Divergence

Trend - Brands are integrating activism and charitable actions directly into business models and consumer loyalty programs. This helps consumers directly influence the amount of charitability from a business, making activist consumers more likely to frequently engage in these brands over others.

Insight - Voting with the dollar is a popular concept in North America. Consumers value brands that are transparent, authentic, and have a positive impact on the world. Some interact exclusively with these brands, while others prefer to do so when possible. Of the brands that engage in charity work, consumers prefer those that demonstrate their values with tangible actions. These consumers are more loyal to brands that integrate activism directly into the core business model.

Trend - Amid the rising cost of chicken set on by the pandemic, restaurants are turning to dark meat alternatives for chicken wings. Chicken thighs are meatier and often richer in taste, making them a popular choice for QSR brands across North America. These are served fried, tossed, or with sauces.

Insight - Restaurants were of the industries hit the hardest by the pandemic, with rising costs of supply and an ever-dwindling consumer base willing to dine in. Following the pandemic, while indoor dining has returned, prices and supply have yet to return to normal. Restaurants with affected supply sought alternative products to ensure steady supply and affordable pricing, creating demand for typically less-used parts of foods in North America, such as chicken thighs or feet.

Trend - Businesses across a variety of industries are debuting official artificial intelligence (AI) policies. These policies outline when and how AI should be used in workplaces to ensure that AI does not cause damage to the business in any way. This ensures AI is used optimally and productively.

Insight - Since the recent influx of highly utilizable AI tools in recent years, workers across numerous industries have looked to use AI to streamline workflow, improve efficiency, and more. These workers are in various levels of business, from entry-level to head office. This desire for efficiency causes many to overlook the potential harmful effects of AI, such as margin of error or ethical concerns. This created a need for many workplaces to launch formal AI policies to restrict usage.

Trend - Brands and charitable orgs are addressing how women's health can impact their employment. These brands are raising awareness about how PMS and menopause symptoms can impact one's ability to work, and campaigning for policies (like paid leave) that address this concern.

Insight - Brands are addressing gender discrimination through updated hiring practices, maternity leave, education, and pay equity. However, some of the challenges women face in the workforce are less outwardly visible--but have a significant impact nonetheless. Menstruation and menopause symptoms can impact performance and cause unintended gender gaps at work. Brands that address these concerns with paid leave and extended benefits create more supportive and (therefore productive) workplaces.

Trend - Automakers are releasing premium motorhomes with durable, rugged builds designed for off-roading. These motorhomes are easier to move around on and off road, making them better for camping than traditional motorhomes. Additionally, rugged motorhomes resist more extreme weather conditions.

Insight - When many consumers go camping or go on road trips frequently, they often choose to invest in a motorhome, rather than renting cottages and camping setups in each location. These consumers prefer motorhomes for the versatility in location, ease of mobility, and the reliable access to resources they provide. However, many motorhomes can only be towed by large trucks, and are too heavy to be suited for off-roading. This creates a market space for rugged, off-roading-ready motorhomes.

Trend - Brands are releasing smart inflation devices in ultra-portable form factors. These inflators provide instant support for bikes, cars, and inflatables without requiring wall connectivity. These also include smart pressure indicators, making them easy to use without prior experience.

Insight - The micro-mobility space continues to grow in popularity with the modern consumer. Electric bikes and scooters offer a level of convenience beyond that of a traditional bike or full-sized car due to the ease of use, low entry-cost, and ease of maintenance. However, consumers are still often faced with maintenance challenges, such as stuck chains or deflated tires. As a result, these consumers are investing in ultra-portable service kits as reliable contingency plans.

Trend - Corporations are launching DEI programs and initiatives designed to support the careers and lives of neurodiverse employees. These programs ensure equality in hiring patterns, resource access, and worker compensation. These benefit businesses by improving employee satisfaction and retention.

Insight - In the post-pandemic working world, employees have many options for workplace culture, such as finding flexible working hours, locations, or compensation. Employees each have preferences, such as wanting more flexibility or a larger wage. However, workers quickly leave jobs where they feel they do not belong, resulting in high turnover for less desirable workplaces. Companies are avoiding this fault by launching new DEI initiatives that, in addition to other protected classes, support neurodivergent workers.

Trend - Companies in the production, retail, and logistics spaces are looking to artificial intelligence (AI) models to reduce emissions. The AI models help optimize production, cut-out excess waste, better manage inventory, and improve overall sustainability using predictive and analytical models.

Insight - In recent years governmental regulatory bodies have placed increased pressure on businesses to reduce emissions and go green. As a response to this, many businesses have made green commitments with strict timeframes, often aiming to achieve net-zero emissions in a matter of a decade. These businesses aim to achieve these goals without reducing their profit margins, meaning they often do not want to hire new departments. As such, they are increasingly turning to analytical AI models.

Trend - Independent developers are using shared protocols to create decentralized content aggregator platforms. Companies do not own or moderate these platforms, which offers better privacy than large alternatives. Many of these platforms communicate with one another to form the 'Fediverse.'

Insight - Social media users are becoming increasingly dissuaded from the popular websites due to changes in moderation. Undesirable policy changes such as restrictive guidelines, feature monetization, and centralized control have led to users gravitating towards alternatives created by independent developers. Users prioritize privacy, personalization, and freedom on social media platforms, leading to several decentralized platforms that form the federalized metaverse, or the Fediverse.

Trend - Soju seltzers and cocktails are alcoholic beverages that are made with soju, a distilled spirit that originated in Korea. Soju has a mild flavor profile and lower alcohol content in contrast to other alcohols and is often mixed with other ingredients to create refreshing and flavorful drinks.

Insight - Soju is often shared among friends or enjoyed during meals, so consumers gravitate toward it to foster a sense of togetherness and enhance their social interactions. It is often considered an affordable alcoholic option, making it ideal for consumers who want to enjoy good and cheap alcohol. Soju also typically has a lower alcohol content compared to other spirits, appealing to individuals who prefer milder alcoholic beverages. It contains fewer calories than other spirits and is often lower in sugar, making it a popular choice for people who want to drink but are conscious about their health and consumption habits.