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At this year's Consumer Electronics Association CEO Summit--held earlier this summer in beautiful Playa Del Carmen, Mexico--Social Technologies' futurist Andy Hines was part of an all-star panel that included Brett Bonthron of Microsoft, Michael Tchong of Ubercool, and Jennifer Wong of Muse.

The topic of this year's annual meeting, which drew CEOs from many Top US firms, was "Trend Watching: The Scene on the Streets and Predictions for Tomorrow."

The event drew attention from TWICE magazine's Steve Smith, who wrote:

In giving an overview of the subject, Bonthron said there is an "opportunity in improving the customer experience" for retailers and manufacturers. "Consumers are looking for a more personal experience, a human face on your operation." He noted, "Retailers can certainly do it," and manufacturers can do it with "a personal conversation" via aspects of the Web, with social-networking sites, blogs on their own sites and other means. "There is tremendous customer experience that consumers really crave."

Hines noted the need for personalization that Bonthron discussed has evolved over the years beginning with "the Woodstock experience of self-expression." Back then it was in the fringe, but now it is mainstream with consumers seeking "self-expression via products and services they buy." That attitude, and the way they use devices and the Web, is "driving a lot of the changes towards meaning and self-expression" in the marketplace.

Image: Steve Smith

I was intrigued by this Lacoste commercial, which shows how companies can utilize visions of their own future in advertising. Lacoste made this particular video to celebrate its 75th anniversary, and it invites the viewer to imagine how tennis will be played in the future, 75 years from now. Of course, the tennis player of the future is wearing Lacoste gear, inviting consumers to imagine that the future could include their favorite brands of today.

Envisioning the future in marketing is not a new tactic, but with the ability to create ever more complex commercials on tighter budgets, visions of the distant future could become more prevalent in advertising. Companies will likely have to become even more creative in the way they depict the future of their brands, lest they be upstaged by a rival brand's bigger, better future vision.

A group of people in the Washington DC area are hoping to open the first crowdsourced restaurant in the world. The concept? Use the wisdom of the crowds to create a restaurant that people want, in this case a "raw food" style restaurant called Elements.

The online community creating the restaurant is nearly 400 strong. Participants include architects, chefs, servers, and a local nonprofit that promotes green businesses. Each have a vested interest in the business and many have donated money to fund the venture.

The hope is that Elements will be a success because it has so much customer input going into it from the beginning, as well as a built-in customer base from the online community. Restaurant industry insiders are optimistic about the concept, believing that it's a savvy way to succeed in an often cut-throat business.

One founding member of the community is starting a crowdsourcing business to foster other start-up businesses that could be crowdsourced. So, the next logical question is, what other kind of crowdsourcing businesses could be started? We've seen a crowdsourced encyclopedia, of course. What's next? A crowdsourced school, perhaps?

Image: buncheduptv (Flickr)

I was fast forwarding through whatever I was watching on TiVo the other night when I spotted this commercial for Ethan Allen Furniture. I don't know if it is the first to take advantage of viewers fast forwarding through commercials, but it's the first I've seen. The commercial has no voice over, and the images and title cards are still readable even at the top fast-forward speed.

It was effective for me as I not only noticed it, I went hunting for a clip, which you can view below. It's one way for television advertisers to address their main fear regarding DVR use: fast-forwarding through commercials.

Social Technologies' futurist Andy Hines is featured in Escape from Corporate America, a new book by a reformed corporate ladder-climber, Pam Skillings:

"If your corporate career is leaving you stressed out, burned out, or just plain bummed out, you're not alone.You don't have to choose between paying the bills and enjoying a fulfilling career." With humor and personal accounts, she offers a seven-step approach to breaking free: assess your job's "suck" factor, identify your true calling, develop your escape plan, find jobs that don't bite, be your own boss, follow your creative dreams, and overcome any obstacle.

Skillings, a career coach who made the leap in 2005, estimates that 80% of the working population fantasizes about leaving their jobs for something better. She admits that making the leap isn't easy, but it is worthwhile:

It took me years of trial and error to escape corporate America. Once I left, I was amazed at how many people were dying to know how I did it and whether they could do it, too.

Skillings found a compatriot in Hines, who worked in trends and ideation for multinational food and chemical companies before joining Social Technologies in 2006 as director of custom projects. In Skillings' book, he is quoted in chapter seven: "Swim in a Smaller Pond."

