UK – UK phone network Three is envisaging a vibrant, multi-layered future of living in the UK – all thanks to the power of 5G.

Created by Wieden + Kennedy London, the experimental ad promotes Three’s 5G network. In the three-minute campaign, Three images a bright, post-Brexit future for the UK, and the ways in which 5G could transform everything from corner shop interactions to air travel and immersive music experiences.

The sci-fi style ad features many familiar British references, including the red London bus, Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls and a London skyline brimming with digital advertising. In one scene, a boy orders an 'emoji water’ from behind the counter of a shop, using a face filter to make him look older. On a flight to the moon, meanwhile, a passenger encapsulates herself in a pod so she can watch content in ‘binge mode’.

The vibrant campaign echoes the themes of our 2019 macrotrend Programmable Realities, with new technologies and connectivity allowing brands to become increasingly integrated into every element of consumer life, creating individual versions of reality. And as we enter a new decade, daily living will be amplified by 5G – offering new possibilities in industries ranging from retail to healthcare.

Global – Facebook's has revealed a new app, Hobbi, to enable crafty side-hustlers to document their personal projects.

One of a series of experimental apps from Facebook’s NPE team, which is focused on developing apps and experiences centred on communities, Hobbi offers craft-makers and casual hobbyists a space to document their creations and share their progress with others. Functioning in a similar way to mood-board platforms like Pinterest, Hobbi allows users to share photos and videos of their personal projects, with the ability to organise images, share key steps of their journey or create shareable highlights.

'Save photos of the projects you’re working on and the activities you love to do. Whether it’s cooking, baking, DIY, arts [and] crafts, fitness or home decor,’ reads a description on the app’s App Store page. With a focus on personal project progression and hands-on hobbies, the app is running with the hashtag #DoMoreHobbies.

As we will uncover at Trend Briefing on 25 March 2020, people are increasingly interested in engaging in or re-igniting craft-led interests – and using technology to enable instead of distract them from their favourite pastimes.

A report by Gladly focused on customer service expectations in the US shows that Generation Z and Millennials are more inclined to reach out and interact with customer service teams than older generations.

The research also reveals that consumers increasingly crave a more human experience from the agents they speak with. Some 85% of respondents said they want human customer service agents to be aware of their past conversations with the brand, even when these might have been with a chatbot. Another 50% of consumers want this kind of recognition of past FAQ searches on a brand's site.

Despite being described as digital natives, much of Generation Z take a more old-fashioned approach to shopping, and in particular want to build more personal relationships with vendors. In response to this desire for more human connection, brands and retailers are using SMS as a personal service that goes beyond monetary transactions.