Consumers are increasingly looking for ways to escape harsh economic realities and find moments of joy and distraction. The trend toward escapism through activities providing fantasy, nostalgia, comfort, and surprise is driving consumers to gravitate towards brands that fulfill emotional needs of fun, excitement, and temporary relief from everyday stresses.

1. [WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?] :
ALITP]
E Yx
• Hard economic times and stressful
[R
moods impact how messages and
products will resonate and which
ones will break through to consumers
STRATEGIC PLANNING • WINTER 2009
• Consumers will gravitate towards
brands that fulfill, not only rational
needs, but emotional needs as well
• In a new age of personal
responsibility and back to basics
[DEFINITION] : Trend towards values, consumers are looking for
escapism.
permission to take little indulgences
With troubled economic times and a
for themselves
constant stream of negative news,
consumers now more than ever are
looking for ways to escape our
[IMPLICATIONS] :
sobering reality, even if just for a • Consumers appreciate a chance to
trend bot moment. REALITY Rx is the trend catch their breath and find moments
of escape. Help them out through:
• WINTER 2009
towards escapism. The desire to find a
– Light humor
a presentation of the way to forget or temporarily leave
– Doable distractions
trends affecting culture behind the mundane and harsh realities
– Hints of nostalgia
and why they matter. of the day in order to find moments of
– Honest reflection and BS-proof
[REALITY]
joy, excitement, comfort, surprise, or
Px
change from the routine. solutions
– Happy (but grounded) endings

2. KEY TREND DRIVERS: Joy / Fun / Excitement
Drunken Nostalgia Trashing the Dress
Classic board games are invading the Brides are ditching the stuffy
nightlife across the country through tradition of keeping their
PlayDates, where people can enjoy dresses pristine and are having
some nostalgic fun while sipping a “Trash the Dress” photo
cocktail. Source: playdateus.com sessions that leave their
dresses in less than perfect
condition, but add some
The No Pants! Express lighthearted fun to their big day. Source: Iconoculture
In countries around the world on
1.10.09, nearly 2,500 people
boarded subways without their
Playful Spaces
pants on, as part of Improv
As part of his Playful Spaces
Everywhere’s Annual No Pants!
project, artist Bruno Taylor turns
Subway Ride.
Source: improveverywhere.com public property into a playground
for adults. So far he has installed
a swing in a bus stop shelter and
created a seemingly average park
Recess Revisited bench that bounces when you sit
• WINTER 2009
Grown-up versions of gym class on it.
staples are popping up around the Source: designboom.com
country. From relay races to
Ultimate Frisbee to tag, adults are
enjoying childhood games without
Wii Are Getting Tipsy
[REALITY]
all of the rules. These classes
Px
With 10.7 million units sold in 2008, adults
provide entertainment, social time
and a distraction from the fact that are putting their own spin on Nintendo Wii
games by swapping tips on how to
they are exercising.
convert them into drinking games.
Source: oldschoolpe.com; urbanrecess.com Source: wiiaredrunk.com

3. KEY TREND DRIVERS: Surprise / Break from routine
Spiked French Toast?
% Forget the martinis of
yesteryear. Consumers
are looking for novelty, even in
Social Gaming their alcoholic beverages. Edible
Within the top 5 most cocktails like White Russian Rice Take a “Gap” Year
popular Facebook Krispies are being served in bars
With unemployment and stress levels higher than ever,
Applications, 4 of them are in NY and Australia.
many adults are taking “gap” years from their careers
games. Over 15% of the Source: NY Times | 11.26.08
to go out and explore the world like they’ve always
people who downloaded
wanted to. Save up $6,000-$15,000, and you can
these applications use it on
recharge in a Nepal monastery like 61 yr old Dr. Sinar,
a daily basis.
volunteer overseas, or just kickback and spend leisure
Source: Silicon Alley Insider |
07.08 time at home. Source: NY Times | 01.09
Hard Fact: Group Vacay
%
Groups 15 to 19 strong spent an
Surprise Gifts approximate $18.9 billion on hotels, airfares
J. Crew allows shoppers
• WINTER 2009
and car rentals this year- a 23.5% increase
to sign up for the brand’s Pack Traveling from over 2005.
gift-of-the-month club. Savvy vacationers aren’t Source: NY Times | 05.08
Members receive a letting the economy keep
monthly surprise item of them from getting away.
choice, only allowing Sites like TripHub and Sand Hotels: Limited Time Experience
[REALITY]
Px
members to state their GroupAbout make planning LateRooms created the world’s largest
preference for shoes and for a group vacation, which functioning sand castle in Dorset, England for
allowing them to make size is much more affordable, a the summer. For $19 per night, guests received
exchanges. feasible reality. a bed and a starry night.
Source: WSJ.com | 12.08 Source: Triphub.com Source: BBC News | 07.08