"No offense against corporate places, but they are not always the most interesting," says Hines. "A lot of the attraction of my current company was the ability to work for people who are really interesting. Who else would work as a professional futurist? You have to be a little nuts, and I like that."

"You're about to be playing in an entirely new ballgame if you've been marketing exclusively to baby boomers – unless you have a timeless product or service," writes syndicated columnist Mildred Culp in a June 29 article, "Expand Your Marketing from Boomers to Gen Y."

The piece ran in the Dallas Morning News, among other papers, and Culp interviewed Social Technologies' futurist Andy Hines about how to connect with Millennials via their interest in environmentalism and sustainability, community, social responsibility (including humanitarian issues), and the Internet.

Appealing to those things is essential, said Andy Hines, a futurist in the Houston office of Social Technologies LLC. Mr. Hines said that Gen Y's questions are geared toward obtaining tangible results, such as "How do we make the community a better place, the environment safer? What do we do to translate into people getting more food?"

His advice to business leaders: "Bring in a Gen Y intern to mentor you."

For more information on what appeals to Millennials, read a study that Hines and his team at Social Techonologies conducted last year for MTV on the "Future of Youth Happiness: What makes 12-24-year-olds happy?" Or, view the entire presentation.

By engaging consumers through all five senses, not just sight or hearing, multisensory marketing strategies seek to evoke deep personal identification with products. The practice is being driven by advancing science and technology (especially brain science), consumer demand for affordable luxury, and competitive pressure to find new ways to differentiate products and brands.

We wrote about the multisensory marketing trend in our Global Lifestyles (pdf) project a few years back, and the interest continues to build. Here are a couple recent items of note we've come across about the use of smell in selling:

• A recent article in Emirates Business 24|7 (registration required) suggests that global spending on aroma marketing will hit $220 million in 2010, up from just $30 million in 2003.
  
• There's a new book out called Whiff, by C. Russel Brumfield, that looks pretty interesting. He was the keynote speaker at the First International Scent-Marketing Conference in NYC. See a couple minutes from him on AdAge.com.
  
• Travellodge UK is now offering scented rooms. Their press release mentions scents including the sea, baby powder, fresh cut grass, apple pie, and chocolate.
  
• And if those scents don't please you...there is always the AromaUSB...which uses power from a computer's USB port to deliver scents, and according to the website is perfect for "marketing campaigns...[and] keeping your brand or business in customers' minds."
  

Image: Joe M500 (Flickr)

Hat tip to airsensenews.com.

"Location, location, location," is increasingly becoming the mantra around new media services, and 2008 seems poised to be a year of growth for hyperlocal content delivery and other location-based services.

Google recently unveiled a new feature on its Google News page--Google News Local, allowing readers to get news occurring only in their local area. Google is moving into this space at a time when GPS is making people more aware of their surroundings and driving innovations in localized content in the form of location-based services like mobile ads for local businesses. Google's local news service joins dominant localized news site Topix.net and newcomer EveryBlock in this content area, and many Internet users will benefit from having better access to news in their area.

Google isn't the only major company taking advantage of hyperlocalized content.

Click to Read More ...

Will Americans still be commuting mega miles to get to work 10, 15, or 20 years from now?

Not likely, says Social Technologies' Andy Hines in an article published in the winter issue of the Career College Association's magazine The Link.

In fact, Hines believes the workforce of the future will behave very differently than the workforce we see today.

“Creativity will be valued more and as technology continues to evolve, more ‘knowledge workers’ will be required to fill jobs. These talented people will want to work with other talented people, and although money will be important it will become less of a differentiator. Instead, people will look for the opportunity to work with others they can learn from and successfully collaborate with.”

Other shifts that he thinks will become apparent in the coming decade include:

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If you've watched a TV commercial or music video lately, you've probably  noticed that a new style has emerged.

That's thanks to companies like California-based Motion Theory, writes reporter Diane Mehta in an article entitled "Loco Motion" in the February 2008 issue of Fast Company magazine. These producers are "reinventing the TV commercial, even the look of video itself, and changing the way advertisers and other clients connect with the public," explains Mehta, who asked Social Technologies' Chris Carbone to weigh in on the trend.

He said the visual-effects trend is about ratcheting up expectations:

"Younger consumers--digital natives--grew up in a world where their baseline was The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings, and Spider Man," he says. "But now that world-class effects are the standard, visuals need to be integrated in the message even more than in the past, and that's true of movies or marketing."

