As people appreciate solo activities and "me-time" more, brands will remove stigma around activities done alone like dining. Visual search on phones will increase "ambient discovery" of products. Brands will continue to blur reality and fantasy for superfans. More interactive content from brands will provide deeper engagement from viewers. Companion technologies like robots will provide company for vulnerable people. Games will increasingly promote social change by including more diverse representations. People will take more control of their health with alternative medicines and home tests. Brands will help make discussions of digestive health less taboo.

2. LEO BURNETT 2018 PREDICTIONS
2

3. 3
As life becomes more hectic and people
start to appreciate the restorative nature
of going solo and embracing JOMO,
attitudes towards me-time are shifting.
78% of Brits believe that dining alone is
more socially acceptable than it was five
years ago; we’re set to see more brands
remove the stigma around the act of
being alone.
GOING SOLO

4. 4
While the concept of non-stop shoppers is
nothing new (over a quarter of Brits like to
shop while sitting on the toilet), visual
search and image recognition technology
being built into the newest phones means
we’re set to see ambient discovery soar -
after all, a picture is worth a thousand
words.
AMBIENT DISCOVERY

5. 5
Whether it’s American Horror Story
recruiting the curious into a cult to
promote its new season, or football fans
attempting to go full ‘El Tornado’ after
seeing the FIFA 18 move pulled off in real
life, the lines between reality and fantasy
are blurring, and brands will continue to
give superfans their fix.
BLURRED LINES

6. 6
It’s easy to assume that consuming media
is a passive activity, but there’s been a rise
in entertainment brands creating
responsive media that lets viewers control
the narrative - even in film and TV. And
with research suggesting this creates a
deeper emotional engagement, we’re set
to see brands increasingly create more
interactive content.
ACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT

7. 7
Tech is increasingly being used to
encourage empathy, but we’re also using
it for companionship. While this evokes
images of people cuddling smartphones,
tech brands are creating not-so-furry
friends for vulnerable individuals. Whether
it’s the adorable PARO or Sony’s new
mechanical dog, Aibo, we expect a new
breed of smart technology to enter homes
in 2018.
COMPUTED COMPANIONS

8. 8
Warriors and warlords may be well
represented in traditional games but
inclusive, real world scenarios are not. In
fact, 65% of LGBT gamers do not feel all
sexual orientations are adequately
represented. But games like Dream
Daddy, which lets players navigate a new
city as a single gay dad, and Football
Manager, which has introduced gay
players, are just two game brands that
will be encouraging social change in 2018.
FINAL FANTASTY

9. 9
Whether it’s purchasing an at-home blood
test, opting for home-made natural
remedies, or infecting ourselves with
parasites (yes, really!) more people are
taking their health into their own hands.
The perceived complexity of traditional
medical care has people seeking greater
control over how they manage their
health, and rejecting traditional medical
institutions.
ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE

10. 10
People are less comfortable discussing
bowel movements than STIs, and a third
of Brits aren’t sure what constitutes a
‘normal’ poo - it’s clear we feel awkward
talking about the toilet. Although as we
become more aware of how our stomach
plays into other physical and mental
health issues, our gut feel is that brands
will start to take the taboo out of poo.
THE LAST TABOO

11. 11
Adoption levels of VR and AR are still
relatively low; 30% of consumers haven’t
adopted these new technologies because
they don’t see how they could help in their
everyday lives. We expect 2018 to be the
year these will be used for more practical
purposes, and the development of location
and context-aware, real-time information
services will make for interesting
innovations and collaborations.
EVERYDAY AR

12. 12
With so many home assistants on the
market, it’s surprising that the smart
home isn’t more ubiquitous. With products
at different price points and the rise of
discreet design, we’re seeing more people
adopt this tech to make their lives
easier. There could be over 34 billion
internet-connected devices installed
globally by 2020, suggesting that smart
homes might not be such a dumb idea
after all.
SMARTER HOMES