august 2015 asia trend bulletin - trendwatching |...

FUTURE OFDIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIAFour powerful trends (opportunities!) for brands in 2016 and beyond.

ASIA TREND BULLETIN

AUGUST 2015

WE ARE SOCIAL, MARCH 2015

Asia Pacific. Population: 4 billion. Mobile subscriptions: 3.7 billion. Active internet users: 1.4 billion.

DIGITAL CONSUMERISM IN ASIA 2www.trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia

http://trendwatching.com/trends/digital-consumerism-in-asia


http://trendwatching.com/trends/4-trends-in-digital-asia

Asia Pacific accounts for more than half of the world’s smartphones today.

eMarketer, DeceMber 2014





SPARKLABS GLOBAL ASIA E-COMMERCE REPORT, FEBRUARY 2015

E-commerce sales in Asia Pacific are estimated to reach USD 681 billion in 2015, rising to USD 1 trillion in 2017.

2015 2017

1000bn

500bn





870 tech startup delegates attended Tech in Asia Singapore conference in 2012. The number grew to 1,498 in 2015.

tech in asia, May 2015





Yes, technology is transforming Asian consumerism.

But you knew that already. But here’s the catch:

technology alone is NOT the point.





Not your wisdom, but that Jack Ma,

founder of Alibaba ;)

It’s not the technology that changes the world. It’s the dreams behind the technology.

Yes, the numbers on digital tech in Asia are amazing. But that’s precisely why it’s all too easy to get fixated on the technologies and miss the real point. What matters most is actually the supercharged lifestyles – the dreams – that technology enables. Because in the end, consumerism is still (and always will be) about people and their fundamental needs and wants.

So if you came here thinking you’ll read about the growth of wearables, the advent of smart cities, the Internet of Things, and all the other widely-covered tech trends, you’re going to be sorely disappointed. You know about those trends already. But what can you do with them?

In this Trend Bulletin, you’ll find four new tech-fueled opportunities for you to innovate around. Learn, adapt, innovate, find new ways to serve fundamental needs... and profit!





Four tech-fueled trends reshaping Asian consumerism in 2016 and beyond.

1. ALL ON MESSAGING Messaging platforms as a remote control for day-to-day living.

2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY Directories for a new, fuzzier consumer arena.

3. BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID BOP consumers meet cutting-edge digital tech.

4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE The pursuit of online/offline balance.





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1. ALL ON MESSAGINGMessaging apps become remote controls

for day-to-day living.






43% of web traffic in Asia comes through mobile.Globally, that figure is just 33%.

43%

33%

Asia

Global





In fact, it’s probably time to stop calling

them ‘messaging’ apps ;)

Messaging app ecosystems are EXPANDING.

By Q1 2015, WeChat had 549 million active monthly users. For LINE, that figure was 205 million. It’s little wonder that mobile messaging apps are now the go-to channels for brands to reach consumers.

On top of that, Asian consumers love digital CRAMMING – having multiple features available in one platform. Mobile apps like WeChat and LINE have steadily built ecosystems of their own: in-app shopping and flash deals, games, content, cute stickers (of course!) and more.

But now, the consumer’s expectations are broadening – they want to do more. Smart brands are responding by using messaging apps not simply as shopping and content channels, but to offer lifestyle solutions, solve social issues, provide financial services, and ultimately make individual and community life better.

So, are you ready for the messaging app as a remote control for day-to-day living?

1. ALL ON MESSAGING





February 2015 saw LINE launch a USD 42 million fund to transform itself from a messaging app to a “smartphone gateway for your life”, packing lifestyle solutions into one platform.





ALL ON MESSAGING: FEATURED INNOVATIONS

WeChat City ServiceShangai government and FoodPanda on WeChat


http://mp.weixin.qq.com/s?__biz=MzA4ODQ2MjQzOA%3D%3D&mid=205490178&idx=3&sn=0cd6554d5e9aa33181501446fd40b168&scene=1&key=2e5b2e802b7041cf1c41bad61f0a8a5ad9bf8de01efbfe7b3f6100d8c0cd3c9e45ca8aa3e7f9ebaf11daaf533dfeccc3&ascene=1&uin=MTY0ODI0&devicetype=webwx&version=70000001&pass_ticket=%2F4ACh6YWQsdemqab6mwe%2BCwO%2BkDM8wCJhqIKEpwMhbM%3D





BurberryGrocery deliveries and Burberry on LINE


http://www.burberryplc.com/media_centre/press_releases/2015/burberry_launches_global_partnership_with_line





Delhi PoliceDelhi Police Department and Homework Gods on WhatsApp


http://www.delhipolice.nic.in/





1. ALL ON MESSAGING

NEXT?This trend spells massive opportunity. How to apply? Partner with the messaging platform your target audience is already using. Think about how you can make familiar processes easier and faster, offer content that’s genuinely new, or provide useful new information. And yes, the same thinking can be applied to other social platforms, too. See how Kotak Mahindra Bank launched a Twitter-based savings account in India.




http://www.kotak.com/personal-banking/accounts-deposits/jifi-account/jifi.html

http://www.kotak.com/personal-banking/accounts-deposits/jifi-account/jifi.html

2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORYDirectories for a new, fuzzier consumer arena.





