AUGUST 2015 ASIA TREND BULLETIN FUTURE OF DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA Four powerful trends (opportunities!) for brands in 2016 and beyond. Asia Pacific. Population: 4 billion. Mobile subscriptions: 3.7 billion. Active internet users: 1.4 billion. WE ARE SOCIAL, MARCH 2015 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 2 Asia Pacific accounts for more than half of the world’s smartphones today. eMarketer, DeceMber 2014 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 3 1000bn 500bn 2015 2017 E-commerce sales in Asia Pacific are estimated to reach USD 681 billion in 2015, rising to USD 1 trillion in 2017. SPARKLABS GLOBAL ASIA E-COMMERCE REPORT, FEBRUARY 2015 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 4 870 tech startup delegates attended Tech in Asia Singapore conference in 2012. The number grew to 1,498 in 2015. tech in asia, May 2015 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 5 Yes, technology is transforming Asian consumerism. But you knew that already. But here’s the catch: technology alone is NOT the point. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 6 Yes, the numbers on digital tech in Asia are amazing. But that’s precisely why it’s all too easy to get fixated on the technologies and miss the real point. What It’s not the technology that changes the world. It’s the dreams behind the technology. Not your wisdom, but that Jack Ma, founder of Alibaba ;) matters most is actually the supercharged lifestyles – the dreams – that technology enables. Because in the end, consumerism is still (and always will be) about people and their fundamental needs and wants. So if you came here thinking you’ll read about the growth of wearables, the advent of smart cities, the Internet of Things, and all the other widely-covered tech trends, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. You know about those trends already. But what can you do with them? In this Trend Bulletin, you’ll find four new tech-fueled opportunities for you to innovate around. Learn, adapt, innovate, find new ways to serve fundamental needs... and profit! www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 7 1. ALL ON MESSAGING Four tech-fueled trends reshaping Asian consumerism in 2016 and beyond. Messaging platforms as a remote control for day-to-day living. 2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY Directories for a new, fuzzier consumer arena. 3. BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID BOP consumers meet cutting-edge digital tech. 4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE The pursuit of online/offline balance. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 8 2015 Consumer Trend Seminars Turn the overwhelm into opportunity SEE PAST EVENTS www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 9 1. ALL ON MESSAGING Messaging apps become remote controls for day-to-day living. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 10 Asia 43% Global 33% 43% of web traffic in Asia comes through mobile. Globally, that figure is just 33%. WE ARE SOCIAL, MARCH 2015 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 11 By Q1 2015, WeChat had 549 million active monthly 1. ALL ON MESSAGING users. For LINE, that figure was 205 million. It’s little wonder that mobile messaging apps are now the go-to channels for brands to reach consumers. On top of that, Asian consumers love digital Messaging app ecosystems are EXPANDING. In fact, it’s probably time to stop calling CRAMMING – having multiple features available in one platform. Mobile apps like WeChat and LINE have steadily built ecosystems of their own: in-app shopping and flash deals, games, content, cute stickers (of course!) and more. But now, the consumer’s expectations are broadening – they want to do more. Smart brands are responding by using messaging apps not simply as shopping and content channels, but to offer lifestyle solutions, them ‘messaging’ apps ;) solve social issues, provide financial services, and ultimately make individual and community life better. So, are you ready for the messaging app as a remote control for day-to-day living? www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 12 February 2015 saw LINE launch a USD 42 million fund to transform itself from a messaging app to a “smartphone gateway for your life”, packing lifestyle solutions into one platform. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 13 ALL ON MESSAGING: FEATURED INNOVATIONS WeChat City Service Shangai government and FoodPanda on WeChat www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 14 ALL ON MESSAGING: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Burberry Grocery deliveries and Burberry on LINE www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 15 ALL ON MESSAGING: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Delhi Police Delhi Police Department and Homework Gods on WhatsApp www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 16 1. ALL ON MESSAGING NEXT? This trend spells massive opportunity. How to apply? Partner with the messaging platform your target audience is already using. Think about how you can make familiar processes easier and faster, offer content that’s genuinely new, or provide useful new information. And yes, the same thinking can be applied to other social platforms, too. See how Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a Twitter-based savings account in India. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 17 2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY Directories for a new, fuzzier consumer arena. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 18 2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY P2P. Social shopping. Suppliers in unexpected places. It’s a confusing world out there. The rise of online culture and e-commerce has blurred Luckily, a familiar breed of website can help. tradesmen, parking spaces for hire, and much more. the boundaries that previously defined the consumer arena. That means all kinds of new products and services, suppliers, and marketplaces, as well as the ability to organize access to resources in new ways. Exciting? Sure. But all that adds to the choice paralysis that afflicts so many consumers today. Now, new directories and platforms are springing up to help consumers navigate the consumption-sphere in 2015: one filled with social media sellers, online local That means better decisions, with minimum effort. