2. Welcome to THE QUARTERLY from JCPR Edelman – bringing you a
snapshot of trends and movements taking place across the globe
covering Digital, Retail, Technology, Design, Eco, Food & Drink, Brand
& Marketing and Culture.
Every day, we are tasked with devising global programming and for this
reason, we know and respect how critical being connected to local
cultures and communities is to developing powerful and relevant global
initiatives based on what matters to people in those markets.
We’ve had the great pleasure of working with contributors from 11
different countries from regions including Asia Pacific, Europe, The
Middle East and North America to uncover what’s happening in each of
these locations and more importantly, what’s getting noticed.
Not all of what you see will be new – countries discover and innovate at
different rates each dependant on unique factors. The Quarterly is not
CONTENTS designed to be a collection of the ‘coolest’ or most cutting edge
initiatives - more of an exploration into what is getting the most traction,
Digital 4 exciting communities, genuinely changing behaviour and inspiring
Retail 6 people into conversation and action.
Technology 8
Design 10 This is about becoming better and more informed together and offering
smart thinkers all over the world the opportunity to share the things that
Eco 11 are creating waves in their environments.
Food & Drink 12
Brand & Marketing 13 Feel free to contact us with any thoughts, questions or feedback you
Culture 15 may have: trend@edelman.com
3. AUSTRALIA Kerry Barnes CHINA Viola Wang UAE Julie Nguyen
Jennifer Ngai
INDIA Reyna Jagtiani UNITED KINGDOM Lauren Lake
BELGIUM Stephanie Perugio
INDONESIA Wina Wirsatyo UNITED STATES Edie Kissko
CANADA Allison Daisley
Jennifer Meehan NETHERLANDS Simone van der Wal SINGAPORE Cindy Lim
Robyn Adelson Sabrina Spong
Kate Kernahan Kate McLennan
Megan Smith
Lena Beyer Julia Wei
4. POLICE WORK MADE DIGITAL
A SUPER ORDINARY IDEA
BIG UP THE BLOG UP In an interesting social media experiment designed to
get closer to the public, the Seattle Police
Department embarked on a campaign to tell the story One of the state branches of the Australian Fire &
Swedish home interiors retailer Lagerhaus decided to of ‘a day in the life of the Seattle Police’ via Twitter. Rescue service launched an innovative campaign
turn the concept of the pop-up store on its head with late last year and set out to champion those
the launch of their ‘blog-up’ stores; a series of online Over a 12 hour period, the department Tweeted residents for safeguarding their houses against fire.
stores each curated by well known interior design about almost every emergency call (except those
bloggers. deemed too sensitive), with an average of 40 Tweets Entitled ‘Be Super Ordinary’, the digital and
an hour and a total of 478 through the day. experiential campaign aimed to drive 14,000 Home
Tapping into the places where their audiences spend Fire Safety Audits initiated via the Facebook page.
large amounts of time online, the company The Department followed this with a ‘Tweet-along’ Once complete, the respondents uploaded a photo,
transferred their usual e-store over to the popular event– giving followers the chance to ride virtual which was digitally projected onto the Super
blogs through the creation of an integrated widget, shotgun with officers and feel part of the action as Ordinary public monument – allowing them to
Opportunities for they sent live Tweets of the jobs they were attending
allowing the blogs to choose the products they become heroes for the day.
brands in digital wanted available on their site and add their own to in real-time.
continue to rely on promotional or marketing approach to accompany Located in areas of high footfall, the monument
delivering high impact them. The aim of the project was to find new ways to resulted in a wave of social and traditional media
content or real value engage with the public, fostering a sense of mutual buzz and ultimately led to high levels of consumer
beyond a transaction. One of the major aims around the project was to understanding by encouraging followers to take an engagement with a subject matter and brand not
increase the brand’s presence on Facebook and in interest in emergencies and how the police deal with previously considered particularly fun or exciting.
the time it ran, Facebook fans increased by 226% them.
The degree to which
with interactions growing by 360%. The project
social media proved to be so popular, Lagerhaus will be This approach to engagement is being continued
continues to act as continuing blog-up stores as an on-going initiative. throughout the year as they work harder to increase
an efficient vehicle for understanding and support from the community.
word of mouth
advocacy, whether
for brands or causes,
continues to marvel.
Image courtesy of Lagerhaus.se
Image courtesy of Twitter.com
Image courtesy of facebook.com
5. FACEBOOK’S
WORTHY DONATION
SHOPPING WITH THE CROWD
LIVE LIKE THE LOCALS Multi-faceted Facebook manages to be social
networking hub, communication facilitator, game
platform and idle time filler all at once and soon,
The practice of e-commerce has seen dramatic
In a bid to help Western and Arab expats experience thanks to a new concept being launched in India, it growth in China over the past few years with shopping
Emirati culture just as the locals do, two home-grown might be a life saver too. online and group purchasing quickly attracting a great
University graduates recently launched Boum – the number of consumers.
mobile application that allows users to interact with Socialblood is a Facebook app that connects people
the UAE in an entirely new way. by blood type. Users are asked to join one of eight Initially, the movement was driven through online
groups matched to their blood type and can post
outlets Taobao (the Chinese answer to Amazon) and
Launched during GITEX (Gulf Information Technology messages in case of an emergency, locate others Alipay (the third-party online payment platform). With a
Exhibition), the app is based on user generated nearby who share the same type and respond to combined user base of more than 200 million
content in the shape of location reviews and requests for donors.
registered users, they accounted for nearly 80% of
comments. online shopping in China.
