Fjord launches 2019 Trends report
In 2018, we started (more and more) to question the behavior of organizations, from data misuse to plastic waste. We’ve been thinking more deeply about the effects our brand choices have on ourselves, those around us and the planet. It means that in 2019, brands and organizations need to think more carefully about their choices, too. This, along with new advances in technology, offers many opportunities for companies to forge new, positive paths forward, as revealed in our Fjord Trends report, our annual look at what’s ahead for business, technology and design.
Born from plenty of Post-it notes, oceans of coffee, heaps of healthy debate and a few good laughs, Fjord Trends is always a Fjordian crowdsourced labor of love. This year, 1,000 of us from around the world — from San Francisco to Berlin, Hong Kong to Johannesburg, Dubai to São Paulo and 22 other places in between — collaborated on the report.
Today, we stand at a technological, political and environmental inflection point. Two decades of rapid technology growth and innovation have generated enormous physical and digital clutter. The steep demand on our planet’s resources mirrors the demand on our time and attention, which leads to our meta theme this year: The search for value and relevance.
Digital is now facing a big spring-cleaning: A time when we decide whether something still has value and relevance to our lives. This is a question about the long term, not just the sugar high of instant gratification. As you read through the Trends, you will see that they raise plenty of fundamental questions. Does the brand deserve a space in my life and in the world? Is the value exchange two-way? Is it doing something more than straining the planet? If the answer is no, then unsubscribe or delete. It has never been easier to do so.
In 2019, success will lie in providing value relevant not only to individuals, but also to the world. Value creation will not come from simply growing bigger, but by being better. In busy lives and on a crowded planet, only the relevant will remain.
Read on to explore Fjord Trends 2019. We hope there’s plenty here to provoke conversations about what’s on the horizon for you — as an individual, an employee, an organization or a consumer.
Here’s a video to talk you through Fjord Trends 2019.
2019 Fjord Trends
Brands must find ways to make themselves heard by consumers who just want quiet in a noisy world.
Enough talk. People expect products and services to have built-in sustainability, or they’ll reject those who don’t.
People and organizations disagree on the value of personal data. Transparency is key to bridging the gap.
Cities’ infrastructures are slowing us down. They must combat the clutter with ecosystems that meet real-time needs
People are individuals, not types. Organizations must embrace meaningful mindsets to meet the demand for true inclusivity.
Work and retail spaces need a digital makeover. It’s time to rethink our approaches and tools for designing spaces.
With face-swapping and voice simulation creating more believable synthetic realities, companies must work out how to capitalize — and manage risk.
You can download the full 2019 Fjord Trends report, follow our updates on LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and join the conversation using #FjordTrends.
We would love to know what you think — please click the emotion sentiments underneath each trend on our microsite.
Happy reading!
