ELEMENTS OF 2014 TRENDS REVEALED CULTURE:
Elements of Culture: 2014 Trends Revealed
Sep 08, 2014
These are the key, need-to-know trends of 2014: The Elements of Culture. Think of the Elements of Culture as a cultural literacy crib sheet – a system that looks at some of the most important trends as they appear today, evolve tomorrow, and impact the world in the future. Each trend trend is presented in snack media form with direct Twitter links in order to easily share.
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ELEMENTS OF
2014 TRENDS REVEALEDCULTURE:
1 Sa
Space in the Air
2 St
Shock & Transgress
3 Pl
Play
4 Mm
Memory Management
5 Ab
Absurdism
6 En
Enchanted
7 Rc
Refreshed Classics
8 Cx
Codex
9 Sm
Snack Media
10 Ax
Armchair Explorer
11 Nh
New New Hollywood
12 Bi
Binge
13 Rt
Radical Transparency
14 Ob
Open Brand
15 Pr
Premiumization
16 Le
Life as Entertainment
7 Cc
Convergence Culture
1 Uf
Unfat Generation
2 Nm
New Masculinity
3 Pw
Power Woman
4 Tg
Third Genger
5 Rr
Redefined Retirement
6 Hy
Hyper Culture
8 Ss
Second Skin
9 Si
Singletons
10 Mf
Modern Family
11 Sq
Squealing
12 Ex
Exponentials
13 Ft
Flattening
1 Rt
Real Thing
1 Dd
Data Divinity
2 Sc
Screen Culture
2 H
Hack Design
3 Gc
Geek Chic
4 Te
Ephemeral
5 Ki
Kidult
6 Sm
Small-scaling
Sm 7 Sp
Slow Perception
8 Ti
Tangible Intangible
15 Dc
Decay
9 De
De/re-materialization
D 10 Fh
First Hand Look
11 Ra
Raw
12 Lm
Living Matter
13 Wt
Warm Technology
14 Gl
Glitch
22 72
1972
16 Ne
Neo-psychedelic
17 Na
Nano World
18 Ma
Mashup
19 Hd
Hand Drawn
20 Ie
Immersive 360°
21 Fl
Flat Design
1 Ic
Icognito
2 In
Inwards
3 Ru
Rurban
3 Ru 4 Us
Made in the USA
5 Ec
Ecoboostering
6 On
Oneness
7 Lw
Living Without
Rs
Restoration
8 9 Ss
Startup Society
10 Mi
Moral Imperative
11 Rb
Rise of the Believer
R 12 Ll
Life Logic
13 Cq
Crowd IQ
14
Provenance
15 Se
Sharing Economy
16 St
Strangify
17 Io
Insumer/Outsumer
13 Mg
Mood Geisting
14 Fq
Focus Quotient
3 Sh
Super Human
4 Qs
Quantified Self
5 Sn
Sensor Network
6 Qe
Quantified Everywhere
7 Fl
Frictionless Life
8 Mg
Mind Gaming
9 Sf
Social Flares
10 We
Wearables
11 Mi
Micro Manufacturing
12 Cs
Cyborg Singularity
INTRODUCING: THE ELEMENTS OF CULTURE
The Elements of Culture are a proprietary guiding framework for sparks & honey and its cultural strategy methodologies.
The table represents the ecosystem of trends and cultural forces with the strongest energy and longevity, shaping culture and consumer behavior.
These elements drive our point of view on how brands should connect with culture in real-time.© sparks & honey, 2014
TRACKING 80+ ELEMENTS OF CULTUREAn organizing framework for trends. The elements are divided into five categories: humanity, science and technology, aesthetics, media and ideology. Every day, the sparks & honey team tracks and catalogs examples and manifestations of the Elements of Culture using quantitative and qualitative tools.
