TheLady GaGa Era

As both a boomer and a marketer, I am endlessly fascinated by Lady GaGa. She is a creature of the times, as surely as Madonna is of her and Michael Jackson was of his respective era. Some of her outfits are an example of the "geometry" trend observed in building material aesthetics that I incorporated in my 2010 trend report. According to the New York Times, today's youth of the City are totally engrossed with her image and likeness. The rest of the country should follow suite, Lady GaGa senses the tenor of the times, not just in her music, but in her dress and staging as well.

Opportunity for Surfaces?

In the 80's jetted tubs were all the rage, according to an article in the UK newspaper, the Telegraph, not so much these days. This leaves opportunities for products designed for shower areas. However, in the new age of luxury, everyone has to compete with Apple and Sony for the consumer dollar according to an article in USA Today. (I would add some other names like Samsung and Toshiba to that short list.) As we all become even more addicted to our electronics, the available dollars are going to those products. We would rather escape into these products and the virtual worlds rather than worry about our physical surroundings. It will take targeted marketing efforts to focus consumers attention back to their living environments and away from the virtual realm.

Can the Million Dollar Bathtub be far behind?

Harrod's, the London luxury department store, offers a 530,000 Pound bathtub - that is currency, not weight. The rock crystal tub is offered by Florentine luxury furnishings group Baldi. Baldi offers luxury products especially designed for those who do not consider discretion a virtue.

I can't think of a single trend that this exemplifies, other than the one about being talked about at all costs - and we all know that works if you are willing to pay the price.

Social Networking raises Oxytocin

We know that "if businesses wish to thrive in our interconnected world, where consumers' opinions spread at the speed of light, they must act as a trusted friend: create quality products, market them honestly, emphasize customer care." To find out why this is so, read "Social Networking Affects Brains Like Falling in Love" in July's Fast Company.

Futures Thinking vs. Design Thinking

Core 77 offers an excellent article on Futures Thinking vs. Design Thinking and how they work in concert. "How can Futures Thinking Amplify Design Thinking."