#THENOWAGE META-VIRTUALITY
As society continues to progress towards a technologically advanced future, the boundary between the physical and virtual world is becoming more obscure. The dependence on electronic devices is causing people to feel more isolated, distracted, and is now the source of serious health problems. Recently, China has placed restrictions on the usage of certain video games due to over-gaming and addiction and their method of restriction is ironically, a tech-heavy initiative.
The #Virtuality trend (see our #THENOWAGE Forecast 2018-19) focuses on the experience of a parallel of world of which we cannot see, and the opportunities for what to experience are limitless. The manipulative designs of these games target ways to attract and retain a customer; often resulting in addiction which causes social and even physical harm. In China, the internet giant #Tencent has created an innovative way to limit the usage of its popular online game, “Honor of the Kings”, using facial recognition. Tencent is verifying players’ identities and ages by pairing their faces with government records. This virtual innovation can help change the users’ behavior for the better. Digital detoxing isn’t new, but combatting too much virtuality with another form of virtuality is the meta-level of technological advancements. Technology is not going away anytime soon, so looking to ways to shape users’ behavior for the better may be the answer to over-consumption and addiction.
#babatrendmonitor #virtuality #tencent #THENOWAGE
HARD, PURE, SUSTAINABLE
This week at baba, we are tracking about how the #Radicalism trend (see our #THENOWAGE2018-2019 Trend Monitor Forecast) is creating a new way for us to enjoy our favorite foods without destroying the environment. This trend is all about extreme views and not following the herd; two factors that are contributing to the movement towards sustainability in the food industry.
As consumer behaviors begin to shift towards ‘hard’ veganism due to the increasing awareness and concerns for the origins of food and its impact on the environment, an opportunity for the food industry to capitalize on exploring new territories is rapidly increasing. Many companies are experimenting with the interchanging of raw meat for raw vegetables on a global scale as many species of wildlife face extinction. With veganism and sustainability gaining momentum on a global scale, the preservation of certain species can simultaneously coincide. One company in particular , #OceanHugger has developed the world’s first plant-based alternative to raw tuna and its name is #Ahimi. Due to overfishing, the tuna population has dropped 97% from its historic levels, but the good news is that innovations like Ahimi can allow the tuna species to recover, over time of course. This unique innovation supports the conservation of many marine species that are at risk for extinction, without sacrificing the taste. Is the future of food proteins plant-based alternatives?
#THENOWAGE #babatrendmonitor #trendresearch #OceanHugger #ahimi #sustainability
3D Printing: Potential Solution to Global Food Crisis?
Here at baba, we are closely tracking the #Radicalism trend (see our #THENOWAGE 2018-2019 Trend Monitor Forecast) and it’s connection to the food and technology industries. This trend deals with cutting-edge ideas in order to create a breakthrough in society. It offers a unique value that has the potential to create a new pathway towards innovation- a true pioneer that exceeds known boundaries.
Recently, the development and implementation of technology that supports sustainability is about to influence society in a positive way. Elzelinde van Doleweerd and the #3DFoodCompany in Beijing have teamed up to create food products using a 3D printer from leftover food. Looking towards the future, more food is needed to feed a rapidly growing population and almost 1/3 of the food produced nowadays is wasted. Although 3D printing is still in its adoption stage, its potential influence is massive. This innovation offers a maximization of food production, ensuring that food is not wasted as well as offering a solution to hunger for overpopulated areas. By challenging the negative stigma around leftover foods not being fresh, 3D printing ironically turns the old into something new and is completely sanitary and safe to eat.
#THENOWAGE #babatrendmonitor #trendresearch #3DFoodCompany
#FADING Trend Increasing in Cosmetics Industry
We at baba are closely watching the #Fading trend (see our #THENOWAGE 2018-2019 Trend Monitor Forecast) especially in its relation to the cosmetics industry. This trend deals with the elimination of hard frontiers between market categories (food vs beverage, mobility vs technology, etc.), as for their targets (young vs adults, women vs men, etc.), towards an idea of immediate accessibility and multipurpose seductivity. No age, no gender, no class, no limits.
As for cosmetics, it challenges the rooted idea of gender specific categories products, as genderless offer a new potential and possible renewed attention. We have seen a general shift throughout the industry, with a slight implementation of a new pattern towards genderless fragrances and soaps. One company in particular has caught our attention, the brand new @goovi.com: a clean and positive range for gender neutral soaps that are intended for the whole family to use, even gentle enough for babies. Naturality, becomes the crosscategory (and crosstarget) principle, for an offer including house cleaning products and supplements as well. Notice particularly the dialogic branding “life is hard enough”, etc.), addressing to a fresh and female house holder, with a touch of irony; and a visual identity naive and bright coloured, with a tactile connotation.
