New Ventures

Implications - In response to the tendency for businesses to hire short-time workers and independent contractors, the opportunity to deliver resources such as legal services and benefits packages for these workers has arisen. The appearance of these resources speaks to the increased opportunity for companies to respond to shifting norms in the way people work. This particularly benefits Millennial employees, who crave new experiences and opportunities within their professional lives, but still require some of the securities that a full-time job would afford. [More]

Implications - Within the Circular Economy, the use of virgin materials and material waste is removed from the use cycle, and existing materials are repurposed to close the use loop. From upcycled linen services to repurposed beer waste, these products and services reintroduce resources into the use cycle that would otherwise be considered waste. The increased popularity of such systems correlates with the rise of the informed consumer, and in this case caters to their propensity for contributing to a more sustainable and waste-free world. [More]

Implications - While blockchain technology is still in its infancy, its application in voting means that we can almost guarantee security while allowing for increased participation for remote legally registered voters. With electoral fraud being highly scrutinized as of late, blockchain technology has the potential to provide a foundation where institutions can work to restore faith in electoral systems, and could contribute to more accessible voting processes. [More]

Implications - Though the majority of North American consumers are interested in buying from small businesses, the lack of accessibility (and therefore, convenience) can be a barrier. Small businesses are responding by innovating around the delivery of their products. This opens artisan products up to an entirely new market, capitalizing on the desire to buy consciously. [More]

Implications - As brands look to create lifelong consumers, many are pivoting part of their focus towards the interests of older demographics including Boomers and seniors. By uncovering the passions and priorities of these inherently social consumer segments, brands are able to foster environments that empower older consumers to be themselves and create communities around shared interests. This seemingly unlikely shift in focus denotes the importance of remaining relevant to consumers through different stages of their lives. [More]

Implications - Not just for targeting Millennial consumers, gamification serves to create emotional engagement between brands and older demographics, including the Boomer segment. With more free time and disposable income, Boomers are seeking fun ways to interact with brands in their leisure time, from gamified shopping services to playful retreat experiences. By leveraging the elements of addictive game play, brands are creating new consumers among this traditionally brand-loyal demographic. [More]

Implications - With less than 10% of Millennials considering themselves to have high level knowledge about their personal finances, a huge opportunity lies in creating new resources for financial literacy. As modern adulthood becomes increasingly complex with the balance of multiple jobs, managing dept and paying off student loans, banking and investing can often become intimidating to younger consumers who are already accustomed to simplified apps and online tutorials. This shifting approach means Millennial loyalty will lie with financial institutions that offer a helping hand through streamlined financial literacy and hassle-free banking transactions. [More]

Implications - Implications - Emphasizing the cult-level status of their branding, big name brands are lending their iconic imagery to daily routinized aspects of consumer lifestyles. Not only lending a playful twist to their own repertoire, branching out into these seemingly unrelated categories also serves to enhance the brand's daily interaction with the consumer beyond their normal contextual basis. [More]

Implications - Customer service is essential for e-commerce sites where opportunities for in-person consumer engagement is negligible. Through the adoption of virtual stylists and hands-on assistants, made more accessible than ever with the rise of chat bots, online shops can provide personalized customer service for every client. This emerging shift indicates the rise of expectations on digital businesses as the number of consumers shopping online increases. [More]

Implications - One of the key appeals of the sharing economy is the heightened convenience that its services offer over traditional competitors. As consumers grow more accustomed to these conveniences, extraneous brands are further amplifying the handiness of ride-sharing services by harmonizing with them. With consumers coming to expect previously unheard of on-demand services in all aspects of their lives, the logical next paradigm requires hyper-convenient offerings that hybridize multiple convenience-based industries. [More]