Culture Vulture Trends Report: 2018

2
CULTURE VULTURE 2018
In our seventh annual deep dive into
the big trends pervading U.S. culture,
we explore the current angst plaguing
Americans,thenewdefinitionofsuburbia,
today’s modern parenting struggles,
and how shopping is becoming more
polarized (along with other interesting
things, like breaking down the allure of
shiny new things).

TOP
CULTURAL
TRENDS
1
THE GREAT
AMERICAN CRISIS(?)
02
SAFE
HAVENS
03
THE
MIDDLEBURBS
05
GEN NICE:
COMING OF AGE
06
EXTREME
EXCHANGES
07
GREAT
EXPECTATIONS
08
RETURN TO THE
LONG TERM
09
RISE OF THE
ASIAN ECONOMY
10
SHINY NEW
OBJECTS
04
CHILDHOOD,
REIMAGINED
3

On the surface, Americans are doing well.
People have more disposable income and
can afford things they couldn’t in the past.
Despite this, there’s an angst that pervades
consumers’ outlook.
Although 67% of consumers say
“I’m very happy with my life as is,”
59% believe that this is the lowest
point in our nation’s history that
they can remember. We have a
natural aversion to the feeling of
getting less than others, and with
rising income inequality and more
perceived injustice, that’s exactly
how some consumers feel. Sixty
five percent say society grants an
unfair advantage to some groups.
This is magnified by social media;
nearly two-thirds say “social media
has made people more envious of
each other.”
The angst of feeling trapped in a
stagnant position while everyone
else seems to be benefiting is
amplified by our tribal natures. As
we gravitate toward groups with
common values and motivations,
it becomes easier to suppress
dissenting perspectives.
No wonder many groups feel
left behind — nearly half of white
working-class Americans say
“things have changed so much
that I often feel like a stranger
in my own country.” Younger
generations are experiencing this
fragmentation too, leaving them
feeling less connected to the
5THE GREAT AMERICAN CRISIS(?) 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Figure out where your brand should and
shouldn’t play on the continuum of social
concerns.
If getting involved in a cause, test involve-
ment against current and potential custom-
ers.
Keep up with the cultural zeitgeist (e.g. sub-
scribe to your weekly Culture Briefings).
country as a whole. Millennials are
half as likely as Baby Boomers to
say that the U.S. best represents
who they are — they relate to state
and online communities instead.
Brands have the difficult task of
responding to this angst without
isolating valuable consumer
segments. Companies like Target,
Jim Beam, and Papa John’s have
faced backlash over statements
supporting and opposing certain
causes,causingPRnightmaresand
affectingbottomlines.Additionally,
only 36% of consumers believe
companies should comment on
social and political situations — so
brands must choose wisely when
getting involved.
WE HAVE A NATURAL AVERSION
TO GETTING LESS—NOT TO
INEQUITY.
PAUL BLOOM
PSYCHOLOGIST AT YALE UNIVERSITY
”
“

Sources: American Psychological Association, Mindshare’s Pool, PRRI, Simmons
IT’S ONLY AMONG HUMANS
THAT YOU FIND VERY LARGE
GROUPS WHO ARE ABLE TO CO-
OPERATE. BUT IN THIS CASE, IT’S
GROUPS UNITED TO FIGHT OTH-
ER GROUPS, PROBABLY COMING
FROM OUR LONG HISTORY OF
TRIBAL LIVING.
JONATHAN HAIDT
PROFESSOR AT NYU
“
”
31
18
16
13 12 12 13 14
7
3 3
6
8
4 4
9
22
15
The country I
live in
The state I
live in
My local
community
The
communities
that I’m a part
of online
The sports
teams I root
for
The school I
went/go to
Which of the following best represents who you are and your values?
(%)
Millennials Gen X Baby Boomers

