Fortunes will be made in Asia in 2015...
...if not by you, then by others ;)
From Manila to Mumbai, 2015 will see the pace of change and innovation continue to accelerate across Asia.
The evolution of consumer expectations is e-n-d-l-e-s-s, and the year ahead will be one where fortunes are made, remade and unmade in every corner of APAC.
So, are you ready to find the key opportunity in Asia that will supercharge 2015 for your brand, business or clients?
This list is all about actionable opportunity.
Trends are just a means to an end: successful (and profitable!) innovation.
Two points to remember (don't worry, they're quick ;)
First, it's consumer trends we're interested in. Yes, ongoing macro-trends – aging populations, rising affluence, more connectivity – will continue to reshape the region in 2015 and of course we track these, but we're not going to waste your time by recapping these here (there are a million and one trend reports out there doing just that). Instead, they set the stage for the key consumer trends and opportunities we highlight.
Second – an industry secret. Trends aren't really the point; opportunities are. Each one of the 10 TRENDS below highlights a key, actionable innovation opportunity that could see YOU serve, delight, surprise or build stronger relationships with consumers. Indeed, you could (and should!) start putting at least one of these into action tomorrow, if not in the weeks and months ahead!
So… all set? Read, be inspired, and innovate for the win in 2015!
10 trends shaping Asian consumerism in 2015
1. BETTER TOGETHER
Crowd action for concrete change.
Various issues still riddle Asian societies, from corruption to food scares and more. And their scale and complexity render most individuals powerless. At the same time, the proliferation of social media means there's increasing demand for the voices of ordinary people to be heard and acted upon.
Last year we highlighted CROWD CRACKED: consumers creating crowd-powered solutions to shared problems. In 2015, this trend evolves to see smart brands/governments/institutions facilitating and empowering crowd action that has power to effect concrete change.
Could your platform, service or program help Asian consumers make things BETTER TOGETHER in 2015?
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: BETTER TOGETHER
Globe Telecom and President Joko Widodo
Philippine’s major telco provider Globe Telecom launched its #StopSPAM campaign in June 2014 with an online platform allowing mobile users to report and fight text spams/scams. Alleged spammers are issued warnings, and persistent offenders deactivated from the service.
In Indonesia, where presidents choose their own ministers, July 2014 saw President Joko Widodo 'crowdsource' his cabinet. Widodo used two online polls, Polling Menteri ('Ministers Polls') and Kabinet Rakyat ('The People’s Cabinet'), allowing Indonesians to have their say on who should be in the cabinet. Over 110,000 entries came through Polling Menteri alone, and a number of popular names as voted by the people made it into the president's official line-up.
2. BARE ESSENTIALS
Functional makeovers of everyday items for the BOP.
Even as Asian economies thrive, it is undeniable that many still live in dismal conditions:
There are still 733 million people in APAC who live on US $1.25 per day (ADB, Sep 2014). 533 million are also still affected by high levels of undernourishment, making up 63% of the world's hungry people in 2013 (UNESCAP, Aug 2014).
So creative solutions for people at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) will continue to be in demand in 2015. Ongoing awareness of BOP issues coupled with a rising culture of creativity and innovation is resulting in unconventional solutions that cleverly embed essential functionality into affordable everyday items.
Could you embed a BOP-relevant utility in your standard offering in 2015? See below how three businesses did just that!
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: BARE ESSENTIALS
Water is Life, Mawbima and AIA
300 million people in China still have problems accessing clean drinking water. One creative solution came up in May 2014 when global nonprofit Water is Life launch the Drinkable Book in China, as well as India and Africa. It is a sanitation manual featuring silver nano particle-coated pages that double as functional water filters, removing over 99% of harmful bacteria.
In Sri Lanka, newspapers have become the new channel of innovation. For instance, most people read newspapers in the early morning and/or evening, which is when the dengue-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitos are usually most active. So during National Dengue Week in May 2014, daily newspaper Mawbima published a one-off issue printed using mosquito-repellent ink to help prevent mosquito bites. The paper sold out by 10 am, increasing sales by 30% and readership by 300,000 people.
And on Vesak day, Sri Lankans use newspaper sheets as floor coverings to protect themselves from the dust and dirt as they kneel to pray all day, but the ink usually stains their traditional white clothes. So this year, instead of printing a full-page ad, AIA printed a blank page that people could use as prayer mat.
