with seasonal restrictions and
months laterwas one of the clearest trends at the New show clothes that were ready for market. Considering Brazils mostly tropical
York and London fashion weeks in September 2016. climate, the seasonal system never made complete sense for the local
customer, and it makes even less sense now. Animale, a major womenswear
brand in the country, made its collection available in stores immediate after
showing on the runway, with minor modifications.
Why its interesting: With many major fashion and luxury brands dependent on
demand from developing markets to drive sales, the success of see now, buy
now in China and Brazil may suggest larger trends in store for the industry.
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90
The new
New Frontiers
explorers
of Diversity
Two Liners
For a new breed of explorer, the great outdoors is no In Wildside: The Enchanted Life of Hunters and Gatherers, a forthcoming book
longer something to be tamed, but its own rich source from design publisher Gestalten, the shift is encapsulated in photographs of
the modern adventurers who are discovering their own possibilities in outdoor
of culture to be experienced.
landscapes. Foragers, wood carvers and log-cabin dwellers alike have found
inspiration in nature, putting a modern spin on traditional wilderness pursuits.
Buoyed by the new explorer culture, popular outdoor retailer REI saw its
revenues increase by 9.3% last year. The company is also expanding, with
new locations in New York, Florida and Washington. Other retailers are hoping
to cash in on the trend with a style-first approach to the outdoor market.
Wild Rye, launched this year, makes contemporary designs for the modern
outdoor woman. Ottawa retailer Stomping Ground offers a curated selection
of menswear-meets-rugged functionality.
Its no surprise that adventure travel is also on the rise. Adventure tourism is
expected to grow 46% per year through 2020, as beachside vacations slowly
lose ground to skydiving, mountain climbing and deep sea diving. Its not all
about the adrenaline rush, either: Visitors to Americas National Parks hit an
all-time high of 305 million visitors in 2015.
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Luxury
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Luxury redefined
Luxury shoppers are moving away from opulence and big names, opting
instead for a modern approach to luxury which includes being discreet.
Today, its really about understated luxury, said luxury retail consultant June
Haynes in an article for the Washington Post.
Traditional luxury brands have faced a tough year, with report after report
showing a decline in sales. Ralph Lauren reported a profit of $45 million for
the year to October 1, 2016, significantly down from the previous years $160
million. The Federation of the Swiss Watch Industry revealed that export
sales were 14.2% lower this July compared with the previous year, and Tiffany
& Co saw a 7% decline in the first half of 2016. Emerging luxury brands have
mastered the high-quality, pared-down design language and the brand values
that resonate with consumers, and are taking a slice of the luxury market.
In fall 2016 London department store John Lewis launched its first luxury
womenswear collection, Modern Rarity. An article in the Telegraph likened the
fashion design aesthetic to Cline. At the same time London-based curators
Mariah Nielson and Fanny Singer launched Permanent Collection, a line of
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luxury womenswear and accessories. The duo highlights the sustainable
factor in its aptly named company name, emphasizing that pieces are
designed to survive for decades in the homes and wardrobes of collectors.
Why its interesting: The decline in traditional luxury is showing that the
market needs shaking up, and the outlook for 2017 is that new brands
will be leading the way for a new luxury direction. Franois-Henri Pinault,
chief executive of Kering, says the company is increasingly making an
effort to renew its product offering to give it a more modern identity. As
more emerging brands enter the luxury marketinspired, perhaps, by the
Huffington Posts November 2016 piece on How to Start a Luxury Brand with
Just $300traditional brands will increasingly need to speak to the modern
consumer rather than for them in order to stay relevant.
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Artificial nature
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New Frontiers of Diversity
Two Liners
9 2
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Invisible tech
As the home becomes increasingly high-tech, consumers Although these products have yet to hit the market, todays shoppers
are pivoting toward home products that align with their already have a growing choice of tech that fits into the home. Googles newly
launched Home speaker even offers interchangeable bases to coordinate with
dcor, rendering the technology aspect all but invisible.
different color schemes. Although far from invisible, the speaker is a design-
conscious upgrade from Amazons uniformly black and cylindrical Echo.
At the 2016 London Design Festival, the Electro Craft exhibition showcased
new products that blend craft with technology. Turkish designer Bilge Nur
Why its interesting: The novelty of having a speaker in the kitchen has worn
Saltks Loud Object series includes marble candleholders and serving plates
off. Tomorrows Internet of Things devices will need to blend in with the dcor
that also function as Bluetooth-connected speakers. Saltk aims to integrate
around them, not just provide the soundtrack.
electronics with home decoration, imagining surround sound with your
chandelier, vase and centerpiece.
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Hipster Boomers
4
older counterpart to hipster experiencesone that
comes with more refined tastes and a higher price point.
Now boomers even have their own music festival. In October, the inaugural
Desert Trip festival was held at the Coachella grounds, the venerated hipster
hotspot in Indio, California. Attendees traded flowered headbands and
glowsticks for gourmet food packages and pricey grandstand seats, while
enjoying headliners including Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan and the Rolling
Stones. The average age of ticket holders? 51.
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Year of the train
Two luxury trains are coming to Japan in 2017: Twilight Express Mizukaze,
which will feature art deco design and food by Michelin-starred chef Yoshihiro
Murata, and Train Suite Shiki-Shima, whose most expensive room will have a
bath made of Japanese cypress.
