TRENDAFRiCA.co.za has published its first digital magazine, the TRENDAFRiCA 2014 TRENDS Annual, featuring the key mega trends and cultural indicators for 2014, in association with JWT Intelligence New York/South Africa. The publication is made possible by the headline sponsorship from Vuma Reputation Management. Media partners include MarkLives.com and Living Your Brand.
TRENDAFRiCA was recently rebranded from TRENDlives.info to broaden the focus of the start-up trendwatching website to include consumer insight and research and trends on the African continent.
Founder and publishing editor, Louise Marsland, curated key trends from South African leaders in the marketing communications industry, as well as international researchers and trendspotters.
"In this hyper-speed society, we need to understand what trends will shape our marketing plans and impact business strategy. And what are the mega-trends that will prevail for several years and which are the micro-trends that will influence us this year.
"The amount of information out there is phenomenal. We have tried to distil all the opinion out there and curate the top trends for 2014 both internationally and locally with the help of our content partners on this project and industry experts."
Marsland, who has been compiling annual trends reports for over a decade for the various media she has edited, believes that longer research reports online need to be presented in a more accessible and attractive format, such as digital magazines.
As JWT says in its 10 Mega Trends for 2014: "Trends don't happen in isolation. They tend to intersect and work in tandem with each other."
Some of the 10 Mega Trends deal with the shift to a more visual vocabulary; the on-demand economy; telepathic technology; the immersive experience; and a striving for techno-free space.
Many of JWT's 100 Things to Watch are technology-centric, including the advent of beacons, internet safety nets, robots for kids and techno-paranoia. The list also includes new foods and beverages to watch (savoury yoghurt, soju); new markets opening up (related to marijuana, privacy and Google Glass); new behaviours (contemplative computing, digital grieving); and ideas with the potential to ladder up to bigger trends.
"Our list spotlights developments around these major events and across sectors including technology, television, food and spirits, retail, health care and the arts," comments Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT in New York. "It also reflects broader shifts that we're forecasting, including the end of anonymity, the movement toward mindful living and the remixing of tradition in an 'everything goes' age."
The TRENDAFRiCA 2014 TRENDS Annual digital magazine is available for free download on www.trendafrica.co.za.
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