3. LOCALIZED LANGUAGES
When in Burma, speak Burmese ;)
If 2014 was all about LOCALIZASIAN – innovations by Asia for local Asian markets – then the big opportunity in this space for 2015 is language localization.
Indeed, consumers are already expecting brands to cater to them in their local languages: 73% of consumers in Vietnam and 76% in India expect brands to provide mobile content/apps in a language they understand (Ovum, April 2014). In 2015, rising numbers will demand the same services in the global English-speaking market to be available in their own local languages.
So, with more intelligent learning platforms and the proliferation of crowd-sourced language initiatives, it's high time you innovated in order to cater to consumers in all corners of Asia in their own local languages – take inspiration from the examples below!
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: LOCALIZED LANGUAGES
MyChat, AsQme and Hands Can Talk
Launched in August 2014, MyChat is a free mobile messaging app from Myanmar-based social network MySQUAR. Both services are tailored for the regional market with localized language functionality and emoticons.
October 2014 also saw the launch of AsQme, a Japan-based online platform that intended to bridge the gap between Japanese fans and non-Japanese speaking artists. Fans can ask questions of artists, and receive back a subtitled video answer from the artist.
And Dubai startup KinTrans is going one step further to bridge communication with the hearing-impaired. Its Hands Can Talk software uses Kinect technology to detect hand gestures and translate them into speech in real time. Users can set multiple languages, so breaking ALL language barriers, both spoken and national.
4. MADE (CLASSY) IN CHINA
Chinese luxury and beyond.
Long disparaged by Chinese (and other Asian!) consumers, Chinese luxury brands are starting to enter the global arena. 84% of Chinese luxury consumers agree that "In the future, Chinese luxury brands will be just as good as Western luxury brands." (AddedValue, 2014).
One key driver? Chinese consumers are building not just their bank accounts, but also their social and cultural capital. Now, those consumers are moving away from an obsession with (often foreign) luxury logos, and instead demanding local quality, authenticity, craftsmanship and heritage. Chinese brands are taking notice, and as a result China – both brands AND consumers – is gearing up to be the next global capital of class.
The takeaway? If you want to reach the new Asian luxury consumer, think local, quality, and understatement. Do it yourself, or partner with the right local operation!
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: MADE (CLASSY) IN CHINA
Exception de Mixmind and Qeelin
Exception de Mixmind is a Chinese luxury fashion brand aimed at those 'in the know' who do not want to flaunt logos. The brand eschews conspicuous logos and 'bling', and instead embraces simple, understated design with almost no branding. April 2014 saw this brand become part of the first Chinese delegation to Hyères International Fashion and Photography Festival in France.
Qeelin is a Chinese fine jeweler with designs inspired by China's mythical and cultural heritage, featuring lines incorporating various auspicious Chinese symbols. Amidst the luxury slowdown in China, June 2014 saw Qeelin's same-store sales grow by at least 10%, and the brand is looking to double the number of stores in mainland China due to high consumer demand.
As part of Alibaba group's Singles' Day Sale promotion in 2014, eight major Chinese jewellery brands were showcased at Times Square, New York City, for a week in November. Brands include Chow Tai Fook, the world's largest jewellery brand by market value, and Baocheng, a brand with 169 years of history.
5. AUTHENTICITY AUDITS
Modern methods to preserve ancient traditions.
With the global brain and influx of global influences, many cities (and consumers!) across the region are experiencing a convergence in cultures, mindsets and more.
One consequence? In 2015, consumers are ever-more eager to make sure their own cultures and traditions don’t get swept away in the avalanche of globalization.
And amid faux offerings and poor imitations, consumers will turn to new, innovative tools and services that allow them to know for sure that what they're getting is authentic tradition – whether in clothes, food, art, culture and more.
So how can you help consumers preserve tradition in 2015? The example below may be tech-fueled, but remember that AUTHENTICITY AUDITS can come in many forms (from digital services to in-store services to live experiences).
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: AUTHENTICITY AUDITS
Thai Delicious Committee
In September 2014, Thai Delicious Committee – a government-funded initiative by the National Innovation Agency – l
Fortunes will be made in Asia in 2015...