In 2005, the average person owned 156
CDs. Today, we have instant access to
over two billion Spotify playlists. With
seemingly endless content options, the
world seems more complex than ever.
Consumers are feeling the effects,
with 67% saying they “find the
world to be increasingly complex”
(up from 56% in 2012). And having
too many options takes a toll on
decision-making. Many people
feel paralyzed by choice — nearly
half say they sometimes “spend
more time trying to decide what
to watch than actually watching
something.” Others fall back on
safe bets: over half of consumers
admit to watching an entire TV
series multiple times.
Whatever content they choose, for
many consumers, it’s an escape
from the anxiety of everyday life.
Nearly two-thirds say they “use
content to take my mind off of
negative things going on in the
world.” One surprising stress-
relieving genre? Horror — 2017
was the largest box office year for
horror films, with hits like It and
Get Out providing safe havens
for viewers to replace real-life
fear with fiction and experience
negative emotions in manageable
environments.
As shows and movies play a
bigger role in one’s identity,
escapism goes beyond a solo
pursuit. From Meetup groups
hosting Game of Thrones watch
9SAFE HAVENS 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
How can your product or brand create or
align to a “safe haven” for consumers?
Find ways to simplify messaging or block
out noise in the age of complexity.
Does your 2018 tentpole strategy align with
consumers’ changing behaviors?
parties to conventions like Comic
Con and RTX, content lovers are
herding together to form collective
escapism.
Some brands go a step further.
Netflix’s Bed ‘N’ Binge room
allows people to binge shows
in themed rooms. And Disney
recently announced plans for a
Star Wars luxury hotel, complete
with costumes and customized
storylines for guests — proving
that escapism goes beyond the
screen.
63%AGREE: “I USE CONTENT AND
ENTERTAINMENT TO TAKE MY
MIND OFF OF NEGATIVE THINGS
GOING ON IN THE WORLD”

WHEN FANS LISTEN TO A
BACHELOR OR BACHELORETTE
PODCAST, THEY’RE ENTERING
THE SHARED COMMUNITY OF
FANS THE SAME WAY FANS OF
A FANTASY EPIC (OR AN NHL
FRANCHISE) MIGHT.
PASTE MAGAZINE
Sources: ICM, Mindshare’s Mindreader, Mindshare’s Pool
“
”
Agree “I find the world to be increasingly complex”
(%)
67%66%64%
61%
58%56%
2012 2014 20162013 2015 2017

The great urban revival is relocating — to
suburbia. And these aren’t your mother’s
suburbs. Communities sitting on the edges
of urban centers are developing unique
economic and cultural identities.
That’s leaving today’s boom
looking rather different from the
one that took place in the 1950s,
when “the father of modern
American suburbia” William Levitt
applied mass production to home
building. Back then, the suburbs
depended heavily on the urban
centers they surrounded — a city/
suburb relationship sociologists
identified as a monocentric model.
Over time, developers have made
more walkable downtown areas
in communities outside of cities,
causing this relationship to turn
into a polycentric model, with
many economic centers operating
independentlyofoneanother. This
shift is blurring the line between
cities and suburbs.
You can thank Millennials — or
rather, Millennials settling down,
shifting population growth from
urban counties to suburban
ones. And as more young people
move to the suburbs, they’re
bringing urban expectations
with them. Stereotypically urban
establishments like pop-up shops
and food halls have begun to
cross over into suburban living.
Millennials are even adding
an Instagram-inspired twist on
home-buying, hiring professional
13MIDDLEBURBS 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Does your current brand proposition draw
in Middleburbia consumers and address
their needs?
Implement your local marketing strategy so
that it appeals to a Middleburb mentality.
Use signals and data to help identify
Middleburbs for 2018 business
opportunities.
photographers to capture the
moment they step into their new
pads.
Suburban infrastructure has also
shifted. For example, The Arcade
Providence in Rhode Island was
one of the oldest libraries in the
country. With a rising demand for
housing in the area, it’s now a
swanky apartment complex within
a walkable city center. New York’s
Knitting Factory music venue
has bought small concert halls
in suburban Minnesota, bringing
more opportunity and culture to
the city outskirts — and giving the
suburbs a whole new feel.
THE GREAT URBAN REVIVAL
MIGHT NOT BE ENDING, IT MIGHT
JUST BE RELOCATING. INSTEAD
OF PILING INTO EXISTING CORES,
AMERICANS MIGHT SIMPLY BE
CREATING NEW ONES ACROSS
THE COUNTRY.
BLOOMBERG
“
”

