DDB signbank

Connect The Dots

No MoreLive Young, Die Fast

With Compliments,

Trend Report March 2011

Consumer GroupConsumer Group

Movement

Movement

Signs

Mitch Martens I Inge Beentjes I Janneke Dekker I Frank van der Sman

A and AMFI collaboration

Connect The Dots


With Compliments,



Movement

MovementMitch Martens I Inge Beentjes I Janneke Dekker I Frank van der Sman

�:ee�fZg�[r�gZmnk^�]^lbk^�dghpe^]`^��&�:kblmhme^

Signs


Connect The Dots

No More

With Compliments,


Consumer Group

Movement


�F^g�]h�ghm�jnbm�ieZrbg`�[^\Znl^�ma^r�`khp�he]4�ma^r�`khp�he]�[^\Znl^�ma^r�jnbm�ieZrbg`� &�Hebo^k�P^g]^ee�Ahef^l

Consumer Group

Live Young, Die Fast

Signs


Connect The Dots


With Compliments,



Movement


�?hk`^m�bgcnkb^l%�g^o^k�_hk`^m�dbg]g^ll^l� &�<hg_n\bnl

Signs


Connect The Dots


With Compliments,



Movement

Movement

Mitch Martens I Inge Beentjes I Janneke Dekker I Frank van der Sman

�Eb_^�l�`k^Zm^lm�aZiibg^ll�bl�mh�[^�\hgobg\^]�p^�Zk^�eho^]'� - Victor Hugo

Signs


Connect The Dots


With Compliments,



Movement


�Ma^�l^\k^m�mh�\k^Zmbobmr�bl�dghpbg`�

ahp�mh�ab]^�rhnk�lhnk\^l'� - Einstein

Signs


“Us human beings are evolved beyond our primate cousins because of our thumbs and our ability to make connections in our surroundings. Understanding things is

becoming one of the basic needs besides food, shelter and clothes. We have evolved economically, socially and technology so far that everyone on earth is able to connect

the dots themselves. Nothing must stand in our way, no governments and no corporations. This revealing of myths is becoming a popular subject for artists and

even governments understand our need for knowledge.”

Connect The DotsIntroduction Movement 1 2 3 4


Connect The DotsThe Story 1 2 3 4

Mankind is famous for its ability to make connections. The relationship between events, people, emotions, basically everything in our universe. We continuous search our boundaries of what we do not know. We are in seek for new ways to make the unknown known, this is possible because current technology and economic information is available for everyone. The whole world can now do what they like to do: connecting the dots.

Or the phenomenon Wikileaks, even the secrets of our world leaders are no longer

save. In art we saw that JR, a French photographer and street artist, showed pictures of Israelis and Palatines on the

border between these countries to show everyone the non-existing difference and

to reveal the myth of differences.So even sensitive political issues are no

longer save. We want to have our own opinion about everything. Artist Chris

Meindertsma created a book called PIG 05049. She used a bio-industry animal, a

pig, and she showed us that this pig is used in products everywhere around us.

This pig was used in surgical tools and even in furniture. This shows that we are interested in the facts of this animal and

not only in the information given by others.

We want to make connections, understand everything, be all-knowing,

create our own opinions. Nothing should stand in our way. No government and no

corporations.

Things are no longer magical or mysterious. We have the right to know

everything and understand everything. We have found several signs that people already act in order to this trend. For

example, our prime minister Rutte gives colleges about his personal life. To

understand where he is coming from and perhaps understand his choice of policies.


Before corporations thought that complex products, like computers, were to hard to

understand for people so they decided how these things should work. Nowadays

people are willing and capable, because of internet and other information sources,

to understand how these things work. Companies like Linux, understand this

and therefore created a software program. With this program you can control the

software yourself, if you are willing to. Muji is an example of a brand that is

successful for being a brand without a brand. They only deliver what they say

they do, pure products so you can give your own value to them. People are slowly discovering that almost everything in life is

conceived and invented by others.

