A report by drinks company Diageo has revealed the top trends expecting to become the mainstream in 2017.
The company, who is responsible behind brands such as Smirnoff, Captain Morgan and Guinness, has isolated three main social trends that will put companies ahead of the curve this year.
Exceptional becomes the rule
Digital technology is increasingly destroying the traditional. ‘The diary is dead’, according to Diageo, as the set-in-place becomes the spontaneous. As people’s work days become more flexible and our time online becomes more sporadic, companies need to be different to be heard.
One leading trend expected is VR, which is expected to have around 171 million active users by 2018, and allows users to have immersive experiences accessible anywhere, anytime.
In with the ‘in’ crowd
Cinema sales are among those suffering from an increasingly popular entertainment venue – the home. On demand services, personal entertainment systems and premium services like Netflix or Amazon Prime mean everything is moments away from arriving to your front door or living room.
Whether a television or a mobile device, users are never far from a screen or an internet connection, and the marketers that take advantage of that will take the lead.
Optimise not compromise
Expected to be the year of choice. A balanced and, more importantly, personalised lifestyle is more attainable now than ever before, and the majority of consumers are going to continue to make purchasing decisions that say something unique about them.
Directing content and marketing to the individual, taking into account aesthetic, culture, backgrounds, allergies and more will set yourself apart from the crowd and prove you care about the customer.
“We have been innovating for hundreds of years and have a strong history as industry pioneers in identifying and responding to trends,” explained Zoe Lazarus, global future and culture planning director at Diageo, adding “Our success relies not only on understating our consumers today, but also on tracking and responding to emerging socialising trends and behaviours that will become the mainstream of tomorrow”
