FuturistU > Innovation & Change > Ability to Change > Module 1 / 7

Intro to Ability to Change

Instructor: Jeremy Gutsche
In today's world, people miss out on new opportunity because we lead busy lives and get caught up in a predictable groove, repeating past decisions. This makes it difficult to spot opportunity, and more difficult to act. Even when we have a great idea, it can be a struggle to get buy-in, influence others, and make change happen. It doesn’t have to be that way.

This course examines how people can caught in these grooves of predictability and how to overcome them. Trend Hunter CEO Jeremy Gutsche introduces the 7 Traps of Path Depedency and how to escape them to capture new opportunity. If you’ve ever dreamed about what great ideas might be within your grasp, this course will nurture those feelings and give you tactics and exercises to bring you closer to your full potential. It will give you the push you need to overcome path dependencies, break free from the traps, and move toward something new. You’ll develop the tools to engage your next big idea and make change a reality.
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Game Discovery
Game Discovery Platforms and Features Help Players Discover Games They Missed
Trend - Platforms are introducing discovery features that recommend lesser‑known games through personalized feeds, mood‑based browsing, social curation and AI‑driven matching. These tools aim to help players navigate an overwhelming release landscape and find titles they may enjoy but were unaware of.
Workshop Question - How might we create discovery tools that personalize user experiences by highlighting lesser-known options and aligning with individual preferences and moods?
5.8
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Cinematic Consumption
Entertainment-driven food and drink concepts are expanding beyond theaters
Trend - As entertainment increasingly shapes consumer culture, food and beverage brands are adopting cinema-inspired menus, collaborations, and immersive branding across quick-service and retail formats; transforming entertainment into an everyday consumption cue beyond theaters.
Workshop Question - How can your brand transform everyday consumption into a culturally immersive experience?
8.3
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Experiential Poster
Physical, touchable media is being reintroduced to deepen sensory engagement
Trend - Brands are incorporating tactile elements into billboards and posters to create immersive, multi-sensory experiences. From textured surfaces to interactive materials, these physical formats invite touch and smell, transforming passive ad spaces into memorable, hands-on brand encounters.
Workshop Question - How can your brand use physical interaction to create more memorable consumer touchpoints?
8.7
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Burger Crisp
Chips are increasingly used as a crunchy topping for burger items
Trend - QSR brands are increasingly adopting a recent trend of layering potato chips (crisps) directly into the burger rather than serving them on the side. These menu items claim to merge two comfort foods into one, creating a highly textural, nostalgic eating experience for fans of both.
Workshop Question - How can your brand fuse two concepts to evoke a stronger response from consumers?
4.6
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Post-Grind Recovery
Consumers are pivoting away from hustle culture and toward rest and relaxation
Trend - The relentless "grindset" mentality that dominated the 2010s is facing a cultural backlash, with consumers increasingly seeking rest, boundaries, and sustainable work practices over 24/7 productivity optimization. Companies are launching campaigns that celebrate downtime, mental health days, and the radical act of logging off.
Workshop Question - How might your brand reframe success beyond productivity metrics to connect with consumers seeking sustainable fulfillment?
5.5
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Spiced Sparkling
Brands increasingly infuse spicy peppers and flavors into sparkling waters
Trend - Contemporary brands are crafting flavored carbonated waters that incorporate spicy ingredients to create a tingling, warming sensation. Often merging complex or functional flavors, these beverages can mimic the excitement of cocktails or craft sodas without the sugar, alcohol, or calories.
Workshop Question - How can your brand tap into its target consumers' desire for novelty?
5.9
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Escapist Game
Game developers launch low-stakes farming-centric games for comfortable escapism
Trend - Game developers are increasingly releasing cozy farming games that offer serene, low-pressure virtual environments. These titles focus on gentle gameplay and emotional escapism—cultivating crops, caring for animals, and building intimate communities in picturesque, pastoral settings.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create engaging and relaxing experiences that current desires of its consumers?
3.4
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Boldened Snack
Packaged snack brands are refreshing packaging portfolios to improve recognition
Trend - CPG snack brands are refreshing their packaging designs to draw more attention to their products while emphasizing standout features. These features include better-for-you ingredients and reduced environmental impact, with intent to capture younger audiences with such practices.
Workshop Question - How might we innovate our brand's approach to packaging and product design to effectively resonate with environmentally conscious and health-focused younger consumers?
6
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Automated Podcast
AI tools that generate podcasts out of predetermined data sets are adaptable
Trend - AI companies are creating podcast-generating tools that interpret provided data and offer it in audio podcast form. This is used to make written news more digestible, to better convey one's personal thoughts, and more. These tools are designed to be quick and convenient for novice AI users.
Workshop Question - How could your brand make its products or services more accessible to consumers with busy lifestyles and minimal free time?
6.4
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Positivity Platform
Social platforms with a positive focus rebel against the negative internet
Trend - New online platforms, whether private or social-focused, are launching with a focus on positivity and compliments. Some such platforms are powered by AI, while some are community-driven. However, each are designed to offer positive breaks from the negative nature of popular content platforms.
Workshop Question - How might we create a positive and uplifting experience for our audience to counteract the negativity often found in digital environments?
3.8
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