Post on 14-Aug-2015
transcript
THE TRENDS REPORT
Proudly brought to you by NATIVE VML
A MONTHLY SNAPSHOT OF TRENDS IN MARKETING, STORYTELLING AND DIGITAL
CULTURE LOCALLY AND ABROAD.
AUGMENTATION
Many brands and retailers are still
adjusting to the way people consume
content on their phones. The introduction
of smart watches and wearable tech adds
to the challenge of understanding content
consumption. Google is already looking at
advancing smaller screen devices beyond
the notification and alert system functions
to create content that is engaging and
interactive.
Human interactions with
digital interfaces.
Making the body its own self-
contained interface control
Google’s Project Soli is focussed on the
development of a new interaction sensor
that is powered by radar technology. The
sensor tracks micro movements or
twitches of the human hand. The ability to
track such movement in such minute
detail and with great accuracy, means
that it could possibly be used to interact
with smart watches, smartphones, and
tablets without touching the screen. The
sensor fitted into a chip can easily be
inserted into wearable tech and other
devices.
Creating smart textiles
The Google Project Jacquard aims to add
the functionality of smartphone screens to
everyday fabrics. The structures of
Jacquard yarn combine thin, metallic
alloys with natural and synthetic yarns like
cotton, polyester, or silk. When woven into
the fabric, it creates an interactive surface
that is sensitive to touch and gestures.
READ MORE
Advances in bionics.
For many, bionic technology blurs the
boundary between man and machine.
Innovations in medical science are
providing procedures that propel the
human body far into the future.
Thought-controlled prosthetic limbs.
Using a neuro-prosthetic device
implanted in the brain, scientists have
been able to decode cerebral intentions of
a quadriplegic patient. By sending
electrical impulses to the nerves in the
limb, the patient is able to control a
robotic limb using their thoughts.
READ MORE
Bionic lenses that give super vision.
The Ocumetics Bionic Lens is three times
better than having 20/20 vision. It is
designed to be implanted on a fully
developed eye in an 8 minute procedure
identical to cataract surgery. The lenses
correct the eye beyond what we
understand as perfect vision today, and
because they never degrade, the lenses
could replace the natural lenses in the
eye.
INNOVATION
The proliferation of digital music has now
completely disrupted the music industry.
And while artists, record labels and
streaming services may not see eye-to-
eye, it can be agreed that the future of
the music industry requires diverse and
far more equitable business models.
The music industry in the
digital age.
Vying for the #1 music streaming
spot.
Spotify, the biggest brand in music
streaming constantly need to add
subscribers at a higher rate to cover their
revenue gap. As a result they are now also
looking at diversifying their offering. The
brand announced a number of key
changes including time and context
specific playlists as well as podcast and
video streaming services.
The Beats-powered Apple Music service
will combine the existing Apple iTunes
infrastructure and also boast a social
feature that allows artists to share notes
and photos with fans directly in the app.
Stock exchange for independent
musicians.
The Mutrs platform enables independent
musicians to sell shares in their music via
a digital exchange market. Artists release
an IMO (initial music offer) that comes
with a set amount of associated shares,
each valued at a base rate. By buying
their favourite music, consumers buy
shares in that product which they can
later trade on the Mutrs Independent
Music Exchange.
Digital technology allows people to move
beyond physical, social and cultural
constraints. There are a growing number
of unique apps and digital initiatives that
aim to make life easier by providing
assistance to those who need it most.
Digitised Accessibility.
App that allows you to share your
sight.
Be My Eyes is a crowdsourced video chat
service that connects someone visually
impaired with someone able to see and
willing to help. Users who sign up as a
helper receive a notification to be
someone's eyes. The app is designed to
be used in short bursts at particularly
difficult moments, such as reading an
expiration date or reading signs in an
unfamiliar location.
Teaching English through pizza
orders.
