Can we predict anything about the future? “A friend said the future is the present. If you really are curious about the future, just study the present. Only those who have learned to perceive the present can predict the future. They need only predict what has already happened by being the first to see through pattern recognition. For the future is the future present.” Marshall McLuhan A reality check can tell us something about the future. A well-known media guru of the last century said that only by understanding the present there is possible to say something about the future. The world is moving so fast, if stopping for a second we suddenly feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, only when taking things easy and take a break one have the possibility to perceive the world free of the clutter and not chaotic, confused, restless or out of control. Life is unpredictable therefore do not interfere with the natural flow of the thing. The world is a chaotic state; we try so hard control the uncontrollable. Soon we lack behind and many people enter a state pretending “knowing what is going on.” The Founder Taoism Lao Tzu one main philosophers of philosophical Taoism pronounced as “Daoism” that advocates living a simple life, historians are not quite sure if he developed alone. One of the most famous passages from of the book Tao-Te-Ching exemplifies his philosophical thoughts and can be translated “Old Man” or more correctly Old Teacher” clearly illustrates the route according to ancient history website: “Yield and overcome, Empty and become full, Bend and become straight.” The passage has awakened many studies and schools of anti-authoritarian minds as a way of solving conflicts in a peaceful way. The sentences remind of “The Middle Way” in Buddhism and illustrate order and disorder in nature which a wise man refuse to interfere with the natural flow of things in every way. In the West, Lao Tzu is most known for his wise quotes upon existential issues Chaos, derived from the Ancient Greek and typically means being in a state lack of order or predictability. In ancient Greece, it first meant the initial state of the universe, and, by extension, space, darkness, secondly a state of confusion of not knowing what is going on such as in popular culture. Fashion in English comes from the word fast or fads, short lasting trends, what’s trendy this week might be dull next. In the fashion industry one often talks about seasons, two or four while fast fashion brands bring newness daily. Long-term trends last for years and are usually called megatrends or future studies. An example of a megatrend, for example, sustainable fashion, environmentally friendly products or Eco-consumerism. Often these long-lasting trends can lead to paradigm-shifts within an industry such as going from gasoline-fueled cars to electric. Megatrends are the basic foundation for developing creative design and marketing strategies of brand communication and product strategies.

1. the future is now
By kenneth @ftmResearch & buddha jeans™
mega trends towards 2020
boards by kenneth @buddha jeans™

2. f tm R e s e a c h
• kenneth lyngaas founder of ftmreseach,
buddha jeans and lyngaas ftm publishing
• head of trend reseach levi strauss europe,
middle east & africa 1997 – 2001
• responsible for mega trends research 2000
levi strauss, middle east & africa
• project lead new packaging and label
system levi strauss 2000 global . recycled
denim paper labels, denim paper,
business cards,
• design manual & label /pacaging design
by (mark farrow @ farrow design) and
kenneth lyngaas (levi strauss europe middle
east & africa) project lead
• founder of pro rib boats, disco brand
entertainment, lyngaas publishing &
buddha jeans company
• the future is now & reseach will be
published march 2012 , digital format
• kenneth lyngaas will be avaliable for
mega trend creative workshops from 15th
of february – april

3. concept cars green & sustainable product design a mega trend

4. research & sources*
• research by kenneth lyngaas & krish pawar
research interviews & dialogs with leading
people across brances and industries.
• Innovators, politicians, sienctists, architechts,
brand managers, creatives, thinkers, economics
• linkedin special forums - twitter, slideshare,
facebook – google – yahoo answers, you tube,
treehugger, wikapedia, blogs & internet
• databases - books, magazines & statistics
national sources (various sources), trend
forcasting companies & agencies
• special interviews varner retail group, l’oreal,
acombe, inspectorate legislation office norway,
snøhetta architects, lucy seven tattoo studios,
elexia training & spa group, oslo west, studies of
religions oslo universities, vg digital national
newspaper, brand republic, telenor mobile
division, levi strauss europe co, karma tashi ling
buddhist community, gandhi foundation and
wgsn

5. private guards - security systems – private soliders
planet fear – a reality - creates security industries

6. mega trend research 2000 – 2005
Levi’s Strauss Europe, Middle East & Africa
the key trends we predicted was:
a reaction towards big brand exploitation of
global resources & workers
brand - logo overload
a growing concern of the world health
sustainable thinking
less is more
research foundation

