LHBS continuously tracks changes in people, markets and technology to deliver curated and customised information to different organisations. With a team of researchers collecting data on a daily basis for the Inspiration-Hub– an internal digital tool to monitor change and deliver relevant insights and inspiration– we would like to share these findings with our readers in a new way. This presentation includes a selection of insights we have recently found interesting and that might point into shifting consumer behavior.

1. LHBS INSIGHT-SNAPSHOT
APRIL 2015

2. LHBS is an unconventional strategy firm that helps its clients to solve
two of the most fundamental questions in business:
About LHBS
Understand Today Shape Tomorrow
How are customer
needs & expectations
evolving?
How can companies
create value for
customers and benefit
from it?

3. This presentation includes some of the most interesting signs of
emerging and shifting consumer behavior.
All signs are out of our Inspiration-Hub, a digital platform that tracks
changes in people, markets and technology to bring customized
insights and inspiration to your organization.
LHBS Insight-Snapshot

4.
An Increasing Number of Adults Live At Home
In Slovakia some ‘children’ live with their parents until they reach 35 years old.
What are the reasons behind the increasing trend of young adults choosing to remain at home? Young people say that although it is very comfortable to live with
your parents- no rent to pay and no need to cook- your parents still treat you like a child and you live on their rules. Even with all the annoyances young people do not
seem to be ready to move out. The numbers are growing, especially in the former Communist states of Eastern Europe. In the US 15% of adults 25 to 34 are living
with their parents. According to European Commission, in Eastern Europe 74% of adult Slovakians aged 18 to 34 still live with their parents regardless of their
employment or marital status. Even taking the students out of the equation, 57% of adults 25 to 34 still reside with their ‘Mama’. The figures among ages 25 to 34 are
similar across other Eastern European countries: in Bulgaria it is 51%, Romania 46%, Serbia 54% and Croatia 59%.
*
Source:
European
Commission:
Share
of
young
adults
aged
18-­‐34
living
with
their
parents
by
age
and
sex
(source:
EU-­‐SILC)

5.
Post-Hipster: Nu-Lad Look
As the hipster becomes passé, a new ‘nu lad look’ emerges: a terrace-house-inspired styling, heritage sportswear with a high fashion twist.
With Rebook Classics and Supreme hoodie, preferring tracksuit to tweed pants and pint of Stella instead of craft beer this post-hipster trend builds on the powerful
identity of the British working class style. From Balmain to Calvin Klein, the SS15 catwalks are serving activewear, sportswear and streetwear with a sprinkle of high
fashion touch. But, despite the current fashion hype, the luxury sportswear and sneaker renaissance is nothing new and it was already famous in the 90’s, thanks to
bands like Oasis and The Stone Roses.
*
Source:
The
Guardian

6.
Slow Fashion Movement
Slow Fashion is a movement that calls for accountability throughout the entire supply chain in the fashion business. That means not only the CSR
statement on the website of the brand, but an awareness and solutions at the very start of the chain.
The tragedy of the Rana Plaza in Bangladesh which killed 1,129 workers, revealed two important things. Firstly, in the ashes of the factory labels were found from
brands that previously publicly stated that their products are not made in sweatshops- showing a complete lack of awareness or real interest on the conditions in the
factories. They have also refused to take any responsibility for the fire. Secondly, it revealed the ugly truth to the consumers- it is not an isolated case and it is very
likely that your clothes were made in a similar sweatshop.
*
Source:
Why
Do
We
Need
a
Fashion
RevoluNon?

7.
Silver Economy
Fashion and beauty brands slowly start tapping into silver economy and increasingly feature models that are ‘over 60’.
The most recent to join the trend is a fashion brand Celine, with a 80-year-old author Joan Didion as the face of its newest campaign. It joined Saint Laurent
featuring a 71-year-old Joni Mitchell and Kate Spade and Alexis Bittar with a 93-year-old style legend Iris Apfel, A brief time later, L’Oreal announced signing a 65-
year-old Twiggy as its brand ambassador- joining 69-year-old Helen Mirren. Does it mean that the youth-obsessed fashion industry is finally accepting women of
certain age?
*
Source:
JWT
ElasNc
GeneraNon

8.
Colouring For Adults
Colouring books for adults make up half of the best selling list on Amazon.
Colouring book for adults by a Scottish illustrator Johanna Basford, is topping the charts for the bestselling items on Amazon US. In the UK, Basford’s books are in
the second and eight place. These are followed by Richard Merritt’s Art Therapy Colouring Book is fourth on the best selling Amazon charts, Millie Marotta’s Animal
Kingdom is seventh and a mindfulness colouring book is ninth. Out of the top 10 best selling books on UK Amazon- half of them are colouring books.
*
Source:
Amazon
UK
Book
Bestsellers

