Key findings of Trendbuero's expert survey about the future of the creative industry (focused on Europe and Asia)

1. Trendbüro Asia-Pacific
2007-10-10
A Shift In Creative Industry
Expert Survey
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 1

2. Q1: In the next five years, which countries will be the most important
for the CI in a global context?
60%
40%
20%
0%
CHINA USA JAPAN GERMANY UNITED KINGDOM INDIA
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 2

3. Q2: Which factors are responsible for the growing importance of the CI?
43% Fashionisation of Commodities
37% Design Becoming the Next Competitive Advantage
25% Increasing Need for Unique and Customised Products
23% Use Design to Simplify Functions of Complex Products
21% Global Shift Towards an Entertainment Society
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 3

4. Q3: What are the five most important drivers of change for the CI in
Europe?
– The growing importance of Intellectual Property Rights and the adoption of industry
standards on a global level is causing further internationalisation of the CI.
– Increasing competition and the availability of information, finance and resources are
making design the USP and giving well-designed products a competitive advantage.
– Global network of consumers and a shift towards digital lifestyle requires the CI to
get even closer to the individual and get even more interdisciplinary.
– Enduring saturation of mass markets and the economic empowerment of developing
countries will make niche markets and customised solutions more important.
– Decreasing product quality due to rapid development and shorter lifecycles are
triggering a counter trend where people desire quality and locally produced goods.
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 4

5. Q4: What are main impacts of these changes?
– Increasing global convergence of culture, concepts and trends require improvement
of intercultural competence from companies as well as the their ability to ignite
desire for global values and visions.
– It is better to be the first with a good-enough solution than the last with a
perfection one. To satisfy increasing demands of consumers with limited purchasing
power, companies should focus on quality and the basic functionality of products.
– Product lifecycles are evolving. To keep pace with increasing consumer demands and
rapidly changing product environments, products are continuously tested, improved,
and marketed. Beta markets are the new mass markets.
– Fields such as biology, technology, social science and artificial intelligence are
increasingly important in the development of consumer-oriented solutions in a
complex and continuously changing environment.
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 5

6. Q5: Which brands, products or concepts are pioneering the CI today and
in the future?
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 6

7. Q6: Where will the fertile grounds for innovation in the CI be in the
future?
77% Digital Communication
56% Entertainment and Event Marketing
32% Advertisement
21% Biology/Biotechnology
15% Energy and Environment
12% Interface Design
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 7

8. Q7: Which parts of the CI will grow the most within the next three
years?
Advertisement Internet
Mobile Communication
Interface Design Technology
Education
Visual Arts
Video Games
Design Architecture
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 8

9. Q8: What are challenges the CI face today and in the immediate future?
57% Slow Unification of Laws vs. Quick
Globalization of Design
43% Disparity Between Purchasing Power and
Higher Consumer Demands
38% Lack of Cultural Understanding
24% Open-Source Culture
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 9

10. Q9: Which fields within the CI are facing the most difficulties?
67% Music and Film Industry
58% Classic Forms of Advertising
38% Print Publishing
23% Fashion
12% Fine Arts
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 10

11. Q10: Which current examples best illustrate how the CI is changing?
– Consumers are more involved in product development, becoming co-producers.
www.facebook.com
– Classic product lifecycles turn into a continuously evolving process, e.g.
American Idol (research, development and promotion are occurring the same time).
www.americanidol.com
– Design is becoming the crucial competitive advantage. iPod created a new product
category where traditional mp3 players cannot compete.
www.apple.com/
– Customers promote their favorite brands and products via platforms like YouTube. But
these platforms need creative minds providing content that is worth sharing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8H29jU8Wrs
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 11

12. Research Design
– Trend Farm, Beijing: an expert workshop was conducted with 12 experts from the CI
with working experience in the EU/USA/Asia attending
– Online Expert Survey: 78 experts from the CI in the EU/Asia participated in the
survey
– Visionairs Studio, Berlin: a one-week workshop during the Creative Industry
Conference in Berlin with 10 experts from the CI from the EU/Asia attended
Key Findings www.trendbuero.com >> 12

13. ©2007
Thank you!
Trendbüro Asia | Europe
Dirk Jehmlich
General Manager Asia-Pacific
Trendbüro
#2108 Xintai Building | 8 Xiaguangli | Chaoyang District | 100016 Beijing | China
Email: d.jehmlich@trendbuero.com | http://www.trendbuero.com
Contact www.trendbuero.com >> 13