Sources: New York University
MONOCENTRIC MODEL
1950’s
POLYCENTRIC MODEL
TODAY
THE NAME “SUBURBS” NEEDS
A REVISION. THE TOWNS SUR-
ROUNDING URBAN CORES WITH
TRAINS AND BUSES DIRECT TO
CITY CENTERS AND A WALKABLE
AND ACTIVE DOWNTOWN ARE
NOT SUBURBS
GABE BAILER
URBAN PLANNER
“
”

Parents are spending more time than ever
with their kids. But thanks to the ubiquity
of screens and techy toys, that time isn’t
always the quality time that parents yearn
for.
We’re living in an era of hyper-
indulgence, with the average
householdcontainingabout71toys
for kids to play with. Part of this is
due to the hyper-connected world
we live in causing tensions for both
parents and their kids. Children are
getting phones at younger ages
and spend more time each day
using mobile devices (48 minutes
on average) than reading or being
read to (30 minutes).
However, as the issues of
indulgence become more
apparent, a potential backlash may
be coming. Researchers recently
found that kids become more
creative with fewer toys, causing
some parents to take a more
minimalist approach. Parents are
also trying to balance the tensions
of mobile moderation. While 71%
of parents say they worry their
children spend too much time in
front of screens, they don’t want to
be overbearing or have their child
feel left out from social groups by
going completely screen-free.
Schools are taking note. Instead of
sending their kids to tech-oriented
schools, tech executives like Bill
Gates and Steve Jobs favored
schools like the Waldorf School
in Silicon Valley, which doesn’t let
17CHILDHOOD, REIMAGINED 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Inspire ideas for quality family bonding time
among consumers and their families.
How does your brand offer utility or guidance
that addresses modern parenting struggles?
How does your brand support children’s
learning with the current evolution in
education?
kids use screens until 8th grade.
Standards around homework
and testing are changing too —
some elite schools are reducing
the amount of homework and
starting later, enduring criticism
from opposing viewpoints. And
the evolution of STEM (Science,
Technology, Engineering, Math) is
evolving again, with some pushing
this categorization to expand into
the arts as well (meet STEAM).
More distractions, more problems?
For some parents and kids, less
(tech and toys) is more.
71%PARENTS ARE WORRIED THAT
THEIR CHILDREN SPEND TOO
MUCH TIME WITH THEIR DEVICES

A NEW MOVEMENT IS WORKING
TO INCLUDE ART AND DESIGN
INTO THE CONCEPT OF
STEM. THE NEW IDEA, STEAM,
HIGHLIGHTS THE NECESSITY
OF INCORPORATING ART WHEN
TURNING SCIENTIFIC AND
TECHNICAL PROJECTS INTO
USABLE, REAL-WORLD PRODUCTS.
HUFFINGTON POST
Sources: Pew Research, Nielsen, Common Sense Media, Toy Industry Association, New York Times
“
”
65
150
160
173
1991 2000 2012 2017
Number of Waldorf Schools in the US
(kids don’t use screens until 8th grade)