9.
Wealthy Are Purchasing Experiences Over Things
Rich people increasingly prefer to spend money on experiences rather than buying new gadgets.
A recent survey from YouGov and Time Inc., has found that there has been a recent tendency to keep money under the radar. Wealthy people cutting down
on buying flashy items and investing in experiential purchases like travel, can be a reaction to a growing income inequality and public scorn towards ostentatious
displaying of wealth— resulting in the top-earning 10% adjusting their consumption patterns. In 2014 travel spending has risen by 15% and purchasing of items like
jewelry and fine watches fell by 12% and 32% respectively. Another reason that may have caused altered spending patterns is the changing definition of what is a
'quality life'. Experiences like travel and dining out become part of us and are likely to be remembered over time, where physical objects that can easily be replaced
have no lasting meaning.
*
Source:
Survey
Of
Affluence
and
Wealth

10.
Youth Driving Vinyl Revival
Over 70 % of vinyl buyers are under 35, the new study by MusicWatch reveals.
In 2014 vinyl record sales were at their highest since 1990, adding up to 9.2 million, according to Nielsen Music. The revival was so significant that the demand
outstripped supply, resulting in month-long waits for new albums. Why in the times of convenient experiences like Spotify and iTunes, vinyls that require manual
effort became again so popular with the younger crowd? There are several reasons, ranging from simple nostalgia and the longing for a tangible medium with a
different listening experience, and physical artwork or just simply the sound of the music. Regardless of the reason, this trend does not seem to be slowing down, as
the sales keep steadily growing month by month.
*
Source:
Majority
of
Vinyl
Buyers
Are
Under
35

11.
Hotel Guests Stay Next to Refugees
New boutique hotel in Vienna lets guests stay next to asylum-seekers and encourages both to interact and get to know each other.
Although from the outside Magdas Hotel in Vienna looks like a typical boutique hotel- The rooms have minimal design, vintage and up cycled furniture and rooms
with a beautiful view on the famous Ferris wheel- inside it works a little bit different. Next to hotel guests a group of refugees have the suites. "We wanted to build a
place where tourists from all over the world are welcomed by people who left their home not because they wanted to, but because they needed to—because they're
fleeing from hunger, war, or terrorism," says Martin Gartner from Caritas that launched the hotel as a social enterprise. Almost everyone from the staff who works at
the hotel are refugees. Often these people have been in Austria for over a decade but their asylum-seeker status made finding employment extremely difficult.
*
Source:
Magdas
Hotel

12.
Are We Reaching "Peak Car"?
Vehicle traffic grew to alarming levels in the last decades but recent numbers show that we are approaching the end of the growth.
Looking at the data some researchers are now predicting that we reached "peak car” and the number of cars and the distance we travel with them will stop
growing. What are the factors behind the decline? Many traffic experts suggest that changes in society and consumer preferences are to blame.
*
Source:
Volpe
Car
Study

13.
Millennials Don't Want Connected Cars
A study by Prophet, reveals that 68% of UK millennials do not want fully digitally connected cars.
Development of a fully electric digitally-connected car became a strategic priority for many car makers, since Tesla Model S introduction in 2012 that showed what
an innovative, luxurious and sustainable car can be. As car makers rushed to introduce many digital features in cars, millennials remain sceptical. According the a
survey conducted by marketing agency Prophet, millennials are surprisingly not that keen on owning a connected car.
*
Source:
Prophet

14. • How your organization can track relevant business and innovation
opportunities?
• How other industries and companies affect your customer needs?
• How insights & inspiration be can easily accessed and shared
within your organization to fuel innovation?
Please feel free to visit inspiration-hub.com or get in touch with
Fabiola Lewandowska at fl@lhbs.com.
If you would like to learn more about:

15. THANK YOU!
Impressum:
Die in dieser Präsentation dokumentierten Gedanken und Vorschläge sind geistiges Eigentum der
LHBS Consulting Berlin GmbH und unterliegen den geltenden Urhebergesetzen. Die unautorisierte Nutzung,
die ganze oder teilweise Vervielfältigung sowie jede Weitergabe an Dritte ist nicht gestattet.
LHBS Consulting Berlin GmbH
Köpenicker Straße 154
10997 Berlin Germany