The service already seems to be working. A recent
Anything from restaurants to specialist boutiques and post from a father asking for blood for his daughter
While they remain dominant, interest in group
sheesha hang outs can be reviewed and shared via elicited an amazing 74 responses in just 24 hours. purchasing was the story in 2011. Inspired by the
uploading content from your smartphone with several success of Groupon, 2011 saw thousands of B2C
local gems already a hit in the expat community With the need to raise awareness of issues around
sites launch in China seemingly overnight. However,
including the digitally savvy Wild Peeta restaurant. blood donation in less developed countries such as with over 5,000 of these sites currently on the market
India increasingly important, the service is already and diminishing cash reserves, the popularity and clout
It may have started off as a small idea part of a looking to roll out across territories such as Brazil,
of these sites is dwindling.
University project but the concept has now been Bangladesh, Nigeria and Pakistan in 2012.
picked up by ZeroWire Labs, a Canadian company As consumer interest in this way of online purchase
that works with mobile networking solutions and aims remains strong, it will be interesting to watch who in
to become the ‘top mobile application for the UAE.’ 2012 will outsmart their competitors and remain
prosperous by bringing the next wave of e-commerce
innovation to China.
Image courtesy of socialblood.org
6. BUY ONLINE,
COLLECT OFFLINE
THE VIRTUAL BOUTIQUE During the past year Belgian supermarkets have been
working hard to truly embrace the technological world
and entrench their stores firmly in the future. THE MAN CRECHE
Luisa Via Roma, a luxury boutique based in the Italian Colruyt, one of the country’s major chains was the
fashion mecca of Florence, decided they wanted to first supermarket to launch ‘Collect&Go’, a service
that allows customers to order online and collect Bored men being dragged around shopping centres
give all of their customers from around the world the by their other halves is a fairly common sight for many
experience of shopping in-store; without having to groceries from a local store at their convenience, any
day they choose. retailers.
leave the house.
The service was so successful that other With their trademark creative approach, Swedish giant
To do this, they created their very own ‘virtual IKEA looked at ways to combat this and in doing so,
boutique store’ where online shoppers are able to supermarkets rushed to launch their own versions;
the most well-known being seen at Carrefour with ensure their stores could be places ALL members of
browse for clothes in a 3D representation of the retail the family would want to spend time in. Following on
outlet. ‘Shop Online’ as well as Delhaize’s ‘CaddyHome’.
Advances in These super-chains have even begun introducing from the success of the existing child’s play area
contactless payment special parking lots close to pick-up points to allow SMALAND, the result was MANLAND - the ultimate
Navigation through the store is easy and includes a man crèche.
and the bespoke virtual tour option to make sure that shoppers know for seamless and time efficient collection of orders.
capabilities of CRM exactly where to find all of their favourite items. Trialled during Father’s Day weekend last September,
and transaction data Taking a nod from fashion powerhouse Burberry and As 2011 saw a huge growth in the use of
smartphones across Belgium, the nation’s the crèche featured Xbox consoles, pinball machines,
means we have never their ‘click and buy’ catwalk show launched in continuous televised sport and free hot dogs. Partners
September, shopping at the online boutique is as supermarkets realised the need to offer their
been more able to be customers a smarter and more mobile way of were even given a buzzer reminding them to collect
simple as clicking on the item, before being their men at the end of their shopping trip.
targeted with transferred to the payment area where purchases are shopping. With this in mind, Colruyt developed their
sophisticated retail made in real-time, just as though you were really own Collect&Go iPhone app, enabling swift product
searches and bar code scanning for instant purchase; Interestingly, despite some controversy around the
messaging. there. scheme being ‘sexist’ it was still deemed a success by
taking the hassle out of grocery shopping once and
The virtual boutique for all. the brand who are now considering rolling out
From ‘catwalk direct’ is a concept that MANLAND in other stores internationally.
to a 3D virtual store to took flight in 2011 as
the revolution of the brands such as
barcode, customer L’Occitane and
insight is truly shaping Tesco recognised
the benefits of
the way retail offering consumers
innovates, visible this more intimate
across every experience of online
conceivable touchpoint purchase.
from stocking to
merchandising to point
of purchase. The key
outtake? The customer
Image courtesy of www.retailpro.be
truly is king in the new
retail world order. Image courtesy of Dezeen.com
Image courtesy of OiMax via Flickr
7. A GOOD MATCH
THE BEAUTY OF GETTING
WHAT YOU WANT Du is the UAE’s fastest growing telecom company
and in a very strategic move aimed at expanding their INDIA’S ONLINE MARKETPLACE
reach in the region, the company recently announced
Glossybox is the Aussie company that creates ultra- a partnership with Virgin Megastores.