MeetGenNice.They‘rethemosteducated,
diverse, and tech-savvy group ever, and
just beginning to hit adulthood — one
that’s looking pretty different than it did for
other generations.
The Great Recession and the
evolution of technology have
helped shape Gen Nice, ages 7-22,
into a different cohort. Milestones
like driving, dating, and drinking
were left behind with older
generations. Instead, Gen Nice’s
online activities define them,
from what apps they use to what
YouTube channels they subscribe
to.
Coming of age in a time with a huge
emphasis on technology comes
with growing pains. New services
like tbh, House Party, and Musical.
ly create more opportunities for
Gen Nice to stay connected to
each other and the world at large.
However, from juggling multiple
Instagram accounts (Finstas) to
keeping up on their Snapstreaks,
it’s become more difficult for them
to manage their online identities.
With the majority of interaction
happening online, there’s also
a feeling of isolation when that
interaction shifts into the real
world. These tech troubles — along
with high academic and economic
pressures from parents and
schools — have stressed out Gen
Nice young adults, who are now
exhibiting higher rates of anxiety
and depression than Millennials
before them.
21GEN NICE: COMING OF AGE 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Think about how your product or
communication approach will change for
the next generation.
Ensure that you understand the nuances of
these potential new customers.
How can your brand help the next
generation navigate their complex entrance
into adulthood?
But it’s not all doom and gloom.
Gen Nice is one of the most
empathetic generations, breaking
down stigmas around race,
gender, and mental health. And
they’re optimistic about their place
in the world and the future they’ll
help shape.
And while traditional celebrities
still resonate, they have an ever-
refreshing set of role models to
look up to, born out of YouTube,
Snapchat, and Instagram. These
influencers connect with them
on a deeper level, thanks to their
approachable personas and
engaging content.
Brands, meet the new change-
makers.
“I JUST KNOW OF ALL OF THESE
PEOPLE BECAUSE OF SOCIAL
MEDIA, BUT I DON’T ACTUALLY
KNOW THEM. I COULD NEVER GO
UP TO THEM AND BE LIKE, ‘HEY,
I SAW YOU ON INSTAGRAM FOR
TWO YEARS.’”
GEN NICE FEMALE
“
”

Sources: Association for University and College Counseling Center Directors, University of Michigan, MediaKix
63%
GEN Z WOULD PREFER TO SEE A
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER IN
ADVERTISEMENTS
(ONLY 37% PREFER TRADITIONAL CELEBRITIES)
High School Seniors Who’ve Done the Following
(%)
87 85
72
68
39
72
56 57
33
11
Has driver’s license Ever dated Worked for pay Drank alcohol
(last 30 days)
Smoked cigarettes
(last 30 days)
1976 2016

Look at any category from retail to food
to travel to media, and you’ll see two
extremes in action, with efficiency at one
end of the spectrum and immersion at the
other.
Laziness is deeply ingrained in our
DNA. And that’s good for brands
— 51% of consumers want a
trusted brand to help simplify their
lives (up from 31% in 2012). So it’s
no surprise that these consumers
want a streamlined shopping
experience. For example, Amazon
Go, a beta retail experience,
removes the friction of checking
out by tracking shoppers through
the store using sensor tracking
and deep learning. Other retailers
are investing in line-skipping
convenience, with Walmart’s
Scan & Go app and the CVS and
Curbside partnership among the
many convenient options available
to consumers.
It’s not just retail that’s focused
on streamlining. Starbucks is
increasing efficiency in its express
stores, which feature only items
that can be made quickly and
have employees taking orders
before consumers even get to the
register.
But it’s not just about what’s
faster and easier. About 65% of
consumers say “it’s extremely
important to have stimulating
experiences” and over one-third
say “even when I don’t purchase
anything, I enjoy shopping.” In
25EXTREME EXCHANGES 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Workshop what the extremes of your cat-
egory could look like for new products or
services.
Identify where your brand has a right to
play among consumers.
Continue to monitor innovation across rel-
evant categories so you don’t fall behind.
addition to its express stores,
Starbucks also offers a Roastery,
a small-batch “coffee theater” that
encourages consumers to enjoy
a multi-hour visit. The Samsung
837 NYC flagship store doesn’t
sell products but operates as a
digital playground of art-house
installations. There are even
Instagram-ready museums like
the Museum of Ice Cream, which
features colorful areas for picture-
snapping.
Whether it’s efficiency or
immersion that consumers are
after, brands are stepping up and
giving it to them.
YOU HAVE TO GIVE PEOPLE A
REASON TO COME TO THE STORE
OTHER THAN JUST DUPLICATING
WHAT THEY CAN BUY ONLINE.
BRIDGET RUSSO
SHINOLA CMO
“
”

STREAMLINED ELABORATE
Data Sources: Mindshare’s Mindreader, Simmons
65%Agree: “It’s extremely important to
have stimulating experiences”

