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FuturistU > Innovation & Change > Ability to Change > Module 3 / 7

Neurological Shortcuts

Instructor: Jeremy Gutsche
This module looks at how over time, we become more intelligent, but we dramatically lose our raw creativity. The key is that our brain has a series of neurological shortcuts meant to make our lives easier. Instead of coming up with 200 ideas for every possible challenge, our brain narrows our thinking, reverting to things we've seen done before. That's great for making life simpler, and for times where you need to make a split second decision. However, it is terrible for innovation and change and times of chaos and change.
Workshop Question:
How could you retrain your brain to proactively hunt for opportunity?
Get Better and Faster

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

AI Pet
Brands are incorporating AI technology into pet products and services
Trend - Companies are adding artificial intelligence (AI)-powered features to pet products to improve safety and quality of life. These features include facial recognition, disease detection, weight tracking, and more, which help pet owners understand their animals' needs.
Workshop Question - How can your company's product be modified to benefit both people and animals?
7.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Custom Workflow
Personalized prioritization apps enable more inclusive and effective work styles
Trend - Apps and services that aid in summarizing, prioritizing, and organizing work tasks in personalized ways are more popular than ever in the post-pandemic workplace. Not only does this custom approach to workflow give more flexibility, but is more inclusive of different work styles and needs.
Workshop Question - How can your organization maximize output without dictating how and when work is completed?
4.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Creatine Supplement
Wellness brands are repositioning creatine as a general health supplement
Trend - Creatine is a supplement commonly used in pre-workout and post-workout products for the purpose of increasing muscle training and endurance. The popularity of the amino acid has led to brands infusing it into beverages, gummies, and general health products for general consumers' health.
Workshop Question - How could your brand integrate its products into consumers' daily lives?
7.1
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Advanced Baking
Baking kits are being offered with more upscale designs and ingredients
Trend - Elevated baking kits are giving consumers the opportunity to make the more sophisticated baked goods they see in stores or on social media, at home. The advanced flavors and designs of these kits make them suitable for everything from hosting to shared experiences with family.
Workshop Question - Which changing consumer behaviors or lifestyles could your brand better appeal to?
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Eco Eyewear
Sustainable eyewear solutions counter the industry's impact
Trend - Prescription eyewear is a necessity for many consumers, but the industry, like many others, has an impact on the environment. As a result, some brands in the industry are prioritizing eco-friendly solutions that include sustainable glasses materials and packaging.
Workshop Question - How is your brand prioritizing sustainability?
5.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Sustainable Holiday
Easter candy is now being produced with sustainability in mind
Trend - Holiday seasons in North America tend to involve a lot of consumption, which inevitably leads to waste. Now, brands that are marketing their Easter-themed products are also highlighting their sustainability, whether that's in packaging or in their ingredients.
Workshop Question - How is your brand prioritizing sustainability?
4.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
DEI Revamped
Employer inclusivity strategies must reach higher standards post-pandemic
Trend - As consumers continue re-prioritizing their lives post-pandemic, they crave a more clear sense of purpose in their work. One way to achieve this in the workplace is by offering a more comprehensive DEI strategy. Diversity, equity, and inclusion have become all the more important to consumers seeking ways to make the world a better place on a daily basis.
Workshop Question - What is your current DEI strategy, and how can it improve?
4.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
ASMR Art
The popularity of ASMR has pushed it into the art and entertainment scene
Trend - Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) content has become extremely popular on social media, and now busineses are adapting it into artistic forms that include everything from art installations to experiential tablewear.
Workshop Question - How is your brand taking cues from social media trends?
3.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Low-Waste Holiday
Seasonal products and trends are now prioritizing waste-reduction
Trend - The holiday season and the increased consumption it brings has an inevitable impact on the environment, and some brands are now trying to reduce this impact. Low or zero-waste initiatives that allow people to more sustainably celebrate the holidays are becoming popular.
Workshop Question - How is your brand prioritizing sustainability?
6.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Brand Activist
Influencers are replaced by representatives of social change in online campaigns
Trend - The pandemic ushered in varying degrees of change, including a political reckoning wherein the idea of activism became more mainstream and social media-friendly. Brands looking to participate in these conversations in a way that goes beyond lip service are doing so by replacing influencers with known activists.
Workshop Question - What is a cause that is important to your brand, and how can you become more vocal and active about it?
4.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends