Trendwatch: Custowners
Henry MasonTrendwatching.com
In 2013, expect some consumers to turn their consumption into investment, actively 'buying into' the brands that are part of their lives.
So what is driving more customers to become Custowners? First, there's the online culture of participation and virtual 'ownership' – in its broadest sense – that so many consumers have become used to. Now, those consumers want to extend that 'ownership' culture to the offline world, too: and they'll seek investments that are emotional – that say something about their identity – as well as purely financial.
Second, there are the rising numbers...