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“These people, products, places, services and shifts will help to define 2008,” says Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. “By examining what will resonate with people or drive their thinking and behavior, we can identify larger patterns that will shape all of our lives in the years to come.”
“Love it or hate it, technology continues to be a common thread on our list,” adds Mack. “It drives the serendipitous randomness that throws up chance connections, groundbreaking discoveries and great business ideas.”
JWT’s list of 80 Things to Watch in 2008, in alphabetical order:
1. Africa (foreign investment and development in)
2. Antibiotic backlash
3. Assisted marriage
4. Beijing 2008
5. Blue replacing green as the environmental movement’s color du jour
6. Brain exercises
7. British actress Keira Knightley
8. Carbon tax
9. Chinese hurdler Liu Xiang
10. Classical musician Gustavo Dudamel
11. Climate sightseeing
12. Continuation of comebacks (Indiana Jones, The Cure, etc.)
13. Cooperative consumption
14. Couch surfing
15. Country branding (Oman, Indonesia, etc.)
16. Designer Phillip Lim
17. De-teching
18. DJ Tiesto
19. DNA-based exercising
20. E-clutter (and e-clutter consultants)
21. Eco-fatigue
22. E-mail etiquette
23. Facebook suicides
24. Fashion label Vena Cava
25. Foreign government investment (e.g., China, UAE) in U.S. companies
26. French President Nicolas Sarkozy
27. Game 3.0 (gamer-generated global gaming)
28. Google’s Android
29. Gossip Girl
30. Gphone
31. Green weddings
32. Higher education online
33. Hip-hop’s Retro Kids
34. Humbling of the hedge fund manager (anti-excess post sub-prime)
35. Hybrid taxis
36. Indian actress Deepika Padukone
37. Intellectual luxury
38. Investigating ingredients
39. Japanese designs (Tsumori Chisato, Uniqlo, Muji, etc.)
40. Kitchen appliances as new power tools
41. Lifestyle curators
42. Lipstick trumping lip gloss
43. Manga-inspired clothes
44. Mobile technology explosion
45. Mobulimia
46. Music as awareness driver; concerts and other residuals as cash cow
47. Musicovery (music tailored to moods)
48. Myanmar
49. Nollywood (the rise of Nigerian cinema)
50. Outsourcing to Ukraine (and other Eastern European countries)
51. Pakistan’s Benazir Bhutto
52. Pantone’s 18-3943 (blue iris)
53. Pets in the office
54. Prius homes
55. Radical transparency
56. Radiohead repeats (name-your-own-price music)
57. Recycling into fashion (Nau, Gary Harvey, etc.)
58. Selfless as the new selfish
59. Sex and the City, the movie
60. Shiny Toy Guns (the band)
61. Skiing in novel spots (Kashmir, Japan, Greenland, Russia, Korea,
etc.)
62. Single men saying no to sex
63. Skype sex
64. Smart Cars in American cities
65. SNS (social network service) brand communities
66. Spanish actor Javier Bardem
67. Staycations
68. Sturking
69. Tequila as the new wine
70. The N-11
71. Third screen (the mobile screen) rivaling the first screen (TV)
72. Trans-ertainment
73. U.S. gymnast Shawn Johnson
74. U.S. presidential election
75. Vicarious consumption
76. (Video) Gaming Olympics
77. Virtual gifting
78. Wannabe young Internet entrepreneurs (a.k.a. Mark Zuckerberg
copycats)
79. Weak dollar/strong euro
80. Women juggling men
About JWT – JWT ranks as the largest advertising agency brand in the United States and the fourth-largest full-service network in the world. Its parent company is WPP (NASDAQ:WPPGY). JWT’s heritage of brand-building excellence extends back to 1864, making us the world’s oldest advertising agency brand. In 1939, JWT pioneered the first national consumer research panel. In 1988, we created the first research study of consumer lifestyles, “Life Stages.” We believe in being anthropologists first, advertising people second.
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Ok, I’ll bite. What is “assisted marriage”? It’s a term I am not familiar with but it almost sounds like sex surrogacy or reproductive surrogacy.
I see Benazir Bhuto is on the list as well. I guess there will need to be revisions. It’s a real tragedy that she has been assassinated.
