JWTIntelligence has published the annual overview of the top 10 consumer trends that will be making waves in 2014 and beyond. Most of them revolve around how people will interact with technology, either welcoming or resisting its overwhelming rule.  

The top trends of the coming years are, as follows:

1. Immersive Experiences. JWT predicts that brands will develop yet more engaging and multi-dimensional experiences, all to win customers’ hearts and capture their minds.

2. Do You Speak Visual? Images will win over text. Brands will have to master the art of creating visual pieces, photos, video vignettes and all other kinds of imagery to lure consumers into their narratives.

3. The Age of Impatience. In the coming years, most products and services will be on-demand. Consumers will want to get what they need right after they think about it. Businesses will be tapping into this trend, making their products and services available instantly, responding to impatience and impulsiveness of consumers.

4. Mobile as a Gateway to Opportunity. Smartphones and tablets will become main gateways to financial systems, new business tools, healthcare advice, education opportunities, basic Internet search and more.

5. Telepathic Technology. Technology that reads emotions and can recognize moods is already a reality. In the coming years, this trend will be developing, allowing brands to go further in understanding consumers’ decisions and moods and also responding to them in a personalized way.

6. The End of Anonymity. With technology and social media massive popularity today, anonymity is already a dream. Virtually no one can now remain unobserved and untracked by big corporations and governments. This will cause users’ growing paranoia and negative reaction to technologies and services that require personal data.

7. Raging Against the Machine. With the dominance of technology, people will strive to add more humane, authentic and simple things to their lives. We will value throwback and nourish practices that connect us with things that feel essentially humane.

8. Remixing Tradition. Consumers will be merging and blending the old traditions, adding a fresh touch to them. While sticking to the roots, we will play with established patterns to develop new versions of old things.

9. Proudly Imperfect. Flawed is now the new perfect. Imperfect things may come in place of perfectly polished or mass-produced.

10. Mindful Living. Conscious guilt-free consumption wins over consumerism. People want to get isolated from the constant noise, at least for some time, to feel the life as it is.

“With our annual trends forecast, our aim is to understand the forces of change that are shaping culture, consumer behavior and business, and actively participate in driving that change,” says Bob Jeffrey, Chairman and CEO, JWT Worldwide. “This type of intelligence allows us to identify emerging opportunities in the global marketplace that we can leverage on behalf of our multinational clients.”