As companies like Amazon, Uber, and
Netflix push the boundaries of speed,
service, and innovation, consumer
expectations are changing, forcing other
brands to keep up.
With great expectations comes
great power. In the late 1960s,
psychologist Robert Rosenthal
introduced the Pygmalion Effect,
which suggests that higher
expectations lead to an increase
in performance, impacting how we
think and behave.
Consumerstodayarecomparingall
brands to a select few disruptors,
raising the overall bar. Fifty two
percent of consumers say that
they “have higher expectations
for brands today than they did in
the past.” So what can we learn
from innovators like Tesla and
Airbnb? How to play off key human
behavior triggers. The number one
consumer expectation for brands
today is “to make my life easier.”
To do this, brands should look
to the U.K. Behavioural Insights
Team’s EAST Model, consisting of
four pillars: make it easy, make it
attractive, make it social, and make
it timely.
Brands like Amazon have done
this by implementing same-day
deliveries, reducing the wait time
consumers expect for receiving
their products. HotelFlex works
with hotels to allow travelers to
check in and check out at any time
they’d like. And Hiatus is an app
29GREAT EXPECTATIONS 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Use data and research to identify and
meet changing expectations of category
consumers.
Use the EAST Model to workshop new
ways to enhance your marketing or
communication strategy.
Explore adding layers to content (e.g. shop-
ability) to ensure it’s delivering against
expectations.
that negotiates bills and payments
on the consumer’s behalf to lower
prices.
Media is also undergoing a
change in response to consumers’
expectations — HBO’s new
interactive show Mosaic lets
viewers watch from different
characters’ perspectives and
choose the sequence in which
the story unfolds. And FOX has
adopted six-second ads onto their
network, minimizing how long
consumers expect commercials to
last.
Great expectations, met and
exceeded.
Ease
Direct to customer selling
Autopilot
Easy entry/exit
Automatic garage warning
Over the air updates
Streaming services
Advance parking sensors
Attractive
Largest touchscreen
Slick design
(e.g. removal of grill)
Key shaped like car
Timely
Speed of response
on social
Culturally relevant press
releases
Social
Tesla charger stations
Easter eggs
Dealerships in Malls
Elon Musk – ‘social CEO’

Sources: Mindshare’s Pool, Behavioural Insights Team (a separate company in the UK), Wunderman
52%
AGREE: “I HAVE HIGHER
EXPECTATIONS FOR BRANDS
NOW THAN I DID IN THE PAST”
(61% OF MILLENNIALS)
87%Consumers say they
measure all brands
against a select few
companies

For the past few years, companies have
been trading long-term success for short-
term gains. However, we’re now in the
midst of a backlash as longevity is making
a comeback.
The average number of very large
business effects (e.g. penetration,
market share) per ad campaign has
dropped by nearly 20% from 2012
to 2016, thanks to the percent of
short-term campaigns increasing
from 7% in 2006 to 26% in 2016. It’s
understandable why brands would
favor short-termism. Not only is it
easier to observe and measure,
but CMOs and brand managers
are increasingly pressured by
quarterly sales goals.
But immediate results aren’t
always a good thing. This short-
term outlook inhibits innovation
and makes the economy less
competitive, impacting the stock
market. This means that more
companies are staying private, with
the number of U.S. publicly traded
companies dropping by almost
50% since the 1990s. Startups are
also taking longer to IPO, with the
median amount of time increasing
from 3.1 years in 2000 to 8.2 years
in 2017.
As the issues with short-termism
become more apparent, some
are shifting to more long-term
strategies. For example, the Long-
Term Stock Exchange is a new
model backed by Silicon Valley
venture capitalists that operates
33RETURN TO THE LONG TERM 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Ensure that you’re setting the right KPIs for
long-term growth (e.g. unaided awareness,
penetration).
Balance brand building and sales activation
in your creative and media strategy.
Think long-term; don’t always be quick to
change course if impact is not immediate.
using “tenure voting,” in which
shareholders who have their
stocks for a longer period of time
get more votes.
The power of long-term thinking
has its perks. Just look at the
Houston Astros, who went
from one of the Major League
Baseball’s worst teams to World
Series Champions in five years by
leveraging young prospects. Proof
that if companies are willing to
take a step back and focus on the
greater potential, the payoff will
greatly exceed the sacrifices.
THERE IS CURRENTLY TOO MUCH
FOCUS ON THE SHORT-TERM
EASIER TO MEASURE AND
OBSERVE
CLIENTS OFTEN PRESSURED BY
QUARTERLY SALES GOALS