The advent of online shopping has changed the face
customised beauty packages for those who love their of retail forever.
cosmetics, without the hassle of having to choose. The move will see ten new ‘Store within a Store’
For just $14.95AUD a month, subscribers receive a concepts rolled out across some of the UAE’s
biggest retail outlets including the Mall of the Most studies in the past have pointed out that the
beautifully wrapped box containing four to five Indian market has been slow in catching up to the
handpicked deluxe samples, including the latest Emirates.
trend but online shopping is now a nationwide
make-up, skincare, hair care and fragrances from pastime– one set to explode in the next few years.
brands such as Yves Saint Laurent, Shiseido, shu This retail model is beneficial to both, providing an
uemura and Clinique - cancelling out the need to opportunity for Virgin to expand focus from their
current entertainment offering as well as an According to last year’s eBay Census 2011, India
spend hours at a cosmetics counter, or get lost in now houses over 3,311 e-Commerce hubs. The
the maze of products available online. opportunity for Du to extend their reach and
customer base by leveraging the high footfall of tech rising spending power of urban elites coupled with
savvy clients that frequent the Virgin stores. the rapid pace of urbanisation and accelerated
They can test and internet usage means India is now a hotspot for e-
dabble at their tailers and shoppers.
comfort- feedback Customers will have access to customer service staff
is welcomed and within the stores and having mobile-related services
onsite will enable the two companies to be more Electronic gadgets continue to rule the online
ensures their next shopper’s wallet, with e-tickets, books and
box contains innovative in the way they approach the integration of
mobile technology into the retail experience. accessories being popular purchases as consumers
exactly the items in rural areas becoming increasingly active at online
they want from the stores such as eBay, Flipkart and fashionandyou.
brands they love.
The more they
feedback, the more
personal the
packages get
which in turn, gives
Glossybox access
to more detailed
customer profiles,
placing them in a
position to create
very tailored
promotions and
programs for their
customers.
Image courtesy of Mrinmay Bhattacharjee via Flickr
Image courtesy of Newzglobe
8. AN ATM FOR THE WORLD
SPORTY SHOPPING With over half of the world’s population having no
YOUTUBE HIGH
access to banking facilities – a state known as
‘Financial Exclusion’, the chances of being able to
In efforts to engage and interest more men with the escape extreme poverty are slim.
In the company’s continual bid to expand their
task of doing the weekly shopping, UK supermarket offering, online behemoth YouTube may soon be
chain Sainsbury's has partnered with TV and internet Technology company NCR is attempting to fight this
with the creation of a unique automated cash coming to a classroom near you with their latest tool,
provider Sky to make the food shopping experience YouTubeEDU.
as entertaining as possible. dispenser that is suitable for use by illiterate and
semi-illiterate people.
The free to use YouTube for Schools portal has been
The new Sky Go trolley is a shopping cart that comes designed in response to demand from both teachers
complete with inbuilt iPad holder, speakers and on- The EasyPoint 70 Tijori machines have begun trial in
India, automating the collection and dispersion of and schools from across the US. It will allow
board battery with self-charging solar panel. students and their educators access to the plethora
Users who download the Sky Go app only need to loans and soon they hope to introduce the next
Social media has phase, the Pillar ATMs. The result of research from of educational material available via the site, on
load their tablet onto the trolley and then have the subjects such as history and science with special
already had a latest in sports news at their fingertips while they the slums of Mumbai, the machines feature a
significant impact in contactless card reader, biometric fingerprint scanner filters ensuring distractions like the latest Lady Gaga
shop. video are kept out of the classroom.
our offline behaviour, and colour coded cash buttons.
but it's really begun The trolley comes equipped with special sensors and In an interesting evolution of consumer-curation,
front bumpers to prevent accidents occurring if The plans aim to create financial systems that
to change the support underprivileged areas. Known as Financial YouTube worked with teachers and over 600
shopping experience you’re too distracted from that all important goal organisations including TED to select and curate the
about to be scored! Inclusion, the key is to deliver reliable, inexpensive
and now more real- and simple services that allow people to make small content, building more than 400 ‘playlists’ of material
time access to savings, access micro-loans and learn how to sorted by grade, level and subject.
This activity is yet another example of a brand trying
information and swift to win the ‘battle of the living room’ – taking their manage finances in an attempt to break the cycle of
poverty. In continued development and to encourage open
availability of peer product and experience into a new environment (in conversation, teachers are invited to suggest new
recommendations this case, taking the viewing of sport on TV from the playlists and comment on how they can further
both present lounge room and into the supermarket aisles) to win integrate YouTube into the classroom.
tremendous market share and grow brand loyalty in areas not
previously owned by them.
opportunities for
brands to mobilise
advocates, influence
buying decisions at
the point of purchase,
and improve loyalty
schemes.
Image courtesy of Youtube
9. GPS DEVICES GO SOCIAL
AN EASY TO SWALLOW TABLET GPS navigation devices have become a very useful
THE TECHNOLOGY BOOM
and trustworthy partner for many drivers.
As India continues to try and bridge the gap between TomTom, a GPS navigation device company from the
Netherlands, wants to take their useful-ness a step As the fourth most populated country in the world
the wealthy classes and the poor, it would seem and with one of the largest economies in South East
providing cheap, accessible technology is top of the further by enabling travellers to connect with family
and friends during their journey and make use of a Asia, Indonesia is looking to enter into an exciting era
list in achieving this. of innovation and advancement.
host of handy apps.
