[TrendTalk] A fashionable future

The digital agency's trend report covers latest trends from bio-couture to the 'One Rand Man' social experiment, including highlighting the top marketing trends currently. Bio-fashion, which is a trend that is increasingly starting to become reality, is the "future of fashion" and already has the attention of future-forward brands such as Puma and Nike.

There is a trainer envisaged from Protocells which will fit to a user's foot like a second skin - made from artificial living systems which will respond real-time during a run and rejuvenate afterwards. An interesting glimpse into the future!

©Andrey Kiselev via 123RF

Another innovative trend shaping culture and society, as highlighted by Native VML, is the recent 'Touching the Prado' exhibit in Madrid, designed to give the blind (or partially sighted), access to art. 3D replicas of famous artworks were recreated using textures and contours for touch, and included a braille text guide, audio guides and opaque glasses to create a meaningful, enhanced experience for the blind or partially sighted.

Big data is a big buzzword, but it is shaping industries right now, including humanitarian efforts. In a project close to home and close to our hearts, iAfrikan and Ushahidi launched Report Xenophobia to track incidents and send out alerts via mobile, an app and web.

Lastly, in the report, Native VML tackles the current storytelling trend, with chapter and verse on the branded content campaign from Sanlam, featuring #OneRandMan - a campaign designed to give consumers a better understanding of their relationship with money. The campaign featured webisodes following an ordinary South African man who made day-to-day payments with R1 coins, culminating in a full documentary telling the story. Comments on social media following on the campaign recorded positive comments from consumers making changes to their spending habits.

Gaming has also embraced the storytelling genre with interactive narratives to promote everything from entertainment to the indigenous Inuit folklore in Alaska. The full trend report from Native VML is available to view on Slideshare.