[2014 trends] The Year of Happy

Here are my key predictions to help navigate this emotional space:

Curate before you create



We have so much already, could this be the year where we utilise what we have already created and use it better? Brands should look to their existing equities instead of completely overhauling their identities for the sake of change.

The fear factor

Will your brand survive dark marketing, more legislations and social media? Having a strong brand purpose will become more valuable than a nice logo, identity or piece of packaging.

Transparency will make or break you as consumers make their decisions on the good that you do, not the good that advertising creates for you.

Big data - More is less

You have all the information, but is it the right information? With so much research and analytics, the element of chance (humanity) is becoming less and less. Knowing where someone lives doesn't mean you know who they are. Successful brands understand that human insights are more valuable than computer generated data.

Smart brands

Everything is becoming smarter; smartphones, smart technology. How will your brand become smarter this year?

Will you be able to seamlessly integrate your brand into the life of your customer - from pack to ad to product to service delivery? Brand experiences will connect your customers not just physically but emotionally to your brand.

For more:

• Bizcommunity Special Section: Biz Trends 2014
  
• Bizcommunity Search: 2014 trends
  
• Twitter Search: #biztrends2014