With 19 million mobile phone subscribers per month, The country’s population is made up of citizens who
India is the world’s fastest growing market. In an Along with location info, Search & Go LIVE is
integrated with versions of popular social media sites love to communicate, interact and converse-
attempt to target the huge number of poorer classes, smartphones, tablets and BlackBerries have become
2011 saw the government launch Aakash, the as well as online travel and search services, further
evidence of the growing need for technology to be a necessity for those living in the major cities and
world’s cheapest tablet, costing Rs2250 (around current figures show there is a total of 45 million
$45USD.) social and not just functional in order to have mass
appeal. Indonesians online, making them the third most
prolific Facebook users and sixth biggest group of
The Android-powered device which is completely You can keep Tweeters in the world.
made in India comes with a battery life of 2-3 hours, your social
a selection of pre-loaded apps and a 12 month networks The government is doing everything they can to
warranty. updated as to ensure the country keeps pace with other
where you are technological powerhouses across the globe with a
The pilot-run in October saw the government give and estimated four stage program being rolled out over the next five
100,000 units away to students for free in a bid to arrival time via years to achieve this. ‘Indonesia Connected 2012’,
‘end the digital divide.’ Twitter, compare ‘Indonesia Information 2014’, ‘Indonesia Broadband
accommodation 2015’ and ‘Indonesia Digital 2018’ will boost the
The project is part of India’s plans to catch up to options at your development of infrastructure in areas less
fellow BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia and China) in a destination with connected such as eastern Indonesia and ensure
drive to get its 1.2 billion population connected to Expedia, check communication technologies such as optic fibres,
technologies in the next few years and reach its out independent mobile towers and broadband are widely available to
target of 600 million internet users by 2016. reviews on the entire population.
TripAdvisor and
search Yelp for With 80% of the
restaurants and country, or
theatres- all around 27
before you’ve provinces already
even arrived – connected to the
Bon Voyage! internet it would
appear they are
well on their way.
10. PUTTING THE
MOBILE IN HOLIDAY
At first glance, the Sealander appears to be your
average camping trailer but this is no ordinary mobile TAKING THE LOW ROAD
A NEW VISION FOR THE THAMES holiday concept. This unique travelling holiday idea
has been described as an ‘amphibious vehicle’
designed to be as comfortable driving on road as well Since opening in 2009, New York’s High Line project
In a city as overpopulated as London, the need for a as floating in water. – the 1 mile long urban park built on a former railway
sustainable vision when it comes to the city’s has inspired innovators from all of the world to
transportation and future of infrastructure is crucial. Daniel Straub, the German designer behind the replicate its success.
London-based architects Foster + Partners have project, created the wide, bowl-shaped vehicle that
collaborated with UK and international design firms to not only provides stability whilst floating but can easily However, what may be the exciting next stage in
create this in the ‘Thames Hub Vision.’ navigate shallow waters without running aground. urban design could come from as close as the other
side of the tracks.
The design highlights The design is built around an integrated infrastructure The inside of the Sealander is compact and light, built
network, with the master plan designed to replace to be completely modular which allows for it to be The Delancey Underground, nicknamed the ‘Low
featured demonstrate the existing Thames Barrier, including a new crossing configured for cooking, cleaning, eating and sleeping Line’ is the brainchild of James Ramsay and Dan
that the key to future that will extend the city’s flood protection, mitigate - even whilst on water. Thanks to its small Barasch and aims to transform a disused,
innovation is all about capital from rising storm levels, free up land for dimensions (3.9 meters long,1.85 meters high and underground trolley terminal into a subterranean
the makeover and the development and harness tidal power to create weighing less than 400 kilograms), it’s possible for public park.
transformation. carbon-free energy sources. almost every car to pull it.
Representing the cutting edge of eco design, the
The hub is also designed to ease traffic congestion From this year, the Sealander could be your next park will use fiber optic technology to channel natural
From taking a small with features such as an orbital rail system linked to light, enough to allow real trees and plants to thrive
holiday for around $20,000 USD or €15.000.
trailer and turning it London’s current lines and a new estuary airport. in the environment.
into an amazing
holiday experience to The environment is also a consideration with the Recognising the importance of community
a disused design aiming to minimise the environmental impact engagement, the designers are trying to build
underground location on the area and in time, provide new wildlife habitats support (and funding) by engaging with locals from
in and around the river. an early stage and are proposing a year-long
that is the future of calendar of events such as farmers markets,
public spaces; seeing exhibitions and educational talks to ‘generate
beyond the first layer community’ in the area.
to what potential lies
beneath has never
been more thrilling.
Image courtesy of Sealander
Image courtesy of Foster + Partners
Image courtesy of Delancey Underground
11. GREEN CARPOOLING
FROM GARDEN CITY CITY OF THE FUTURE
TO CITY IN A GARDEN In densely populated urban environments such as
India’s major cities of Mumbai and Delhi, carpooling
as an alternative means of transport is becoming a Masdar City, the sustainable, carbon-neutral city
As cities expand, the need to provide citizens with popular option. design is an on-going project launched in 2006 with
green spaces and more eco-efficient living options the goal of becoming the international hub for
expands with them. OliveTrips is the car and bikepool service with a innovative cleantech companies.