5
Ireland has just welcomed the Belmond Grand Hibernian, which passed
through Dublin, Cork, Killarney, Galway, Westport, Belfast and Waterford on an
inaugural grand tour. It offers Irish cuisine made with local ingredients, well-
appointed cabins and communal areas, and other luxury amenities.
For the ultimate in discreet luxury, a new concept is coming to Japan in 2018:
Express trains with mirrored exteriors that reflect their surroundings, allowing
them to glide invisibly across the countryside.
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Grand Hibernian, Ireland
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Twilight, Japan
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Kidult Luxury
As parents continue to opt to lavish disposable income restaurant. In spring 2016, New York restaurants including Blue Hill and Per Se
on their offspring, the luxury market is maturing, with opened their doors to diners aged seven to 14 through an initiative called
Kids Table.
options for children that dont feel childish.
Why its interesting: The rise of child chefs such as 14-year-old Logan Guleff,
While the average youth might not know their Eames from Ikea, a new
recently named one of Times most influential teens, shows that the lines
generation of children will be anything but typical. Milan Design Week 2016
between childhood and adulthood are increasingly blurry. For luxury brands,
saw the launch of several high-end furniture lines aimed at children aged
there is an opportunity to create products to capture the next generation of
between three and eight, including Kartell Kids from Italian furniture company
consumers that are more than childs play.
Kartell, which features minimalist designs from Japanese studio Nendo and
French designer Philippe Starck. Another Italian design company, Magis, has
expanded its Me Too range to include products such as the Little Big chair
from Big-Game, an adjustable chair that grows with the child.
Leisure pursuits such as high-end dining are following along the same lines. At
the five-star Connaught hotel in London, the hotels youngest residents can
take a cooking lesson from pastry chef Hlne Darroze, recently named the
worlds best female chef, followed by a meal at the hotels Michelin-starred
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Extreme experiential marketing
The experience was limited to only seven guest stays in October, each stay
lasting only two nights. The package included accommodation in the fully
equipped three-bedroom house, meals prepared by a personal chef and, more
importantly, the use of a high-performance 2017 Audi R8 Coupe to try out in
the traffic-free desert.
Desolation for Audi and Airbnb. Creative campaign by Venables Bell & Partners
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Blockchain luxury
Fashion and luxury brands are just beginning to explore Why its interesting: Blockchains transaction ledger is nearly impossible to
the possibilities of blockchain, the technology that hack or forge, making it perhaps the best tool available to verify authenticity.
According to a recent SONAR survey, 98% of Chinese millennials worry
underlies the bitcoin currency.
about whether their purchases may be counterfeit, showing the huge value to
be unlocked by high-tech security measures.
By creating a secure digital record of every transaction, blockchain is a novel
anti-counterfeiting technology for luxury brands. Blockchains can also store
additional information about a garment, providing a unique and personalized
experience beyond the runway.
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The luxury of scent
Scent is emerging as the latest essential element of The scents at One Thousand Museum are the work of 12.29, a New York-based
branding in high-end real estate. One Thousand Museum, fragrance branding company that has also designed Craft, a signature scent for
the lobby of all buildings owned by the real-estate developer DDG. Elsewhere
a 62-story residential building in Miami currently under
in New York, the new residential building 21 West End rotates between White
construction, will include no fewer than four separate
Blossom Tea, Cranberry Apple, Ocean Mist and Seasons Greetings.
custom scents, each designed for specific parts of the
buildingthe aquatic center has notes of orange blossom Singapore Airlines, which has long positioned itself as a luxury carrier,
intended to recall a seaside European vacation, and has partnered with perfumer Miller Harris on a range of luxury washroom
the fitness center offers. humid earth notes, clean amenities, which included three separate scents that were rolled out over the
wood notes and juicy citrus designed to be invigorating course of 2016. Even the tech industry is getting in on the scent act, with the
new Aera acting as a sort of Nespresso for room scent, with changeable scent
and grounding.
pods operated from afar by app.
Why its interesting: While fine scents have always been associated with
luxury, brands are investing more effort in using scent to tell a story, and
rotating between different scents to freshen up their offerings.
Scentair
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Luxury
New Frontiers
health-tail
of Diversity
Two Liners
In our Frontier(less) Retail trend report we found that
consumers are increasingly interested in wellness
retail57% of US millennials and 45% of UK millennials
would like a gym or athletic facility at a physical
retail store. Luxury department stores are now
implementing wellness components to entice these
health-conscious consumers.
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In October 2016, London-based department store Harrods month-long
Harrods (Super) Man event in collaboration with Mens Health magazine invited
men to test their strength, improve their wellbeing and up their game on the
fashion front. The initiative included activities such as the Under Armour
Boxing Ring Challenge, which invited visitors to see how many punches they
could throw in 30 seconds, along with personalized training sessions from
Technogym. Other brands involved include Adidas, Balmain and Giorgio Armani.
In April 2016, Selfridges launched its Body Studio wellness retail concept,
which offers sportswear, lingerie, loungewear and sleepwear. The department
also includes a caf by Hemsley + Hemsley (a sister duo with a strong focus
on wellness and nutritional foods). The opening dovetailed with the stores
EveryBody campaign, whose program included talks on beauty, wellness and
spirituality, along with classes by London-based yoga studio Yung Club and
Psycle, known for its high-intensity spin classes.