...if not by you, then by others ;)
From Manila to Mumbai, 2015 will see the pace of change and innovation continue to accelerate across Asia.
The evolution of consumer expectations is e-n-d-l-e-s-s, and the year ahead will be one where fortunes are made, remade and unmade in every corner of APAC.
So, are you ready to find the key opportunity in Asia that will supercharge 2015 for your brand, business or clients?
This list is all about actionable opportunity.
Trends are just a means to an end: successful (and profitable!) innovation.
Two points to remember (don't worry, they're quick ;)
First, it's consumer trends we're interested in. Yes, ongoing macro-trends – aging populations, rising affluence, more connectivity – will continue to reshape the region in 2015 and of course we track these, but we're not going to waste your time by recapping these here (there are a million and one trend reports out there doing just that). Instead, they set the stage for the key consumer trends and opportunities we highlight.
Second – an industry secret. Trends aren't really the point; opportunities are. Each one of the 10 TRENDS below highlights a key, actionable innovation opportunity that could see YOU serve, delight, surprise or build stronger relationships with consumers. Indeed, you could (and should!) start putting at least one of these into action tomorrow, if not in the weeks and months ahead!
So… all set? Read, be inspired, and innovate for the win in 2015!
10 trends shaping Asian consumerism in 2015
1. BETTER TOGETHER
Crowd action for concrete change.
Various issues still riddle Asian societies, from corruption to food scares and more. And their scale and complexity render most individuals powerless. At the same time, the proliferation of social media means there's increasing demand for the voices of ordinary people to be heard and acted upon.
Last year we highlighted CROWD CRACKED: consumers creating crowd-powered solutions to shared problems. In 2015, this trend evolves to see smart brands/governments/institutions facilitating and empowering crowd action that has power to effect concrete change.
Could your platform, service or program help Asian consumers make things BETTER TOGETHER in 2015?
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: BETTER TOGETHER
Globe Telecom and President Joko Widodo
Philippine’s major telco provider Globe Telecom launched its #StopSPAM campaign in June 2014 with an online platform allowing mobile users to report and fight text spams/scams. Alleged spammers are issued warnings, and persistent offenders deactivated from the service.
In Indonesia, where presidents choose their own ministers, July 2014 saw President Joko Widodo 'crowdsource' his cabinet. Widodo used two online polls, Polling Menteri ('Ministers Polls') and Kabinet Rakyat ('The People’s Cabinet'), allowing Indonesians to have their say on who should be in the cabinet. Over 110,000 entries came through Polling Menteri alone, and a number of popular names as voted by the people made it into the president's official line-up.
2. BARE ESSENTIALS
Functional makeovers of everyday items for the BOP.
Even as Asian economies thrive, it is undeniable that many still live in dismal conditions:
There are still 733 million people in APAC who live on US $1.25 per day (ADB, Sep 2014). 533 million are also still affected by high levels of undernourishment, making up 63% of the world's hungry people in 2013 (UNESCAP, Aug 2014).
So creative solutions for people at the bottom of the pyramid (BOP) will continue to be in demand in 2015. Ongoing awareness of BOP issues coupled with a rising culture of creativity and innovation is resulting in unconventional solutions that cleverly embed essential functionality into affordable everyday items.
Could you embed a BOP-relevant utility in your standard offering in 2015? See below how three businesses did just that!
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: BARE ESSENTIALS
Water is Life, Mawbima and AIA
300 million people in China still have problems accessing clean drinking water. One creative solution came up in May 2014 when global nonprofit Water is Life launch the Drinkable Book in China, as well as India and Africa. It is a sanitation manual featuring silver nano particle-coated pages that double as functional water filters, removing over 99% of harmful bacteria.
In Sri Lanka, newspapers have become the new channel of innovation. For instance, most people read newspapers in the early morning and/or evening, which is when the dengue-carrying Aedes aegypti mosquitos are usually most active. So during National Dengue Week in May 2014, daily newspaper Mawbima published a one-off issue printed using mosquito-repellent ink to help prevent mosquito bites. The paper sold out by 10 am, increasing sales by 30% and readership by 300,000 people.
And on Vesak day, Sri Lankans use newspaper sheets as floor coverings to protect themselves from the dust and dirt as they kneel to pray all day, but the ink usually stains their traditional white clothes. So this year, instead of printing a full-page ad, AIA printed a blank page that people could use as prayer mat.
