FuturistU > Consumers > Unpacking Consumer Behavior > Module 4 / 5

Social Circles

Instructor: Shelby Walsh
Co-Creation & Customization
Download the Co-Creation & Customization Trend Report
Now is the time to get creative with customer engagement. How consumers are interacting with brands is reflective of the evolution they’ve undergone in how they communicate with their friends, family, significant others and co-workers.



Consumers are increasingly connected, and they expect this sort of closeness with the brands they’re loyal to. Opportunities exist for brands to look at how they can enhance their omnichannel presence, with trends such as Activated E-Commerce and Branded Webisode emerging to bridge the gap between the tensions of online and offline forms of engagement.
Related Trend Report: Co-Creation & Customization
Workshop Questions:
1. Rate your company on a scale of 1-10 on its visual identity online. What would need to change for it to score a 10?
2. What can you do to foster more personalized relationships with your consumers?
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Featured Insights

Branded Webisode
Brands create original online content to create immersive storytelling
Trend - Getting into the content space, brands are turning to YouTube videos and webisodes to better prompt consumer engagement. Going beyond product placement or tutorials, brands are opting for storytelling techniques to create narratives around lifestyle habits, social issues and cultural sentiments not only tied to the brand itself but to the consumers they support.
Workshop Question - How can you utilize storytelling techniques, particularly online, to better connect and engage with your consumers?
2.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
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Megatrends
play_circle_filledHair-Centric Webseries
Hair-Centric Webseries
L'Oréal Paris' 'The Roots Family' Series Shares Remedies for Gray Roots
For the launch of the L’Oréal Paris’ Magic Root Precision Pen, L’Oréal Paris introduced a new web series on YouTube dubbed ‘The Roots Family’ that is full of... MORE
play_circle_filledInspirational Cooking Web Series
Inspirational Cooking Web Series
'La Vida Comida' Employs Latin-American Chef Jose Garces
Leading provider of high-quality pork products Smithfield and Garces Group collaborate in the launch of a cooking web series, dubbed ‘La Vida Comida,’ that seeks to inspire at-home cooks... MORE
play_circle_filledHealthy Food Webseries
Healthy Food Webseries
Panera Bread's 'Food Interrupted' Showcases Dedicated Food Makers
In an attempt to better showcase its food transparency, Panera Bread has released a six-episode weekly digital video series called ‘Food Interrupted.’ Created alongside Participant Media MORE
play_circle_filledShort-Form Coming-of-Age Series
Short-Form Coming-of-Age Series
göt2b's 'Turning the Tables' Targets Millennial & Gen Z Viewers
Hair color and styling brand göt2b worked with the award-winning production company Shaftesbury to create Turning the Tables, a nine-episode series of five-minute episodes that tell a coming-of-age... MORE
play_circle_filledDorm Decor Webisodes
Dorm Decor Webisodes
Urban Outfitters' 'UO On Campus' Web Series Spotlights Real Students
Lifestyle retailer Urban Outfitters is known for its hipster-approved clothing, home, and beauty products, and its latest ‘UO On Campus’ webisode gives the retailer’s fans dorm... MORE
Mindful Daycare
Daycare designs and programs focus more on niche health-related functions
Trend - The adoption of health-focused designs and programs in daycare facilities is on the rise, with specialized areas and nutritional items that adapt to the health preferences that some parents like to ensure their children are aligned with.
Workshop Question - Consider a local, national, or global issue that your brand holds strong beliefs in, and would like to resolve. How would your brand go about aligning itself with that cause?
4.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends

Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Phygital Hangouts
Youth-facing retailers redesign stores as social, sensory destinations
Trend - Retailers are reimagining youth-focused stores as immersive spaces that blend shopping, socializing, and content creation. Watsons Pink locations feature lipstick-shaped makeup bars and K-pop photo zones, Claire’s sensory stores include slime, squishies, and recording booths, and Urban Outfitters’ UO x Glendale concept uses modular fixtures and personalization informed by Gen Z shoppers.
Workshop Question - How could your brand make its physical spaces feel more social, sensory, and worth showing up for?
8.7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Carob Baking
Food brands are adopting carob as a more nutritious cocoa alternative
Trend - Food brands reformulate chocolate‑style bars, beverage mixes, bakery inclusions and shelf‑stable snacks using roasted carob powders and syrups; offerings tout lower caffeine, natural sweetness, fiber content and allergen‑friendly positioning while mimicking familiar chocolate flavor profiles.
Workshop Question - How can brands innovate with alternative ingredients to meet consumer demands for healthier, allergen-free options while maintaining the sensory appeal of traditional products?
6.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Youth Arts
AI companies are creating tools that enhance youth creativity and skills
Trend - AI companies are unveiling creativity platforms for children from text-to-image art generators to story-writing assistants and adaptive reading tutors. Using generative models and tailored feedback, they aim to nurture imagination, literacy and creative confidence in both the home and the classroom.
Workshop Question - How can we develop innovative tools or experiences that enhance and support youth creativity, literacy, and emotional growth?
6.4
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Restaurant Retail
Dining establishments extend brand loyalty through consumer packaged goods
Trend - Restaurant brands are increasingly launching consumer packaged goods to capture revenue beyond their physical locations. From Momofuku's bestselling chili crunch at Whole Foods to Chick-fil-A's signature sauces in grocery aisles, dining establishments are translating their most popular menu items into retail products.
Workshop Question - How could your brand create products that extend customer relationships beyond traditional touchpoints?
5
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Culinary Connection
Cookbook stores increasingly operate as community hubs for food enthusiasts
Trend - Cookbook stores now operate as community-centric “third spaces” to help consumers bond over the culinary arts through events like cooking classes and book signings. This speaks to a deepening interest in food as more than sustenance; it is now a means of social engagement and personal expression.
Workshop Question - How can your brand inspire collaboration in unexpected or unconventional spaces?
4.2
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Retail Lounge
Retailers are launching experiential events to enhance connections to consumers
Trend - Retailers in various industries, such as department stores, luxury brands, and more, are launching in-store lounges and experiential events. These events are designed to enhance the comfort of shoppers while deepening the connection between the shoppers and the brand.
Workshop Question - How can we create experiential in-store events that enhance consumer engagement and strengthen their connection to our brand?
7
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Gamified Storefront
Brands are gamifying brick and mortar stores for the retailtainment trend
Trend - Brick-and-mortar storefronts are adding elements of gamification and entertainment to improve the in-store shopping experience. These 'retailtainment' initiatives add immersive experiences and interactive elements to increase consumer engagement and pull the focus away from simply spending money.
Workshop Question - How can we integrate gamification and entertainment into our physical spaces to create a more engaging and immersive experience for our customers?
6.8
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
Seamless Engagement
Pop-ups that require minimal time to engage consumers are gaining traction
Trend - Brands are creating passive pop-ups, such as billboards or signposts, that beget consumers to engage with only a brief action. These are more engaging than regular billboards while not requiring much time from consumers. Additionally, brands do not need to staff these pop-ups, thus reducing costs.
Workshop Question - How could your brand benefit from passive engagement opportunities to enhance its marketing strategies?
5.6
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends
play_circle_filledHug-Activated Marketing Machines
Hug-Activated Marketing Machines
UNIQLO France and The Pull Launch the Hug to Unlock Ad
UNIQLO France unveils the Hug to Unlock campaign with the help of Paris-based marketing agency The Pill. The campaign encourages passersby to embrace in a hug to initiate a surprise by the brand. It... MORE
play_circle_filledIllusory Fry Billboards
Illusory Fry Billboards
KFC is Promoting Its Fing Fing Cajun Chips with a Clever Billboard
In China, KFC is promoting its new Fing Fing Cajun Chips with an optical illusion billboard that has people literally shaking their heads. With “fing fing” meaning “shake” in... MORE
play_circle_filledFood Truck Billboards
Food Truck Billboards
McDonald's Transformed Billboards into Digital Food Truck Displays
McDonald’s Sweden recently launched a new fried chicken burger inspired by street food culture. As part of the launch campaign, the fast-food giant transformed digital-out-of-home (DOOH)... MORE
play_circle_filledRecord-Breaking AR Mirrors
Record-Breaking AR Mirrors
Maybelline New York & FFFACE.ME Debuted a Large Interactive Experience
Maybelline New York worked with XR company FFFACE.ME to unveil a record-breaking augmented reality mirror with a screen size of 43,000 square feet on the side of the Gulliver Mall in Kyiv. This AR... MORE
play_circle_filledDeserted Island Billboards
Deserted Island Billboards
Silk & Spice Set Up a Billboard for Fans to Go and Find
While most billboards are strategically positioned in high-traffic areas to maximize visibility, Silk & Spice is taking a different route, opting to set up a desert island billboard and initiate... MORE
Informative Yogurt
Dairy brands are redesigning packaging to explicitly advertise health benefits
Trend - Brands in the dairy industry are redesigning product packaging to be more explicitly informative. These new packagings highlight the ingredients' exact nutritional benefits, such as benefiting gut health. Many such products are also advertising organic or eco-friendly ingredients.
Workshop Question - How could your brand redesign its packaging to ensure it best appeals to the desires of its consumers?
6.9
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness
Patterns
Megatrends