18 Aug

TrendsWatch | New Business Insight From The Past Week

It has been a week of scorching temperatures and hot new product launches! In terms of sectors, the drinks category is steaming ahead, this week alone we’ve seen Echo Fall’s hard seltzer debut, Shaken Udder’s new plant-based milks and the re-launch of Tropicana’s ‘on-the-go’ range.

Top trends include flexitarianism, virtual business cards, brand ambassadors and…Brits’ love of cereal.

Here’s Ingenuity’s round-up of the week’s industry news and trends.

Flexitarianism

Flavoured milk brand Shaken Udder has taken its first steps into plant-based dairy alternatives, with the launch of ‘Shaken Other’, a pair of coconut milk-based drinks. The brand said the UK-produced NPD, which started rolling out into Tesco late last month, would target the estimated 25 million flexitarians in the UK.

The ‘flexitarian lifestyle’ has become increasingly popular over the last few years. Looking at Google Trends, interest in the term has continually grown throughout the past decade, with significant peaks in most recent years. Many different factors have driven this; a greater focus on the well-being of the planet, animal welfare and health all driving a larger cultural shift. Not to mention the numerous meat-free alternatives that have made their way into supermarkets, with options also increasing their presence in the frozen aisle.

Virtual Business Cards

Google has rolled out a new search feature that enables influencers, entrepreneurs, freelancers, or anyone else who wants to be easily discovered online. With it seeming to be the company’s latest attempt to add more LinkedIn-esque functionalities into its search engine.

As many businesses are still opting for remote working, it is likely that we are going to see a great amount of innovation within the online business space…

Brand Ambassadors 

Leading beauty brand Revlon, this week, announced Megan Thee Stallion as a brand ambassador, following in the footsteps of K-pop star Jessica Jung. With the virtual world growing rapidly, the importance of brand ambassadors and influencer marketing cannot be underestimated.

Influencer Marketing has evolved at a phenomenal pace over the last decade, and is expected to grow to be worth $9.7bn by the end of 2020. The latest evolution, ambassador marketing, sees brands engaging customers to create content, provide reviews and suggest future product lines, all while putting the spotlight on authenticity.

Brits’ love of cereal 

It has come out this week that Weetabix is the UK’s best-selling cereal. With its success being attributed to a need for comfort and reassurance during such uncertain times. In addition to this, a recent study also found that cereal is our preferred choice for the first meal of the day, with people consuming at least four bowls a week! The study also found that breakfast is not complete without a cup of tea, with Brits drinking at least one cup a day.

More trends and insights to be shared next week!