2015THE BRAND OF ME

ContentWhat is The Brand of Me?

Accelerated Professionals

Peer Armies

Health Fanatics

The Changing Face of Demographics

Be Surprising

Let’s Be Real

Implications

Contact

In 2015 we will continue to see the development of ‘The Brand of Me’. Consumers are no longer trying to live up to, or portray the images that brands want them to. Instead consumers are moving towards a state where they are finding brands that help them express the type of person they want people to view them as. Brands are going to have to move to become partners with consumers to help them be the best version of themselves. !This year that will significantly take the form of helping your consumers become healthier, make their lives more streamlined or easier, or by providing them with experiences that make life more exciting.

!We have to remember that brands are only allowed to be participants in an overall larger conversation LEAD by consumers, and that there is space to become very active participants, so long as we do not try and change the conversation and steer it to a place the consumer does not want to be. This will only result in being left behind and ignored, or even persecuted.

!This YouTube video from Jackson Harries, a millennial YouTube star with millions of subscribers highlights this attitude. It has the underlying motivations of the 2015 millennial consumer. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBsYKkQdLxU!All the trends that follow fall under helping to develop The Brand of Me, and can be used to help develop this years upcoming activations.

Today people are use to having everything at their fingertips, at anytime. Consumers want to get things done fast, and do not have any patience for waiting. Whether that is for products, brand loyalty programs, or even gaining skills.

Accelerated Professionals

Rise, is a Nutritionist in in your pocket. It is an app that matches your goals with a coach, who are all registered dietitians. You then get daily 1:1 coaching, and personalized feedback on your meals from your coach.

Hellmann’s WhatsCook, is an idea by the Mayonnaise brand to connect foodies with chefs in real time via WhatsApp. These chefs help users with recipes that require the use of mayonnaise, and even some that they didn't know could use the ingredient.

More and more consumers are looking towards their peers for guidance as to the latest trends, the best products, and even for advice on health. They are embracing the advice of their peers over more traditional media voices, as trust in companies decline rapidly. This peer advice can come in the form of online reviews, blogs, Instagram, twitter, and even YouTube

Peer Armies

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Jackson Harries:Twitter: 2.34millionInstagram: 1.6millionYouTube: 3.9million

Peer CelebsOf particular importance are new millennial influencers. When looking at younger demographics, more and more the celebrity that emerges is someone from a social network whether this is Vine, Instagram, or YouTube. Millennials strongly identify with these stars because they seem more like their peers, than someone that is completely out of reach and unapproachable.

Jerome Jarre is an example of a Vine/Snapchat celebrity who connects with kids on a peer-to-peer level. Read this recent article on the star in the New York Times. Jerome Jarre- The Making of a Vine Celebrity

Consumers are becoming more and more fanatical, or control freaks. This is demonstrated in recent health crazes. !Health and beauty is also becoming more of a 360-degree experience. Allowing non-traditional health products to enter the beauty conversation.!Is there a space to help people to escape this constant health bombardment?

Health Fanatics

“Last October, CrossFit announced it had reached 8,000 affiliates. Three-and-a-half months later, the company hit 9,000. And four-and-a-half months after that, just a few weeks ago, came the 10,000th affiliate for the $40 million, privately held company.” ESPN 2014

The Charcoal Juice Phenomenon is an example of showing how juices, and minerals, have started to enter themselves into the beauty conversation.

Redemption Dry Bar in London offers Millennials and others a place to go and have the bar experience, with expertly crafted cocktails, minus the hangover the next morning. These are spaces for people to still be social and have fun without feeling the pressure to drink.

1 in 4 young British people (aged 16-30) say they do not drink alcohol, compared with 1 in 7 for older generations (Aged 60 and over)

Consumers are approaching their life stages on their own terms. They are redefining what is expected of them and follow what they want to do over anything else. There is less and less stigma attached to alternate life choices, and this will continue to grow as people continue to try and express who they are.

The Changing Face of Demographics

80.4% -- Percentage growth of same-sex couple households in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010, according to the Census Bureau.

There has never been a time that consumers are as in control of their lives as right now. People are use to being able to manage everything, and having everything planned out. This is creating a craving for spontaneity

Be Surprising

Moment Factory in Montreal created an immersive and surprising experience, by transforming a forest into a nocturnal night time magic trail. This took a normal public space and turned it into an adventure

As brands become less and less trusted, consumers are valuing transparency and reality more and more. People recognize that not everything is perfect, and that there are realities to situations, and showing this can help create more trust with consumers. This is applicable to brands, and even celebrities.

Let’s Be Real

“75% of millennials don’t believe government can solve today’s issues alone, and 83% want business to get involved.” MSLGROUP 2014

Beyoncé recently tapped into this trend in her 7/11 music video that was shot in a hotel room. The video shows the star in a really genuine light and almost provides her fans with a behind the scenes style music video, showing her humanity.

Kenco Coffee vs. Gangs, is a social initiative by the coffee brand to combat the strong gang cultures that exist in many of the countries it sources it coffee from. This is acknowledging the problem that exist, and is showing how Kenco is trying to solve it.

ImplicationsPeer Armies

Changing Face of DemographicsHealth Fanatics

Be Surprising Let’s Be Real

Facilitate more transient experiences that are as quick as possible.

Accelerated Professionals

Leverage peers to become your best asset.

Value health as much as consumers do, but also provide an escape.

Become relevant for today’s changing multifaceted consumer groups.

Look for ways to provide spontaneous experience where consumers aren’t expecting it.

Acknowledge the realities and become more transparent.

Kyle Duckitt kyle.Duckitt@energybbdo.com +17346042411

Please feel free to reach out for any help with regards to trends, things to look out for in 2015, or how to be kissed by an elephant.