Generations

Tracking the key characteristics and values of generational demographics as each cohort evolves.

Download: Generations Now and Next

From Baby Boomers and Gen X to Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, uncover what unites and divides consumers across generations

Macro Trends

Boomers: Ageing to Becoming

By 2030 they will all have reached the average Western retirement age of 65, supercharging a wider re-assessment of later life purpose along the way

Macro Trends

Gen X: Ambiguity to Advocacy

Having long lived in the shadow of Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen X are racing against time to make their influence felt

Macro Trends

Gen Z: Vision to Contradiction

Without the tools or role models to help them enact the change they want to see, Gen Z find themselves paralysed by paradox

Macro Trends

Alphas: Sandbox to Roblox

Many of the technologies, careers and crises that will define and shape the lives of Gen Alpha are yet to exist

Viewpoints

Alex Stephany: How to understand the sharing economy

Where does the sharing economy go after Airbnb?

The Sharing Economy : JustPark : Collaborative Consumption

Viewpoints

Have it your way: Fast food gets personal

McDonald’s and other fast food brands are ramping up their collaborative credentials, but will it be enough to tempt the Millennial generation?

Millennial : Fast Food : McDonald's

Viewpoints

Caryn Franklin: How to make diversity profitable

Brands need to engage with women differently, says fashion commentator and activist Caryn Franklin.

FABs : Caryn Franklin : I-D

Big Ideas

Millennials will drive rise in digital banking in North America

A new wave of technology start-ups is set to change the world of finance in the future as Millennials turn away from traditional banks.

Startups : Millenials : Accenture

Big Ideas

Yoox joins forces with WeChat for m-commerce push

Shopping for luxury brands online has become more personal thanks to a new global partnership between Yoox Group and instant messaging service We...

Yoox : WeChat : Social Commerce

Big Ideas

AT Kearney predicts the future of retail is phygital

The future of retail remains predominantly phygital, according to a new report by AT Kearney. While bricks-and-mortar locations are where consumer...

Omnichannel : AT Kearney : Physical Stores

Viewpoints

Eoghan O’Sullivan: Making XBox Kinect work for retail

The founder of technology start-up Von Bismark on how laser-scanning technology is changing the way people shop at home.

Von Bismark : Microsoft Kinect : E-commerce

Big Ideas

US start-up Sproutling to sell wearable baby monitor

The Sproutling Baby Monitor will use infant-friendly wearable technology to track babies’ wellbeing.

Sproutling Baby Monitor : Wearable Technology : Smartphone

Big Ideas

Manhattan hotel creates travel package for childless women

The Westin New York Grand Central has launched a three-day travel package aimed at women who don’t have children.

No-Mos : Melanie Notkin : Childless

Viewpoints

Bea Appleby: We need feminism for boys too

Boys don’t cry. Really? It’s not just girls who feel gender pressure, says the editor of pre-teen magazine Girl Talk.

Tiny Tot Feminism : Re-Con Man : Girl Talk

Big Ideas

London’s first steam-only restaurant opens on Baker Street

That’s Vapore restaurant is bucking fast food conventions to serve a raft of health-conscious, time-poor consumers.

That's Vapore : Steam : Health

Big Ideas

Flexitarianism gaining ground as consumers turn away from meat

Consumers are increasingly opting for a Flexitarian lifestyle, reducing their meat intake rather than completely eliminating it from their diets.

Flexitarian : Diet : Flexitarianism

Big Ideas

McDonald’s courts Millennials with personalised experiences

McDonald’s has moved to make its products more individual.

McDonald's : Millennials : Fast Food

Big Ideas

New job search tool matches applicants with company culture

Good.Co is a new job search tool that offers an alternative to scouring LinkedIn or Monster, and teaches you about yourself to help you find ...

Good.Co : Millennials : Jobs

Viewpoints

Rachel Armstrong: Why we should make 100-year plans

Forget blue-sky thinking. Senior TED fellow Rachel Armstrong says we need to become Black Sky Thinkers.

Black Sky Thinking : Living Architecture : Awakening Tech

Macro Trends

Neo-Tolkienism

There is a something afoot, a cultural shift that has been rumbling in the undergrowth of society for the past 10 years and is finally roaring to ...

Futuretainment : Storytelling : Fantasy

Big Ideas

The Reputation Economy is central to new cryptocurrency project

Document Coin is a new project that imagines a cryptocurrency as a means of exchange guaranteed by personal reputation rather than code.

Cryptocurrency : Document Coin : Reputation

Micro Trends

Tech Luxe

The luxury market has traditionally been slow to embrace new technology. Yet as consumers’ lives become more digital, things are changing. Increasi...

Tech Luxe : Jonathan Siboni : Activie

Big Ideas

Target recruits creator generation in Best Year Ever campaign

Target’s new Best Year Ever YouTube campaign, aimed at young people going to college, boisterously entertains and engages on a social, two-way leve...

YouTube : Target : Best Year Ever

Design Directions

Meaningless Marks

As our world becomes increasingly sophisticated and digitally connected, designers aim to remind us of life’s simple pleasures, by paring back to...

American Apparel : Nathalie Du Pasquier : Memphis Group