3 B) (Iconoculture) Trend 1 a) An economy. People are feeling more at ease with the idea of sharing and renting ‘owner-less’ large, expensive or (often) idle objects. For many consumers access is better than ownership. The access may be offered by the government or companies but this also can take place between consumers. b) trend 11 at the bottom –> Trend 2 a) Consumers want to have the feeling that the product that they are offered, is especially designed for them. People want to have the opportunity to express themselves as individuals and not as of the ‘one bunch’. b) Trend 3 a) For consumers, getting the best deals is becoming a way of life, if not a source of pride and status. Getting the best deals is not about saving money anymore but it is also the excitement, the control and the perceived smartness. b) Trend #1: Phonestacking In the modern day era of social and people being more and more dependent upon their phones, there is a returning call for interpersonal or face-to-face communication. Phonestacking is a recent American trend that is now also starting to occur in the Netherlands: when going out for dinner, everyone places his phone in a stack, the screen facing downwards. This is done to prevent people from constantly looking at their phones; the first one who takes his phone during dinner, is the one paying the entire bill. Source: Trend #2: Low Consumer confidence Consumer confidence is still declining. In 2011 the rates dropped by great numbers, in January this year the rate decreased again, but not as drastic as in 2011. Main reason for the poor confidence that consumers have in the current economy is of course the bad economic climate that we are now situated in. Source: Trend #3: The ban on internet piracy The worldwide fight against open source file sharing is nothing new: it has been going on for two decades now but in the past year this trend has been given a new impulse, especially in the United States. The Online Piracy Act” is a good example of this; showing that this ban on internet “Stop pircay is starting to become more and more serious. In the Netherlands, this trend was also propelled in the last couple of months, especially with the actions of Stichting Brein against some of the infamous Torrent websites. Sources:
3 B) (Iconoculture) Trend 1 a) An ‘owner-less’ economy. People are feeling more at ease with the idea of sharing and renting large, expensive or (often) idle objects. For many consumers access is better than ownership. The access may be offered by the government or companies but this also can take place between consumers. b) –> trend 11 at the bottom Trend 2 a) Consumers want to have the feeling that the product that they are offered, is especially designed for them. People want to have the opportunity to express themselves as individuals and not as ‘one of the bunch’. b) Trend 3 a) For consumers, getting the best deals is becoming a way of life, if not a source of pride and status. Getting the best deals is not about saving money anymore but it is also the excitement, the control and the perceived smartness. b) Trend #1: Phonestacking In the modern day era of social and people being more and more dependent upon their phones, there is a returning call for interpersonal or face-to-face communication. Phonestacking is a recent American trend that is now also starting to occur in the Netherlands: when going out for dinner, everyone places his phone in a stack, the screen facing downwards. This is done to prevent people from constantly looking at their phones; the first one who takes his phone during dinner, is the one paying the entire bill. Source: Trend #2: Low Consumer confidence Consumer confidence is still declining. In 2011 the rates dropped by great numbers, in January this year the rate decreased again, but not as drastic as in 2011. Main reason for the poor confidence that consumers have in the current economy is of course the bad economic climate that we are now situated in. Source: Trend #3: The ban on internet piracy The worldwide fight against open source file sharing is nothing new: it has been going on for two decades now but in the past year this trend has been given a new impulse, especially in the United States. The “Stop Online Piracy Act” is a good example of this; showing that this ban on internet pircay is starting to become more and more serious. In the Netherlands, this trend was also propelled in the last couple of months, especially with the actions of Stichting Brein against some of the infamous Torrent websites. Sources:
trends_bank_2012.docx