Ten for 11, from JWT
By Steve Mullins. All the world’s a game. Who says? That would be JWT in its 10 Trends for 2011 report. “Increasingly, brands will apply game mechanics – leader boards, levelling, stored value, privileges, superpowers, status indicators, etc – to non-gaming spaces in an attempt to drive certain actions or behaviours,” says the agency.
JWT points to VW’s Bottle Bank Arcade Machine which attempted to make recycling fun by kitting out a recycling bin with an arcade scoreboard, points and flashing lights rewards for those depositing the right bottles in the correct slots.
Ten trends, did we say?
Yes, we also bring you news of the ‘Urgency Economy’. This all about time-sensitive deals experiencing a renaissance among younger, hipper and in-the-know shoppers, looking for the ‘act now’ strategy to extend beyond the web. One example would be Gap, which ran a one-day flash sale, promoted on Facebook, with the brand granting a discount to people who said the phrase ‘Flash40’ at the register.
And let’s not forget the ‘Non-Commitment Culture’.
“Reluctant to commit to discretionary or big-ticket purchases, people are increasingly opting for choices that require a less-permanent commitment,” says JWT. “Consumers will be more likely to rent goods, buy them one year and sell them the next, or share them with friends.”
You want a for instance? We got it. There was Car2go from Daimler and BMW, demonstrating that automotive companies are entering the temporary car ownership space.
And trend number four?
That’s ‘Eat, Pray, Tech’. “If there’s one category in which consumers are willing to commit, it’s technology,” says the agency. “Worldwide, high-tech devices and services – and the skills to use them – are fast becoming as integral to people as food and clothing. In an interconnected, tech-driven and -enabled marketplace, the latest technology will be more than just a luxury or a guilty pleasure.”
For example? “The story of a homeless-by-choice writer who owns an iPad and a netbook is symbolic of tech as a core need,” the report says.
Hold on, there’s something called ‘De-Teching’ too. More people are choosing to log off, or engage in one tech activity at a time in an effort to re-engage in the offline present and/or to rewire their brains to be more effective.
JWT says people have begun voluntarily abstaining from digital media and in some cases initiating unplugging drives around certain holidays.
Mind-boggling. Five more JWT trends next week…