SILICON VALLEY’S HIGH-TECH
DENIZENS COMPLAIN THE PUBLIC
STOCK MARKETS ARE MARRED
BY A NARROW FOCUS ON SHORT-
TERM EARNINGS AND PROFITS.
NOW THEY ARE ACTUALLY
DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT, BY
LAUNCHING A NEW FRAMEWORK
FOR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE,
INVESTING AND TRADING
CALLED THE LONG-TERM STOCK
EXCHANGE.
WALL STREET JOURNAL
Sources: Wall Street Journal, National Venture Capitalist Association, IPA
“
”
Median time for IPO exit
7.4 years
20132000 2017
3.1 years
8.2 years

Growing in population size, buying power,
and cultural influence, Asian-American
consumers are becoming an increasingly
valuable multicultural segment for brands
to consider.
Asian Americans make up 6% of
the U.S. population, but they’re
the fastest-growing multicultural
segment, expected to balloon to
14% within the next five decades.
This often-overlooked group
in America represents a huge
untapped market waiting to be
recognized, with the highest
incomes and education levels, the
fastest-growing home-ownership
in the U.S., and some of the
highest spending in categories like
makeup, apparel, and restaurants.
But those aren’t the only places
where Asian Americans are having
an impact. From Hollywood to
Washington, 2017 was a watershed
year for this group. For example,
Congress added 18 members of
Asian descent (the most ever). And
K-Pop group BTS broke hearts and
records with a top 10 Billboards
debut and a spot on Time’s list of
the Top 25 Internet Influencers.
It can be seen in our content too,
as Asian authors, playwrights,
directors, and actors bring their
own unique values, stories, and
perspectives into the mainstream.
Companies like Netflix have
recognized this and are buying
and creating Asian content like
Okja and Bardo. Their impact on
37RISE OF THE ASIAN ECONOMY 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Understand Asian-American consumers’
relevance to your category and brand and,
when appropriate, include them in your
multicultural strategy.
Understand their motivations and nuance
your brand communications accordingly.
Make sure communications reflect an
accurate and authentic representation of
this audience.
other brands is wide-reaching,
with companies Nike and Sephora
jumping to embrace the culture.
Of course, there are still issues
that need to be addressed. Brands
need to understand that Asian
Americans represent a broad and
diverse group of many different
cultures with vastly different values
and needs. And they need to be
cognizantoftheproblemstheyface
— like misrepresentation in media,
immigration, and discrimination —
to better serve them.
FOR A LONG TIME,
GLOBALIZATION HAS EFFECTIVELY
MEANT ‘AMERICANIZATION.’ THE
NEW GLOBALIZATION IS NOT AS
SUCH AMERICANIZATION BUT
IS SOMETHING THAT COULD BE
CALLED ‘GLOBAL-AS-ASIAN.
FORBES
”
“

WHAT BOTHERED ME ABOUT APU
IS HOW HE STOOD IN FOR MY
PARENTS, REPLACING THEIR REAL
STORIES AND REAL STRUGGLES
AND THEIR REALLY COMPLICATED
LIVES WITH AN ACCENT
HARI KONDABOLU
THE PROBLEM WITH APU
Sources: U.S. Census, Simmons, Pew Research
”
“
Expenditures by Race/Ethnicity
$275 $270
$256
$325
$180
$130
$163
$208
$133
$156
$167
$206
$74 $74
$88
$105
$70
$79
$81
$96
White Hispanic AsianAA
Family Restaurants Women’s Apparel Women’s Accessories Skincare Makeup