4. KEY TREND DRIVERS: Fantasy / Distraction
%
Lolita Spreads to the States
% Recently, girls in the streets of NY have
been spotted donned in bows and
bonnets, similar to the escapist Lolita “Get Real” Gets Lost
trend of Tokyo. Dr. Phil’s “get real” advice
Gaming isn’t resonating during the
Video game sales were “Lolita is ...[about] recession. National ratings
“”
up 18% in October women…creating their own for "Dr. Phil" have plunged
from 2007. world into which they can get 27% compared with last
Source: Yahootech | 11.08 away from the pressures of season, while the more
the larger society.” – Naoto chipper “The Ellen
Hirooka, Japanese fashion designer
DeGeneres Show” rose
11%. Source: LA Times | 01.09
%
Source: NYtimes.com | 01.09
Superheroes: Ultimate Fantasy
3 of the Top 5 Grossing Movies of
08’ featured superheroes.
% Twilight Mayhem
Breaking Dawn, the most
• WINTER 2009
recent of Stephanie
Boob Tube Meyer’s Twilight series,
1. The Dark Knight
Number of LCD and HD sold 1.3 million copies in a
2. Iron Man
TVs shipped to retailers in single day. Its movie debut
3. Indiana Jones
the U.S. and Canada saw even more success,
& the Kingdom of
jumped 26 % compared thus far grossing over
[REALITY]
the Crystal Skull
Px
with the first quarter of $340 million in ticket sales
4. Hancock
2008 since its release.
5. WALL-E
Source: NY Times | 08.08
Source: Boxofficemojo.com | 12.08 Source: Boxofficemojo.com | 01.09

5. KEY TREND DRIVER: Comfort
Not Vacation, Staycation Take (or Drink) a Chill Pill
% Instead of planning
extravagant trips to Paris,
consumers are instead
Energy drinks are so 90’s rave. Now comes
the anti-energy drink for the 21st century.
Vacation in a Bottle (ViB) Beverages has
opting for relaxing released its Chill-N anti-energy drink. Chillax
Netflix-it staycations close to home in with this caffeine-free “pomegranate berry
While most companies are order to disconnect and wave of relaxation” and imagine yourself under
losing business, Netflix saw escape. “Vacation: Monet a Polynesian sun. Source: drinkvib.com
its profit rise 45% in the 4Q and Manet at the Musee
of 2008 alone, as more d’Orsay. Staycation: Judge
and more people turn to “People are getting back to comfort foods
Judy.” Source: New York
“”
the comfort of their own Times | 8.29.08 because of the economy, and dessert is very
homes for entertainment. comforting.”
Source: Matt Lewis, baker and coauthor
With its growing streaming of Baked, NYDailyNews.com | 12.7.08
offerings escape is now
just a click away. “I may be unemployed, but I’m not giving up dessert.”
Source: Associated Source: Overheard at a nearby table of young adults
Press | 1.26.09 during a recent evening out, SFGate.com | 12.10.08
• WINTER 2009
Time For Supper A Dessert That’ll Fizz in Your Mouth
What to do when you still want to enjoy
Pop Rocks, that fizzy candy popular in
the experience of going out for dinner but
the 70s and 80s, is the latest
are strapped for cash? Start a supper
gastronomic flirtation with the past.
club. These upscale, highly coordinated
Nickel Diner in Downtown LA sprinkles
[REALITY]
potlucks seem to have reached a tipping
x
the candy on top of one of its
P
point in popularity as consumers look for
desserts. As consumers search for an
new and creative ways to cut back, but
escape, fizzy food is a fun, delicious,
continue experiencing good food and and comforting distraction.
good times with friends. Source: Iconoculture Source: Iconoculture, RPA; 5cdiner.com