trendwatching.com's NEW NORMAL
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Millions of consumers across Asia Pacific, especially young urban residents, are embracing new social attitudes that depart from tradition on issues like relationships, gender roles, and sexuality. These changes are happening rapidly in some countries, driven by increased access to information online, urbanization, greater female empowerment, and travel. While traditional views still hold sway in many areas, forward-thinking brands are creating campaigns and products that align with these evolving social perspectives, such as jewelry ads celebrating remarriage and magazines for the LGBT community.
trendwatching.com's NEW NORMAL
- 1. NEW NORMAL New attitudes. New freedoms. New expectations. ASIA PACIFIC TREND BULLETIN June 2014
- 2. Asian consumers are changing the way they think Across the continent, traditional views on a range of fundamental social issues are amid transformation. In some instances, that change is happening faster than anywhere else on the planet. One example? Between 2007 and 2013, the proportion of people in South Korea who say homosexuality should be accepted by society rose from 18% to 39%: the largest increase among any of the 39 countries surveyed, which included the US, Brazil and Australia (Pew Research, June 2013). ...about relationships, religion, sexuality, race, gender, work and home. NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 2
- 3. When it comes to these changes, context is everything. When it comes to social norms that are centuries (or more!) old, change doesn’t happen overnight, everywhere, or uniformly. So yes: across much (but not all) of Asia, traditional views on marriage, religion, sexuality and more prevail. Often, it’s not the current numbers that are head- turning (for instance, 39% of people in South Korea now think being gay is okay, against 88% in Spain). It’s the fact of new attitudinal changes, and the pace of those changes, that demand attention. Because, of course, it’s often when these attitudinal changes begin, and when they’re at their fastest, that they are most socially disruptive. So don’t get us wrong ;) NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 3
- 4. NEW NORMAL | Millions of consumers – often young, urban and educated – across APAC are dispensing with tradition and embracing new beliefs and attitudes on key social issues. Now, they’ll reward brands that understand and embody the NEW NORMAL. DEFINITION NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 4
- 5. We obviously offer much more than monthly Trend Bulletin’s... Your complete trend and innovation solution. Introducing our 2014 Premium Service Find out more 2014 Trend Report Trend Framework Innovation Database Industry Updates Apply Toolkit Monthly Updates 1-page Trend Handouts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
- 6. Four big shifts propelling the NEW NORMAL. These four drivers are playing a key role in the erosion of old social norms and the evolution of new beliefs, attitudes and mindsets: • GLOBAL BRAIN: Growth in internet users in APAC beats the global average by 60% (ComScore, July 2013). • Urbanization: According to UNDESA, in the last two decades the APAC urban proportion has risen by 29%, more than any other region. • Female spending power: Female participation in the labour force in Singapore has increased from 51% in 2003 to 58% in 2013 (Ministry of Manpower* Singapore, September 2013). • Travel: It’s estimated that outbound travel from India will rise from 4.5 million people in 2011 to 70 million by 2030 (Amadeus & Oxford Economics, April 2014). Amid the many other (complex) forces at work. * Time to change the name to Ministry of People Power? ;) WHY NOW? NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 6
- 7. The consequence? An ever-growing expectation gap. The result? Millions of consumers who expect brands to understand, speak to and serve their identities, lifestyles and attitudes find that desire is going unmet. But now, a few forward thinking brands are daring to address and serve the many varieties of NEW NORMAL arising across the continent. Just check out the examples that follow. Attitudes (among many) are changing fast. But institutions – brands included – tend to change slowly. WHY NOW? NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 7
- 8. The proportion of female employers increased by 8%, – from 22% to 30% – in Asia Pacific between 2002 and 2012. Globally, the average increase was 5%. UNESCAP, 2013 NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 8
- 10. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Tanishq Indian jewelry ad celebrates remarriage NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 10
- 11. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Ooredoo Telecoms program enables Myanmar women to run their own small business NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 11
- 12. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Pantene Philippino shampoo ad questions gender stereotypes NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 12
- 13. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS ELEMENT Asia’s ‘first gay lifestyle magazine’ NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 13
- 14. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Google ‘Reunion’ video ad builds bridge between India and Pakistan NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 14
- 15. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Hafu Japanese documentary chronicles mixed-race experiences NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 15
- 16. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Chuan Spa Hong Kong Spa treatment for men NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 16
- 17. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Korean Air Personal grooming workshop for male staff NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 17
- 18. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Biotherm Homme Skincare for men brand opens first ever store in Singapore NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 18
- 19. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Asian Paints Indian ad campaign pokes fun at husbands NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 19
- 20. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Tourism Authority of Thailand Campaign welcomes LGBT travelers NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 20
- 21. NEW NORMAL: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Coca-Cola & Singapore Kindness Movement Brand uses drones to deliver drinks to guest workers in Singapore NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 21
- 22. NEXT What does the NEW NORMAL mean for brands? NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 22
- 23. New social freedoms mean new lifestyle choices: empowering but also sometimes scary. Consumers will embrace campaigns and content which help them navigate a path through the NEW NORMAL, and communities that allow them to share their experiences. Navigating choices NEXT NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 23
- 24. Social change – and the casting off of old, reassuring certainties – means social tension. Build services and communities that help consumers come together, see other points of view, and find common ground. A sense of humor always helps! Easing tensions NEXT NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 24
- 25. In a NEW NORMAL world, well-worn categories such as ‘luxury consumer’ and ‘youth brand’ just don’t mean what they used to. The result? A chance for your brand to capture entirely new types of consumer, if you have the daring to rip up your brand rule book and commit a few HERITAGE HERESIES. HERITAGE HERESY NEXT NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 25
- 26. Consumers won’t just expect you to serve their NEW NORMAL lifestyles: they’ll expect your people to reflect the NEW NORMAL, too. Time to reflect on your internal culture? NEW NORMAL staff NEXT NEW NORMALwww.trendwatching.com/trends/new-normal 26
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