difference – it not only connects commuters but
A great example of a country putting this into action provides periodic updates on the benefits, both eco With the first phase of the project having been
can be seen in Singapore’s plans to transform the and financial as they go. completed in 2011 the world was given the first
city from a Garden City to a ‘City in a Garden.’ glimpse of the Teflon-coated wind towers displaying
Users can register for free with details of their vehicle the city’s energy consumption, the thermal and solar
The project, set to open in June 2012 and known as and are asked to post details of their regular trips, energy plants that will power the city and the
the Gardens by the Bay will include two giant passenger preference and any other requirements. driverless ‘podcars’ or PRT (Personal Rapid Transit)
It is genuinely conservatories, a 1.2 hectare Flower Dome designed
exciting to see cities systems. As work on the project continues to
to recreate the climate of the Mediterranean and a OliveTrips then connects passengers via email or progress, so too do the innovations coming out of it.
all over the world take Cloud Forest conservatory replicating cool, mountain SMS and allows them to get together online and plan
steps towards climates in a bid to encourage vegetation and growth their journey. One of the most interesting comes from the
changing the faces of not normally seen in the country. Windstalk, created by New York design firm Atelier
urban environments The best part about the service is the customised DNA. The concept mimics trees in the wind and
by creating places With Singapore’s population having doubled in the EcoReport which shows users the environmental comprises of over 1200 180 foot-high stalks made
last 25 years, the need to ensure the population impact they’re having along with financial and fuel of carbon fiber resin poles. When the wind sways,
that are not just for continues to have access to green areas is ever
residing in, but truly savings as a result of their shared travel. the poles which contain electrodes, generate
present. electricity and store it within internal generators.
living. The project is not
only aiming to With a range of renewable energy options being
The recognition of create more parks explored it will be interesting to see which of those
how important in the city but to make the cut in the city of the future and which
sustainability and allow for a total inspire other cities around the world.
green living is to the immersion in
future for major greenery and with
that, experience all
cities is inspiring to of the benefits such
see. as an increase in
wildlife and
biodiversity and
ultimately, healthier
and happier living.
Image courtesy of inhabit.com
Image courtesy of Atelier DNA
12. SHHHHHECRET SUPPER CLUBS
SWAP MEAT You don't know what's on the menu, or who your FOOD AT YOUR FINGER TIPS
fellow guests will be. You may not even be told the
venue until the last minute. Welcome to the world of
You’ve heard of cookie swaps, right? How about guerrilla dining, making inroads into Singapore, as In China, ordering take-away food online is still an
roast meat or potted-elk swaps? Well if not, that’s enterprising hosts go all out to shake up the local industry in its infancy but as a food and convenience
because you haven’t been a part of a growing trend dining scene. trend, it’s one that is beginning to be recognised as
in North America – food swaps. While the having mass appeal.
underground food movement in Toronto has been Lolla’s Secret Suppers is one of the newest kids on
buzzing for some time now due to the popularity of the block of the secret dining landscape. This Popular sites such as Xpfood.com and ele.me target
organisations such as ‘anti-restaurant’ Charlie’s guerrilla-style private dinner event is held in a secret their services toward the large number of university
Burgers , amateur cooks are now jumping in and location – usually a private residence, kitchen, or club students and office workers offering quick,
starting their own social movements. – disclosed to guests only a day or two before the convenient service with lunch only a few clicks away.
Although we’re dinner, with a secret chef preparing a secret menu. Ele.me was founded by four post graduate students
witnessing the rise of The Toronto Underground Market features cooking Keeping it exclusive, these dinners seat a maximum from a Shanghai university in 2009 and after humble
amateur food sensations from at-home chefs looking to get into the of only 30 guests. beginnings, now covers over 100 universities
culinary field. For a small price, you can sample their throughout Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou with
enthusiasts globally, goods and taste ‘delicious food that would otherwise over 6000 restaurants signed up to the site, 300,000
what’s really Organised by passionate food and wine devotees
only be consumed by friends and family.’ Pang Hian Tee and Carolyn Kan, the suppers sell out registered users and nearly 30,000 orders every day.
fascinating is how shortly after they are made known to a select group
this change is playing In Guelph, Ontario foodies are taking it one step of friends and followers – mainly through Facebook, The benefits of online ordering include mitigating
out in different further with the GO Food Swap – literally a swap email and flyers. delays experienced by telephone orders, cancelling
regions. meet for…well, meat (and bread, and cookies…). out queues for tables and allowing sharing of
Following international supper club sensations such comments and feedback online giving sites the
You won’t need money at this event; just a few as Paris’s Jim Haines and the UK’s Ms Marmite chance to constantly be upping the value of their
In Asia, digital and samples of your favourite recipe and you can barter customer service.
social media has a Lover, discerning Singaporean diners now have more
with other attendees for their delicious wares. than one choice with a proliferation of these dining Even the famous
key role to play in options exploding onto the food scene including the Chinese hotpot
creating bespoke likes of Khana Commune, Ping’s Illegal Diners Club, chain Haidilao has
food and drink and Singapore Secret Supper Society. jumped on board
experiences, whilst in with their online
the West, the take-away service
overriding trend is the that puts
return of traditional convenience at its
heart with food
fare and traditional delivered along
ways of sharing - with plates, pots on
swapping recipes and cookers, plugs,
bartering for unusual disposable bags
dishes are the order and aprons. After
of the day. dinner, the
leftovers, pots and
other items are
picked up by the
deliveryman- no
fuss food indeed.
