opr releases Futures#5 – key trends + the effect they’ll have on brands, marketers, governments
Australia is heading into a ‘Decade of Do’. This will be shaped by pioneers acting on the issues that matter to them while solving the world’s most pressing problems, according to a report by leading communications agency, opr.
This appetite for direct action will be led by the Outlaws and Anti-Heroes of ‘Generation Do’ – a subset of Millennials and Gen Z rising up to challenge outdated laws and conventions. This is the central narrative that runs throughout the fifth annual Futures report, spanning 19 new insights that will impact marketing and communications in the 2020s.
Divided into five chapters, it explores new behaviours, new attitudes, new mindsets, new consequences and new policies. It also explains how this ‘Decade of Do’ will have far reaching implications for brands, marketers and governments alike.
Says Richard Brett, CEO, opr: “This new era will fundamentally change the way business and government think about engaging with their customers and voters, and how they conduct business in the future.
“The rise of direct action and protest shows that action is everything in the Decade of Do. Futures #5 explores the growing implications for brands in doing rather than telling, while delving into new approaches to political engagement and their policy repercussions.
“One of the key trends is Outlaws, where businesses and organisations are working with Gen Do to challenge outmoded laws, conventions and even other organisations.”
One of the most sought-after trends reports in Australia, Futures #5 was developed using insights extracted from the world’s leading creative, design and technology conferences such as Cannes Lions, SxSW, D&AD, E3, and CES, along with Australian conferences including AANA Reset, CommsCon and Rare.
Brett said this year’s report explores a range of other trends, including the desire to escape from digital noise and find joy in everyday doing: “Another important trend in this year’s report – Anti-Heroes – shows that we’re finding more interest and traction in the uncelebrated heroes who’ve previously been playing at the sidelines. A movement against the unrealistic promises, images and lifestyles found online, these everyday people are working with brands and organisations to effect change and get meaningful things done in a world obsessed with celebrity.”
Bridget Jung, opr’s chief creative officer and co-author of the report, says it has also identified a shift in the perception of creativity. She highlights Beautiful Ugly as an interesting new juxtaposition playing out within creativity.
Says Jung: “High production values aren’t going away, but we’re seeing new and interesting uses for what can be described as Beautiful Ugly – low production values with a real, raw and super engaging result.”
Chapters and key trends from Futures #5 include:
New Behaviours
Frictionful – Make the doing hard for your fans
Do-vertising – Allow your audience to do the campaign themselves
The Minorstream™ – Focus on niche but highly engaged audiences
Go Direct – Cut out the middleman to reach your customers
New Attitudes
Hate To Love – In a divided world turn divisiveness into harmony
The Business Of Purpose – Bake action into the heart of business strategy
The Long Tail Of Inclusivity – Do things to help previously ignored minorities
New Mindsets
The Silent Room – A quest for quiet in a world of digital noise
The Formula For Happiness – Help people find and appreciate joy
Bots And Brains – Marry digital smarts with human creativity
New Consequences
Beautiful Ugly – Stand out in a sea of perfected sameness
Anti-Heroes – Work with everyday people to get things done
Meta Mode – Communications that tell you why they exist
New Policies
Outlaws – Take on old-fashioned laws and conventions
It’s Simplicated – A new era of simple and direct messaging
Creative Economics – The power of the creative industry to transform
Generation Do – A new generation rise up to solve the world’s problems
Robocare – ‘Service robots’ to look after the elderly, ill and lonely
100 Jobs of the Future – Dramatic changes to the employment landscape
Futures #4 was presented to more than 40 organisations across Australia and New Zealand, reaching almost 2400 marketing and communication leaders, with key results also presented to NZ Parliament. To request a presentation of Futures #5 or a copy of the report, please email richard.brett@opragency.com.au.