NMI Releases Top Trends for the New Decade

Many clients and spas are living the trends listed below, and it is useful to recognize these behaviors as trends in order to align your business with a changing reality, making sure your spa is relevant now and in the future.

The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) revealed its latest trends, which are the result of various NMI research sources including the Health & Wellness Trends Database, the LOHAS Consumer Trends Database, Healthy Aging/Boomer Database and Supplements/OTC/Rx Database, as well as analysis of current activities in the marketplace.

NMI databases, now including 11 years of data across 500,000+ U.S. consumers, provide comprehensive information throughout more than 150 product categories.

Getting “Off the Grid”

A new spirit of self-reliance is now the driving force on a very personal level as consumers prioritize their spending and behavior toward what they believe is both purposeful, principled and powerful; what they can control. There is an almost tribal feeling to this shift, a circling of the wagons, as consumers actively pursue ways to become more self sufficient even beyond their spending habits, including household-generated energy, water conservation and purification, self-directed healthcare and private gardens; just a few of the ways consumers are looking to optimize their own resourcefulness and their sense of control.

Meaningful GREEN

GREEN has penetrated the consciousness and purchasing behavior of consumers across the globe with almost every company and product claiming at least a small place at the sustainability table. The challenge now is in achieving meaningful differentiation, as GREEN initiatives must be distinctive, memorable and measurable if they are to impact environmental, social and economic dimensions. Consumers demand that green products provide the same benefits and price as conventional products so it will be vital to align these elements into a powerful and profitable GREEN marketing mix. Look for the meaning of GREEN to move beyond the struggle of statistics – x% less packaging, y% more energy-efficient- to new communication platforms that extend the meaning of GREEN.

EcoTechMed

Powerful forces are converging along the healthcare continuum to catalyze explosive healthcare changes. New economic realities are motivating many to take greater steps towards proactive health care rather than sick care and greater responsibility for their own health and wellness. At the same time, technology is enabling fully customized and predictive prevention alternatives, including a blending of alternative medicine with Western medical science to create an endless possibility of more effective health care solutions. This perfect storm of the changing economic landscape, enabling technology and innovative treatment is poised to revolutionize health care as it is known today.

Breaking the Mold

Consumers are changing many long-held societal norms and these breaches in behavior open the door to disruptive innovation. From eating less meat, to refusing vaccines, to trading in the suburban castle for an eco-friendly urban flat, to rejecting financial services models and managing one’s own portfolio - consumers are starting to “just say no” to traditional approaches. When they say NO, when they break the mold, balk tradition, swim upstream, consumers are creating entirely new market sectors for valued products and services, entirely new category opportunities to which they can “just say YES!”

Pure & Simple

New trends in purity and simplicity are evident as the nation move to simpler inputs, focused messaging, cleaner labeling, streamlined design and easy delivery. Layers of complexity are being removed – a change that is desired because it becomes easier to determine the true fit of products and services with personal values. Simplicity and purity are not a “dumbing down,” but rather attempts to get at the essential core of what is really needed. This “less is more” trend is resonating with values-driven consumers, natural and ecofriendly enthusiasts, and convenience shoppers; purity and simplicity is now the ultimate sophistication.

The Future is NOW

Futurists have been foretelling societal and environmental decline to increasingly responsive audiences for years, but is it too little too late? From aging infrastructures to population growth to climate change, humans face a complex set of problems that threaten the population, economy and environment. For example, water sources are rapidly declining in quality and quantity, affecting production, power generation and the sustainability of the food chain; the very underpinnings of the global economy. Individually and collectively, people must solve the problems worth solving, develop new products and new services, NOW, to create a livable future.

Commonwealth of Connections

Increasingly, the aging population is driving massive societal shifts resulting in a host of new products and services. For example, “Seasoned Citizens” are now opting to stay nearer to home, not rushing to the sunbelt at retirement and are establishing new collaborative communities. These geographic shifts, as well as economic implications, are part of the redefinition of the Golden Years. New communities are being designed specifically to help seniors stay active, safe, independent and connecting to their world as long as possible. Uniquely designed and delivered amenities such as stores, restaurants and on-site social and employment opportunities make these much sought-after communities. Businesses are emerging across all economic and social strata, with products and services designed to connect to the financial, social and medical needs of these 100+ million (and growing) U.S. consumers.

Personal ROI

Consumers are DEMANDING greater value from every product or service they buy. This personal value is now being defined as personal return on investment, stemming from the desire to make the most of everything we have, including the investment of time and money. As Albert Einstein said, “Reality is merely an illusion, although a very persistent one,” and the reality of finite resources and time creates the desire to demand greater value. These value requirements transcend product cost and functionality to include a value differential. The value differentials that encompass fair trade, resource management, and the efficacy and productivity of corporate social responsibility programs are increasingly part of this emotional and social value equation yielding a growing dimension to personal ROI.

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