CNA Language School’s innovative
Hello Pizza campaign intercepts calls from
customers in the U.S. and asks them to
spend a few minutes speaking to Brazilian
students in English, in exchange for a
discount on their pizza. Calls are
transferred and students find themselves
immersed in real-time conversations, that
improve their grasp of the language.READ MORE
MOBILE, DATA AND SOCIAL
Citizen science projects that use the
efforts of volunteers to help scientists
collect valuable data are becoming
increasingly popular. Not only does it help
researchers deal with the flood of data
that confronts them - in some cases it
allows scientists to gather research in
areas difficult to reach.
Crowd sourced science.
Turning surfers into citizen scientists.
The near-shore zone is the hardest area of
the ocean to collect data from and any
equipment used is rendered useless when
left in the turbulent water. The Smartphin
enables surfers to collect vital information
about the changing condition of the
ocean’s near-shore zone. Integrated into
the board is a chip that collects data on
the pH, salinity, temperature and
directional wave spectra. This is all done
in real-time.
Smart beehives that gather data.
Open Source Beehives is a platform that
combines natural beekeeping, open
source hardware and smart devices to
combat Colony Collapse Disorder. Through
their printable beehives and an open
source sensor kit that monitors the
condition of the colonies; citizen
scientists, hobbyist beekeepers, and data
scientists can share important data
needed to prevent the CCD phenomenon.
READ MORE
MARKETING AT THE SPEED OF CULTURE
Kidult, describes the phenomenon of
adults acting like kids and embracing
entertainment, food and fashion that are
typically geared towards children. There’s
a growing trend among marketers
encouraging adults to indulge in analogue
activities that awaken their inner child.
Bringing out the kidult in all
of us.
The rise of adult colouring books.
Published in 2013, Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford's Secret Garden continues to float among Amazon’s best-selling books. The books feature patterns and designs that are intricate and sophisticated enough to appeal to adults while not too intimidating to try.
Playing in the subway.
Working off the insight that people spend too much time sitting and not enough time exercising, Reebok Pump Fusion created the Subway Pump Battle . The subway game chooses two opponents (seemingly without their knowledge) to see who can press the highest amount of pump buttons in a given time.
As one of the fastest growing social
networks, Instagram presents huge
marketing and branding opportunities.
Innovative marketers are looking to move
outside the platform’s ad offering with
well-crafted and compelling content.
Moving outside social media ad
offering.
Bringing Whisky to digital.
Ballantine created whisky magazine hosted exclusively on Instagram. @w_issueone employs traditional print thinking and design to create a unique and dynamic reading experience. Tuned into the cultural zeitgeist, the first issue explores women changing the face of modern whisky; the rise of bitter drinks; and asks whether Sims introduced the masses to mixology.
STORYTELLING
The notion of ‘beauty fatigue’ describes
the dissatisfaction with the unrealistic
representations of women and is gaining
momentum among audiences. In an
industry that’s all about ROI, marketers
looking to attract this consumer face a
daunting task. This is often the case
because campaigns that aim to confront
fears and shift stereotypes, often present
metrics that are difficult to measure.
Beauty Fatigue.
Presenting the unapologetic woman.
In its most expansive women’s campaign
to date, I WILL WHAT I WANT, fitness
apparel brand Under Amour has
partnered with model, Gisele Bündchen.
The campaign was revealed in an
interactive web experience that filmed
Gisele in a workout, working up a sweat as
she responded to both positive and
negative real-time social commentary
streaming in from all over the web.
Digital offers endless novelty, and while
online interactions are just one part of the
overall buying experience, albeit a key
one, connected consumers are looking to
curate and create unique and memorable
brand experiences.
Novel digital experiences.
Fusing AI with test drives
For the online activation for the new
BMW i3 electric car, NATIVE VML built
Artificial Intelligence (AI) into a microsite.
Once in the site, the BMW i3 will answer
any question you have about ‘her’ various
features; her voice guiding you through
the embedded content. The digital
experience humanises the innovative
technology in an interactive way and
makes the case for buying an electric car
a lot more exciting.
WE ARE NATIVE VML