Trendwatching

[Kay]

I thought it would be appropriate to put this here since the folder's all about innovation and what has potential. I love this site and immerse myself in it whenever I get a chance. You may find something to inspire you there. :)

They have over eight thousand people worldwide reporting back to them on what's shaping their world as consumers. If you'd like trying to spot what's going to be big in the future, it's a great read. There's a monthly briefing and years of archives on the site, which has been around since 2002.


http://www.trendwatching.com/

[Fergal]

Thanks for sharing that with us Kay. Have you seen any trends posted on that website that you think could be particularly beneficial to our businesses?

[Kay]

I'd say the green bulletin was right on the mark in the summertime.

http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/ecoiconic.htm

Showing a concern for the environment and taking the eco-friendly option is more mainstream than it ever was in my opinion. I think anything that shows you care about the environment potentially counts in your favor.

The Earth Day celebrations this year are a great example. If you used Google during Earth Hour in the US when Earth Day organisers asked everyone to turn off their lights for between 8-9pm to show support for conservation efforts, you encountered a black page. Here's what it looked like if you missed it:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/earthhour/

Google gets brownie points for showing their support from me. How many others felt that way? Would you have seen that ten or even five years ago? I don't think so. It demonstrates how "green" is the cool thing to be right now and a hot trend. If you're deemed environmentally conscious, you increase your odds of being viewed in a positive light imho.

No one needs to rip out the roof and install solar panels just yet though. Even small things like using recycled paper for your office stationery that carries the recycling logo or a blurb on your email footer saying you saved paper by sending an email can matter. Incorporating an environmentally friendly angle in some way in your business may just be the thing to tip the scales in your favour between you and the next guy. :)

[Nazreen]

The "Trend Report for 2009" actually comes at a price of $699. How do they actually predict the trends for the year 2009?

Although most people will normally say that nobody can predict the future, I still believe that by following the trends and comparing these with current and past data, we can at least glean and see some pattern. If not for trend watching, how else would Forex traders or speculators have succeeded in their trades?

[Kay]

The "Trend Report for 2009" actually comes at a price of $699. How do they actually predict the trends for the year 2009?

Although most people will normally say that nobody can predict the future, I still believe that by following the trends and comparing these with current and past data, we can at least glean and see some pattern. If not for trend watching, how else would Forex traders or speculators have succeeded in their trades?

I have no idea how they'd do it for 2009, Nazreen. I read the free monthly ones based on the spotter's information so I guess that's how they make their money, offering an annual one. I should say I have no affiliation with them whatsoever by the way. I simply find the briefings interesting.

Good point about the traders! Of course, there's always the curve balls thrown in like this current economic crisis that no amount of trendwatching will ever predict. All we can do is make our best guesses based on what information we have, past and present.

[Fergal]

I'd say the green bulletin was right on the mark in the summertime.

http://www.trendwatching.com/trends/ecoiconic.htm

Showing a concern for the environment and taking the eco-friendly option is more mainstream than it ever was in my opinion.

That seems pretty general and most of us already know about the increase in environmental awareness. Are their trend reports specific enough to be useful and different to what we can get from the mass media and business press?

[Kay]

That seems pretty general and most of us already know about the increase in environmental awareness. Are their trend reports specific enough to be useful and different to what we can get from the mass media and business press?

I don't know, Fergal, perhaps not. As I say I like the briefings and certainly haven't forked out $699 to find out how much different the reports are to the briefings. I simply find them a good read but maybe the very nature of them, being that they're predictions, makes it difficult to get too specific. I don't spend the same amount of hours poring over the press others do so perhaps it's more suited to someone like me. I like to get an overview as fast as possible and the fewer places I can condense that into I need to visit, the better. :)

[smohkim]

Nice. Thanks or sharing..but how will they predict trends for the next year?

Startup Meme (http://startupmeme.com)

[scifi]

Hi! Kay
Can I use the data available on the site in my marketing & business projects.
??????

[Fergal]

I don't see why not Scifi. From their website;


All of trendwatching.com's trends are free for you to publish, re-use or incorporate at your convenience. As long as you properly name, credit, display and link to the source (www.trendwatching.com), we're happy.

More here (http://www.trendwatching.com/about/press/).