SageMother’s last blog post..Happy Holidays!
That is so funny that you say that Sagemother because I was going to ask the exact same thing.
I hear you it is a tragedy what has happened to her.
This was a great list to read over but there were some things on there I just would have not have ever thought of. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Wow you have a great list btw Thanks for your Comment
This is a test.
This is a test.
Dahlia’s last blog post..My Clothes Don’t Fit and the Holidays Aren’t Over Yet
Here’s another one. “Lifestyle curators”. It sounds like a museum for the social mores of past era’s. A lovely reminder what NOT to go back to!
SageMother’s last blog post..Happy Holidays!
Unless there’s more than one kind of assisted marriage, it’s when family members choose the spouse. Not exactly my idea of a perfect marriage.
Watching Sarkozi in 2008 should be interesting. It’s actually started in ’07 considering he’s dating Carla Bruni now. :’-)
SageMother, assisted marriage is another version of arranged marriages, where “helicopter parents” try to encourage their kids to get married.
Eventhough this is more prominent in ethnic cultures, it is becoming more accepted in the Western World. It’s like having your parents set you up with a man, instead of your girlfriends.
Tater03, it is really a sad thing about Benazir.
In a country that is male dominated, she not only represented women empowerment, her policies would shape Pakistan away from the traditional.
She really was someone to watch out for 2008.
women juggling men!?
Kris’s last blog post..Mission Accomplished
I just feel so bad for her husband and their children. I cannot imagine what they must be going through.
Thanks for the answer on what assistated marriage was.
Wow, great list. Lots to think about here. Of course, I am sure there will have to be many revisions. I also have to agree that Benazir Bhuttos assassination is a great loss.
Anyone else see the Tequila as the new wine? Now that would be one I would have to stay away from.
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I think Benazir Bhutto watching may be relabeled “the great cover up”. I have watched the videos several times and you can tell she was shot. The government is trying to avoid her becoming a martyr by changing her cause of death.
Things aren’t looking to good.
SageMother’s last blog post..I Can’t Say “Yum” Loud Enough!
I saw that, too, SageMother and I thought the same thing. I’m not sure why they don’t realize that a coverup would cause just as many or more problems as if she’d become a martyr.
Actually I’m not sure how another cause of death would avoid martyrhood for her… she’s still gone.
Whoa I would like to see that Women juggling men
Happy New Year Divas!
Bobo’s last blog post..Goodbye 2007 Hello 2008
I am still trying to figure out why the husband didn’t follow her wishes and appointed their son the head of the party? He seems so young but at least he is going to finish his studies first before he jumps into this.
SageMother, LOL! Since when did we, as humans, need someone to do something for us that we couldn’t do ourselves…..
*Lifestyle Curators* is just a boutique way of saying I can’t handle my life, tell me which way to go.
Katharina, now that I’ve been reading more on it, assisted marriage is another boutique term like lifestyle curators.
So, when you assist a second person’s help to find a lifetime partner, it’s considered *assisted marriage*. That included speed dating events and matchmaking services.
Katharina, Carla Bruni is so very beautiful!
Kris, what I even like more is:
62. Single men saying no to sex
Tater03, not only do I feel bad for Benazir’s family since no one seems to accept the findings on how she died as right, can you just imagine the upheaval that Pakistan is experiencing now?
EviesEarth, thank you for passing by our site!
I do agree it’s quite an interesting list. It actually would be really interesting on how these research companies put together their top 10, 50 or 100 lists like these.
That is an insanely long list but some of them actually look like they are worth watching. Thanks for posting it.
Jenny’s last blog post..Welcome to 2008!!
Thank you for the welcome!
I love lists such as these. I too often wonder who and how they are put together.
Here’s a question…..
Would you marry someone through and “assisted marriage”? I would be really hesitant because of the parental involvement.
What about someone who had a “lifestyle curator”? Its probably unfair of me, but I would think a fellow a terrible “feeb” if he couldn’t navigate his own life!
SageMother’s last blog post..I Can’t Say “Yum” Loud Enough!
I am much too stubborn to have allowed anyone but myself to choose the person I married.
I find it interesting that this assisted marriage thing completely removes any thought of love.