EXAMPLE OF AN
ELEMENT
1 Sa
Space in the Air
2 St
Shock & Transgress
3 Pl
Play
4 Mm
Memory Management
5 Ab
Absurdism
6 En
Enchanted
7 Rc
Refreshed Classics
8 Cx
Codex
9 Sm
Snack Media
10 Ax
Armchair Explorer
11 Nh
New New Hollywood
12 Bi
Binge
13 Rt
Radical Transparency
14 Ob
Open Brand
15 Pr
Premiumization
16 Le
Life as Entertainment
7 Cc
Convergence Culture
1 Uf
Unfat Generation
2 Nm
New Masculinity
3 Pw
Power Woman
4 Tg
Third Genger
5 Rr
Redefined Retirement
6 Hy
Hyper Culture
8 Ss
Second Skin
9 Si
Singletons
10 Mf
Modern Family
11 Sq
Squealing
12 Ex
Exponentials
13 Ft
Flattening
1 Rt
Real Thing
1 Dd
Data Divinity
2 Sc
Screen Culture
2 H
Hack Design
3 Gc
Geek Chic
4 Te
Ephemeral
5 Ki
Kidult
6 Sm
Small-scaling
Sm 7 Sp
Slow Perception
8 Ti
Tangible Intangible
15 Dc
Decay
9 De
De/re-materialization
D 10 Fh
First Hand Look
11 Ra
Raw
12 Lm
Living Matter
13 Wt
Warm Technology
14 Gl
Glitch
22 72
1972
16 Ne
Neo-psychedelic
17 Na
Nano World
18 Ma
Mashup
19 Hd
Hand Drawn
20 Ie
Immersive 360°
21 Fl
Flat Design
1 Ic
Icognito
2 In
Inwards
3 Ru
Rurban
3 Ru 4 Us
Made in the USA
5 Ec
Ecoboostering
6 On
Oneness
7 Lw
Living Without
Rs
Restoration
8 9 Ss
Startup Society
10 Mi
Moral Imperative
11 Rb
Rise of the Believer
R 12 Ll
Life Logic
13 Cq
Crowd IQ
14
Provenance
15 Se
Sharing Economy
16 St
Strangify
17 Io
Insumer/Outsumer
13 Mg
Mood Geisting
14 Fq
Focus Quotient
3 Sh
Super Human
4 Qs
Quantified Self
5 Sn
Sensor Network
6 Qe
Quantified Everywhere
7 Fl
Frictionless Life
8 Mg
Mind Gaming
9 Sf
Social Flares
10 We
Wearables
11 Mi
Micro Manufacturing
12 Cs
Cyborg Singularity
5 Ab
Absurdism
A LIVING NETWORKLike social media, neural networks or power grids, the Elements of Culture are interconnected, dynamic and constantly updated - each individual element contains subsequent networks of shifting micro-trends
2 Sc
Screen Culture
2 H
Hack Design
4 Qs
Quantified Self
13 Rt
Radical Transparency
21 Fl
Flat Design
3 Sh
Super Human
10 Mf
Modern Family
15 Dc
Decay
10 Mi
Moral Imperative
10 Ax
Armchair Explorer
10 ELEMENTS OF CULTUREHere’s an exclusive look at ten key elements
that will shape culture in 2014, 2015 and beyond
ELEMENT CRIB SHEET
ACCELERATORSElements of culture that strengthen trends
ENERGY SCOREAlgorithmically calculated energy of a trend (highest score is 5)
PREDICTION SCOREAlgorithmically calculated longevity of a trend (highest score is 40)
COUNTER TRENDSElements of culture that oppose trends
ELEMENT OF CULTURETrend shaping culture quantified on energy and prediction
SHOCK & AWEDaring, shocking, surprising and taboo-breaking.
2 St
Shock & Transgress
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
SHOCK & AWE OPPOSING FORCES
JELLYFISH APOCALYPSE POPE FRANCISACCELERATOR: EXPONENTIALS COUNTER TREND: MORAL IMPERATIVE
SHOCK & AWE NOWThis element covers purposeful puncturing of indifference, as well as the unintentionally jarring. Notably, Rob Ford’s world has imploded, VICE has evolved from a hipster brand into a media empire, and creepy developments like blood facials continued to emerge.
VICEROB FORD BLOOD FACIALS
SHOCK & AWE NEXTIn an effort to to cut through social noise and the declining ability to surprise people, marketing and entertainment companies will push the boundaries of human tolerance. Expect haunted houses, roller coasters, or puzzle rooms that can quite literally scare you to death (after you’ve signed the waiver) and marketing that’s so in your face, it could kill you.
NEAR DEATH EXPERIENTIAL
INCOGNITOStrategies for retaining control of personal data and avoiding surveillance.
Design changes of this first section to be applied to rest of document, but content should be intact
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
INCOGNITO OPPOSING FORCES
NYC CRIME MAPS GRAND THEFT AUTO SELFIESACCELERATOR: RADICAL TRANSPARENCY COUNTER TREND: SCREEN CULTURE
INCOGNITO NOWWe’ve seen Incognito manifesting itself in 2013 through clandestine social media tools like Snapchat, secret assistance apps for battered women, like Aspire News, and the underground drug network known as Silk Road.
