Burning match setting fire to its neighbors

Future of Brands 2030: Actualizing Brands

While many brands were already values-driven in the early 21st century, by 2030 more brands have made consumer values central to their journey toward the future. Brand evolution is directed bottom-up by their customers’ aspirations, rather than top-down—co-evolving in sync with consumers’ advancing values and dreams. What’s driving this forecast… Branding is evolving. Standardized branding…

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Future of Brands 2030: Ultragamified

Fostered by Millennial interests, in 2030 game-playing is the leading form of entertainment among crucial consumer demographics. Brand managers respond by embedding their brands into gaming experiences that mix the virtual with the real. Ubiquitous adoption of augmented reality has made brand-oriented gaming as common as playing Angry Birds was in 2013. Consumers engage in…

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Future of Brands 2030: The AI Brand

Intelligent, customizable brands seek out consumers. With the influx of data analytics about consumer needs, sentiment, and lifestyle choices, by 2030 brands are seeking out users, rather than users seeking brands. Consumers no longer pay attention to brands because AI brands now know what consumers need, and present them with appropriate, individualized choices at the…

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Technology for Mono-Tasking

For the past six years my colleague Terry Grim and I have taught the opening course in the Administrators Masters Program of the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. The class is a two-day plunge into management basics: leadership skills, management skills, fundamentals of project management, communication skills, customer service, and effective strategy—plus a practical…

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