JWT Spots Seventy Things to Watch in 2007

NEW YORK, Dec. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- JWT, the largest advertising agency in the U.S. and the fourth-largest in the world, announced today 70 "in" products, services and trends that will help to define 2007.

"Trends are illustrated by the products and services that exemplify them," says leading trendspotter Marian Salzman, EVP, chief marketing officer of JWT Worldwide and co-author of the new book Next Now (Palgrave Macmillan), a travelogue into the near future. "By examining what resonates with consumers, we can identify the larger patterns that will shape our lives in the years to come."

"As globalization continues to make our world seem smaller, localization will come to a head in 2007," says Ann Mack, director of trendspotting at JWT. "We'll put great emphasis on sourcing everything from food to textiles. Decadent and excessive consumption will fall to the wayside as we stress quality, minimal environmental impact and support of local producers."

   1. Skype/VoIP
   2. Wii and the next-generation gaming systems
   3. The business of social networking
   4. Pop-up stores, restaurants and bars ... installation style
   5. Shrinky Dink technology (TVs are flat and hidden, iPods are down to
      half an ounce, speakers are smaller and less visible, and so on)
   6. The rise of nanotechnology
   7. Sustainable construction/green buildings
   8. Hydrogen fuel cell technology
   9. Veggie-bus: school buses running on biodiesel fuel
  10. Trans-fat fallout
  11. Reality show talent searches
  12. Ohio State's freshman basketball phenom, Greg Oden
  13. Fear of agri-terrorism
  14. Halal foods
  15. Participatory advertising (user-generated advertising and music video
      competitions)
  16. Premium-drink bars
  17. Organic fabrics
  18. Stem cell research
  19. Iceland
  20. Hybrid dogs
  21. Locally sourced produce
  22. Churchonomics: religion as big business
  23. Reunions of donor insemination siblings
  24. Hitting the off button: demanding downtime
  25. Indian cross-over actress Aishwarya Rai
  26. Home-schooling
  27. Natural building materials such as stone and wood
  28. Binge chilling
  29. Personalized diets
  30. Brand sluts
  31. Modernized tradition
  32. Chindia
  33. Alpha moms
  34. Internet TV
  35. Citizen journalism
  36. RSS feeds
  37. Fresh Direct
  38. Google domination (Google as acquirer, and Microsoft as Google
      follower)
  39. Mobile video
  40. Rachael Ray
  41. Inconspicuous consumption
  42. X-Factor's Leona Lewis
  43. Dreamgirls' Jennifer Hudson
  44. Environmental causes
  45. Companies going green
  46. Barack Obama
  47. Soft, natural hair
  48. Microgeneration (generating one's own energy)
  49. Party planning for teens
  50. Paying for user-generated content
  51. Higher-waisted pants
  52. iPhone
  53. Co-branding (think Nike plus Apple)
  54. Britain's Amy Winehouse
  55. The rebirth of raves
  56. Energy-saving lightbulbs
  57. Sacha Baron Cohen
  58. Mash-ups (music, Web sites, everything)
  59. Japanese apparel chain Uniqlo
  60. Promoting "Brand Me"
  61. Ensemble TV casts (Ugly Betty, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Criminal Minds)
  62. Multilingual cinema
  63. "Kidults"
  64. Transformers (the movie)
  65. Web-based microfinancing
  66. Generosity
  67. Al Gore, the environmentalist
  68. Unstrategic alliances (Paris and Britney, Tom and Brooke, Bush Sr. and
      Clinton)
  69. Europeans getting fatter
  70. Age shuffling (40 is the new 20, for example)

  About Next Now: Trends for the Future

Marian Salzman and Ira Matathia slow the world's ever accelerating spin just long enough to explore how technology and globalization are shaping the near future and to connect the dots between international forces and our day-to-day lives. The book holds up a cultural mirror that allows readers to better understand their own attitudes, anxieties and aspirations.

About JWT

JWT's heritage of brand-building excellence extends back to 1864, making us the world's oldest advertising agency brand. In 1939, JWT pioneered the first national consumer research panel. In 1988, we created the first research study of consumer lifestyles, "Life Stages." We believe in being anthropologists first, advertising people second. JWT, which celebrates its 142nd anniversary this year, ranks as the largest advertising agency brand in the United States and as the fourth largest full-service network in the world. Its parent company is WPP (NASDAQ: WPPGY) .

  Contact: Marian Salzman
  E: marian.salzman@jwt.com
  P: (212) 210-7585
  M: (646) 361-1837