An unusual study «Secrets and Lies» by Y&R reveals unconscious views and values of consumers that can be hardly ever learnt from ‘regular’ surveys. Conducted in April 2013 among 900 online respondents from the U.S., Brazil and China, the survey combines two methodologies: traditional survey research to reveal what people want others to think of them, as well as indirect questioning, a so-called Implicit Association that sheds light on consumers’ unconscious, hidden motivations.

Why to buy something if you need it for a limited time only? It’s much easier (and more rational) to share underused assets instead of purchasing and owning them individually. The past few years have witnessed the rise of what’s called the sharing (share or shared, collaborative, peer, access) economy which implies collaborative consumption of physical, virtual and intellectual goods. The new model of consumer relationship emerges at the intersection of online social networking, mobile technology and the social movement that comes as a response to the reduction in purchasing power. While the concept of the sharing economy seems to be clear, it needs some detailing. Why is the sharing economy good to people? What threats to traditional business can it pose? Does the collaborative consumption have a potential to become a consumer religion of tomorrow? 

Cheryl Swanson’s recent article on Popsop discussed the ever-growing Generation Z and their influence over the larger populous. But this increasingly influential consumer group represents just one part of the age debate. The other? Anyone 50+. One third of the U.S. population will be over 50 by next year and whilst this consumer group may have made up a negligible part of the consumer demographic in past years, they are now stepping up and raising their expectations.