13. A VENDING MACHINE
NAMED ARNOLD
YOUR NEWSPAPER,
YOUR WAY Boston-based ad agency Arnold are the guardians of GAMING FOR FREE
‘Make Project’ – an initiative that sees the company
put aside $100,000 annually to bring the most
The rise of citizen journalism in recent years has seen creative ideas pitched by their employees to life. What do you do when you’re an indie games
the relationship between consumers and news developer with a couple of well-regarded games out
outlets transform exponentially. 2011 saw the birth of ‘Arnie’; the beer vending on the market already and a bright future ahead of
machine that uses Twitter to communicate and you? Give games away?
The Winnipeg Free Press is taking this to the next stocks the company’s very own branded beer. The
level with their latest project and the opening of the RFID-enabled machine uses a touchscreen interface Curve Studios in London did exactly this with the
Winnipeg Free Press News Café, inviting the public to and when using the machine employees are greeted launch of their 2D PC title ‘Stealth Bastard’; offering
interact with the publication of the paper on a daily by name and talked through their experience whilst it out to fans and gamers at launch totally free.
basis. being able to Tweet from their accounts
2011 bought a host of simultaneously. The game did considerably well in its first week,
challenges to The café is home to the newspaper’s multi-media attracting more than 25,000 users from the early
marketers across all team, allowing the public to have direct The interface includes an ‘Alepedia’ with information adopter crowd who in their excitement over the
communication with them whilst enjoying the locally- on each of the six brews and data visualisations project, created a steady stream of online noise
industries and it was sourced, organic food on the menu. Open daily, they around the game.
the brands that allowing people to see how much of each type has
host special events such as gigs, book readings and been consumed for that week. Arnold currently has
continued to push the even live streaming of key events such as the recent plans to extend the beer varieties in the future to The big motivators for Curve in doing this, was in the
boundaries in Manitoba election which featured a Q&A session coincide with cultural events and new clients. obvious benefits of getting their name out there and
innovation that cut- afterwards. attracting interest and attention, especially among
through. the influential, serious gamer types.
The result of ‘turning the organisation outwards’ has
seen a big jump in the publication's social media Increasingly, digital game development relies on the
A new kind of activity and an increased sense of community old-school promotional methods of word of mouth.
‘openness’ is upon engagement with their readers. Building up fanbases, fostering your community and
us, with brands engaging them along the way means they will, in
turning their products In a time when transparency in the media is more essence, do a lot of the work in getting the word out
and services into needed than ever, this is a great lesson in how smart for you.
forums and consumer interaction can help build the foundations
opportunities for of stronger relationships between media companies
and their audiences.
consumers to engage
with via totally new
avenues, building
entirely different
kinds of brand
relationships to what
we’ve come to
Image courtesy of Arnold Worldwide
expect.
Image courtesy of Curve Studios
Image courtesy of Winnipeg Free Press
14. RESEARCH ON THE GO
COCA-COLA FOR YOU
AND FOR ME It can sometimes be difficult to gather honest and CHILL OUT WITH BLACKBERRY
reliable feedback from market research groups when
the environments they are held in are often stiff,
2011’s festive season saw Coca-Cola give formal and far from relaxing. Dubai is a desert city known for its camels, heat,
Australians the chance to share the love and gift a Bedouins and the Persian Gulf. Where better for an
bottle of the world’s most famous soft drink to their Enter the next generation of market research with ice-cream company to thrive? Desert Chill is a family
friends with its Share a Coke campaign. UK-based Hall & Partners’ London taxi. run ice cream van business that launched in 2007
and has recently come to the fore with its use of
Taking personalisation to a new level, the campaign The taxi, which has its own Facebook page, acts as a BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) in marketing.
gave people the chance to have any name printed on mobile research facility that allows brands to collect
a can of Coke in the lead up to the Christmas period. important information from their consumers whilst BlackBerry smartphones have a huge presence in
Mobile phone users could go one step further by providing them with a much needed service. the UAE and Desert Chill have cleverly hijacked their
sending their name in via SMS to have it projected popularity to gain more brand exposure, allowing
onto Coca-Cola billboards, such as Sydney’s iconic The taxi can be flexible in how it works – for example them to penetrate in a new region very quickly. They
board in Kings Cross. retail brands can pick up weary shoppers and take offer home delivery services, connecting consumers
them home in comfort in exchange for their thoughts to their staff in real-time via BBM which creates
Coke-lovers whose names happened to be one of on a brand, or food brands can get involved by opportunities for them to deepen consumer
the most popular 150 names in Australia could pick offering tastings on the journey. engagement as well as their business reach.
up pre-personalised bottles from selected retail
outlets. Not only this, they could enjoy their very own The experience usually features one of Hall & The popularity of the free messenger service allows
individually composed song featuring their name from Partners’ professional researches as part of the deal brands a great opportunity to leverage the
the Coca-Cola Facebook page. The campaign is a and along with providing a unique hub for brands to communication platform for their own needs,
great example of personalisation for the masses – interact with consumers in, it serves as a great something that other emerging businesses will be
enabling the average consumer to establish their own billboard for the company also. looking to jump on board with in 2012.
connection with one of the biggest brands in the
world, a concept that spoke to an Australian
audience in a very unique way.
