As branders, marketers and advertising folk, it’s our job to keep on top of what’s on trend, what’s viral or trending, what’s sticking around as evergreen and what’s already forgotten. (Is anyone besides Kayla still making Dolgana coffee?)
In the spirit of things to come, I figured I’d try my hand at soothsaying what in the what could possibly happen in the last half of the craziest year of our lives, 2020. Place your bets at will.
- Invest in: acne medicine. Everyone who has any common sense is donning a mask when social distancing is not an option, which means there’s a whole lot of typically aerated skin being covered up—even on those hot, sticky days. Acne, my friends, is inevitable. Which means stocks can only go up from here! (Please note we are not a broker and any and all investment advice should be taken with a handful of salt, not just a grain.) ISO: a skincare client.
- On Fashion: The puffy paint and bedazzle come back. Am I a child of the ’80s and ’90s? Yes. Did I get down with some serious puffy paint and dazzling of T-shirts, jean jackets and anything else I could get my hands on as a child? Also yes. Am I ready for that to come back? Oh, heck yeah. Have plain mask, will adorn. Mark my words, personalized masks will be all the rage. BYOPP.
- Social Norms: As Ursula the evil sea witch in The Little Mermaid once crooned, “don’t underestimate the importance of body language!” and she couldn’t be more on the money. With hand shaking, hugging and high fiving a smart thing to avoid for the time being, we’re all going to need to heighten our perceptions during social interactions. Elbow bump? Head nod? Creepy wink? Now is the time to claim your signature salutation sans contact.
- Get Woke: Momentum for BLM and addressing racial inequities can’t stop won’t stop. Long overdue and horrifically unjust, it’s time we all understand our own privilege and what we can do individually and collectively to help progress—then DO IT. Take action and step out of your comfort zone. Anything worth doing isn’t easy. And I couldn’t think of anything more worth doing.
- Don’t Go There: Carol Baskin and Joe the Exotic for Halloween. It’s just too easy, is it not?
- Tune in: K-Pop. I don’t speak Korean, but BTS makes me want to. The combo of catchy hooks and sneaky social movements is worthy of everyone’s ears. Cleanse with heavy metal, folk and EDM between listens and you’ll emerge a well-rounded individual heading into 2021.
What do you predict the rest of 2020 holds for us all? Grab your own Magic Eight Ball and get predicting!