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 19 DISCOVERY DIRECTORY: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Oiffel, Kleora and Shopious Online aggregators help consumers discover Instagram shops in Indonesia www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 20 DISCOVERY DIRECTORY: FEATURED INNOVATIONS HandyHome and PageAdvisor Online directories for domestic home solutions www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 21 DISCOVERY DIRECTORY: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Parking Duck Online marketplace helps drivers find parking spaces www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 22 DISCOVERY DIRECTORY: FEATURED INNOVATIONS GottaGo Mobile app lists nearby restrooms www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 23 2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY NEXT? Think about everyday painpoints where consumers need information but do not want to invest time and effort on the search process. Create directories for the most unlikely services, from public toilets and parking spaces, then go one step further and facilitate instant purchase! www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 24 3. BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID BOP consumers meet cutting-edge digital tech. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 25 2015 2014 Cambodia Myanmar From 2014 to 2015, the number of internet users in Cambodia and Myanmar grew by 414% and 346% respectively. WE ARE SOCIAL, MARCH 2015 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 26 3. BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID We constantly hear about Asia’s new, affluent, urban middle class. But the fact remains that most countries in the region are still developing. Countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and India all have internet speeds below the global average, but users in these regions spend the most 52% of the population in the ASEAN markets reside in rural areas. These markets are driving much of time on the internet when compared to their Asian counterparts (We Are Social, March 2015). BOP engagement with tech is certainly not new (feature phones!), but – in a time when even Ojeks and rickshaws are getting a digital makeover – expectations around technology are also rapidly changing. Now, the Asian BOP are making use of cutting-edge technologies that can solve shared problems, make people safer, and improve quality of Asia’s growth. life. Fishermen using satellite tech to locate the best haul, anyone? So when you’re thinking about tech innovations for BOP consumers – think smart. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 27 BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Khushi Smart necklace for kids keeps track of vaccinations www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 28 BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID: FEATURED INNOVATIONS mFish Mobile app helps Indonesian fishermen locate the best spots www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 29 BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID: FEATURED INNOVATIONS The Escalator Project Mall-generated electricity powers rural Indian villages www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 30 BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID: FEATURED INNOVATIONS PawnHero Online pawn shop opens in the Philippines www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 31 3. BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID NEXT? Can you use simple technology to create meaningful innovations that solve real issues in Asia’s emerging markets? Think about how you can adapt your current offerings to suit the local landscape. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 32 4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE Forget digital detox – it’s all about discipline. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 33 63% 63% of Japanese parents worry that their kids will become addicted to smartphones. TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 2014 www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 34 4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE Last November we wrote about DIGITAL DISCIPLINE, Admitting you have a problem is the first step. But Asian digital addicts don’t want cold turkey – they just want to manage their habit ;) highlighting how it will be one of the biggest topics in consumerism this year. Since then, it’s edged evercloser to the mainstream. Indeed, January 2015 saw the Taiwanese government pass legislation obliging parents to limit the amount of time their children spend on digital devices. Of course, for most consumers switching off entirely – even for a few days – just isn’t an option. So now, innovative brands are helping consumers cultivate healthier relationships with their digital devices, instead of depriving them altogether. www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 35 DIGITAL DISCIPLINE: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Reebok Subway game in encourages South Korean commuters to look up from phones www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 36 DIGITAL DISCIPLINE: FEATURED INNOVATIONS McDonald’s India Fast food chain encourages diners to reconnect offline www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 37 DIGITAL DISCIPLINE: FEATURED INNOVATIONS Oppo Smartphone brand tells Vietnamese dads to put down phones www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 38 4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE NEXT? Think about innovative ways you can help your consumers have a healthier relationship with technology. Create initiatives for consumers to fill their idle time away from digital devices. Launch campaigns that remind consumers to be more digitally disciplined. Perks and rewards can go a long way too ;) www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 39 IN CONCLUSION... www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 40 Four trends. Countless opportunities. Trends are useless, unless you think about how to apply them. Now you have your trend download, pick out the ideas that resonate and start innovating! It’s time to create your own trend-driven innovations that will serve and delight your Asian consumers in the age of digital consumerism... www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 41 Want more? Free Publications If you have any comments, suggestions or questions then please do let us know. 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