FORCE 4
THE FUTURE OF BRANDS
WAYFINDER BRANDS:
MENTORING CUSTOMERS INTO THE NEXT
Brands that are perceived to be simply responding to a need will soon be catalogued as commodities that AI agents can interact with independently (and potentially swap for cheaper alternatives), while brands that inspire new behaviors will be trusted by the consumer to inform how their overarching agenda is evolving.
A PARADIGM SHIFT IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT BRAND EXCELLENCE
Brands that guide consumers to expanded and evolving goals, designing paths to personal growth, are recognized as mentors and thrive as a result.
Three key trends will shape this landscape:
TREND 01
CATALYST CUSTOMER JOURNEYS
Consumers set goals, then turn to trusted brands to guide them - at times going beyond mentoring to provoke new behaviors.
TREND 02
‘BRANDTRUMS’
To stand out among algorithmic sameness, brands will need to demand consumer attention by communicating with more emotional extremes, responding to and challenging the moods and emotions of their audiences.
TREND 03
PROOF-OF-PRESENCE
Brands will need to continuously prove their integrity – in provenance, storytelling, content authenticity, customer testimony – to stand out in a world flooded with synthetic noise.
87%
of global consumers agree that brands that not only deliver products and services but inspire them and help them grow will become the most memorable
91%
of global respondents in our study agree that as algorithms grow more individualized it will be more important for brands to be consistent with their values and actions
A PARADIGM SHIFT IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT BRAND EXCELLENCE
Brands that guide consumers to expanded and evolving goals, designing paths to personal growth, are recognized as mentors and thrive as a result.
Three key trends will shape this landscape:
TREND 01
CATALYST CUSTOMER JOURNEYS
Consumers set goals, then turn to trusted brands to guide them - at times going beyond mentoring to provoke new behaviors.
TREND 02
‘BRANDTRUMS’
To stand out among algorithmic sameness, brands will need to demand consumer attention by communicating with more emotional extremes, responding to and challenging the moods and emotions of their audiences.
TREND 03
PROOF-OF-PRESENCE
Brands will need to continuously prove their integrity – in provenance, storytelling, content authenticity, customer testimony – to stand out in a world flooded with synthetic noise.
87%
of global consumers agree that brands that not only deliver products and services but inspire them and help them grow will become the most memorable
91%
of global respondents in our study agree that as algorithms grow more individualized it will be more important for brands to be consistent with their values and actions
BRANDS HELP CUSTOMERS FIND THEIR WAY TO THROUGH REINVENTION
Consumers will move from always being actively involved in decision making to decision design that reflects their overarching reinvention aspirations. As they set new goals, they will turn to brands to inspire them and guide them, creating an aperture to establish meaningful relationships.
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