The rise of online culture and e-commerce has blurred the boundaries that previously defined the consumer arena. That means all kinds of new products and services, suppliers, and marketplaces, as well as the ability to organize access to resources in new ways.

Exciting? Sure. But all that adds to the choice paralysis that afflicts so many consumers today. Now, new directories and platforms are springing up to help consumers navigate the consumption-sphere in 2015: one filled with social media sellers, online local tradesmen, parking spaces for hire, and much more.

That means better decisions, with minimum effort.


2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY

Luckily, a familiar breed of website can help.

P2P. Social shopping. Suppliers in unexpected places. It’s a confusing world out there.




DISCOVERY DIRECTORY: FEATURED INNOVATIONS

Oiffel, Kleora and ShopiousOnline aggregators help consumers discover Instagram shops in Indonesia


http://www.shopious.com/





HandyHome and PageAdvisorOnline directories for domestic home solutions


http://handyhome.in/





Parking DuckOnline marketplace helps drivers find parking spaces


https://www.parkingduck.com/





GottaGoMobile app lists nearby restrooms


http://gottago.help/





2. DISCOVERY DIRECTORY

NEXT?Think about everyday painpoints where consumers need information but do not want to invest time and effort on the search process. Create directories for the most unlikely services, from public toilets and parking spaces, then go one step further and facilitate instant purchase!




3. BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID

BOP consumers meet cutting-edge digital tech.






From 2014 to 2015, the number of internet users in Cambodia and Myanmar grew by 414%

and 346% respectively.

Cambodia Myanmar

2014

2015





We constantly hear about Asia’s new, affluent, urban middle class. But the fact remains that most countries in the region are still developing.

Countries including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and India all have internet speeds below the global average, but users in these regions spend the most time on the internet when compared to their Asian counterparts (We Are Social, March 2015).

BOP engagement with tech is certainly not new (feature phones!), but – in a time when even Ojeks and rickshaws are getting a digital makeover – expectations around technology are also rapidly changing. Now, the Asian BOP are making use of cutting-edge technologies that can solve shared problems, make people safer, and improve quality of life. Fishermen using satellite tech to locate the best haul, anyone?

So when you’re thinking about tech innovations for BOP consumers – think smart.



These markets are driving much of

Asia’s growth.

52% of the population in the ASEAN markets reside in rural areas.

http://www.go-jek.com/

https://jugnoo.in/#/




BOTTOM OF THE (SMART) PYRAMID: FEATURED INNOVATIONS

KhushiSmart necklace for kids keeps track of vaccinations


http://khushibaby.org/





mFishMobile app helps Indonesian fishermen locate the best spots


http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2014/06/227630.htm





The Escalator ProjectMall-generated electricity powers rural Indian villages


http://www.krahejacorp.com/





PawnHeroOnline pawn shop opens in the Philippines


http://pawnhero.ph/





NEXT?Can you use simple technology to create meaningful innovations that solve real issues in Asia’s emerging markets? Think about how you can adapt your current offerings to suit the local landscape.





4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINEForget digital detox – it’s all about discipline.





TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 2014

63% of Japanese parents worry that their kids will become addicted to smartphones.

63%





Last November we wrote about DIGITAL DISCIPLINE, highlighting how it will be one of the biggest topics in consumerism this year. Since then, it’s edged ever-closer to the mainstream.

Indeed, January 2015 saw the Taiwanese government pass legislation obliging parents to limit the amount of time their children spend on digital devices.

Of course, for most consumers switching off entirely – even for a few days – just isn’t an option. So now, innovative brands are helping consumers cultivate healthier relationships with their digital devices, instead of depriving them altogether.


4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE

But Asian digital addicts don’t want cold

turkey – they just want to manage their

habit ;)

Admitting you have a problem is the first step.

http://trendwatching.com/trends/10-asian-trends-for-2015/#slide-23




DIGITAL DISCIPLINE: FEATURED INNOVATIONS

ReebokSubway game in encourages South Korean commuters to look up from phones


https://youtu.be/qNSaAp_U0R0





McDonald’s IndiaFast food chain encourages diners to reconnect offline


https://youtu.be/AdqE9AE7btA





OppoSmartphone brand tells Vietnamese dads to put down phones


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LfFFHDSdo0





NEXT?Think about innovative ways you can help your consumers have a healthier relationship with technology. Create initiatives for consumers to fill their idle time away from digital devices. Launch campaigns that remind consumers to be more digitally disciplined. Perks and rewards can go a long way too ;)

4. DIGITAL DISCIPLINE




IN CONCLUSION...






Four trends. Countless opportunities.Trends are useless, unless you think about how to apply them. Now you have your trend download, pick out the ideas that resonate and start innovating! It’s time to create your own trend-driven innovations that will serve and delight your Asian consumers in the age of digital consumerism...




If you have any comments, suggestions or questions then please do let us know. Just email:

PAUL BACKMANChief Client [email protected]

ABOUT USEstablished in 2002, trendwatching.com is the world’s leading trend firm, scanning the globe for the most promising consumer trends, insights and related hands-on business ideas. Our Premium Service counts

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