Category
Lifestyle
Assisted Choices
Trend cluster
Category
Complementary
Positioning
Brands ritualize their offerings through assistive personalization.
4.3
Trend score
Trend
What is the Complementary Positioning trend?
Complementary Positioning: With the prevalence of “how-to” guides and videos online, brands are adapting this familiar format to the physical realm in order to demonstrate the value they play in consumer’s lives. By going the extra mile to create helpful kits and guidelines to be used as rituals in conjunction with their main offerings, brands are able to personalize their interaction with consumers by acknowledging their needs and creating memorable engagement. This strategy works particularly well as a way to get buy-in from the Gen X demographic who prefer to rely on themselves for getting things done and tend to have hesitations about testing out unfamiliar brands.
Trend themes
Themes within the Complementary Positioning trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Assistive Personalization
Brands are adapting the 'how-to' format to the physical realm in order to provide assistive personalization, an opportunity for creating a memorable and personal interaction with consumers.
02
Child Distraction Toys
'Versailles for Kids' offers a playset that distracts children while adults can watch the TV show, pioneering the concept of child-distracting toys that cater to adult-themed entertainment.
03
Eco-Friendly Instruction Manuals
Chai Point's instruction manuals on how to repurpose the company's water bottles are examples of eco-friendly labeling, which provides a disruptive innovation opportunity for companies to promote environmental responsibility.
Industry implications
What the Complementary Positioning trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Personal Care
The personal care industry can take advantage of the trend of assistive personalization to provide personalized and memorable interaction with consumers.
For
Entertainment
The entertainment industry can innovate by developing and offering child-distracting toys that cater to adult-themed entertainment.
For
Sustainability
Sustainability is an industry category expanding globally; companies can take inspiration from Chai Point's example and provide eco-friendly instruction manuals to promote environmental responsibility.
Workshop question
How can you add value to your consumer's lifestyle beyond your original product through brand rituals?
Trend signals
Trend signals for Complementary Positioning
Trend score 4.3 out of 10, from popularity 63%, activity 57%, freshness 8%.
Popularity63%
Activity57%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha (not a primary audience)
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer (not a primary audience)
Market
North America
Europe
Evidence
Examples of the Complementary Positioning trend
4 featured examples from Mar 24 to Apr 25, 2017CategoryEco
Repurposed Water Bottle Designs
Chai Point Offers Instructions on Repurposing Its Water Bottles
Food and beverage retailers can enhance their brand image and attract eco-conscious consumers by offering repurposable packaging solutions.
CategoryLife-Stages
Child-Distracting Playsets
These Toys for Kids Help Adults Watch the Versailles TV Show in Peace
Disruptive innovation opportunity to create playsets and toys that enhance children's entertainment and distraction during TV shows.
CategoryFashion
Homeshare Toiletry Kit Services
'HostingBNB' Sends Out Comfort Kits to Airbnb Hosts for Guests
Homesharing companies can partner with toiletry kit providers to offer more personalized hospitality experiences, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
CategoryFashion
Office-Inspired Makeup Packs
This New Benefit Kit Was Made for Working Women on the Go
Create more convenient and focused product lines for on-the-go working women, as well as educational packaging or add-ons that elevate beauty routines.
