Mobile

Implications - With more consumers now prioritizing ethical and green investments, brands are offering curated platforms through which this can be done simply. The use of apps to ethically invest gives consumers the value-based purchases they increasingly desire, via a platform that reduces the barriers and inconveniences associated with investing. [More]

Implications - Consumers looking to travel are turning to Instagram and other image-focused app services in order to inspire or plan their trips. In the social media age, this shift allows consumers to prioritize the curation of the images they’d like to post, serving Millennial demographics that experience things just as much for peer-sharing, as they do for their personal enjoyment. [More]

Implications - Traditional face-to-face activities are adapting with the use of technology to better integrate into consumer’s day-to-day consumption habits. Tapping into mobile apps and social platforms, brands are revamping how typically analog activities like dares and lip-syncing battles are experienced. Allowing consumers to engage in such challenges at any time they want to, these digital alternatives continue to promote social engagement in a much more streamlined, connected manner. [More]

Implications - The rise of at-home drinking among Millennials has brought on a surge of mixology apps that allow users to craft quality cocktails. These apps indicate the continued rise of artisan food and beverage culture, and cater to the consumer desire for DIY experiences that allow them to replicate the products and services they typically purchase in-store. [More]

Implications - Community-based crowdsourcing apps are helping locals connect with those in close proximity to them, over a variety of shared values and purposes. Whether empowering locals or creating spaces in which they can help one another, these crowdsourced tools leverage tech to cater to the consumer desire for community-building and cooperation, countering widely held notions that such technology furthers divides between people. [More]

Implications - While it might seem counterintuitive, brands are offering digital solutions to those who want to detach and unplug from their day-to-day connectivity. Appealing to users not willing to completely eliminate their digital tools, these apps and gamified activities encourage users to stay focused on one specific application as opposed to multitasking a variety of things. This speaks to a growing desire to unplug without having to sacrifice one’s day-to-day technological needs. [More]

Implications - Eye-tracking technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in market research in order to optimize user experience in the digital space. Through the use of biometric tracking software via mobile and desktop devices, brands are better able to understand precisely where consumer attention is drawn, and how they navigate the tools. This new technology speaks to the struggle many brands have had in recent years with understanding how to better establish authentic connections with consumers. . [More]

Implications - With dating apps that set people up now being extremely common, brands are pushing out dating apps that are designed to unify established relationships. Whether focused on the "administrative" aspects of being in a relationship, or in actually strengthening bonds between partners, these apps cater to consumers who seek out technology to aide and enhance all aspects of their lives. [More]

Implications - While the proliferation of platforms like Tinder has contributed to more convenient, fast-paced methods of finding love, consumers are craving more, and as a result, personalized methods are emerging. From AI algorithms to DNA testing techniques, these solutions give users the chance to customize their matchmaking process, ensuring the results are more tailored to their individual, inherent needs. Showcasing the type of effort and lengths consumers are going to find their match, these examples also reflect a growing desire for customization in every single facet of their life. [More]

Implications - Landlord-tenant communications and processes can be arduous, and new online property management services are aiming to alleviate some of the administrative and communication-related issues that arise in such circumstances. The streamlining of these processes creates a mutually beneficial relationship in which both parties are assured accountability throughout the property management process. [More]