Elmo’s friends are not okay 💔
Meanwhile, we’re showing off our Sonny Angel collections on Snapchat.
Welcome back, Scanner!
Love month may be halfway through, but our infatuation with scanning continues to burn as bright as Jason Kelce at the Super Bowl. Between daydreaming about augmented reality vacuuming, seeing Usher in his SKIMS collab and wondering how we can get Miley’s legs, we’re giddily anticipating what will happen next. Why not muse with us a little longer as you read this week’s signals, see how things are evolving with our trend forecast and even try out your first SCAN 👀 CLUB question? All of that, and more, in this edition.
Want to help another marketer get ahead of the trends this year? Share SCAN 👀CLUB with them!
Where will these signals take you?
📅 CURRENT
Apple Vision Pro: Iconic or Dystopian?
What’s changing?
Over the past couple of weeks, videos of people using the Apple Vision Pro have flooded our feeds. The wearable product costs a cool $3,500 USD and allows users to see their apps, email, documents and more integrated with their real-life surroundings. One of the most notorious photos is of a man “driving” his car while wearing the device (he later claimed it was a skit). Many tech enthusiasts call the device revolutionary; popular YouTuber Casey Neistat even compared the technology to the invention of the car. Others are drawing parallels to a Black Mirror episode.
Why does it matter?
Apple’s biggest strength has always been how their products aren’t tech; they’re lifestyle. These devices aren’t just tools for getting things done, they’re entangled in our lives as part of our identity. Apple isn’t the first brand to launch a headset (Google and Meta have ventured into the space), but this one feels different. There aren’t many Apple products that haven’t grown in popularity, so we definitely have our eyes on this (no pun intended).
What could happen next?
It feels like just about anything could happen next with this technology. It could affect how we work, how our brands exist digitally, how we socialize, how we play games and much more. It’s early days with the technology, which is the perfect time to start imagining what it could mean for you as a marketer and brand builder. Maybe in the not-too-distant future, we’ll hang out reading newsletters in our Apple Vision Pro world instead of here!
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 📅 📅 / 5
🎯 SPECIFIC
Sonny Angels Are a Gen Z Darling
What’s changing?
We’ve wanted to talk about Sonny Angels for a while now. Sonny Angels are small, cherub dolls that have risen as a collector’s item over the past few years. Initially released in 2005, the dolls are sold in blind boxes with over 650 varieties available. The dolls have been increasing in popularity since 2019, with celebrities like Bella Hadid sharing photos of their collections, and #sonnyangel has now reached 734 million views on TikTok. Collectibles aren’t anything new, but when a new one takes off, it’s a good time to consider why.
Why does it matter?
According to The Credit Suisse Research Institute, people are more likely to add collectibles to their portfolios during times of elevated uncertainty. Think about how at the height of COVID we saw the rise of the NFT. For those of us without Swiss bank accounts, the Sonny Angel (or even the Stanley cup) is a way to get in on the action. Aside from the financial potential of collectibles, they also have several mental health benefits. From stimulating curiosity, to stress reduction and nostalgia, collectibles offer an escape from our (sometimes) challenging digital landscape.
What could happen next?
It doesn’t make sense for every brand to start making a physical collectible or even a digital one, but is there a way you could incorporate this element of “collecting” into your content? Could this be a way to engage with niche communities? Could your brand collaborate with a collectible to engage a new audience or create collecting power? How could we help collectors showcase what they are into – perhaps there’s a way we can help their display? Or, can we deepen the collecting experience by engaging more of our senses beyond just a physical object?
Scan-o-meter: 🎯🎯🎯
/ 5
😲 SURPRISING
Snapchat Wants to be the Antidote to Social Media
What’s changing?
Snapchat has been quietly trying to distance itself from other social media platforms for years. In 2017, they launched their Spectacles camera glasses and tried to rebrand as a “camera company.” For a phase, the CEO, Evan Spiegel, called it a “messaging service.” Now, through a new campaign and their recent Super Bowl commercial, they’re rebranding as the “antidote to social media.” In a leaked memo sent to employees, Spiegel said that “social media is dead” and explained that Snapchat is primed to provide what users really want: connection. The claim that Snapchat is different comes from not having a feed, the app not trying to show your posts to as many people as possible and deleting content by default.
Why does it matter?
There have been discussions on and offline for years about social media no longer feeling “social.” Snapchat is looking to position itself in a strategic part of the conversation so that scorned users think there is a place to go. Snapchat claims they were never social media and instead exist as the “antidote” to social media. Whether or not you agree with that, the positioning is appealing. This strong POV makes them stand out, particularly for younger users who weren’t around for the platform’s origins.
What could happen next?
Things constantly change on social media, from how the platforms operate to algorithms and even the most popular platforms. Consider the recent news around TikTok being surprisingly less popular than Facebook and YouTube with young people than was thought. Could this signal mark an opportunity for brands and creators on Snapchat? Does it back up the need to develop your own niche community to be less susceptible to platform changes? Maybe it’s time to actually grow that email list? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲
/ 5
🔍 TREND REPORT IRL
Updates from our Trend Forecast
We loved sharing our first Trend Report with you back in January. As the year goes on, we’ll continue investigating signals that further the conversation around our forecast. Here are a few that we found this week:
People want less stress, more rest: Elmo checked in on his friends and was overwhelmed by the response.
People want (guaranteed) value: McDonald’s is trying to earn back its core customers by making things more affordable.
People want to feel something: Netflix will spend a full season following an MLB franchise – the Boston Red Sox.
🤔
BEFORE YOU GO
To help keep these signals top-of-mind, we’re going to be sharing 1 question to ask yourself (or your team!) in each SCAN 👀 CLUB. Your question to mull on this week is:
See you next time 👋