Image courtesy of facebook.com
Image courtesy of facebook.com
15. SEW WHAT
Since the early 1990s, hipsters in Toronto have loved
STREET SMART EATING the recycled chic stylings of one of its trendiest
boutiques, Preloved who take vintage (read: second- SMALL BUSINESS
hand) clothing and create new designs. The boutique
Once upon a time, the idea of British cuisine would has even been credited as one of the forces that STRIKES BACK
have conjured up images of ‘fish n chips’ and sparked the ‘make your own’ movement amongst
Marmite on toast – nowadays however, the Brits are Torontonians.
In a country like Singapore where big brands and
definitely one of the world’s nations leading a host of their loyalty cards reign supreme, it’s interesting to
food revolutions, from Heston Blumenthal’s molecular The latest in the pre-loved movement has seen
sewing studios pop up across the city, offering look at some of the novel ideas smaller businesses
gastronomy to Jamie Oliver’s latest crusade for come up with to compete.
healthy school lunches. weekly or one-off courses in everything from sewing a
tie to fashioning a blazer or creating the perfect
undergarments. Last year saw independent cafes across the island
The last few years have seen a huge demand in the band together in the creation of the aptly-named ‘Be
What is clear in UK for not only quality food but authentic dining Disloyal’ card, giving customers a stamp for their
2012 is that now experiences, with provenance and traceability being a Though some may be moved to give a well-loved
garment a new life and reduce waste in landfill in the coffee any time they visited one of the participating
more than ever, major motivating force for foodies all over the cafes and rewarding them with a free coffee after
country. process, Dilys Tong, the owner of Toronto’s Sew Be
communities across It sewing studio, believes the benefits of the their eighth cup.
the world are The phenomenon of street food vans in urban areas movement are that it’s a ‘shortcut to creating a new
adapting to social wardrobe without taking too much time.’ The trend of Participating ‘indie’ cafes included jimmy monkey,
like London and Manchester has spread to regional Smitten Cafe, and SOHO Coffee Singapore – all of
and economic locations as seen in Pembrokeshire in Wales, home sew your own although not new, is one that
which are part of Singapore’s booming specialist
change by working to the Café Mor street van, famous for their resonates strongly in Torontonian culture where there
is a strong emphasis on the arts along with a desire coffee trade, an industry that has increased in
together to deliver handmade flatbread stuffed with seafood foraged popularity in recent years due to an influx of expats.
from the Welsh Coast and winners of British Street to stand out and be unique.
meaningful Food ‘Best of the Best’ award in 2011.
solutions to the With belts continuing to tighten as the economy The scheme worked
cultural challenges Initiatives like the British Street Food Awards which continues to look bleak, look out for these studios to so well they are
they face. started in 2010 and Eat.st, the online mobile food become major hotspots. planning on rolling
collective are all about bringing the delights of the out something similar
Be it sewing shops UK’s street food scene centre stage and making it in 2012- you can
easier for consumers and producers to connect. stay up to date on
in Toronto or their Facebook page
shared creative here.
workspace in the
densely populated
Singapore, like-
minded people are
showing that
entrepreneurial
spirit can co-exist
with creativity.
Image courtesy of www.britishstreetfood.co.uk
16. WOMEN VS SOCIAL MEDIA
MOB MENTALITY
In a region where the use of social media is steadily
on the rise, the third Arab Social Media report has
THE NEW LOOK OLYMPICS
revealed that despite being an active force in civil and
political matters, women’s use of social media in the 2012 will be a momentous year for the UK as the
T-Mobile did it. Oprah did it. So why not fitness region still remains decidedly low. summer sees London welcome the 2012 Olympic
freaks? No, it isn’t a flash mob per se but the mob Games to the country and the eyes of millions of
mentality has struck again – this time within the With 70% of active social media users in the Arab audiences all over the world.
exercise community. Training Mobs – started by world being made up of younger groups of men and
three gents - David Sciacca, Jonas Caruana and women, it is clear that there has been a critical mass At this year’s IFA technology conference in Berlin, the
Frank Hmeidan – are social fitness communities that of the youth population who realise its importance. Olympic Broadcasting Service and official sponsor
allow users to easily find and share group workouts in Panasonic announced that for the first time in the
their communities. However, according to the survey, Arab men and history of the games, the event will be televised in 3D.
women increasingly view the use of social media as a
Originally launched in Montreal, Fitness Mobs are all tool for empowerment and with only a third of the With the Olympics offering some of the most exciting
about community training. Rather than signing up to region’s 36million Facebook users being women, it content for broadcast networks in 2012 and an
a year-long gym membership, Fitness Mobs are would appear a gender gap still prevails. opportunity to put viewers at the heart of the action
workouts that take place in a small gym, park or like never before, over 10 hours of 3D footage
lululemon stores (the brand’s yoga partners). Reasons to explain this have been cited as cultural will be distributed all over the world daily with important
and societal constraints facing Arab women and events such as the opening and closing ceremonies,
Participants need only sign-up online, pick their city interestingly, challenges around changing perception swimming, track and field and gymnastics being
and see where the next mob is taking place. While that social media is a useful tool. specially filmed in 3D.
some classes are free, others have a nominal fee but
all are meant to keep Canadians active and With usage trends having shifted from entertainment Panasonic will be providing the technology along with
motivated, all while making new fitness friends. and social needs to business and political we hope to camcorders, TV monitors and a specialist technical
see an increase in the number of women users in the team for the live production.
coming years.
