PM360 April 2011

TREND WATCH

THINK GLOBALLY, BUY LOCALLY: CONSUMER TRENDS IN EMERGING MARKETS

Not only are consumers in emerging markets getting wealthier, smarter, and more sophisticated, but so are the brands currently making waves in these countries. Here’s a look at some brand-name products and services from across the world recently featured by trendwatching.com that had success in the last year thanks to an innovative feature, creative marketing campaign, or scientific breakthrough. One of the world's leading trend firms, trendwatching.com sends out its free monthly Trend Briefings to more than 160,000 subscribers worldwide.

CHINA
Trends tend to be cyclical, with something old often emerging as the coolest new thing. This proved to be true for Forever, a Shanghai-based bicycle company founded in the 1940s, which fell out of favor in the 1990s. The company relaunched under 23-year-old Chen Shan and released a new bicycle series called Forever C. This new series features lighter and more streamlined bikes available in a range of bright colors to appeal to the younger generation. The company now sells 1.3 million bicycles a year.

INDIA
The India-based Tata Group is comprised of more than 90 companies in seven business sectors. Several companies within the group experienced growth, but it was Tata Chemicals that developed a product to help address a larger societal problem. About 75% of the rural population of India lacks access to safe drinking water. The Tata Swach is a nanotechnology water purifier that produces clean drinking water through the use of common ash. Since this innovative device requires no energy or running water, it can provide safe, affordable water anywhere.

BRAZIL
To promote Kaiak, a men's cologne, Brazilian manufacturer Natura introduced an online sensory banner to give people a sample of the cologne’s scent. Natura partnered with Internet cafés across Brazil, where it installed small printers with perfume testers in the side of each monitor. People just had to click on the online banner to print out a sample to smell. The campaign received a 17.2% click-through rate and had 10,000 samples printed in one weekend.

MEXICO
Pirwi is a Mexico-based eco-driven designer of home furniture with an eye on the future. Each product is manufactured using nontoxic, easily recyclable or biodegradable materials with a low environmental impact. Designers also attempt to visualize the future to create beautiful and functional products that will hold up over time. The company was founded in 2007 by two designers, Emiliano Godoy and Alejandro Castro, and now has a collection with over 70 objects by 12 designers and features pieces considered classics of contemporary Mexican design.

Russia
Mobile TeleSystems (MTS) is a leading telecommunications group in Russia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia. To promote its mobile services and Data-Plan products, the company launched a digital campaign in Russia that used QR codes to take people on a treasure hunt. People started by scanning a QR code on a billboard to receive details for their next task with directions to the next QR code. Each week for seven weeks, the players who scored the most points were awarded prizes such as a Nintendo Wii.








—Andrew Matthius