We recently launched The Future 100: Trends and Change to Watch in 2023 – our essential trend almanac offering a snapshot of the year ahead and the most compelling trends to keep on the radar.

The Future 100 is our most hotly anticipated piece of research and is crucial for helping brands stay ahead of the competition. It charts 100 emerging trends across 10 sectors, spanning culture, tech, beauty and more.

To help you navigate the many takeaways from the report, we’ve created different versions of the report for brands with different areas of focus including Retail, B2B, Electronics, Finance, Technology, Automotive, FMCG, Beauty, Loyalty, Sports, Drinks, Luxury and Health.

Here are our Top 15 categories from the report:

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Automotive

Automotive

Motoring Into the Metaverse
The metaverse market for the automotive industry is projected to grow from $1.9 billion in 2022 to $16.5 billion by 2030. Innovative automotive brands like Volvo, Renault, Hyundai and Ford are taking to the metaverse to create inclusive new experiences, build deeper loyalty and capitalize on this growth.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO B2 B

B2B

B2B Means Business
Innovative technology is driving a new landscape in B2B. Trends like Techessibility and Meta-inclusivity are strong signals that leaders in B2B are using technology to connect with a diverse set of buyers, who expect companies to consider their societal responsibilities in all their actions.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Beauty

Beauty

Beyond Skin Deep
Taking a holistic approach, the future of beauty will feature ingredients both resurrected from the past and grown in labs. In a world where mental health is of equal importance with physical health, beauty brands are formulating products that benefit not just our skin, but our mind too.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Drinks

Drinks

Drinks Go High Tech
Emerging digital frameworks like VIP NFTs and Web3 that are driving a new democratic formula for ownership have infiltrated wineries, disrupting an industry that’s been static for a generation. Meanwhile, to satisfy Zero-proof lifestyles, beverage brands are producing refined non-alcoholic alternatives and chic bars are going completely teetotal.

Report Vertical Sectors 1440x720 Electronics

Electronics

Getting in Tune
Consumers will continue to gravitate toward energy-efficient smart home products to save on energy bills and protect the environment, with Gen Z turning their climate anxiety into Climate Optimism. Supercharged trends include self-care and innovation in fitness tech, new forms of entertainment through AR and VR, and Techcessibility – redesigning digital environments for greater accessibility.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Finance

Finance

Smart Spending
Amidst the sharpest economic slowdown in eight decades and rising inflation, consumers are tossing out old rules and redefining what “the good life” really means. The finance category is also undergoing a “shapeshift” with metaverse ATMs, cryptoliteracy classes, and technology that meets the needs of underserved communities and guides people to smarter spending.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO FMCG

FMCG

Comfort for Challenging Times
A world of constant change presents new opportunities for brands in the FMCG category focused on closeness, autonomy, inclusivity and sustainability. Forward-think brands are using the possibilities of technology and virtual worlds to re-engineer and reimagine their products and listening to consumers who say brands can help make the world a better place.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Healthcare

Healthcare

Healthcare For All
Diversity in healthcare will help create a more equitable future and healthier planet. New tools promote rest to combat trauma, stress and discrimination and provide refuge and self-care resources to combat hyperproductivity and grind culture. Areas of opportunity include equity benefits in the workplace via coverage for accessible, culturally-competent and reproductive healthcare.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Luxury

Luxury

Time to Feel Good
Given the increasing importance of wellness, mental health and self-care, luxury brands offer an escape, sense of magic, exploration and wonder during challenging times. Often at the forefront of inclusive representation, many opportunities exist for luxury brands to be more inclusive and accessible in their experiences, products and digital ecosystems.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Retail

Retail

Brave New World
Granted new challenges will squeeze retail opportunities even more, our Future 100 features 10 inspiring trends from around the world that are causes for optimism. The increasing fascination in all things metaverse and multiverse are finding their way back into physical retail with the creation of more dreamlike shopping experiences that rival anything in the virtual world.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Sports

Sports

Game Changer
Brands can be innovators in this space by creating exciting new experiences at the intersection of sport, entertainment and gaming. AR technology is playing a leading role in creating new blended entertainment formats; virtual reality is recognized for its impact on gaming; and NFTs can enable superfan lifetime passes to festivals and events.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Tecnhology

Technology

Tech of Tomorrow
The technology that will inspire consumers and drive growth for brands now and in the future presents wonderful new opportunities and will have a significant influence on how we live, work and play. We asked ChatGPT to write an intriguing opening paragraph to introduce our 15 picks from the Future 100 trends with the potential to make the biggest impact.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Shell

Climate Change

Planet Fitness
Led by Gen Z, there are reasons to be optimistic about real action to combat climate change. Innovation is transforming the auto industry with transition from combustion engines to EV mobility, car brands showcasing new models in the Metaverse and subscription-based ownership of EVs around NFTs inspiring hope for a cleaner future.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Loyalty

Loyalty

Loyalty Inspires Growth
As consumers reign in spending across nearly every sector, 2023 offers opportunities for brands to connect with their customers in new ways – meeting them where they are to make their lives a bit easier. We’ve handpicked 15 trends that will shape the loyalty market this year and beyond into evolving customer expectations.

Report Vertical Sectors WTHERO Social

Social

Life in the Metaverse
Brave, innovative brands are leading the charge into the metaverse and delving into its possibilities, including agencies like Wunderman Thompson. Key trends include supporting big societal issues like Sustainability; Metaverse for Good to explore the positive effects of virtual worlds; and equal representation to engender Meta-inclusivity.

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