The BBC has already confirmed they will be
offering their HDTV customers live 3D footage of
the events as part of a trial of the technology that
will gauge what the experience is like for their
audiences and determine whether its rolled out for
broadcast events in the future.
Image courtesy of birgerking via Flickr
Image courtesy of Eva Blue via Flickr
17. GET YOUR GAME ON
As brands and marketers constantly search for new
and innovative ways to connect with consumers, it’s
HITCH-HIKING 2.0 becoming apparent that one of the best ways to get CREATIVE CO-OP SPACES
your message out there is to have a little fun. Enter
the rise of gamification, more commonly known as
With San Francisco's East Bay area not being known the act of applying game concepts to your business As property rental rates continue to rise in densely-
for its public transportation options, residents have or process. populated countries like Singapore, small- and
taken to creating their own. Enter: Casual Carpools. medium-sized businesses continue to struggle to
Currently, several designated pick up areas exist in In the UK, where audiences are generally very brand find affordable office space.
key locations across they city, where passengers line savvy and over marketed-to, some of the best
up and wait for a participating vehicle to swing by examples of brand engagement can be seen from In a bid to overcome high rental costs, start-up
and grab them. Everyone heads into the city together those activities that take the ideas of play and put creative agency B.A.L.L.S (Bureau for the
and riders are dropped off at a specific corner in the them into practice. Advancement of Lifestyle and Longevity and
Financial District. Success) developed a creative co-op space known
A great example of this in action was recently seen as ‘Tiong Bahru Commons’ – leasing two sections of
While the original incentive – drivers looking to bypass from shoe brand Palladium Boots who in December their office to other like-minded creatives. Amongst
the Bay Bridge toll while zipping through the (toll-free) opened a pop-up shop at London’s Boxpark; the those who now share the cost of their office rental
carpool lane – has since been compromised by open air temporary retail environment in the city’s are online fashion retailer Nana and Bird who use the
mandated fees, the popularity of casual commuting is east end and to celebrate, gave away 100 pairs of space as a pop-up shop on Saturdays and Sundays.
growing with the sense of community and shoes to people who completed a special treasure Continuing the creative theme, part of the office has
sustainability being something the Bay Area has hunt. also been transformed into a small exhibition area for
always prided itself on. local artists such as celesteanning.
Visitors to the store were equipped with a map and
Until the much-debated Bay Bridge bike lane is directions to a hidden camper van containing the This shared approach to working space is a
completed, providing East Bay dwellers a route into prizes. The first 100 to complete the clues and get to movement we will see more of in space-hungry
the city without forcing them to brave the the van were the winners. Not only were they offering urban environments like Singapore with benefits
underground railway with bicycle in tow, we’ll only an attractive incentive for customers to visit the shop extending beyond the spatial and into the social.
see this trend in casual commuting grow stronger. but they were inviting them to have fun engaging with
the brand in a way that a normal sales or purchase
transaction couldn’t allow.
Image courtesy of www.boxpark.co.uk
Image courtesy of nana&bird.com
Image courtesy of Monica’s Dad via Flickr
18. There is no doubt
that we have seen a rise in getting Concepts such as tradition
and provenance have become bywords The secret to long-term
what you want as consumer power has taken appeal lies in the power to re-invent,
centre stage with brands across the spectrum for all that is good, worthy and representative
of what we desire. Getting back to basics in makeover and transform when needed- known
embracing what uber-personalisation and customisation as the chameleon effect.
brings to their customer offerings. everything from the food we consume to the clothes we
wear is now the order of the day, something that will
certainly continue as we go backwards to move forwards. The ability to see beyond that first layer to what really
The movement continues to take shape, from the mass lies beneath and knowing how to use this to your advantage
customisation trend for globally recognised products to the will be key to brands wishing to cut through, as the pressure
rise of bespoke tailoring for the ‘niche’ and has most certainly As cities continue to innovate and bring new meaning to
the concept of ‘living’, a move towards a ‘de-urbanisation’ to innovate in all areas of their business and continually
paved the way for personalisation to become firmly captivate the consumer is ever-present.
entrenched in what consumers have come to expect. of sorts will be seen with successful public spaces
bringing the rural back to the city. This has had and will
continue to have hugely exciting implications for design as Those that do so will be rewarded with interest and
In a time when personalisation reigns supreme, we look engagement, in an environment where innovation and
forward to 2012 becoming the year that brands get personal we come to expect more from the places we reside in.
creativity will no longer come as a surprise but instead
– behaving in a more human way and becoming more be an expected delivery.
accessible to their audiences. As transparency becomes The gastronomic world has been all about provenance for
adopted as a core pillar of brand DNA; expect a new wave of some time now but is no longer just about this in terms of
the product. As witnessed by the growing rise in With the retail, design and fashion industries leading
openness with closer inspections of how services the charge and taking the chameleon effect to
and products work. With this, we’ll be able popularity of alternative experiences such as barter
markets, secret supper clubs and sustainable new levels and innovations in technologies
to enjoy the benefits of more instantaneous, such as mobile changing the game for
one to one interaction and communication restaurants, the ways and means that food
is purchased and consumed will bring brands across the board, we look
that is personalised at every level. forward to seeing who emerges
forth the most exciting food
revolutions in 2012. as the heroes of 2012.