7. what are mega trends?
a major movement or shift in cultural behavior that
influence different subjects around us. including
communication, retail, music, media, art and fashion.
it’s not a fad but last for a longer period of time
3 – 10 years

8. Mc luhan electric world
we are inter- connected
real ity check

9. mc luhan on the future
«a friend said the future is the future present. if you really
are courious about the future, just study the present. only
those who have learned to to percive the present can
predict the future. they need only predict what has already
happened by being the first to see trough pattern
recognition.
for the future is the future present»
Marshall Mc Luhan

10. chaos theory
there is simply a need to break out

11. s i m p l i c i t y
estract chaos

12. what is happening in the world?

14. from local to global thinking
modern communication technology makes it
possible to be everywhere at any time
a world in rapid change

15. mexico city – los angeles - shanghai - bankok – tokyo
london – manila – delhi – lagos – new york
22 mega polis
in 2ooo 50% of the world population lived in cities
in 2025 increase to 5 billion people
(two thirds of them in poor contries)
rapidly growing mega cities

16. entertainment overload
in every aspec t of our cultur e
it’s no longer cultur a l event s
it’s enter t ain m en t event s
from museum s to reali t y tv

17. m u s e u m s = e n t e r t a i n m e n t

18. a i r p o r t = m a l l
+ c h u r c h = m a l l
+ g o v e r m e n t = s h o p p i n g
+ e d u c a t i o n = s h o p p i n g
+ m u s e u m = s h o p p i n g
+ m i l i t a r y = s h o p p i n g
+ l e s u r e a c t i v i t y = s h o p p i n g
+ v a c a t i o n = s h o p p i n g
= e n t e r t a i n m e n t o v e r l o a d
entertainment overload

19. terrorism
rel i gi on confl i cts
l ack of cul tural unders tanding
power of the
bl ack gol d oi l

20. + 650.000 rape per. year (world)*
1,2 pr minute robbery (us)
14,5 sec burgarly (us)
stolen car every 31 minute (us)
but the danger signals is from less educated
and drop outs – increasing
violence &rape decline but

21. USA worst case scenar io cost
of the finance crisis
7.000 billio n $ dollar s
compar e
total cost war in Iraq
3000 billi on s $*
finance crisis

22. climate changing is the defining
issue of our age
all companies have
responsibility to take action
global warming

23. lack of spirituality
people all over the world are seeking for a new truth and reality,
there is a move away from tradition and superstitios religions.
They are percived as old fashion, rigid and non problem
seeking. the eastern Religions and in particular buddhism
is percived «positiv, non violence» alternativer religion.*
we see this clearly in the increase of mind driven and inner
body sports as yoga and meditation

24. ethnic conflicts
smaller ethnic conflicts
all over the world

25. rise in life espectancy
we live longer
a steady rise from ther 60’s
anti aging drugs
replacement of organs
awareness of lifesyle diseaes
better drugs
lower death rate at birth
less heavy physical work

26. work is no longer located
• modern communication technology makes it
possible
• global education and university standards
• people study abroad
• increase in global business
• global brand find less costly solutions to place
service as call center etc.

27. lack of non renewable
sources of energy
energy situation in the world

28. bio technology
biotechnology is a field of applied biology
that involves the use of living organisms and
bioprocesses in engineering, technology,
medicine and other purposes.

29. nano tube
nanometre = size of a nail grows in one second
will change the world as we know it.
slowly the world will never be the same
1,3 billion €
european community investment 2010
market value
+ 1 trillion €
9 folded investment in less than 8 years
nano technology

30. i nformati on overl oad
we are constant media, liberating every thing

31. the new l anguage
fast media develops use of symbols and icons.
we are now developing a brand new written language
this language use much higer grade of symbols , signs
and logos, because the way we percive and sort
visual objects are much faster than the written word

32. the reality check gives us a fewanswers
the reality chech give us the foundation to predict
certain directions that makes an impact and
influence in our lives.
the main question:
how are the consumer affected by
these happenings and directions?
how does the new consumer look like?
the new business, oppurtunites and treats?

35. the future is now
kenneth lyngaas founder £ creative director
ftmresearch & buddha jeans™
mobile +4747247803
mail: kenneth@buddhajeans.com
blog: buddhajeans.com
Contact me