R/GA FutureVision releases top trends of 2013 report

 

With their clients’ needs in mind, the company identified ten macrotrends that shaped the past year. R/GA executives from around the world lend their insight into these trends, and shared how they have the potential to continue to disrupt our clients’ business in 2014 and in years to come:

 

 

"While we wait for Apple’s entry into the living room, Samsung, Sony and Microsoft have made significant strides in the entertainment space, offering a glimpse of new user experiences that represent significant opportunities for brands. With millions (and even billions) of consumers watching TV with smartphones and other connected devices, dual screening and social data driven viewing are now all very established behaviors. This trend is only set to continue an upward trajectory in 2014."

— Alex Wills, Group Director, Digital Studio London

 

 

“One of the most significant changes in business this year has been the exponential increase in pressure from the startup community on big brands. Crowdfunding, huge pools of venture capital and newly formed accelerator programs have allowed thousands of young teams to step up to the plate with a new product or service… these young startups have an integrated product and service mentality that is often blocked in large corporations, split by the traditional marketing/R&D divide. Consumer expectations have shifted so dramatically by this that brands must now expand their offering from traditional products to include digital services to be competitive in 2014.”  

— Jeff Mancini, VP Product Innovation

 

 

"Social business success in the coming year promises to create significant distance between the leaders and followers across industries. Companies that effectively operationalize social to deliver actionable results beyond marketing objectives stand to make significant gains over their competitors in 2014. Companies who harness social to advance relationship management and product development will emerge as industry leaders.”  

— Kyle Bunch, Group Director, Mobile & Social Platforms

 

 

“There is an evolving connection between people, products and environments. Increasingly, products and environments will have to communicate directly to people in order to be considered in the real-time feed of information. This integration has forced interfaces and messaging to become more simplified.” 

— John Jones, SVP, Executive Creative Director, Retail

 

 

"We are in an interstitial phase between traditional payment and pure digital payments. The biggest challenge any digital or mobile payment solution has is removing friction – for consumers and businesses alike. In some ways, the payment solution of the future could look like what we use today. Solutions like Coin, Wallaby and even Google Wallet have created physical cards that can use multiple credit cards. We see this as a transitional solution that leverages card swiping and acceptance that everyone already uses." 

— Jason Chan, Group Director, Mobile & Social Platforms

 

 

“It’s the early adopters and technically minded individuals that pave the way forward in new technology. We have seen it with smartphones and touch technology and are now seeing it with wearable tech. As hardware production costs continue to decrease, and the form factors and technology become more refined, it’s only a matter of time before wearables become part of our every day—even for those originally adverse to the idea. It’s no coincidence that technology companies are hiring individuals in the fashion industry to add a necessary capability that was not relevant to them a couple of years ago. Apple hiring the CEO of Yves Saint Laurent is a perfect example.”    

— Patricia Choi, Group Senior Technical Director, Technology

 

 

"The most prolific “wearable” is an always-on device that we carry in our pockets every day- our mobile phones. Apps and services like Ginger.io can detect signs of depression by ambiently measuring and analyzing our activity and mobile device usage patterns. Right now we’re largely just playing back data, alerts, and recommendations to users and their care network, but the big leap in value for users will happen when these services can plug into habit-formation and reward frameworks that drive behavior change."  

— David DeCheser, Group Executive Creative Director, Visual Design   

 

 

"What we’ve become accustomed to as users in digital — great design, personalization, contextual data – we now expect from the physical objects we interact with. Established hardware players risk disruption by startups if they don’t have digital services deeply integrated with their products. Meanwhile, software companies are making big bets on hardware, from companies like Amazon with Kindle, to mid-sized startups like Evernote launching a suite of connected physical products. We expect the pace of this digital and physical convergence to accelerate next year." 

— Nick Coronges, VP Technology & Strategy, Technology

 

 

"Whether Amazon’s drone delivery system arrives in the next few years or not, one thing is clear: the general public is now aware of the potential of smart autonomous machines. Today, our cars can help keep us on the road, but nearly every major manufacturer is working towards self-driving, networked vehicles that can communicate with each other. The "toys" available to our children today, like the latest Lego Mindstorms or Sphero, are setting the stage for our future interactions with intelligent machines, and the DIY and Maker movement are accelerating the pace of change with low cost electronics like Arduino and Raspberry Pi kits. Add in free open source software, and it’s not hard to see that the future filled with autonomous machines is arriving now… in the express lane!"  

— Jonathan Greene, Managing Director, Mobile & Social Platforms

 

 

"The first time I heard about 3D printing was in early 2000 when Wake Forest discovered a way to 3D print a working human kidney. In the past decade, the technology has worked it’s way from academic research techniques to modern day desktop printers in people’s homes. This past year has been the year of 3D desktop printers, with MakerBot establishing itself as the market leader for at- home 3D printing and scanning. What I am most excited for in the coming year, however, is how brands will embrace 3D printing to better serve their clients. While there have been numerous examples of individuals doing great things with 3D printing, there are relatively few examples of brands utilizing 3D printing to add a service layer to what they offer customers. I feel like this is very fertile ground, and ripe for the taking."  

— Marc Maleh, Group Director, Prototype Studio