🚀 Prada takes fashion to new heights (literally) 🛸
Meanwhile, mobile games are on the rise with Gen Z and The Ordinary wants you to name your price.
Welcome back, Scanner!
While we may be in the thick of the spookiest time of year for marketers (Q4, not Halloween), we promise this edition is anything but scary. From out-of-this-world collaborations to surprising stats around mobile games, take a minute away from your packed calendar to dive into these signals.
Here we go.
📅 CURRENT
Fashion Isn’t Just for Earth Anymore
What’s changing?
Prada has taken our whole new world trend literally, designing a wardrobe for astronauts. The Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMO) is a first-of-its-kind Prada-designed spacesuit that is functional yet stylish. Complete with Prada’s signature red stripe logo, the suit reminds us that any opportunity for a fashion moment is a good opportunity.
Why does it matter?
Artemis III is such a cool mission – it will be the first human moon landing since 1971 (!!) and include the first woman and person of color to ever land on the moon by September 2026. Major slay. If you’re wondering “why Prada,” you’re not alone. Apparently, they use innovative sewing methods that work (randomly) well for spacesuits. Why does it matter for us marketers? We’ve talked about how people are looking for new things from brands and experiences that open up their worlds – this does that very obviously. It’s also a nod to a trend we identified around guaranteed value; in a world of dupes, knowing that Prada is high enough quality to work for space might help them secure additional sales on retail items.
What could happen next?
Over the past year, sports and fashion collabs have been massive, and this one has taken everything to the next level. Could this be the start of fashion’s move into STEM? Could wearable tech become more mainstream? Will we start to see fashion be a little less about form (self-expression) and more about functions (survival/protection)? Will consumers expect brands to show their quality in more tangible ways (like Prada is doing here)? Is this gearing us up for a future where space travel is normal?? The options genuinely are to infinity and beyond.
Scan-o-meter: 📅 📅 📅 / 5
😲 SURPRISING
Gen Z Loves Mobile Games
What’s changing?
Mobile gaming is (surprisingly) on the rise. In 2023, mobile gamers spent $107B on app store games. There were 88 billion global downloads in 2023 and in-game advertising revenues hit $9.5 billion. 60-70% of all mobile app earnings come from in-app purchases and 50% of total global gaming revenue comes from mobile games. And who is leading the charge? Surprisingly, Gen Z entertainment users are 1.3X more likely to spend above average on gaming apps. They’re 2.2X more likely to have Solitaire-type games installed and 3.1X more likely to spend more time on these apps.
Why does it matter?
Have you ever considered the mobile ad experience as a marketer? As a user, it’s annoying. Many of our team members even noted that they play games in airplane mode to avoid annoying game-stopping ads. Even if we might not personally think these ads are doing much, they’re performing far better than we knew (at least for us).
What could happen next?
The mobile game ad industry is huge, but there may be a missed opportunity between the size of the audience and the way ads are being run. Instead of creating game-stopping ads that make you want to go on airplane mode, could brands create ads that are immersive and even part of the game? And, should more brands be testing out this platform? We’ll be keeping an eye on this.
Scan-o-meter: 😲😲😲😲 / 5
🎯 SPECIFIC
The Ordinary Wants You to Choose Your Price
What’s changing?
A month ago, The Ordinary announced that their Daily Set (which comes with 3 products) was available at three price points. The kicker? You get to choose which one you pay for. They noted that the idea was based on the trust they have for their community and an acknowledgment of the current cost of living (which may prevent folks from being able to invest in their skincare). Buyers can choose between the standard price, 23% or 40% off until October 31st. Those who choose to pay regular prices support those who select the discount. (It should be noted that we tried to place an order, but it didn’t work).
Why does it matter?
Our team generally loved this campaign's sentiment, but we had mixed feelings. While the ability to choose a price point is interesting, the overall campaign still offers a higher price, which puts the responsibility on the consumer to decide what a fair price is. On the other hand, we know people value skincare more than ever, and it can be a luxury that is out of reach for many consumers, so doing this campaign may help people newer to The Ordinary see that there are some options within their budget. Regardless, it's a campaign that gives The Ordinary a lot to talk about and clearly communicates its values to its customers.
What could happen next?
As we talk about younger people aligning with brands that show and share their values – will we see more campaigns like this one? Or, will there be backlash from The Ordinary putting the pressure on consumers to “make the right choice?” Pricing aside, how can brands be more precise with customers about their values and what they stand for? The Ordinary makes a simple statement about the current cost of living, which ties into a more prominent brand ethos they’re known for: reducing costs for consumers. What are your brand’s values? And do your customers easily understand them?
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’s what we’re watching this week:
People want guaranteed value: Tom Holland launched alcohol-free beer.
People want less stress, more rest: Bad quality cameras are back, baby.
People want to feel something: The Victoria’s Secret fashion show is (also) back!
Want more trend news? Check out our Trend Report: Update!
We’re doing BIG THINGS
Catch up on the latest episodes of Big Things: our new marketing, sports and entertainment podcast. Hosted by Mitzi and Mike Payne.
🤔 BEFORE YOU GO
To help keep these signals top-of-mind, we share 1 question to ask yourself (or your team) in each edition. Your question to mull on this week is:
See you next time 👋