Because of the new media, people all around the world can create an own opinion, even if you live in a country where there is a dictatorship. They can see how things can be different and they can connect with each other and make a difference. There is more interest in things that stop gathering information. For example how the Internet censorship in China works. How governments and media such as Facebook can paralyse. There are even companies like Respect my privacy, established to avoid this.

Small RecapConnect The Dots 1 2 3 4

What wasThe information flow was limited. Our source of

information was depending on what the governments and corporations decided to share with us.

What is We only want ‘raw’ data and information which is not

changed or twisted by anyone. We want to know everything and reveal the myths.

What will beWe will give value and create opinions ourselves and we won’t allow anything or anyone to hold this back from

us.


Future PerspectiveConnect The Dots 1 2 3 4

“In the future we will expect more information about everything around us. We will look beyond the messages given us from brands and governments and make our own truth. We want to control

more as well. We won’t allow anyone else to make decisions for us or controlling our computers, our food or our opinions towards politics. Brands and corporations will not try to trick us in believing

something. Instead they have to give us trust through information so we can connect the dots ourselves. We will not allow it when something stands in our way and the values of privacy and law will shift. Like in the case of Wikileaks. But also the magic of the myths will be out in the open and therefore we will need something else to replace this feeling of excitement. For example the feeling of participating in creating something or give new meaning to products like a dress with “no” label from Muji. Or creating our own myths like the myth of a bio industrial animal which is processed in

everything around us.”


With Compliments,Introduction Movement 1 2 3 4

“We give homeless people a nice Valentine’s day by organising a high tea with lots of sweets and a performance of Willeke Alberti, a girl blogs that she likes to give other

people a good feeling every day and we greet older people. Why do we do that? Because we like to be friendly. For each other but also for ourselves because being kind gives you a good feeling about yourself. This trend is all about being friendly to

each other and making other people smile.”


With Compliments,The Story 1 2 3 4

People are nicer for each other in little villages than in the city. This is because in the city, we don’t have enough space for ourselves. In a busy bus, you usually don’t stare in the eyes of the one who is pushed against you. To create some space, we close ourselves from the world around us. Because of this, the city sometimes feels cold and hard. This is the reason for people to open up again.


On the street and in art we see this trend in ladies who are knitting to cheer up their

neighbourhood. They knit a colourful sweater and put it in the tree and the barrier of the train will not get a cold

because of his colourful sweater. The knitters don’t mind if people take their

creations since that is a positive reaction for them; the viewer likes the creations.

This is what ‘knitgraffiti’ is about; making other people smile for a minute. We also

found out that there are several groups in Amsterdam who put stickers on things like garbage cans and lampposts. The stickers

are saying ‘do me a kindness’.

Small RecapWith Compliments, 1 2 3 4

What wasWe were trying to create some space around us by lock

ourselves from others.

What is People are longing for some connection with each other, for warmth. Therefore we try to make each other smile

for a moment and giving compliments.

What will beBrands can use this trend by developing new strategies to find out what their consumer really wants. It is about

listening and becoming one of them.


This being nice movement also reached the brands. Lays chips and Coca Cola created Twitter accounts that will send

you a nice comment every day if you sign up. Heineken came up with an initiative to

thank their customers by sending girls into the city to hug the Heineken drinkers.

Non-commercial brands also like to receive good news. The GHZ hospital for

example, has a ‘compliment page’ on their website so people can thank their doctor. This is a reaction upon the bad news you hear a lot about doctors. We

also want to spread some positive words.

The government started a campaign that says: Nice people, how do we cope with them? They started a website where you can find tips and tricks about being kind to each other. This campaign shows the need we were having. Not everyone knows how to give compliments, for those ones, there is an app for the iPhones where they can give exact input for the compliment they like to give and the app will create it for them.

Future PerspectiveWith Compliments, 1 2 3 4

‘’This trend is about listening and caring about people. Brands can apply this by developing their contact with the customers. They can by becoming one of them. Try not to find out what the customer wants by marketing them, but try to find out by becoming a customer yourself. Talk with them on the same level and also tell about yourself. Invite them over for a cup of tea if they like to see more of you, as you would do with friends. Only at

this level you can find out what your consumer really wants. And if you know, you can give him that ‘present’ he or she is longing for. Another way of using this trend is to change your attitude against your competitors. Talk and learn from each other. See what they have to tell and talk with them about what to do to reach the target group and how you can help each other instead of working against each other. For example, discuss when to lounge new products, when the sale will be and what the sale will be for your company so the other company

can create another one. In the end, 1+1=3.’’


