The new technologies, worry over the unbridled overuse of natural resources, and the different concepts of relationships are among the factors that characterize the complexity of modern times. And in doing so they highlight some global aspects of behavior, including that of the new consumer, who is increasingly more alert to the world and ever-more demanding. Brazilian trends resulting from these movements follow certain lines, ones companies should study and understand:

1) DIGITAL RELATIONSHIP, SOCIAL ENGAGMENT: Digital relationships via social networks such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are now commonplace for the majority of Brazilians and are an important channel of communication with consumers. In the digital world brands are surrounded by opinions, praise and criticism, and companies need to use this mass of information to understand the market and develop and improve their products and services.

2) PEER POWER: Peer power, peer association and peer groups are fundamental for success in business. The peer-to-peer market is expanding on a global scale, thanks to social networks, Generation Y, and people’s need to find opportunities to sell and find what they need. Examples of this are the free market, group purchasing, and Spa Week.

3) INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER TARGETING: With the generation of data that consumers supply via social networks, in shops, supermarkets, credit cards, etc., brands are tending to understand and segment their target, offering increasingly more personalized services and communication directed in line with the consumer’s needs and wants.

4) PRIVACY VS PUBLIC SHOW: In an age in which public life is becoming standardized, people are coming up with creative ways to carve out private spaces. There is no rejection of social media; the benefits of maintaining a lively digital identity are understood, but at the same time a new notion of privacy for the twenty-first century is redefined and gradually managed.

5) A CELL PHONE IS LIKE A FINGERPRINT: Cell phones are turning into fingerprints the more they become wallets, keys, health consultants, diaries, and ID, all in one place.

6) SMART OBJECTS: Technological progress is making everyday items into ‘smart’ ones. PCs, cars and even whole houses are becoming part of people’s daily life, making it easier and less stressful. Soon there’ll be ‘manicure machines’ and ‘home leisure machines’ for depilation, and other novelties geared to make our beauty routine part of our everyday life.

7) EVERYTHING IS RETAIL: The act of shopping is migrating from something that takes place in actual shops or online to a value proposition that can be applied in startlingly new ways. As almost everything can be a retail channel, mostly thanks to mobile technology, companies must seek out increasingly more and more creative ways in which to make their products known and sell them.

8) APPS AS COMPETITIVE EDGE: Apps came to the fore in 2013 and companies using them in-house and with their consumers will beat out the competition.

9) SENSORY EXPERIENCES: As we still experience the world via only five senses (touch, smell, taste, sight and sound), sensory marketing techniques will become more complex. Concept must be joined with product to equal experience.

10) THE AGE OF SUPERSTRESS: Information overload and multitasking have added suffering to our lives over the past 4 years. This trend continues in 2014 and in 2015, resulting in the search for relaxing spaces and activities, a better quality of life, and the concept of experience. As awareness of the impact and happiness in our well-being increases, companies will have to face it, focusing on health as a happiness factor

Source: III Book of Trends 2014–2015, Abihpec (Brazilian Association of the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Industry)