3. LOCALIZED LANGUAGES
When in Burma, speak Burmese ;)
If 2014 was all about LOCALIZASIAN – innovations by Asia for local Asian markets – then the big opportunity in this space for 2015 is language localization.
Indeed, consumers are already expecting brands to cater to them in their local languages: 73% of consumers in Vietnam and 76% in India expect brands to provide mobile content/apps in a language they understand (Ovum, April 2014). In 2015, rising numbers will demand the same services in the global English-speaking market to be available in their own local languages.
So, with more intelligent learning platforms and the proliferation of crowd-sourced language initiatives, it's high time you innovated in order to cater to consumers in all corners of Asia in their own local languages – take inspiration from the examples below!
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: LOCALIZED LANGUAGES
MyChat, AsQme and Hands Can Talk
Launched in August 2014, MyChat is a free mobile messaging app from Myanmar-based social network MySQUAR. Both services are tailored for the regional market with localized language functionality and emoticons.
October 2014 also saw the launch of AsQme, a Japan-based online platform that intended to bridge the gap between Japanese fans and non-Japanese speaking artists. Fans can ask questions of artists, and receive back a subtitled video answer from the artist.
And Dubai startup KinTrans is going one step further to bridge communication with the hearing-impaired. Its Hands Can Talk software uses Kinect technology to detect hand gestures and translate them into speech in real time. Users can set multiple languages, so breaking ALL language barriers, both spoken and national.
4. MADE (CLASSY) IN CHINA
Chinese luxury and beyond.
Long disparaged by Chinese (and other Asian!) consumers, Chinese luxury brands are starting to enter the global arena. 84% of Chinese luxury consumers agree that "In the future, Chinese luxury brands will be just as good as Western luxury brands." (AddedValue, 2014).
One key driver? Chinese consumers are building not just their bank accounts, but also their social and cultural capital. Now, those consumers are moving away from an obsession with (often foreign) luxury logos, and instead demanding local quality, authenticity, craftsmanship and heritage. Chinese brands are taking notice, and as a result China – both brands AND consumers – is gearing up to be the next global capital of class.
The takeaway? If you want to reach the new Asian luxury consumer, think local, quality, and understatement. Do it yourself, or partner with the right local operation!
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: MADE (CLASSY) IN CHINA
Exception de Mixmind and Qeelin
Exception de Mixmind is a Chinese luxury fashion brand aimed at those 'in the know' who do not want to flaunt logos. The brand eschews conspicuous logos and 'bling', and instead embraces simple, understated design with almost no branding. April 2014 saw this brand become part of the first Chinese delegation to Hyères International Fashion and Photography Festival in France.
Qeelin is a Chinese fine jeweler with designs inspired by China's mythical and cultural heritage, featuring lines incorporating various auspicious Chinese symbols. Amidst the luxury slowdown in China, June 2014 saw Qeelin's same-store sales grow by at least 10%, and the brand is looking to double the number of stores in mainland China due to high consumer demand.
As part of Alibaba group's Singles' Day Sale promotion in 2014, eight major Chinese jewellery brands were showcased at Times Square, New York City, for a week in November. Brands include Chow Tai Fook, the world's largest jewellery brand by market value, and Baocheng, a brand with 169 years of history.
5. AUTHENTICITY AUDITS
Modern methods to preserve ancient traditions.
With the global brain and influx of global influences, many cities (and consumers!) across the region are experiencing a convergence in cultures, mindsets and more.
One consequence? In 2015, consumers are ever-more eager to make sure their own cultures and traditions don’t get swept away in the avalanche of globalization.
And amid faux offerings and poor imitations, consumers will turn to new, innovative tools and services that allow them to know for sure that what they're getting is authentic tradition – whether in clothes, food, art, culture and more.
So how can you help consumers preserve tradition in 2015? The example below may be tech-fueled, but remember that AUTHENTICITY AUDITS can come in many forms (from digital services to in-store services to live experiences).
FEATURED INNOVATIONS: AUTHENTICITY AUDITS
Thai Delicious Committee
In September 2014, Thai Delicious Committee – a government-funded initiative by the National Innovation Agency – l
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