Not that I do not trust my parents opinions, but I think that no one should pick whom one falls in love with. Yes, it does seem to remove the love aspect of it all.
Lies! Lies! I don’t see my name or website(s) on that list! I demand a recount! LOL…
Jay
DatMoney.com
DatCurious.com
Tater03, LOL! I’ve always preferred tequila to wine. Must be because I grew up in Southern California and tequila is in much abundance over there.
Katharina,
Somthing tells me that assisted marriages are tolerated well by those who lean more toward practical matters when evaluating compatibility. So many people confuse love with the immediate, heart pounding anxiety, that has to fade with time, that our views on building healthy relationships are pretty skewed, IMHO.
Once the fairy tale like energy of a relationship subsides, it is the practical work of daily living that build abiding love. Too many people get to the daily living part and feel they have “fallen out of love”, never giving true devotion a chance to build. I can see where a marriage based on things other than inflamed emotions would be healthier in the long run.
Love as a verb and not a state of mind.
Really interesting list. I’m always intrigued by off the wall emerging trends such as # 20. E-clutter (and e-clutter consultants)
I agree w/21. Eco-fatigue, can only hope that 22. E-mail etiquette comes to fruition.
Than I arrive at #80. Women juggling men. I can only speak for myself when I say — not happening! LOL Can’t imagine more than one.
Samantha’s last blog post..Diamond Diva Dish New Year Sweepstakes!
SageMother, I am very thankful everyday that I was born and raised in a country that is not in the middle of a political warfare.
Katharina, I’m sure the opposition benefited from her death.
Traditionalists are afraid of change, and she represented the things to come.
Hi Bobo!
Hope you had a wonderful holiday also!
Women power, what can I tell you….
Tater03, I actually heard her son’s public address on tv….
Benazir’s family is similar to what the British considers as the royal family, so that’s understandable about the right of succession.
I’m sure he has good handlers looking out for the best interest of the party eventhough he’s so young.
EviesEarth, my guess is that trend lists are started about six months before they are released.
SageMother, I guess in a way I have an *assisted marriage*.
I met a man on Lavalife and he turned out to be the best friend of the man I ended marrying. So, in a round-a-bout way, it is some sort of an assisted marriage.
But, lifestyle curators, you can actually put in the category people like fashion consultants, how to handle your money consultants, and everything else *boutique* that has come out in the woodworks. Just looking at the life or fashion channel, you’d know people dig having to be turned into someone else
Katharina, I think the option of assisted marriage is good for people who have problems finding the right partner.
I find that a lot of men and women that I personally know in my age group are single because they’ve been too busy making a career for themselves that at 36 they realize that they need to find someone. It’s not that they can’t find their own loves, it’s just that sometimes they want to find more than what’s accessable to them. This is where companies like eHarmony come in. They are what you would call an assisted marriage broker
EviesEarth, no, I think everyone needs to chose their own partner.
My parents have introduced me to many countless men that they thought were appropriate, but in the end, it’s all about what we want. Some people though find that being introduced to someone else that could potentially be their partner better than going out there and find them on their own.
Very interesting list. Don’t think I would date anyone that needed a lifestyle curator.
Jenny, sure no problem.
Thanks for dropping by!
Jay, ha-ha-ha! Me too!
I demand a recount
You’re right, Diva… if someone is having trouble choosing people to date, etc. then a family member introducing someone they think would be a good fit would be okay, I’m sure… as long as the final choice is theirs.
I guess I was thinking more of “arranged” marriages in the sense that parents choose the partner and that’s the end of it… no “assistance” needed because this *IS* who you will marry.” Ick!
Samantha, LOL! I actually saw a show on reality tv on e-clutter consultants.
What’s even funnier was another show I saw about consultants that keep you off surfing the web because it makes you *mindless*…
3Plus3, I guess you’d better start checking out some of the reality shows to see who’s being curated and who isn’t….
Who knows, they could turn out to be your neighbor
Katharina, actually, did you know that some people can actually benefit from arranged marriages.
My friend (he) got married to a girl from India and he had to go there and pick her up and the dowry!
Go figure.
Looking back at this list is interesting, I notice it didn’t mention anything about the economy, who would have thought that everything could go so wrong.