'Selling Experiences' Among Top Trends to Watch: VNU Consumer 360

PALM DESERT, Calif. -- Successful marketers not only understand the importance of consumer trends, but also develop strategies to leverage the growth opportunities they present, according to VNU's Executive Perspective group, which presented yesterday at its Consumer 360 conference yesterday.

"Foresight is critical to corporate growth," said James Russo, general manager of Executive Perspective. "To understand the future, we must stop trying to predict it and instead learn to prepare for it."

Russo's group analyzed the main trends permeating today's industries and their consequent affect on consumer spending. The group's "Trends on the Horizon" session evaluated the impact of foresight in today's marketplace, proving that such vision is essential to promoting growth.

Following are some of the top evolving and emerging trends presented:
--Consumers' deep-rooted movement to aspirational shopping

--The increasing role of collective purpose marketing

--Universal branding -- the "Co-Creation Trend"

--The movement from selling "ingredients" to selling experiences

--On-demand media: how retailers should strive to get results when and where they want them

-- Consumers' moderation movement: the desire for balance and a "return to center"

VNU is the parent company of Progressive Grocer.