ASPIRE NEWSSNAPCHAT SILK ROAD
INCOGNITO NEXTCities will spring up that take anonymity to a logical extreme (in opposition to modern panopticons, like London and New York). Names will not be allowed, citizens will be required to wear masks at all times, housing will only be temporary, forcing residents to rotate where they call home. No one will ever card you at a bar, because no one will ever know you existed in the first place.
ULTRA-ANONYMOUS LIVING
PRANKSTERISMFaked stunts that deceive the public for fun, fame, laughs, goodwill or profit.
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
PRANKSTERISM OPPOSING FORCES
TWITTER IPO THE NEW ROYALSACCELERATOR: SNACK MEDIA COUNTER TREND: THE REAL THING
PRANKSTERISM NOWThis phenomenon has become much more prominent this year with examples of Danish storms that were far overblown, sarcastic, handmade, artisanal plungers, and an airline battle that turned out to be entirely fictional.
ARTISANAL PLUNGERDANISH STORM AIRLINE BATTLE
PRANKSTERISM NEXTFaking is gaining steam as a tool to create buzz and conversation. As this movement escalates, new examples will be forced to grow more and more outlandish in order to compete. Expect a long con, international in magnitude that presents something unquestioned as fact as an elaborate marketing stunt – for example, the entire North Korean military regime being a fictional setup for the next installment of Mission Impossible.
THE LONGEST CON
SHARING ECONOMYSharing resources, goods, services, experiences, and information.
15 Se
Sharing Economy
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
SHARING ECONOMY OPPOSING FORCES
GOOGLE GLASS SILICON VALLEY MEDITATIONACCELERATOR: SCREEN CULTURE COUNTER TREND: RESTORATION
SHARING ECONOMY NOW
BOXBEESTATUE OF UNITY CSA+D
The sharing economy has grown from a smaller conversation to something that’s overwhelmingly mainstream. Examples of it have emerged via India’s collectively built Statue of Unity, a company that turns personal storage into a community sharing library, and community supported art initiatives (CSA+D).
SHARING ECONOMY NEXT
MICROBIAL ENTREPRENEURS
The sharing economy and interest in microbes have evolved in parallel. Look for communities growing more comfortable with the idea of sharing each other's best microbes for health and wellness. Pioneering entrepreneurs will take advantage of this shift by building businesses that specialize in the sale of exceptional microbes to those who are deficient.
MICRO MANUFACTURINGMaking and production on a small-scale, including one-off items.
11 Mi
Micro Manufacturing
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
MICRO MANUFACTURING OPPOSING FORCES
SILICON VALLEY/ALLEY JENNI SPARKS’ MAP OF NYCACCELERATOR: STARTUP SOCIETY COUNTER TREND: HAND DRAWN
MICRO MANUFACTURING NOW
VICTORIA’S SECRETPROSTHETICS PRINTED WEAPONS
3D printing has hit the cultural mainstream. Custom prosthetics are developing a new movement of prosthetic pride, this year’s Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show prominently features a model wearing printed snowflakes, and the V&A Museum has included the world’s first 3D printed gun in its collection.
MICRO MANUFACTURING NEXTBio-hacked insects and animals will be available on command for creating objects and becoming objects themselves. Thousands of ants will assemble to form living bridges for vehicles to traverse, birds will swarm together to create gigantic nests as temporary human housing structures, and spiders will weave custom-tailored, bespoke (unbelievably durable) clothing. New moral questions around how we interact with the natural world will arise in coordination with this development.
FERAL PRINTING AND MANUFACTURING
DE/REMATERIALIZATIONReassembling and reconstituting things.
9 De
De/re-materialization
D
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
3D PRINTED ORGANS GOTHAM GREENSACCELERATOR: MICRO MANUFACTURING COUNTER TREND: RURBAN (I.E. RURAL + URBAN)
DE/RE-MATERIALIZATION OPPOSING FORCES
DE/RE-MATERIALIZATION NOW
MODULAR PARKSBOND GIFTS EVERNOTE
Modularity, reimagination, and the creation of physical manifestations of digital brands have flourished in the last 12 months. In Azerbaijan, mobile parks roam the streets, Bond Gifts has been using robots to write physical thank you notes, and Evernote has created a line of lifestyle products to complement its digital suite.
