Trends Identified

A potential us trade war
Will Trump scrap NAFTA? Will he engage in a trade war with China? Those are the questions many investors are likely wondering, and as with most things Trump, it's difficult to know whether his antitrade Tweets and talks are genuine or if they're a negotiating tactic.
2018
6 global trends that can derail your portfolio in 2018
CNBC
A more globally dominant china
Speaking of China, the world's second largest economy is becoming a more dominant global force by the day. In October, at China's 19th National Congress, President Xi Jingping was written into his party's constitution, which has led many experts to believe he won't step down after his second five-year term. "I believe he's going to be here for the next 20 or 25 years," says Catechis.
2018
6 global trends that can derail your portfolio in 2018
CNBC
Unrest in Iran
Unrest in the Middle East is always concerning for investors, especially ones who pay attention to the price of oil. While the recent protests in Iran will likely be contained to that region, if things flare up further, and if it does disrupt oil production — the country produces about 4.4 million barrels of oil per day — then we could see energy prices spike, says Hormozi.
2018
6 global trends that can derail your portfolio in 2018
CNBC
A deteriorating American outlook
The World Bank expects the U.S. economy to grow at 2.2 percent in 2018, while many firms, like Goldman Sachs, expect equities to continue climbing, but that could change if there's a blowup in Washington. With Donald Trump's erratic and often offensive behavior, an ongoing special counsel investigation and an increasingly divided American public, domestic issues could get in the way of a continued bull market.
2018
6 global trends that can derail your portfolio in 2018
CNBC
Transparency trailblazers
Why a new wave of brands are placing honesty and openness at the heart of their marketing
2018
Most contagious
Contagious
Modern masculinity
Brand feminism has been one of the most discussed themes in our industry recently and forward- thinking companies are working hard to improve the way women are portrayed in ads. But some brands are now adopting the same approach to challenge male stereotypes. From husbands doing housework to guys in heels, last year brands began to embrace more diverse representations of men. Since then, the cultural conversation around ‘toxic masculinity’ has gained momentum, pressuring marketers to adapt to the shift or risk irrelevance.
2018
Most contagious
Contagious
The man in the cardboard castle
‘Amazonification’ has become the watch word of 2017. The retail giant has subsumed more than just Whole Foods this year. It has its eye on the whole economic enchilada, the appetite to create an ecosystem and the ambition to build an empire. And as Jeff says, it’s still Day One.
2018
Most contagious
Contagious
The political lifestyle
Pepsi practically invented life- style marketing in 1963, when it struck upon the idea for the Pepsi Generation, and the brand has been distilling the essence of youth into its ads ever since. In previous years, this involved montages of clean-cut teens cavorting at swimming holes and collaborations with the Spice Girls, but in 2017 Pepsi decided it meant protests and social conscience.
2018
Most contagious
Contagious
The march of the bots
News of machines taking human jobs has caused widespread nail-biting for some time, but the tension reached fever pitch in 2017. More than 70% of people in the US are now anxious about a future where computers perform human tasks, according to a study by think tank Pew. Sinovation Ventures founder Kai-Fu Lee, for example, believes that half of all jobs globally will be replaced by AI over the next decade.
2018
Most contagious
Contagious
Dynamic data
This year, a number of companies made use of impossibly detailed personal information. Not age, name or location, but details gathered from saliva samples and body tracking sensors. Biometric information, like your genomic profile, has become more easily accessible, thanks to the increased efficiency and falling costs of the technology involved in obtaining it. This has given brands in various categories, from luxury fashion to FMCG, the opportunity to use biometric information to both add value to their product and strengthen their marketing messages.
2018
Most contagious
Contagious