Naturality

Implications - Where once the use of strawberries in skincare was primarily for their scent, brands in this industry are now increasingly incorporating the functional benefits of the ingredient into their products. This shift has two benefits – it caters to naturality minded consumers, while also allowing for a clear branding strategy based on the theme of the highlighted product.

Homework Question - How could your brand shift how a traditional element within your industry is used or interpreted? [More]

Implications - A newly “buzzy” ingredient emerging in the skin and hair care space is bamboo, with topical products infusing the natural ingredient for its antioxidant and youth-generating benefits. This shift comes as naturality minded consumers increasingly seek out ingredients with historical relevance in their self-care rituals.

Homework Question - Consider an emerging “buzzy” element or topic that your brand could incorporate into its own product/service. [More]

Implications - With the ecological impact of fashion having an impact on perceptions of the industry, retailers are slowly making changes, like adding natural dyes to their collections, in order to mitigate some of the environmental impacts their production processes have. This shift comes as consumers are increasingly aware of the wider implications of their purchase habits, and seek to align with brands that allow them to slow down potential consequences of those habits.

Homework Question - How could your brand make small but significant changes to lessen its ecological impact? [More]

Implications - Health conscious consumers are no longer only turning to vitamins and supplements in pill or beverage form, and now expect health brands to provide such ingredients in the snacks they produce. On-the-go snacks that contain concentrated levels of the vitamins and supplements consumers seek cater to urban professionals looking to balance their day-to-day lives with their wellness rituals.

Homework Question - How coul your brand reformat the platform through which one of its products/services is offered? [More]

Implications - Brands in the beer industry are looking to the health-conscious consumer to inspire new products, offering everything from beers with more nutritious ingredients, to those with limited calories. Such items cater to these brands' existing customers, while also opening them up to an entirely different consumer base.

Homework Question - How could your brand bring in a new customer base with some tweaks to its offerings? [More]

Implications - The incorporation of CBD into condiments, ranging from olive oil to salsa, is on the rise as cannabis brands seek to permeate all markets that can be amalgamated with their emerging industry. This shift furthers the "normalization" of cannabis for consumers previously reluctant to enjoy its benefits.

Homework Question - How could your brand collaborate with the growing cannabis industry? [More]

Implications - The immediate health associations that come from "superfood" branding are now being incorporated into children's snacks. This shift appeals particularly to Millennial parents who trust such branding due to the extensive research they've done into their own food choices, and allows them to raise their children with the same consumption habits.

Homework Question - How could your brand appeal to the preferences of Millennials, or Millennial parents in particular? [More]

Implications - With the process of fermentation now so popular in the food and beverage industry, brands in the skincare industry are taking note by incorporating various fermented ingredients into the products they develop. These items have the benefit of appealing to consumers via familiarity and novelty alike.

Homework Question - Which adjacent industry could your brand adapt trends from? [More]

Implications - Foods that are created with consideration for people who have trouble swallowing, whether for medical or personal reasons, are on the rise. Coming in the form of supplements or meals, these products reveal how brands can focus on personalization without significantly narrowing their customer base.

Homework Question - How could your brand personalize an aspect of its product/service? [More]

Implications - The rise of squalane in skincare comes as it's pulled from plants rather than shark liver, and the ingredient has been shown to be more stable than the squalene it's derived from. The growing popularity of this "buzzy" ingredient comes as consumers increasingly turn to skincare ingredients with scientific value that they can research themselves.

Homework Question - How could your brand enhance the perceived value of its product or service? [More]