#THENOWAGE #babatrendmonitor #goovi #trendresearch
baba # Italy’s brand workshop
On the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of Milano Fashion Library, Giulia Ceriani -baba CEO- will participate in the discussion focused on the perception of the brand ITALIA
September 10, 2018 5PM
c/o Milano Fashion Library – Via Alessandria 8, Mi – R.S.V.P info@milanofashionlibrary.it
#giuliaceriani #babaconsulting #babatrendmonitor #milanofashionlibrary #italia
#VIRTUALITY Trend Rising in the World of Personal Scheduling
This year is all about being in the here and now, everything needs to happen immediately, any small inconvenience is seen as disastrous. We at Baba are closely watching the #VIRTUALITY trend as it continues to rise in new markets every day.
The #VIRTUALITY trend is starting to reveal itself in the realm of personal assistants through Google’s latest innovation. Recently, Google showcased their newest technology, which has a robot, call service retailers to set up appointments on behalf of consumers. The service creates realistic sounding calls with the robot utilizing small quips that would happen in a conversation; such as when a reservation time is rejected the robot would audibly sound as if it is contemplating while it is waiting for consumers new time. The interesting thing about the robot is inherently that the person on the other end of the line may not know that they are actually speaking to a robot. The service comes out of this year’s constant trend of companies utilizing automated intelligence to make offer greater convenience to the consumer.
As we have detailed in our #THENOWAGE report, consumers have become obsessed with having services in the moment and are gradually losing their will to wait. This presents a problem to businesses as they now must innovate to keep up with the consumers instant demands. This idea of innovation has more recently come in the form of automated intelligence like Google is doing currently. While efficient, automated intelligence takes away the human component of services and continually steps closer to humans losing their sense of reality. This is the core of our #VIRTUALITY trend, consumers are losing themselves to robotic intelligence as it gives them an outlet to remove themselves from any human interactions.
Google’s reservation robot makes almost every restaurant operate on the same values that the application OpenTable does. OpenTable is an application that allows for the consumer to book a table reservation at a restaurant without ever interacting with anyone from the restaurant itself. The app is extremely popular but evidently does have some issues in more rural areas where restaurants may not have the money or will to put themselves onto the it. Google’s innovation does away with that issue as it is physically having the conversation with the restaurant confirming the reservation.
The news of automated intelligence making its way into the world of everyday tasks is nothing new, in fact it has been rising fairly steadily. Recently an automated locking company, titled August, partnered with popular home renting service Airbnb to offer hosts a way to give their renters access to their homes without ever meeting them. The lock service works via an app which makes the renters own smartphone the key to the home, pushing the idea of reducing human interactions in favor of a more automated process.
https://www.digitaltrends.com/home/what-is-google-duplex/
https://techcrunch.com/2018/06/26/august-can-now-generate-smart-entry-codes-for-airbnb-guests/
Who’s Really In Front of the Camera?
The VIRTUALITY trend (see our #THENOWAGE 2018-19 Forecast) is becoming more prevalent in the social media realm with the idea of influencers being one that encapsulates virtual avatars. These virtual avatars are used on the social media platform Instagram to promote fashion brands and some cases advocate for social issues. The influencers are digitally designed, with real humans behind the scenes. Virtual influencers is a trend in the social media posts. Traditionally social media is a concept that we all use as a tool for human beings, to share our emotions and feelings through pictures or posts.
The idea of a virtual entity posting its opinions and emotions to social media is one that most likely frightens a lot of people. When you post to an issue or promote a product it is much easier for the viewers to pin the opinions to the person to the post. Digital avatars blur the line of responsibility for the opinion
In terms of the influencing itself, they can be used in any of the clothes the animator desires. This allows companies to easily collaborate with them without having to set up.
While this concept excites, we are interested in the social media world. Human beings are all different and as a result only certain influencers can wear certain brands, whereas animations can be changed to fit any aesthetic desired by the brands .
http://www.bbc.com/capital/story/20180402-the-fascinating-world-of-instagrams-virtual-celebrities
IS OUR FOOD REAL?
VIRTUALITY trend (see our #THENOWAGE 2018-18 Forecast) is impressively rising to feed the empowerment expectations of the “Unlimited” target.
Virtual Reality has been conventionally thought to be used in the market of video games; but it is now going into the territory. Fortune Magazine showcases its virtual realities limitless possibilities for implementation and reports that consumers are all for it – in fact – they’re eating it up.
Virtual Reality As A Trend
The Virtual Reality trend is one that we at Baba are watching closely closely for the 2018-2019 year. With its widespread integration into myriads of different markets, it is a crucial concept for businesses to consider in their new investments for advertising. As well as in social media scenes where consumers are using the technology to post their respective platforms. From an advertising standpoint, virtual reality is an investment that should be quickly considered.
http://fortune.com/2018/05/15/virtual-food-is-coming-to-a-menu-near-you/
WE HAVE ENTERED #THE NOW AGE
On February 8th at Accenture Customer Innovation Center in Milan, our CEO Giulia Ceriani has introduced the main trends for 2018-19, matched by Accenture Interactive with social personas.
If you want to know more click here for the sum up or head to baba@babaconsulting.com
SAVE THE DATE – Feb. 8th 5 pm c/o ACIN, Piazza Gae Aulenti 8, Milan
TREND MONITOR® 