Live Young, Die FastIntroduction Consumer Group 1 2 3 4

‘‘ World War II ended 66 years ago, which means that also the Baby boom generation is reaching this age. Our society is growing grey rapidly and in the period of 2011-2015

there will even be half a million people more reaching the age of 65+, which is a doubling compared to the last period of five years, stated by the Central Bureau of

Statistics. Next to this, we are becoming older due to an increasing technological and medical knowledge. Therefore the elderly are getting a more dominant role in society

and will become more difficult to ignore as a target or taste group.’’


Live Young, Die FastThe Story 1 2 3 4

When people reached an age of around 70 it was common that they would complete the last part of their life in a home for the elderly. They would be living in a cheerless and desperate environment, playing cards, talking about the weather and waiting the whole week for Wednesday’s Bingo night. There is a period in our lives when we do not know what to do, what our use is and how we should or can behave.


We have found several signs that the elderly are starting to act younger than

people expect from them. For example a television program starring elderly people who are making a fool of younger people

called Benidorm Bastards shows on a humorous way that the elderly are not all

dull and boring. An item in Man Bijt Hond about elderly people who are playing with

children at a play court to feel younger and fitter.

Small RecapLife Young, Die Fast 1 2 3 4

What wasWhen people reached an age of around 70 it was

common that they would complete the last part of their life, living in a cheerless and desperate environment.

What is The elderly are starting to act younger than people

expect, and accept, from them.

What will beThey want to lead the last 25 to 30 years of their lives

the way they want to, instead of what is socially accepted, and want to choose when their lives end.


There is a theatre show called Grey Vibes with 60-plus men and women street-dancing and we have found an article about a music band with elderly people playing and singing music from The Black Eyed Peas to keep connected to modern society. A 62-year-old woman even got pregnant through IVF because she desperately wanted a baby, even at her age. Furthermore, there is a lot to do about euthanasia. We noticed several articles in De Volkskrant, Trouw and NRC

Next about a clinic specialised in euthanasia, a political discussion about

the subject and a new alternative for euthanasia through the use of helium gas, which can end a live quickly and

painless. Also a documentary which we have seen on HollandDoc, called Eeuwig

Leven, illustrates the issue of decaying and brings up the fact that we will keep

getting older and older.

Hello, my name is Mendel de Boer, I am 69 years old and live in Amsterdam. When I retired from my job at PWC a

few years ago, I did not know what to do with all the time I suddenly had and felt kind of lost. Then I realised that I did not want to end up sitting “behind the geraniums” or

in a home for the elderly, like people expect from you when you get old.

I decided to make a bucket list with all the things I still wanted to do with my life, from singing in a band and

buying a Nintendo Wii, to something extreme like bungee jumping.

I do not mind the fact that people look strange at me because of my age, but sometimes I feel misunderstood.

Of course I realise that the end of my life is coming closer and I am thinking about it more often. That is why I will

have a meeting next week with my doctor because I want to talk about what would happen if I get problems

with my health. I see lot of people my age decaying and I want to decide for myself when it is enough. But until

that time has come, I will keep enjoying my life and its opportunities.

The Greby BoomersMeet The Consumer 1 2 3 4


No More1 2 3 4Introduction Consumer Group

‘’We carry too much, it makes our lives difficult and drives us crazy. Therefore we are going to loose as much of the materialistic things we

became attached in order to make our lives liveable again. Less distraction means more focus on family and friends, live more sustainable and become

a ‘better’ person to regain a certain quality that we felt we lost.’’


