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FuturistU > Tactics > The 18 Megatrends > Module 1 / 7

Intro to Megatrends

Instructor: Armida Ascano
Megatrends
Download the Megatrends Trend Report
Every major or minor shift in a given industry can be traced back to evolving consumer desires. To understand where your opportunities lie, you need an understanding of what your customer truly wants and why. The 18 Megatrends matrix unpacks consumer desire using Trend Hunter's Patterns of Opportunity as a base.

Our Chief Insights Officer, Armida Ascano, will guide you through the methodology of the 18 Megatrends, what each of them means, and how to effectively use them. If you're looking to implement more consumer-centricity into your product or service, this course is perfect for you.
Related Trend Report: Megatrends
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Custom Chatbot
Brands are launching services that enable fast creation of personalized chatbots
Trend - Businesses offer tools enabling clients to build fully-functional chatbots quickly. These bots are trained on custom datasets, making them suitable for internal, consumer-facing, or consulting purposes. Businesses across numerous industries can benefit from personalized low-cost chatbots.
Workshop Question - How can your brand leverage personalized chatbot technology to enhance customer service or streamline workflow?
7.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
AI Support
Businesses are incorporating AI chatbots for instant customer service at scale
Trend - Businesses are moving customer service units toward artificial intelligence. AI chatbots for customer service have complete knowledge of any trained dataset, and can deliver instant answers to any related question to any number of customers at a time. This scalability saves money for the business and time for the consumer.
Workshop Question - How can your brand utilize trained AI chatbots to improve the online shopping experience, or post-sale support experience, for customers?
7.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Sugarcane Package
Brands are using food-safe sugarcane bagasse in consumable goods packaging
Trend - Brands in the several consumables industries, such as cosmetics and food, have begun using containers made out of sugarcane bagasse. This is a pulpy, fibrous material gained from drying and crushing sugarcane. This is affordable, food-safe, biodegradable, and temperature-resistant.
Workshop Question - How can your brand incorporate affordable and sustainable packaging solutions, such as sugarcane bagasse, into your product lineup while still maintaining consumer appeal and affordability?
8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Communicative Delivery
Customer service is made easier with communicative delivery platforms
Trend - B2B delivery platforms are prioritizing communication to enhance the delivery process for businesses and their customers. This approach ensures frequent updates and quick responses using both automation and reps--balancing efficiency with a more "human" approach to customer service.
Workshop Question - In what areas could your brand improve its customer service experience to build trust and brand loyalty?
6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Evolved Education
Post-secondary institutions offer courses specific to Gen Z's hobbies and habits
Trend - Schools are targeting the skills and industries that Gen Z is making influential. In order to maintain their relevance in a rapidly evolving learning environment, honing in on students' personal hobbies and the skills they're self-taught in keeps these institutions evolving with their target market.
Workshop Question - How is your brand evolving with the cultural changes that Gen Z's influence has caused?
4.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
SMS Commerce
Brands are integrating shopping services into mobile SMS applications
Trend - Retailers are seamlessly integrating text message shopping services into their business models. This allows customers to browse, purchase, and pay for products directly through a text message rather than using a mobile storefront application or website. This reduces online order friction.
Workshop Question - How could your brand benefit from leveraging older, more familiar technology for accessibility?
5.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Dine-In Tech
Technology to improve the dining experience through guest insights is on the rise
Trend - The restaurant and QSR industries are bouncing back from the Pandemic by better gathering insights on what consumers care about. Technologies dedicated to listening to and implementing suggestions for improving the dining experience are increasing in popularity. This can be done by gathering data on ordering platforms, surveys, and more.
Workshop Question - How could you better bridge the gap between your various guests' often opposing needs?
5.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Shoppable TV
Streamers introduce interactive ads to shorten the gap between content and checkout
Trend - Streamers are experimenting with Connected TV technology (CTV), which leverages QR codes, content overlays, and second-screen prompts to allow viewers to instantaneously shop the products that they see on screen. This includes products seen in commercials as well as those featured in actual shows.
Workshop Question - How could your brand take advantage of innovative advertising tactics, like those introduced by Connected TV technology?
5.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
SMS Support
Text-based customer support services prioritize convenience and quick communication
Trend - Traditional forms of customer support like going in-store or calling in and being put on hold are slowly being pushed aside for more modern, convenient options. Now, SMS-based customer support programs offer quicker service that requires less patience from both parties.
Workshop Question - How could your brand reduce friction in the customer service journey?
3.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Metaverse Support
The customer service experience will become more immersive through the metaverse
Trend - As the metaverse expands, customer service in the metaverse is becoming a recognized innovation that can create more valuable support experiences. Brands in this space are already finding ways to better engage with customers that foster mutual empathy and more efficient processes.
Workshop Question - How could your brand use the metaverse to enhance its customer support services?
4.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends