Summary
This article looks at how British people in their 20s and 30s are delaying significant life stages compared to previous generations. The average age for taking out mortgages, getting married and having children is getting steadily older, while increased numbers of people aged 20-34 continue to live with their parents. There is widespread pessimism and the strains facing Generation Y are widely recognised by consumers across all age groups. Financial tools and services have come to the fore, as brands recognise the longer-term dependence of children on their parents, with the Family Springboard mortgage from Barclays and PNC's Virtual Wallet both cited. It predicts the appearance of more brand offerings that have the explicit aim of helping financially pressured Gen Y's to reach important landmarks.

Summary
This report summarises latest findings from a research project undertaken by ad agency RAPP, which aimed to find out how UK consumer spending habits have changed in response to the recession and subsequent government cuts, and what opportunities there are for brands to occupy the new niches that are emerging in the economy. The research showed that the spendthrift habits RAPP first identified in its 2010 study – such as households cutting certain items out of budgets or downgrading to cheaper versions of the same product – have become much more pronounced in the last two years. Clever companies have found ways to attract and keep these newly discerning shoppers both by introducing a new generation of highly personalised loyalty schemes, and by providing top quality customer service.

Summary
This event report details Commonwealth Bank of Australia's response to a variety of consumer and media trends in its marketing strategy. The financial services brand has embarked on a variety of digital initiatives recently, including a Facebook banking service, an upgraded blog, a mobile banking and payment app and an online "data hub" tracking consumer spending habits. Also discussed in the report is the bank's latest ad campaign and its response to the gamification trend.

Summary
This paper defines the opportunity the emerging middle class in China and India represent for HSBC, the global financial services group. First it defines the middle class consumer, and goes on to explore their attitudes to banking and finance. The paper indicates the range of knowledge required to build relationships with future, higher-revenue customers in these regions. Photojournalism was used to capture cultural norms as they relate to money, providing real-life evidence which was combined with an ethnographic exploration of 16 key respondents. The paper concludes by outlining five rules that can be used to leverage photojournalism in the art of storytelling.

Summary
In the wake of negative opinion polling on the reputation of UK banks in general, one brand asked Britain Thinks to set up qualitative discussion groups, and uncovered several ways in which their service and communications could improve. A key finding from the research was that many customers struggled to differentiate between their own high street bank and any of the others. The project also indicated that consumers who self-identify as being 'terrible at managing my finances' are more likely to feel that they don't know who to trust and are less likely to switch financial brands.

Summary
Four years on from the global financial crisis, economists are suggesting that rich economies may have to learn how to live in a world of low growth. Themes, or headwinds, of low-growth societies include an ageing population, an unequal society, a larger service sector, a debt overhang and higher energy prices. However, there are growth opportunities to be found. These can be tapped using strategies that include: looking for markets where the headwinds are weaker, such as in Poland or Italy; following the money as demographics change (e.g. older consumers are wealthier and will be looking for "bridge jobs" that will ease them into retirement); reducing energy costs; rescaling innovation; and reducing costs by providing more personalised services.

Summary
The middle-class is feeling increasingly guilty about spending on non-essentials, a shift most marked in Western nations, where TGI notes the emergence of a bargain-hunter mentality in the UK and US. In successful emerging markets the picture is different, with middle-class Indian and South African consumers significantly more likely to spend without thinking and those in Brazil and Egypt more likely to pay extra for quality. And while all markets have seen a decline in brand loyalty, the most loyal consumers are to be found among the middle-class in Brazil and China. Potential opportunities exist in developed markets for a positioning that removes the idea of treating, and its association with guilt, in favour of more positive emotions. Although developing markets are more open to price premiums, consumers are fickle in many countries and a premium positioning will require constant evolution.

Summary
Global consumer confidence indexed at 91 in Q4 2012, a one-point decline from Q3 2012, but an increase of two points from Q4 2011. Across the world regions, North Americans showed signs of economic improvement while declining confidence in Europe spread from troubled to core countries. The developing markets of Asia-Pacific outperformed developed ones and Latin Americans were confident for the year ahead. However, confidence declined among Middle Easterners/Africans. This report also looks at people's attitudes to job prospects and security, personal finances and discretionary spending habits and recession fears. Further detail about individual countries is included.

Summary
Economic recession has resulted in increased concerns about debt among a "squeezed" middle class, but attitudes to debt vary widely by country. There is more anxiety about the issue in markets that have seen sustained recession, in particular European countries like Germany and the UK. By contrast, the middle classes in China, South Africa, India and Mexico are comfortable with the idea of debt, although, as formal debt facilities are less widespread in these markets, few have really used it. Two patterns in attitude emerge with different implications. The middle class in developing markets is increasingly ready to use credit to purchase what they might not otherwise afford, so brands should consider a positioning that meets this need. Price is more important for the middle class in developed markets and brands could combine promotional offers with increasing brand loyalty to stop consumers moving from deal to deal.

Summary
This paper tackles the transformation and configuration of various Latin American societies - Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Nicaragua and Peru. Areas covered include consumption, the possibilities for economic development, the employment challenges faced by the young, the changes in families, senior citizens, communication and entertainment habits, as well as expenses and resources. Findings show that women and youth have seen especially marked changes from previous generations, there has been a loss in followers of the Catholic religion, obesity is on the rise and inequality between the poor and rich is extremely stark.