20. Tangible Personalization – Last year, we saw personalization entering the phyical realm with personalized bobbleheads, custom dresses and crafts.  This year, the credit crunch is accelerating this trend with a shift away from luxury products and a desire for personalized gifts.

19. Unservice Forward – Thinking businesses are getting customers to service themselves.  From nightclubs and pubs where you serve your own beer to self-serve hotels, unservice not only saves you money, it lets customers get a sense of independence and creative control.

18. Peacocking – Bright clothing, accessories and cosmetics are all staples of a bright neon movement that clashes in the dismal face of the recession.  Peacocking celebrates vibrant, bold in-your-face colors that prove you don’t need designer labels to scream, “Look at me!”

17. Rental Culture – Rentable luxury, clothing, baby toys, and fine art are just a few examples of the move towards rental culture.  Unique rentals were popping up back in 2008, but the recession fueled a move towards temporary ownership, fake status and a world of bartering.

16. Half Formal -  Shorts with suit jackets, blazers with jeans and semi suits… Young professionals are classing up business casual by adding a formal twitst to casual style.

15. Prodependancy – Next generation couples were already more likely to move in together than generations of the past… The credit crunch has accelerated this trend, driving demand in prodependent products like matching tattoos, co-ed fashion and shared home décor.

14. Not-So-Tricky Picky – Years ago, we saw imported food like tofu go from being an exotic import to a mainstream commodity.  Now, we’re seing a proliferation of food products that cater to unique needs, like gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan diets. It’s no longer tricky, to be picky.

13. DIY Healthcare – Be prepared to welcome in a new era of healthcare with palm-sized physicals, stress-sensing watches and fertility monitor pods. With public health care continuing to be a big issue, consumers are looking for ways to ensure their own physical wellness without the need for a medical professional.

12. Nostalgia Marketing – Storybook jewelry, monstrous designs, and alice in wonderland photoshoots,  Storybook sentiment has gotten hold of consumers looking to escape economic woes and seek refuge in the fantasies of their past, sparking an interest in everything from ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ to ‘Alice in Wonderland’.

11. Crowdsourced Campaigns -Years, ago, consumer-generated ads were all the rage.  This year, involving your customer means crowdsourcing.  Examples include crowdsourced billboards, window displays and even tv commercials.

10. Exposed Vulnerabilty – Social media has redefined our access to the personal lives of icons, celebrities and friends.  Taking this to the next level of reality, we’re seeing everything from tweeting during child birth to stars exposing unphotoshopped pictures and embarrassing moments.

9. Emotionology – Humans aren’t the only once with feelings; emotion-sensitive jewelry, playlists and phones are manifesting your mood physically. Scientists and techies alike are exploring the world of emotion and how it can be applied to technology.

8. Simpletising – Fruit inspired packaging, milk boxes with utters and phonetic alcohol…  In a cluttered world, visual clarity actually stands out.  It also fits well with a desire to pursue lives of of simplicity.

7. Ecopolitan – Whether it’s an underground abode, floating home or high-rise living, Ecopolitan Developments are quickly becoming a way of life. In addition to revitalizing urban centers with eco-friendly elements, nations are building niche cities specifically to meet ecological goals.

6. Greenpliances – Soapless dishwashers, miniature laundry machines, and dishwashing cabinets not only help the environment, but over time, their increased efficiency will help your wallet too.

5. Nomadabodes – The recession in combination with creative architecture have caused an influx of unique temporary housing.  Portable apartments, futuristic houseboats, aquatecture and cube living are just a few examples of modern nomadic living.

4. Pop-Uptailing – Mobile retail displays, pop-up art studios and shipping container bars; banking on exclusivity and surprise, pop-uptailing is the latest way to generate buzz and quickly place your product in new markets.

3. Life-Swapping – Today you can swap homes, art, services or even your entire closet wardrobe.  Credit-crunched citizens unwilling to compromise their lifestyles are swapping, bartering and trading their way to a better life.

2. DIY Décor – DIY art, furniture and hobbies are the perfect fix for those who are credit-crunched.  Keep your ping pong balls, wine bottles, or plastic jugs because decorating your home has never been so affordable… and culturally acceptable.

1. Next Besting – Vintage fashion, convertible couture, sub-brands, and credit crunch jewelry.  Over the last year, people became more sensitive to excessive consumerism, and have begun tying their success not just to luxury brands, but to functional products and life experience.  Accordingly, Instead of purchasing the priciest product and biggest brand, people are trying new products in the pursuit of the “next best” alternative.

Composed and presented by our own social media guru -

Antony Mayfield =)

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