In the final quarter of the year, as 2014 drew to a close we saw: Consumer: An affirmation of roles. Culture: A blending of seriousness and ease. Economy & Industry: Getting beyond barriers to the unexpected. Brand & Marketing: Giving more.
The Self Defined Woman. It’s an interesting time to be a woman. Headlines suggest that despite all women’s progress, women still can’t win—she’s damned if she does, she’s damned if […]
Fashionable Looks. While women are trying to reinstate a serious discussion over women’s rights, men seem to be getting more comfortable with their softer side. Over the last decade men […]
Casual Luxury. From luxury sneakers to luxury in the great outdoors, these days we seem to want to feel comfort without giving up any sophistication. This year saw a blending […]
Getting Around the Dinner Table. This year we’re seeing a movement to get people around the dinner table to forward progress on causes. While there has there been a trend of communal dining—from large, shared restaurant tables and online programs, such as eatwith.com, that bring strangers together over a meal, […]
Celebrity Conglomerates. Our cultural attraction to celebrity continues to fuel the creation of celebrity conglomerates. Celebrities are no longer just entertainers, rather many have become full-fledged brands and businesses in their own right, hiring big business players to expand their brands beyond the screen and stage. No longer are celebrities […]
Reverse Commercial Imperialism. Amongst companies, retailers, and brands, this year has punctuated just how global our economy really is. It’s no longer guaranteed that a company has a distinct national identity or that the companies and countries one might think would be winning are. For example, in the past, U.S. […]
Journalism Still Rising. By purchasing The Washington Post, was Amazon’s Jeff Bezos signaling the revival of American journalism, perhaps a reversal of fortune? Fortune is likely too strong a word, but journalism is reemerging from the wake of the industry’s shake-up with serious journalism returning in new formats. Amidst The […]
Role for Both Types of Companies. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, one would think that entrepreneurship and young companies are at the center of our economy and should be where everyone wants to work. It’s easy to forget that Google, Amazon, Apple, and Facebook, while they started as […]
Flexible Talent. With our economy having shifted even more away from manufacturing and to services, it reinforces that talent has been a driver of economic growth. Yet, a significant problem companies and workers face is the need for more flexibility—companies do not always need full-time headcount to accomplish their goals, […]
WEATHERVANE FORUM 