1.
10 YEARS
of
10 TRENDS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

2.
foreword
J W T
Dear reader,
J. Walter Thompson has always believed in the need to understand change. Not just what’s happening
now, but what’s happening next. And also that insight, innovation, ideas and inspiration are more
often found by throwing the net wide outside our doors, to different sectors, communities, disciplines
and minds. When applied, the combination of all this knowledge can truly elevate work and lead not
just to creative solutions but shrewdly plotted strategies.
That’s why, 10 years ago, our agency made the pioneering move to set up what we now call
JWTIntelligence with the purpose of interpreting these changes and what they mean for the future.
JWTIntelligence is J. Walter Thompson’s trends forecasting, thought leadership and insight platform,
and its annual 10 Trends report has become widely known for setting the agenda on trends.
To celebrate 10 years of 10 Trends, this report revisits 10 of the most compelling macro trends identified
since JWTIntelligence launched—trends that will impact on 2015 and beyond as they continue to unfold,
the ones shaping societal mood, behaviors and attitudes. This report explores where these trends stand
now and where they’re headed, with insights gleaned from a J. Walter Thompson survey of consumers
across 12 markets and a spectrum of industry experts and innovators.
Never has it been more important to understand change. The world is evolving at a rapid rate.
Consumers are changing their behavior and adopting new services at breakneck speed, creating real
challenges for businesses but also exciting opportunities. It’s our aim to identify the changes that
matter, the most impactful ones, and help inspire brands to adapt and create future-ready initiatives.
We hope you enjoy.
Lucie Greene
Worldwide Director of JWTIntelligence
J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M

3.
everything is retail01
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J Shopping is shifting from an activity that takes place in
physical stores or online to a value exchange that can
play out in new and novel ways. Since almost anything
can be a retail channel, thanks largely to mobile
technology, brands must get increasingly creative in
where and how they sell their goods.
Where It’s Headed
Everything, everywhere will become shoppable as
mobile connectivity unites the digital and physical
worlds, consumers develop expectations of seamless
purchasing, and brands find ways to merge discovery
and purchase opportunities.
“WHAT’S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS IS
THAT THE POINTS OF INTERACTION HAVE MULTIPLIED.
WHAT WE WILL START TO SEE HAPPEN OVER THE NEXT
COUPLE OF YEARS IS THAT THE POINT OF PURCHASE
WILL START TO HAPPEN MUCH CLOSER TO THE POINT
OF INTERACTION.”
—APU GUPTA, CEO OF SHOPPABLE-INSTAGRAM APP CURALATE“
WHERE WE WERE IN 2013

4.
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
food as the new eco-issue02
J The environmental impact of our food choices
will become a more prominent concern as
stakeholders—brands, governments and activist
organizations—drive awareness around the issue
and rethink what kind of food is sold and how it’s
made. As more regions battle with food shortages
and/or spiking costs, smarter practices around
food will join the stable of green “best practices.”
Where It’s Headed
“Sustainable”is becoming a new buzzword in food as today’s educated eater comes to better
understand how food choices affect the environment and what consumers, brands and governments
can do to drive positive change.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2012

5.
mobile device as
everything hub
03
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J As the availability of wireless broadband expands and
the cost of advanced mobile phones drops, the mobile
device will become the preferred hub for digital activity.
Where It’s Headed
Mobile devices are truly an everything hub as more
things get digitized or connected and as people take to
the smaller screen to watch video, spend, shop, learn,
play and much more.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2009

6.
going private in public04
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J In an era when living publicly is becoming the default,
people are coming up with creative ways to carve out
privatespacesintheirlives.Ratherthanrejectingtoday’s
ubiquitous social media and sharing tools outright,
we’re reaping all the benefits of maintaining a vibrant
digital identity while gradually defining and managing
a new notion of privacy for the 21st century.
Where It’s Headed
With privacy increasingly elusive, people are struggling
with how to maintain a vibrant digital identity. Platforms
for ephemeral, anonymous or intimate sharing are
flourishing, but as a“data economy”comes to the
fore, consumers will wrestle with how much to forego
anonymity.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2013

7.
buying the experience05
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J Experiences have overtaken objects as the “must-have”
purchase. Expect more people to seek boast-worthy
experiences over luxury items.
Where It’s Headed
As the desire to“do”rather than“have”deepens,
consumers are seeking ever more shareable, unique and
amplified experiences.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2007
“IN THE 21ST CENTURY, EVERY PRODUCT AND BRAND
NEEDS NOT ONLY A DIGITAL STRATEGY AND A SOCIAL
STRATEGY BUT AN EXPERIENTIAL STRATEGY. IN THE 21ST
CENTURY, THE WAY TO BUILD LOYALTY IS TO CREATE AN
EXPERIENTIAL DIMENSION TO THE BRAND.”
—TREVOR TRAINA, CEO OF “EXPERIENTIAL MARKETPLACE”IFONLY
“