As new technology develops at rapid
rates, it’s easy to be fascinated by the
latest devices. But brands must embrace
tech trends carefully — or risk losing big.
Look no further than Second Life
for a cautionary tale. In the early
2000s, the virtual world — which
letsuserscreateavatarstointeract,
shop, and consume media — was
predicted to be the future of the
internet and marketing. It was
supposed to revolutionize life as
we knew it. But it failed.
Fast forward to 2012, and Google
Glass was expected to be our new
way of seeing the world, displaying
digital information through
wearable headsets. It also failed.
So did Snap Inc.’s near-identical
replica, Spectacles.
Our brains are often hijacked by
novelty.Whetheritfailsorsucceeds,
our “cult of the new” mentality
keeps us distracted by the latest
thing. Just look at breakout ice
cream brand Halo Top, which had
over 2,500% increase in sales in
2016. That deserves recognition,
but we ignore the fact that 85%
of CPG products fail. Blame
“Survivorship Bias,” a tendency
to focus on success stories while
forgetting failures. This bias even
happens with successful brands
like Amazon, Google, and Apple
— all having introduced failed
products (RIP Google Plane and
Google Wave) between their few
41SHINY NEW OBJECTS 2018 TREND REPORT

01
02
03
IMPLICATIONS
Always check Shiny New Objects against
scale and marketing truths.
First-mover advantage isn’t always an ad-
vantage; make strategic decisions about
relevance to your brand.
Lean on agency partners (who have a
broader view) to help navigate the fast-mov-
ing tech space.
successful launches.
However, as we enter a period of
fad fatigue, brands are starting
to become more cautious. Some
brands fell into a Millennial refresh
trap — like Applebee’s, which
changed their menu and model
to attract younger customers. It
failed, so they went back to their
original model. Many are also
taking a cautious approach to
the digital ecosystem, with major
spenders like P&G, Mars, and
Taco Bell pulling money out of
digital and reinvesting in television
for longevity and brand safety
concerns.
What’s old is new — and profitable
— again.
MOST OF US ARE REGULARLY
FOOLED BY THE SURVIVOR
BIAS. CONSIDER THE PLETHORA
OF BUSINESS BOOKS READILY
AVAILABLE IN AIRPORT
BOOKSTALLS THAT FEATURE THE
MOST SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN
“
”
42SHINY NEW OBJECTS 2018 TREND REPORT

Sources: Halo Top, Nielsen, Google Trends
43
“THE PREFRONTAL CORTEX HAS
A NOVELTY BIAS, MEANING THAT
ITS ATTENTION CAN BE EASILY
HIJACKED BY SOMETHING NEW –
THE PROVERBIAL SHINY OBJECTS
WE USE TO ENTICE INFANTS,
PUPPIES, AND KITTENS.”
DANIEL J LEVITIN
MCGILL UNIVERSITY
“
”
SHINY NEW OBJECTS 2018 TREND REPORT
IPL
MFG/IOFC
ant.pre-SMA
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
2004-12
2005-02
2005-04
2005-06
2005-08
2005-10
2005-12
2006-02
2006-04
2006-06
2006-08
2006-10
2006-12
2007-02
2007-04
2007-06
2007-08
2007-10
2007-12
2008-02
2008-04
2008-06
2008-08
2008-10
2008-12
2009-02
2009-04
2009-06
2009-08
2009-10
2009-12
2010-02
2010-04
2010-06
2010-08
2010-10
2010-12
2011-02
2011-04
2011-06
2011-08
2011-10
2011-12
2012-02
2012-04
2012-06
2012-08
2012-10
2012-12
2013-02
2013-04
2013-06
2013-08
2013-10
2013-12
2014-02
2014-04
2014-06
2014-08
2014-10
2014-12
2015-02
2015-04
2015-06
2015-08
2015-10
2015-12
2016-02
2016-04
2016-06
2016-08
2016-10
2016-12
2017-02
2017-04
2017-06
2017-08
2017-10
2017-12
Google Search Index
RSS, Dec. 2005 Virtual World, Jun. 2010 Gamification, Apr. 2014 Wearables, Sep. 2014UGC, Feb. 2008

44
SUMMARY
Technology plays a part, but at the
end of the day it’s human behavior that
shapes marketing and media strategies.
Current trends are giving you plenty of
material to work with. Contact us for the
latest trends as they rise in the cultural
zeitgeist.

Culture Vulture Trends Report: 2018

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