Today, we stand at a technological, political and environmental inflection point. Two decades of rapid technology growth and innovation have generated enormous physical and digital clutter. The steep demand on our planet’s resources mirrors the demand on our time and attention, which leads to our meta theme this year: the search for value and relevance.
Digital is now facing a big spring-cleaning: a time when we decide whether something still has value and relevance to our lives. This is a question about the long term, not just the sugar high of instant gratification.
As you read through the Trends, you will see that they raise plenty of fundamental questions. Does the brand deserve a space in my life and in the world? Is the value exchange two-way? Is it doing something more than straining the planet? If the answer is no, then unsubscribe or delete. It has never been easier to do so. In 2019, success will lie in providing value relevant not only to individuals, but also to the world.
Value creation will not come from simply growing bigger, but by being better. In busy lives and on a crowded planet, only the relevant will remain.
