TRENDSACTIVE – International Trend Interpretation Agency

Time - The Me Me Me Generation

Time – The Me Me Me Generation

Time has published a six page long article about the millennial generation this week. Based on scientific research, Joel Stein describes millennials as ‘lazy, entitled narcissists who still live with their parents’. But not to worry, because according to Stein ‘they’ll save us all’.

The article describes what we’ve been advocating for the past three years: these millennials are addicted to their phones and online networks, they’ve gotten so many participation trophies that they feel entitled to constant praise and they don’t believe in hierachy anymore. But Stein is right when saying not to worry, because these millennials use their internet-addiction to their advantage, they are open-minded and pragmatic idealists, they are creative and innovative and they will save us all.

These creative and visually smart millennials stay true to their reputation and reacted fast. On this Tumblr page you can find a colorful collection of playful and smart photoshopped versions of the Time cover.

posted on May 15, 2013

Alpro pop up restaurant at Antwerpen Proeft

This weekend Alpro hosted a stand at the culinary outdoor festival Antwerpen Proeft in Antwerp, Belgium. The stand was designed and created by TrendsActive. Alpro is a company that envisions a world where more of what we eat comes directly from plants and is plant friendly, sustainable and healthy. Alpro has a wide range of products such as milk, yogurt, cream and desserts based on ingredients such as soy, almond and hazelnut.

Alpro wants to inform and educate consumers about plant-based products and asked TrendsActive to think of a concept for the culinary event Antwerpen Proeft. TrendsActive created and designed the hortus botanicus, a botanical garden that is often used for display and education. Alpro’s pop up restaurant Hortus is a green haven that displays the different plants that are used for Alpro’s plant-based products. At the stand, consumers could enjoy different dishes and drinks made with Alpro products.

posted on May 13, 2013

Hidden communication by ANAR Foundation

We are in the middle of the rise of a new visual culture. Especially the younger generations (the millennials and the digital natives) are changing the way they behave because of this visualization: they think visually, they learn in images and they long for innovative visual concepts. A way to connect with this younger generations through visuals is for example by playing with visuals or by using iconic images from their childhood.

Another interesting way of using visual culture is hidden communication. One example is translating brand logo’s (see how we used hidden communication for brand logo’s here). Another example is an ad by Spain’s ANAR Foundation, aimed at children suffering from abuse by adults. The advertisement uses a lenticular lens that displays different messages to an adult and a child looking at the ad. The adult sees a general warning about child abuse, the children see a message uring them to seek help with a number to dial. The lenticular lens only allows the message to be seen from below a certain hight, giving a child a hidden message and an opportunity to seek help without alerting their abuser.