View the entire article.

Image: Motion Theory, Modest Mouse "Dashboard" for Epic Records (www.motiontheory.com)

On January 9, Social Technologies' Kristin Nauth appeared on Spark, a CBC radio show in Canada hosted by Nora Young, to talk about multisensory marketing (or sensory branding), a topic she has written about for Global Lifestyles, one of our multiclient projects.

According to Nauth, many companies are finding that when they engage consumers with multiple sensory touchpoints--not just the traditional sensory channels of sight or hearing--they can enhance consumers' emotional connection with their products and brands.

Listen to what Kristin had to say on the CBC Radio podcast. Or, read what Kristin thinks is driving multisensory marketing.

Image: pedrosimoes7 (Flickr)

World 2 companies trying to stake a major claim in World 1 are facing some serious obstacles. Most recently, Tata Group--one of India's largest conglomerates--was rebuffed as it tried to make a move on two World 1 companies in just two weeks. From an article on FT.com:

After the Tata-controlled Indian Hotels, owner of Taj, increased its stake in [luxury hotel chain] Orient-Express to 11.5 per cent, Paul White, chief executive, wrote a blunt letter, saying a link with the chain was not in shareholders' interests.

He said: "Any association of our luxury brands and properties with your brands and properties would result in a reduction in the value of our brands and of our business and would likely lead to erosion" in Orient-Express's premium room yields.

This follows reports last week that US dealers of the ailing Jaguar had objected to Tata Motors as a potential owner of the luxury marque, which, along with Land Rover, has been put up for sale by Ford, its US owner.

Referring to "unique image issues" associated with Indian ownership, Ken Gorin, Jaguar Business Operations Council's chairman, said the US public was not "ready for ownership out of India of a luxury car brand such as Jaguar".

In the end, it appears that Ford will let Tata purchase its Jaguar and Land Rover luxury brands. However, the initial resistance by Jaguar dealers to the sale probably wouldn't have ever occurred had a World 1 company tried to purchase the brand. How this plays out could be telling for both the future of World 2 companies entering World 1 markets as well as for luxury branding:

• Will World 2 companies continue to be rebuffed when it comes to luxury acquisitions, requiring them to create new market share by developing their own luxury brands?
• Since luxury brands are often built on their reputations for quality and authenticity, how long will it take for World 1 consumers to accept luxury products from World 2--mostly known for cheaper, lower-quality, commoditized and/or pirated products? And, if so, how will World 2 companies shed this traditional image? 

In an article published Dec. 13 on Tech News World entitled, "Jackass 2.5' Online-Only Release: Smart Stunt or Half-Assed?," reporter Erika Morphy asked experts: will movies be as successful as TV shows and videos have been in moving to the Web?

Social Technologies' futurist Simeon Spearman said:

The dedicated "Jackass" fan base will have no problem going online to watch its next iteration. That's precisely where they prefer to get their fix.

The film's target audience is mainly composed of those who already watch videos online: young men who have grown up with the Internet and are mainly responsible for the success of online video to this point. It is a natural fit for 'Jackass 2.5' to be released in this fashion.

However, I don't think the studios should believe that if this film is successful online that films for older audiences less familiar with online video will see similar success. Surveys have shown that most consumers still prefer watching video on television sets than on their computers. Films catering to younger audiences will likely see more success under this distribution model.

Image: Elliott P. (Flickr)

What will the workplace of the future look like?

In an article that ran in the Dec. 13 issue of the New York Times, "You won't find me in my office, I'm working,"  reporter Lisa Belkin talked about the growing trend of "white space," the place where workers go to think, write, and be creative. She spoke with S)T's Andy Hines about the topic.

Hines said: "White space is "what we are looking for when we have thinking to do."

Mr. Hines often starts his lectures by asking his audience to name the place where they come up with their most creative ideas. The profession and salary level and age of the respondents might vary from one audience to the next, he said, but the results are always the same.

The workplace, he said, is "either not mentioned or is mentioned near the very end of the list, after all the other places have been exhausted." Mr. Hines, it should be noted, said he does his best work while running or reclining in his favorite chair.

Belkin and Hines continued their conversation later in the day on New York Public radio.

Image: (c) 2007 JupiterImages Corp.

People seeking to avoid grocery lines may get their wish, wrote Yeleny Suarez, a reporter with South Florida CEO, in a recent article entitled No More Lines. "Online grocery delivery companies such as Miami Beach-based BeachGroceries.com and Garagegrocery.com are meeting that demand and setting up shop in South Florida."

