The global brand experience agency Jack Morton has analysed some obvious consumer trends, such as «Internet of things,» boom of wearable devices or rise on concerns about social responsibility, to reveal what people (often refereed to as consumers in the world of marketers) really think, feel and want.

The nine people-centric trends and directions that many consumer brands should bear in mind are, as follows:

1. Using personal data responsibly to build trust. This makes relationships between brands and consumers rather symbolic than parasitic as it used to be. A recent survey by Softchoice earlier this year indicated that Millenials were more open to sharing their personal data with brands, even open to lose data or be hacked.

2. Wearable tech should bring not just useful, but emotional and beautiful experience.

3. Immersive multi-sensory experience doesn’t mean just visual. Taste, scent, sound, touch—brands should think how to engage consumers at all sensory levels.

4. People prefer to live spontaneously and make new discoveries via a mobile phone as a means of emotional  connection between people, not just as a communication channel.

5. People need thoroughly personalized services that bring logical and practical benefits.

6. People need digital detox and restriction of online information and communications.

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7. Brands should be empathetic and create environments (real-world, retail environments) where people can take a break from stress and build an emotional connection with the brand.

8. People expect brands to do social good. «Being nice» is the new black.

9. People want from brands real down-to-earth useful innovations that have many iterations, solid research and development efforts behind them, as well as humanistic values at their heart.