We are fast approaching the 10 year anniversary of our annual Think Forward trends report. For almost a decade we’ve been producing Think Forward to help guide brands through the complex and fast-moving world of social, helping identify and tap into the trends that are around the corner. With Think Forward: The Liveable Web launching on November 21st (pre-register here!), we’re taking a nostalgic look at the trends featured in past reports. Were we on the money? Here are the first five reports… you decide!
The first edition of Think Forward explored 11 trends across culture, technology, content, and business. In 2015, western society was becoming more aware of the impact our actions had on the world. The trend Conscious Community examined how people were using technology for social good.
Voyeurism 2.0 predicted the rise of content focused on simply watching others – very much still alive today. In technology, following the success of Airbnb, our trendspotters forecasted the rise of renting out not just properties but also personal belongings, in The Internet of Social Things. We also anticipated an increase in wearable technology and advancements in VR for social use.
For the second edition of Think Forward, we identified three overarching factors influencing the nine trends in the report: technology has our trust, we will always have the desire to build connections, and we want everything immediately.
The first trend in the report focused on chatbots, predicting that this behaviour would no longer be a novelty but would soon become the norm. With the integration of platforms like ChatGPT into our everyday lives, conversing with the internet is now more prevalent than ever.
Think Forward 2018 took a slightly different approach, examining trends from a new perspective by focusing more on the human motivations behind emerging trends.
The Hyper Transparency trend explored how brands were racing to win back consumer trust through absolute transparency—not just glossing over uncomfortable details. This approach is still praised today, with brands finding success in disclosing pay and diversity data and sharing behind-the-scenes knowledge.
Brands also began integrating consumers into their branding through the New Cooperative trend, which saw communities playing active roles in shaping the brand’s future.
Think Forward 2019 focused on social change, with trends like Social Standing, which saw leading brands taking a firm stance against hate and publicly standing by their values, and Minority Impact, which recognised marginalised groups as driving some of social media’s biggest conversations and defining culture.
We also witnessed the rise of niche online cultures with the Memes Go Niche trend, which explored how brands could reach hard-to-access audiences and the value of these specific subcultures.
But in 2019, the Wild West of the digital world became a little less wild. There was a major shift in how social media viewed and valued genuine content creators with the Added Value trend, which saw brands taking a back seat and giving their audience a voice.
People also began using social media with their mental health in mind. In the Bad Influence trend, social began to push back against overpolished and unattainable influencer lifestyles, while in the Social Self-Care trend, users were practising self-care and seeking out online optimism.
Keep an eye on our blog to see the final set of Think Forward reports, coming soon.
Think Forward 2025: The Liveable Web lands on 21st November. Sign up here to be the first to receive the report.
Reports