DE/RE-MATERIALIZATION NEXT
ON DEMAND ARCHITECTURE & INFRASTRUCTURE
The intersection of on-demand technology, modularity, and resource scarcity will force cities to create pieces parts (buildings, infrastructure, and more) that can be repurposed and mobilized. Imagine future Olympic venues that can travel from host city to host city without need for reconstruction. Buildings themselves will no longer be thought of as permanent, instead, they will be composed from shifting, moving pieces that constantly redefine how they look, work, and exist.
WEARABLESTechnology that is worn on the body or embedded in clothing.
10 We
Wearables
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
WEARABLES OPPOSING FORCES
WITHINGS NSA SURVEILLANCEACCELERATOR: QUANTIFIED SELF COUNTER TREND: INCOGNITO
WEARABLES NOW
CUTE CIRCUITE-MAKEUP TOQ WATCH
Wearables have ascended in popularity in coordination with the growth of Quantified Self. A mix of fringe experiments have surfaced this year, like electronic makeup, clothes embedded with technology, and a slew of more mainstream smart watches.
WEARABLES NEXTSubcutaneous technology combined with advances in biological science will create a future where physical states are a push of a button away. Want to chill out? Tap your forearm. Change your hair color for next month? Just a menu away. Need to put on a little bit of weight on for the coming cold spell? Press a button and you’ll gradually gain pounds as your metabolism shifts.
BODY OPERATING SYSTEM
LIFE AS ENTERTAINMENTConsumers as voyeurs, entertained by others who broadcast their lives.
16 Le
Life as Entertainment
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
LIFE AS ENTERTAINMENT OPPOSING FORCES
COSPLAY THE RISE OF PAGANISMACCELERATOR: PLAY COUNTER TREND: INWARDS
LIFE AS ENTERTAINMENT NOW
RECREATING ROCKYNICK CAGE SRIRACHA DOCUMENTARY
In addition to being mesmerized by the internet’s obsession with Nicholas Cage, 2013 has seen the recreation of Rocky’s training run (50 kilometers!) by ultra-marathoners, a documentary about the origins of America’s favorite hot sauce, and much more.
LIFE AS ENTERTAINMENT NEXT
DISCRETE AUTEURS
Wearable cameras and discrete devices will make capturing life’s most entertaining moments simple, seamless, and covert. Expect sitcoms stitched together (unknowingly to participants) from real life office experiences, more access to areas typically veiled from the public eye, and a burst of activist content as a reaction to state surveillance.
SHADOW WORLDBlack markets and the dark corners of society as spaces for experimentation.
ENERGY PREDICTIONELEMENT
TWEET THIS TREND
SHADOW WORLD OPPOSING FORCES
THE END OF RETIREMENT IBM WATSONACCELERATOR: SQUEALING (I.E. DISPARITY) COUNTER TREND: DATA DIVINITY
SHADOW WORLD NOW
MARIJUANA LEGALIZATIONBITCOIN #DRUGS
The deviant economy is flourishing with businessmen, artists, libertarians and even normal joes looking to experiment on the fringes. Legalization of marijuana has brought some of this to mainstream conversation, along with speculation around Bitcoin and the visibility of dealers who sell drugs or feud via social channels such as Instagram.
SHADOW WORLD NEXTAs black markets grow in strength, some world governments may realize the potential economic opportunity and create legal frameworks giving shady businesses the right to operate. Like inverted B Corporations, D Corporations (or Deviant Corporations) would be offered legal bounds to interact in typically illegal capacities, while restricting their liability from oversight, retribution or jail-time.
D CORPORATIONS
ENERGY PREDICTION
13 Ft
Flattening
ELEMENT
Democratization resulting in homogenization of culture, gender, and economy.
TWEET THIS TREND
FLATTENING
FLATTENING OPPOSING FORCES
JENNIFER LAWRENCE ZOMBIESACCELERATOR: POWER WOMAN COUNTER TREND: DECAY
FLATTENING NOW
MATTERNETHOMELESS TECH CENTER TAXI CALENDAR
In spite of counteracting cultural forces, people are using technology and media to better others. In San Francisco, former homeless citizens teach tech to empower others. Nearby, Matternet is utilizing drones to bring speedy aid to the developing world. In New York, one lighthearted photographer has given taxi drivers the opportunity to show off their true colors.