Suarez asked Social Technologies futurist Kyle Spector for his take on the trend. He said:

E-commerce grocery stores will continue to do well selling commodities to urban patrons because time pressure and monetization are two trends pairing up perfectly for e-commerce grocery.

"There are more than 300,000 food products offered in the US. Online grocers can fulfill more niche needs since they can offer more than just what is available in a single store."

Image: (c) 2007 JupiterImages Corp.

Social Technologies' founder Tom Conger discussed the forces changing the global workplace at a recent leadership conference hosted by the Society for Human Resource Management.

Conger explained how migration, new wealth, and time pressure are factors driving the shift. His ideas were outlined in a Dec. 7 posting on the SHRM.org website by reporter J.J. Smith, who wrote:

The numbers for annual international migration went from 145 million during the 1990s to 190 million by 2005, said Conger, who is founder of Social Technologies, a global research and consulting firm specializing in the integration of foresight, strategy and innovation. Such mass migration of people will drive new trends in areas such as entertainment, food, social values and language, but a new trend that has been produced is economic, he said while discussing trends and lifestyles that affect global business.

Immigrant workers are sending large parts of their wages to their countries of origin--presumably to support family in those locations--so that about $100 billion per year in migrant workers' pay is flowing globally, Conger said. Employers can help their workers and the company by allowing the employees to remit money overseas via automatic deposit, he said. While there is a chance some immigrant workers will be illegal aliens, by enabling immigrant employees to remit money overseas, companies will provide a benefit that can help attract and retain employees, he said.

While employers might focus on international migration, domestic migration--mostly urbanization--is another trend which companies need to be aware of, Conger said. A milestone was reached during 2005 when the combined populations of cities surpassed the populations of rural areas, and that is expected to continue until at least 2030 when 61 percent of the world's population will be urban, he said. However, most population growth is not going to be in the "mega-cities"--cities with at least 10 million inhabitants; more than half of the growth is likely to occur in cities with 500,000 or less inhabitants, he added.

View the entire article.

Image: Paul Keller (Flickr)While it makes an amusing title, "Matt has purchased condoms" isn't something I'd like broadcast to the world (at least, without my consent). Yet, that could've very easily happened with the launch of Facebook's Beacon program.

As it was originally designed, Beacon surreptitiously planted tracking cookies in the browsers of Facebook users; when interacting with a site that had partnered with Beacon, Facebook proceeded to publish an announcement of this activity for all of your friends to see--whether you're buying movie tickets or shopping for personal items that you'd rather not have your friends know about, let alone your younger siblings.

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Couldn't find the pricetag for Radiohead's newest album, In Rainbow? You're not alone. On October 10, the popular British band bypassed its record label, released the album on its own website, and is allowing fans to set their own price. Which means, of course, that the album is basically being offered for free.

After Radiohead came out with the digital download last week, big acts such as Nine Inch Nails, Oasis, and Jamiroquai announced plans to do the same. Granted, getting free music on the Internet is not a novel thing: illegal filesharing has been around for years and up-and-coming new artists often offer free downloads to get their name out. However, Radiohead's move marks the first time a big-name artist has released an entire album for free and exclusively on the Internet.

It's a revolutionary idea in the music business. The model, for decades, has involved artists signing with record labels while record labels distribute and promote the artist's music, therefore wielding creative control over the artist. Radiohead has completely bypassed the traditional system. If enough artists follow suit, Radiohead's new distribution model could be a complete game changer within the music industry, making record labels essentially obsolete.

Image: Brady Wood (Flickr)

In the premier issue of Changewaves Newsletter, our own Josh Calder developed a list of new jobs for the year 2020. On Saturday night, The Huffington Post, one of the web's most widely-read blogs, picked up the list for its "Living Now" section. Check it out here.

For more on one of these new jobs, see Josh's recent blog post on geoscaping.

A few months ago we wrote about jobs of the future; here's some coverage of our list at CNBC.

One of the future jobs was "geoscaper," someone who makes corporate and private properities look better in Google Earth-style aerial views.

Well, Google users recently spotted this unfortunately shaped building on a Navy base in San Diego:

In the face of the somewhat silly brouhaha that erupted, the Navy announced that it would spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to make the building look less offensive from space. Geoscaping, here we come.

Image: Google.