Top 10 Trends for 2006

8:30. Morning. I get to the office. There's some really imporntant short meeting I need to have with two of our colleagues. I was unable to react properly as I was almost sleeping... It ends before I actually realize that I haven't said much. Even so, I was happy with the verdict. I turn on my computer waiting for the water to boil so I could have my salvation: coffee. Meanwhile, I read the news. Politics. Day-to-Day life. Celebrities. Health. IT. bla bla bla bla. And then I find this little (well not that little) article about the top 10 trends in 2006.
According to the Scala JWT, the oldest advertising agency in the world, globally there are 10 trends that are definately influencing the way we live our lives this year, and in the future. So here they are:
1. Sex without apologies. The pornographic age has come and now there's no need to say sorry for being caught in a bad (sexual) position. The sexual incidents of the celebrities are now reason for fun and not for shame.
2. Miming fame and reality. The line between fame and reality is thinner and thinner... And the media is getting it even thinner. The TV has brought the people to the point where nobody can say it's real or not. We are all intoxicated with false truths.
3. Beyond time in India and China. The two largest countries in the world have gone beyond the big numbers, cheap labor and outsourcing centers. People started apreciating those two countries not so much for their gold or jewels, or the interior design, but for the philosophy, for the attitude towards the day to day life, for the spiritual equilibrium. Lately people around the world tend to be more and more in favor for spiritual development.

4. No brakes. With all the connectivity and communication systems around us there is no way to take a brake nowadays. You can be reached even in the bathroom, in the train or in the plane... even in your bedroom while... sleeping :P

5. Natural disasters and eco-science. A couple of years ago we were convinced that we got to the point where we can control the environment. Well that was a bad guess as the Tsunami in December 04 and shortly after Katrina hurricane demonstrates. These to natural disasters made us realize that we are still guests on this planet.

6. Living with the Islam. The muslim religion has very different points of view in terms of cohabitation, women emancipation and separation of state administration and religion. Therefore there will be more and more problems regarding the mentioned reasons.

7. Addicted to personal control. In each sector, consumers are expecting to have more and more control and decision making, as the interactive technology gives them this chance. The remote control, ATMs, WiFi, are helping users to save up energy and time, while the consumers are expecting more power and more ease of use each day, for each products. The brands are hardly keeping up with our expectations.

8. Brand non-fidelity. People are beginning to cheat on their old favorite brands. Consumers are no longer interested so much in brands as in products and gadgets. The fact that the competition is very strong and the information travels really fast, it's giving the marketing specialits huge headaches. It's very hard now to keep your product on top.

9. Virtual mobility. Due to pollution, traffic jams, agglomeration, people will slowly give up physical traveling in favor to virtual traveling. Faster. Cheaper. Comfortable.

10. Epidemic fear. The globalization and mobility has lots of advantages. But as anything else also disadvantages. It favors the spread of different pathologic agents. The medical scientist are trying to keep up with "the next epidemy", while not thinking as "if" but as "when". Another big issue is presented by the WHO (World Health Organization) as the "globesity".

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.