Creativity as "Protection from Automation"
While automation will likely reduce some jobs involved in routine work (which could account for 15% or 400 million positions), it is unlikely to have the same effect in the creative industry. On the contrary, the demand for skilled professionals in creative industries is expected to grow by up to 85% in some countries by 2030.
An aging population and changes in the nature of work due to new technologies will lead to a significant labor imbalance. By 2030, the demand for highly skilled workers may exceed supply by more than 85 million people, costing the global economy $8.45 trillion in lost revenue (according to Weforum and Kornferry).
Generational Shift Brings Changes in Brand Positioning
The digital revolution has been a key factor in the development of Generation Z, who "grew up with a smartphone in hand" between 1997 and the early 2010s. This period, known as VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity), has shaped a generation marked by high social and career mobility, with their decisions often driven by pragmatism. They will face the challenges of digitalization head-on and seek solutions in the digital world.
Generation Z starts working earlier, using digital platforms unfamiliar to their parents. While 60% of American Gen Z members aged 13 to 22 report having a side job, there is a growing demand for practical educational programs in new fields (according to Time and Deloitte).
Generation Alpha and New Brand Values
Those born in the early 2010s are known as Generation Alpha, which, like previous generations, will be the most technologically advanced and educated in history.
This generation will also be distinguished by their upbringing — in 2016, 40% of children in OECD countries were born into single-parent families. They will also experience a high degree of financial inequality, driven by global trends and the increasing association of childbearing with less affluent families. While technology will make life more convenient, Generation Alpha will have more free time, which will influence their focus on self-expression, self-care, and education, bringing mental health and learning for personal enjoyment to the forefront of brand strategies.
At the same time, digital innovations and the rising cost of living will push many of them to seek alternatives to traditional education and pursue their passions within new forms of employment.
Global Trends — Insights for Brands
Today's world is characterized by contrasting trends: on one hand, a growing population facing the challenges of digitalization; on the other, an increasing emphasis on the knowledge economy and its derivative, the creative economy, which relies on human imagination.
These trends are impacting brand values, which must respond to the challenges of the times by putting people, their needs, and aspirations first. Brand platforms across industries are becoming more emotional and increasingly focusing on issues of identity and purpose.
At Electric Brand Consultants, we conduct desk research to identify global trends. Thanks to our extensive experience, we provide our clients with the most up-to-date data to build brand positioning hypotheses.