FLATTENING NEXT
EXTREME MIGRATION
In an age when job security is low, physical social networks are strained and distant cities are starting to look more and more alike (Paneras and Chipotles everywhere you look), there are fewer and fewer reasons to tie people to one place. An inversion of the American ideal will occur as the masses become gradually untethered, bound only by the work (or telework) they can find and the price of energy needed to move from point A to point B.
“This Omnicom-backed "newsroom"-oriented agency starts each morning with a cultural briefing for clients such as Hyatt, Jarden and Life is Good, for whom it developed six "culture-to-commerce" T-shirts. In 2013 it grew from two to 17 clients and quadrupled its staff to 20.”
SPARKS & HONEY NAMED AS 1 OF 10 TOP AGENCIES TO WATCH IN 2014 BY ADAGE
1 Sa
Space in the Air
2 St
Shock & Transgress
3 Pl
Play
4 Mm
Memory Management
5 Ab
Absurdism
6 En
Enchanted
7 Rc
Refreshed Classics
8 Cx
Codex
9 Sm
Snack Media
10 Ax
Armchair Explorer
11 Nh
New New Hollywood
12 Bi
Binge
13 Rt
Radical Transparency
14 Ob
Open Brand
15 Pr
Premiumization
16 Le
Life as Entertainment
7 Cc
Convergence Culture
1 Uf
Unfat Generation
2 Nm
New Masculinity
3 Pw
Power Woman
4 Tg
Third Genger
5 Rr
Redefined Retirement
6 Hy
Hyper Culture
8 Ss
Second Skin
9 Si
Singletons
10 Mf
Modern Family
11 Sq
Squealing
12 Ex
Exponentials
13 Ft
Flattening
1 Rt
Real Thing
1 Dd
Data Divinity
2 Sc
Screen Culture
2 H
Hack Design
3 Gc
Geek Chic
4 Te
Ephemeral
5 Ki
Kidult
6 Sm
Small-scaling
Sm 7 Sp
Slow Perception
8 Ti
Tangible Intangible
15 Dc
Decay
9 De
De/re-materialization
D 10 Fh
First Hand Look
11 Ra
Raw
12 Lm
Living Matter
13 Wt
Warm Technology
14 Gl
Glitch
22 72
1972
16 Ne
Neo-psychedelic
17 Na
Nano World
18 Ma
Mashup
19 Hd
Hand Drawn
20 Ie
Immersive 360°
21 Fl
Flat Design
1 Ic
Icognito
2 In
Inwards
3 Ru
Rurban
3 Ru 4 Us
Made in the USA
5 Ec
Ecoboostering
6 On
Oneness
7 Lw
Living Without
Rs
Restoration
8 9 Ss
Startup Society
10 Mi
Moral Imperative
11 Rb
Rise of the Believer
R 12 Ll
Life Logic
13 Cq
Crowd IQ
14
Provenance
15 Se
Sharing Economy
16 St
Strangify
17 Io
Insumer/Outsumer
13 Mg
Mood Geisting
14 Fq
Focus Quotient
3 Sh
Super Human
4 Qs
Quantified Self
5 Sn
Sensor Network
6 Qe
Quantified Everywhere
7 Fl
Frictionless Life
8 Mg
Mind Gaming
9 Sf
Social Flares
10 We
Wearables
11 Mi
Micro Manufacturing
12 Cs
Cyborg Singularity
S&H CORE OFFERINGS
47
INNOVATIONCULTURAL INTELLIGENCE CONTENT & AMPLIFICATION
• Macro Trend Identification & Quantification
• Projecting Segments into the Future (Consumers of the Future)
• Product, Service & Packaging Development
• Business Model Design & Reimagination
• Business Context Analysis
• Futurism
• Whitespace Identification
• Brand/Partner & Acquisition Recommendations
• Social & Cultural Listening
• Competitive Intelligence & War Gaming
• Segment Analysis & Tracking
• Topic Deep Dives
• Event Tracking
• Issue Monitoring
• Real-time Burst identification
• Channel Analysis
• Content & Influencer Strategy
• Editorial & Cultural Calendars
• Pre-Planned (70/30) Content Production - Online and Off Line
• Real-time Content Production
• Real-Time Commerce
• Social Media Content (short and long form) - posts, tweets, vines, videos, blog, etc.
• Community Management
• Influencer Outreach
• Channel Optimization & Fan Base Development
• Analytics & Measurement
• Real-Time Media Amplification
CULTURAL STRATEGY
48
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