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October 2016

THE TRENDS REPORT

A MONTHLY SNAPSHOT OF TRENDS IN MARKETING, STORYTELLING AND DIGITAL

CULTURE FOR AFRICA.

CREATIVITY AND A NEW

REALITY

At NATIVE VML, we believe that the new frontier of creativity is in the ability to orchestrate ideas that live in people’s lives — not ideas that interrupt them.

Without the necessary tools and a passion for collaboration, we will continue to operate in silos and in opposition to how the connected consumer behaves and what she desires.

Collaboration breeds a new reality

Light the Fuse — a startup promising to make collaboration between designers and developers easier.

Without collaboration, it would be impossible for people to work together and effectively harness their collective creativity.  

A new startup, Fuse, offers tools that recently became available to the public. These tools allow developers to build apps similarly to how designers work in Photoshop, Sketch or After Effects. It provides a ‘what-you-see-is-what-you-get’ design experience and will work across a variety of platforms.

Source: http://venturebeat.com/2015/12/28/15-interesting-startups-to-watch-in-2016/

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One of the benefits of evolving technology is that we can tackle problems in new ways using methods once thought impossible.

By way of example, we can now generate enough electricity to power our homes by peddling a bike, or we can potentially build solar energy-capturing roofs at a lower cost than building a traditional roof (thanks to favourite South African Elon Musk).

Given the above, does micro-biotic technology sound crazy?

Rethinking the bad

Designer bacteria in a pill to treat disease.

“Synthetic biologists are developing genetically modified bacteria that you swallow.”

These experimental pills contain bacteria designed to treat a rare metabolic disease by soaking up large amounts of ammonia in a patient’s stomach.

Testing will begin in 2017, and already designer bacteria startups like Earnest Pharmaceuticals have revolutionary plans, including using salmonella to fight cancer.

Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602724/companies-bet-on-designer-bacteria-as-new-way-to-treat-disease/

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INNOVATION AND DISRUPTION

Human beings seem to have the odd propensity to desire a reality beyond our own. Augmented reality and, in particular, virtual reality has been making massive waves for brands that want to provide this ‘new’ reality.

More dimensions,more experiences,

more realities

Remember Magic Leap? Well they’re still trying to change everything.

Magic Leap, the startup we’ve covered previously that promises a mixed reality experience beyond our wildest dreams, has announced several product development milestones.

A total of $1.4 billion in funding demonstrates a good deal of interest in their ‘lightfield’ technology, which will improve both AR and VR experiences, but will also form the basis for “a new kind of contextual computer”.

Can you imagine playing Pokemon Go in an augmented, mixed reality world? This development might be the very thing to reignite interest in our existing reality.

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Source: http://futurism.com/a-sneak-peak-inside-magic-leap-remaking-the-world-around-us/Image Source: http://vrsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Leap.jpg

MEDIA JUJITSU

Drone use has recently been on the rise, and as consumers begin to find their wings, governments are scrambling for ways to appropriately regulate now easily-accessible airspace.

In the midst of this, brands are attempting to take advantage of this emerging technology, as they are wont to do, to advertise in new and innovative ways.

Flying high

Uber uses drones to advertise to drivers stuck in traffic.

Many of us have seen the witty Gautrain billboards that speak directly to the frustration of motorists stuck in nauseating traffic. Well Uber has taken this message to the next level. Using drones, the taxi disruption company greeted motorists with signs advertising UberPool; the carpooling service they launched recently. Signs read, “The city would be for you, not 5,5 million cars,” or, “Driving by yourself? This is why you can never see the volcanoes.” MIT Technology Review labeled the campaign as “heckling” drivers, and Popular Science mused over whether this form of advertising could soon emerge in the United States.

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Source: http://www.theverge.com/2016/10/17/13308014/uber-drone-advertising-mexico-city-carpool-dystopiaImage Source: https://www.technologyreview.com/s/602662/ubers-ad-toting-drones-are-heckling-drivers-stuck-in-traffic/

CONNECTING THE UNCONNECTED

South Africa has one of the highest data rates per capita in not just Africa, but in the entire world.

When will data prices fall? When will the less fortunate have greater access to information? When will we close the digital divide?

With South Africa moving onto a single open spectrum, we could start to see increased competition drive prices down in what has been a relatively monopolized mobile telecommunications market.

#DataMustFall

A group of business leaders plans to launch 5G in South Africa.

Paul Harris, Michael Jordaan and Ravi Naidoo are planning to bring South Africa the first 5G wireless data network.

This comes at an opportune time as #DataMustFall demands gain momentum and consumers tire of telecom giants charging higher prices for data than those in other developing countries.

The group plans to form a private company that will utilize less expensive technology and avoid complex billing systems to bring prices down.

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Source: http://www.capetalk.co.za/articles/35456/affordable-5g-coming-to-south-africa-not-only-its-richer-suburbsImage Source: https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1463123/5g-network.jpg?w=736

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