Future Forecast 2018

At the end of 2017, we predicted that the conversation about sensitive skin would be louder, that traditional health products would be rebranded as Post-pharmacy Brands, and that there would be a greater erosion of traditional luxury signifiers such as heritage. Not only have these and dozens more of our predictions come to pass, they have also influenced a host of new micro trends.

For the 2018 Future Forecast, we’ve made it even easier for you to discover what’s coming next. Everything has been arranged into 10 core sectors full of micro trends, market focuses and big ideas from industry leaders.

From the increasing importance of artificial intelligence, to the rise of activism in the travel sector, the revelations you’re about to discover are just the tip of the cultural iceberg.

We evaluate our trends against seven fundamental human needs that dictate the development of our economies, cultures, societies and technologies – Purpose, Belonging, Fulfilment, Security, Attainment, Identity and Curiosity.

These are analysed alongside long-term global changes that will shape the world over the next decade and beyond. These five Global Drivers are: the rise of an Urban Mindset; the connectivity of One World that comes with globalisation; the age of Advanced Living where everyone quantifies themselves; the geo-political turbulence of a New World Disorder; and the growth of a Non-demographic World in which old definitions of identity no longer apply.

From the increasing importance of artificial intelligence, to the rise of activism in the travel sector, the 40 revelations you’re about to discover are just the tip of the cultural iceberg. If you truly want to harness their implications and make your business fit for the future, get in touch and together we’ll help you navigate what lies ahead in 2018 and far beyond.

Every day until Christmas we will be highlighting sector specific micro shifts featured in the 2018 Future Forecast report, which you can download in full here.