8.
de-teching06
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
Where It’s Headed
The more we’re immersed in technology, the more our anxiety over its effects is growing. There’s a rising
sense that technology’s negative effects will outweigh the positive if we don’t find ways to use it more
mindfully.
“A CRUCIAL LIFE SKILL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY IS VERY SIMPLY TO BE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND WHERE THE
TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP AND WHERE IT CAN’T, AND THEN TO MAKE A VERY POSITIVE, CONSCIOUS DECISION AS TO
WHETHER TO USE THE TECHNOLOGY OR NOT. MY THEORY IS THAT MOST PEOPLE TODAY DON’T DO THAT; MOST
PEOPLE SLEEPWALK INTO THEIR USAGE OF TECHNOLOGY, AND AS A RESULT, THEY END UP WITH FRUSTRATION.”
—DAVE COPLIN, AUTHOR OF THE RISE OF THE HUMANS AND CHIEF ENVISIONING OFFICER FOR MICROSOFT UK
“
More people will choose to log off—at least
temporarily—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.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2011
J

9.
predictive personalization07
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
Where It’s Headed
Thanks to insights gleaned from Big Data analysis, the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence and new
tools like beacons, brands are getting better at predicting what people need or want. The challenge will
be to harness new data streams without setting off privacy fears and to balance predictive personalization
with serendipitous discovery.
As data analysis becomes more cost efficient,
the science gets more sophisticated and
consumers generate more measurable data
than ever, brands will increasingly be able to
predict customer behavior, needs or wants—
and tailor offers and communications very
precisely.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2013
J

10.
queen trumps king08
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
One of the most important factors shaping societies
across the world is the rising economic and political
powerofwomen.Therearestillwidespreadfundamental
inequalities; but as women go further in education,
become more influential in the modern workplace, and
make empowering personal choices around marriage
and family life, the balance is shifting in their favor.
Women are gaining a fairer share of opportunities,
power and money, and challenging the concept of the
“man’s world.”
Where It’s Headed
Women are racing ahead as gender dynamics change
rapidly in the home, the workplace and culture, and
as determination strengthens across genders to
engineer greater equality. Many in the youngest
generations, meanwhile, are blurring traditional
gender distinctions altogether.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2008

11.
retooling for
an aging world
09
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J As the world’s population grows older than it’s
ever been, watch for a proliferation of products
and services that cater to this demographic as
they strive to live independently for as long as
they can.
Where It’s Headed
The full impact of the demographic shift
from young to old has yet to be felt: Brands
will need to do much more to adapt for older
consumers—a cohort that’s rebranding
aging altogether.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2010

12.
cooperative consumption10
J W T J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J Sharing has never been so hip. Thanks to the rise of
online social networking, people are sharing just about
everything,fromcarpoolingdutiestotheirlivingrooms.
Where It’s Headed
The sharing economy has exploded in recent years,
going into new categories and gaining traction with
many more consumers (while also seeing a growing
backlash). Although a serious threat to some brands,
others are finding creative ways to tap into this new
business model and mode of consumption.
WHERE WE WERE IN 2008

13.
About J. Walter Thompson
J.Walter Thompson, the world’s best-known
marketing communications brand, has been
inventing pioneering ideas for the past 150 years.
Headquartered in NewYork, JWT is a true global
network with more than 200 offices in over 90
countries, employing nearly 10,000 marketing
professionals. JWT consistently ranks among the
top agency networks in the world and continues a
dominant presence in the industry by staying on the
leading edge—from hiring the industry’s first female
copywriter to developing award-winning branded
content today. For more information, please visit
www.jwt.com and follow us @JWT_Worldwide.
About JWTIntelligence
JWTIntelligence is a center for provocative thinking
that focuses on identifying shifts in the global
zeitgeist. Its aim is to bring the outside in—to
help inspire ideas beyond brand, category and
consumer conventions—and to identify emerging
opportunities so they can be leveraged for business
gain. As a part of JWT, the world’s best-known
marketing communications brand, JWTIntelligence
has conducted trends research and analysis across
categories and geographies for a decade. For more
information, please visit www.jwtintelligence.com
and follow us @JWTIntelligence.
To purchase 10 Years of 10 Trends, please
visit JWTIntelligence.com/shop.
For inquiries, email hallie.steiner@jwt.com.
credits/
contact
J W T I N T E L L I G E N C E . C O M
J W T