5 Trends for 2013: NOW

As we look toward a new year, the sparks & honey team has identified 54 trends that will shape business and popular culture in 2013 and beyond. Based on our Culture Mapping Platform and proprietary scoring methodology, we have created a 2013 Trends Snapshot that features “Now,” “Next” and “Future” trends within 18 categories ranging from Art to Travel.  

“Now” trends are those with high energy and can be leveraged in the present; “Next” trends will begin to manifest towards the end of 2013 and gain traction through 2014; “Future” trends are fringe signals that will play out in 2015 and beyond.

In the first of a three-part series, below we highlight five trends from the Now category:

1. Rematerializing

Following the explosion of headphone culture, more brands and designers will create physical products to enhance or embody the virtual digital lifestyle so consumers can enjoy a tactile, tangible object as part of their digital consumption.

2. 2013: A Space Odyssey

With Virgin Galactic’s first space tourism flight scheduled for next year and a host of space exploration programs taking flight (from NASA’s Venus In-Situ Explorer to China’s unmanned moon landing), 2013 is the year of space travel.

3. The New Aesthetic

The language of digital culture is driving amovement andstyle that fetishizes the computer aesthetic. The New Aesthetic sits at the intersection of the virtual and physical, exploring the visual language of technology such as glitch images, Google Street View, photography and data visualizations. Look for this idea to continue to spread throughout the art and design world.

4. Microbial Beauty

Following the publication of theMicrobiome study, new forms of microbial-based beauty and health regimens develop and become popular with the mass market.

5. Magic Mirrors

RFID sensor-embeddedmirrors are enhancing the retail experience, offering detailed real-time information about in-store items. Intelligent mirrors also allow customers to instantlychange the colors of clothing they are trying on, providing an effortless and interactive live shopping experience.

To download the full report, click here: sparks & honey 2013 Trends Snapshot

sparks & honey is a next generation agency that helps brands synchronize with culture.