No MoreTrend description 1 2 3 4

We have loads of stuff. From ‘our’ materialistic point of view on life we keep on wanting more and more. An average dutch family owns about 6000 kg of stuff. All this clutter makes life heavy and rather difficult. We have too many choices on the daily basis which tempts to drive us nuts. This overpressure in choice and the stress dragged along seems to be partly causing burnouts and midlife crises. This was beautifully portrayed in the documentary ‘All We Ever Wanted’, youngster who could be, do and buy whatever they wanted but became rather unhappy or frustrated over time. Cause stuff can never seem to fulfill ‘our’ hunger for satisfaction when it comes to happiness.

The whole movement behind this new kind of consumer has manifested itself on

blogs (missminimalist.com/ evbogue.com), fora and tons of e-books across the internet. People discuss ways

to loose as much stuff and clutter as possible and in which ways this gave them a better quality of life in return.


There now is this whole minimalistic movement popping up. People who got

tired of all the weight on their shoulders all the stuff brought along and got rid of

everything non-essential to regain control on their lives. So they are able to focus

more on family, friends and community to enjoy life more consciously.

Thinking and reducing the amount you use automatically makes you a more sustainable person. The planet itself

managed to maintain for millions of years without any waste, yet mankind seemed

to be capable of destroying loads in barely 200 years time. The website

spullendelen.nl started from the idea that it’s actually ridiculous for a street of 100 homes to have 100 lawn mowers when

they could easily do with one. Marketers made us believe for years and years that

everything we had was outdated, not fashionable and certainly in ‘need’ of

improvement and the new.

While other back-to-basic kind of trends often turn their back on technology, this

one embraces all technological development. Instead of having an

enormous amount of books, just have one tiny e-reader.

From a corporate point of view, higher quality and more durable products

automatically means less sales on the long run. Yet when a company does brake boundaries with this old, money orientated

model it will not just gain respect but will also be able to address to this new

consumer group. Take Phillips for instance, they developed an new LED light

bulb that will last 25 times longer compared to regular light bulbs.

Furthermore you can see the growth of the general consciousness in the raising sales

on quality products like tailored clothing and organic food. It’s all about

understanding the fact that your decisions have consequences somewhere and for

someone else.

Small RecapLife Young, Die Fast 1 2 3 4

What wasWe had too much stuff and choices which made our lives

difficult, causing stress and making us passive. Marketers made us believe we were in constant need of

the new.

What is People start thinking about the ridiculousness of their

behaviour as consumers.

What will beLess consumption, more re-use, repair and shared

ownership. There will be more attention for each other. Family, friend and community will become more

important.


The same goes for photo albums, movies, magazines, etc, they can all get digitalized. Saving you loads of kilograms and making you a more flexible person. Besides loosing weight in possessions, technology can also help you to find friends with common interest and getting in touch with certain communities. For example there is Foursquare, a smartphone application that uses the city as a playground for meeting others. It has a direct link to Twitter Places so you can check what somebody is like before actually meeting them.

Hi, my name is Max. I am a 26 year old guy from Portland, Oregon. About a year ago a good friend told me about his

minimalistic lifestyle, it immediately spoke to me.

Why on earth would I be working endless hours in order to buy stuff I do not really need. So about three months ago I took the

big scary jump and decided to quit my job. I am now mainly living from the savings I have built up earlier but started a

freelance illustration company. The goal is to earn just enough to maintain myself. Starting up my own business was hard, but looking back it was totally worth doing. I found time to see and

love my family, friends and girlfriend on the regular, work out, read, walk my dog, cook, sleep properly and draw lots of

beautiful things. I could not be happier.

The whole thing started of with giving away my TV to an elderly home since that was possibly the most passive of my

daily activities. After that I started giving away pretty much everything I would not miss. It is totally ridiculous that ‘we’ as

a society allow people in China to work under inhumane circumstances so we can buy cheap products. Now I borrow

everything I need from friends or if something is essential I get it second hand. Minimising the amount of consumption made

my life easier and more pleasant.

The Minsumer1 2 3 4


Meet The Consumer

Trend Report March 2011Mitch Martens I Inge Beentjes I Janneke Dekker I Frank van der Sman


Sign examples 1 2 3 4

Connect The Dots



Live Young, Die Fast1 2 3 4


Sign examples



1 2 3 4


With Compliments,Sign examples



1 2 3 4


No MoreSign examples

Documents

DDB signbank