The brand strategists’ toolkit #24: Trends and PEST analysis

Nick Liddell

At the start of each year trends reports are published by a host of sources – Nick Liddell explains some of the problems with this type of analysis and shares best practice on how to monitor and evaluate the impact of trends.

One of the consultancies I used to work in would release an annual publication of the trends it believed would shape branding and innovation over the coming year. At the beginning of 2023 my inbox was brimming with similar content:

  • Gartner is telling me that fully virtual workspaces in the metaverse are about to ‘reimagine’ the office experience, that portable digital identity wallets are going to underpin a more personalised Web3 experience, and that shareholder acceptance of speculative ‘moonshot’ investments will become a viable alternative to traditional R&D spend.
  • Meanwhile, the Financial Times is predicting a long war in Ukraine,...

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