Generations

Tracking the key characteristics and values of generational demographics as each cohort evolves.

Download: Generations Now and Next

From Baby Boomers and Gen X to Millennials, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, uncover what unites and divides consumers across generations

Macro Trends

Boomers: Ageing to Becoming

By 2030 they will all have reached the average Western retirement age of 65, supercharging a wider re-assessment of later life purpose along the way

Macro Trends

Gen X: Ambiguity to Advocacy

Having long lived in the shadow of Baby Boomers and Millennials, Gen X are racing against time to make their influence felt

Macro Trends

Millennials: Pink to Prime

After a stuttering start to their adult lives, the first generation to use the internet as children are hitting their prime earning years

Macro Trends

Alphas: Sandbox to Roblox

Many of the technologies, careers and crises that will define and shape the lives of Gen Alpha are yet to exist

Big Ideas

Selfridges to unveil project celebrating born-again creatives

Selfridges is launching the Bright Old Things initiative, celebrating 40–80-year-old creative thinkers and showing that it’s never too late to try ...

Selfridges : Bright Old Things : The Flat Age Society

Big Ideas

Thync, the app that uses neurosignalling to control mood

Thync is a new wearable device that enables users to change their mood and optimise their state of mind.

Thync : Mood Altering Technology : Awakening Tech

Big Ideas

Start-up helps emerging brands move at fast fashion speed

Fashion e-commerce start-up Nineteenth Amendment is enabling consumers to shop for emerging brands on a timeline that mimics the fast fashion model.

Nineteenth Amendment : Emerging Designers : Retail Futures

Big Ideas

Attitudes to employment and loyalty are changing among US Millennials

A recent study into US Millennials’ roles and priorities in the workplace reveals changing attitudes towards company loyalty.

Millennial Workforce : Company Loyalty : Bleisure

Viewpoints

The Latimer Group: Co-creating authentic media

The Latimer Group’s co-founder and managing director Matt Hay and director of insights and innovation Helen Job discuss youth m...

The Latimer Group : Media

Micro Trends

JOMO

As more of us become exhausted with the notion of managing multiple online personalities, a new counter-opinion to the always-on mentality is emerg...

JOMO : Social Media : The Sharded Self

Big Ideas

Child cyberbullying cases double in the past year

A new poll from McAfee reveals that the number of children experiencing cyberbullying has doubled in the past year.

McAfee : Cyberbullying : Generation D

Big Ideas

Snapchat launches in-app cash transfer system

Snapcash lets Snapchat users send money to each other quickly.

SnapChat : Payment : Snapcash

Big Ideas

Headset creates urban soundscapes for the blind and partially sighted

Microsoft, charity Guide Dogs and the UK government’s Future Cities Catapult programme have collaborated on the creation of a discreet headset desi...

Assistive Technology : Sight Loss : Awakening Tech

Big Ideas

Survey finds teenage girls have lowest self-esteem for seven years

A new survey reveals that young people’s confidence is at an all-time low.

Schools Health Education Unit : Low Self-esteem : Generation D

Big Ideas

Software applied to the workplace will predict if people are likely to leave

Software developer Workday will introduce predictive mechanics, used by companies such as Netflix, into its products, enabling businesses to t...

Workday : Predicitve Modelling : Bleisure

Big Ideas

Neiman Marcus app enables customers to shop using photos

American luxury department store chain Neiman Marcus has added a Snap.Find.Shop. feature to its app that lets customers search for products us...

Neiman Marcus : Mobile : Visual-Search Commerce

Big Ideas

Serial podcast attracts new audience to long-format audio storytelling

Serial, a new podcast featuring a true-crime narrative told over multiple full-length episodes, is leading to renewed interest in audio storytell...

Podcast : Radio : Binge Culture

Big Ideas

Marvel, Warner/ DC and Sony reveal superheroes of the big screen are here to stay

Marvel, Warner/DC and Sony have revealed plans to produce 29 superhero films between them over the next six years.

DC Comics : MArvel : The Sharded Self

Micro Trends

Stranger Liaisons

The arrival of social media has meant we have more ‘friends’ than ever. But although we are happy to connect with people we have never met online, ...

The Sharded Self : Millennials : JOMO

Big Ideas

New low-cost smartphone aimed at young people in emerging markets

Former Apple CEO John Sculley has launched a low-cost smartphone aimed at young people in emerging markets.

Obi Mobiles : John Sculley : New Emerging Affluents

Big Ideas

Fortnum & Mason collection goes on sale at Lane Crawford

Piccadilly luxury retailer Fortnum & Mason has joined forces with Hong Kong department store retailer Lane Crawford on a new range of pro...

Fortnum & Mason : Lane Crawford : China's New Emerging Affluents

Big Ideas

Online tool lets consumers understand how advertisers see them

Floodwatch is an online tool that enables users to track the advertisements they are presented with while browsing the internet.

Floodwatch : Big Data : Data Visualisation

Markets

Halloween Market

Long considered a North American holiday for children, Halloween is becoming a global, cross-generational consumer event.

Halloween : Fancy Dress : Millennials

Big Ideas

US urban cores gain young, well-educated residents

Urban cores across the US are attracting an outsized share of young and educated residents, even in cities where the overall economic picture is...

City Observatory : Demographics : Urban Policy