| Dear Indiana,
Across the last couple of weeks, as a digital innovator or marketer, you’ve probably either been running around Austin, Texas or having a vicarious SXSW experience through endless social media streams (is Meerkating a verb yet? ;)
We're sure you spotted some compelling new products, services and campaigns that have kickstarted fruitful discussions with colleagues. But to really turn the innovations you spot into actionable insights, it pays to understand the consumer trends that inform them.
So, here are five innovations that you might have seen at this year's SXSW (including Meerkat!), placed in the context of trends we spotted over the past year or so. Have a re-read of the original Trend Briefings, and ask yourself how you will capitalize on these still-emerging trends next! | | |  The MultiSense Memory is a sensor-embedded patch that tracks vital physical metrics of the wearer, including heart rate, temperature and oxygen saturation. The patch can relay those metrics to a central hub, allowing medics to monitor multiple patients during outbreaks of serious diseases such as Ebola. Our INTERNET OF CARING THINGS trend highlighted the need for connected, caring objects – is the MultiSense Memory unlocking a new way for this trend to serve some of the world’s poorest individuals? | | | | | |  Mobile app Meerkat, which allows iOS users to instantly stream live video directly to Twitter, was one of the most talked-about apps during the festival. But what’s the implication for brands? Back in September 2014, we flagged VIDEO VALETS – webcam-enabled face-to-face interaction with brand representatives, as and when consumers need it. Apps like Meerkat are only going to heighten consumer’s expectations around customer service: think everything from interactive product demonstrations to two-way services that speed up complicated processes. | | | | | |  | | |  | | | | | | | | |  Meerkat might’ve played to the Silicon Valley elite but there were plenty of innovations with a more global appeal. Take the award-winning FireChat messaging app that allows users to anonymously chat to people within 200ft without any internet connection. Yes - an immediate PLAN B solution for festival black holes, but also a powerful back-up communication tool for individuals living in countries with limited internet access, oppressive regimes or regular network shutdowns. | | | | | |  A winner in the SXSW Accelerator contest (social media category), RealSavvy is a ‘Pinterest for real estate’. Users can save property listings, comments and annotations to personal boards, which can be made public or private. Back in November we highlighted how CROSS-DEMOGRAPHIC FERTILIZATION – the shifting of compelling innovations across demographic and industry boundaries – is a key opportunity arising from the ongoing, epic megatrend that is POST-DEMOGRAPHIC CONSUMERISM. | | | | | |  Remember ROBO LOVE? This year, for the first time ever, SXSW attendees could visit the Robot Petting Zoo to touch, operate and program devices created to aid disaster relief. A fun and frivolous marketing stunt? Yes, but proof that the age of useful robots is fast approaching. | | | | | | So, two questions to get the ball rolling: What trends are driving your favorite innovations from this year's SXSW? And how can you serve the newly emerging customer expectations that inform these innovations?
Happy reading! | | | Want more (free!) trends? | | |
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