Foresight & Trends 2014

The annual IIR Foresight & Trends event, held last week in California, saw strategy and insight leaders discuss new opportunities for innovation in sectors ranging from healthcare to retail.

The three-day conference kicked off with a spotlight on wellbeing, with a collective focus on the intersection of mobile, data and health, the future of healthcare, and 21st-century mindfulness.

Dean Hovey of US-based fitness app Digifit analysed ways in which forward-thinking brands are leveraging wearables for employee healthfulness, while Denise Fletcher, chief innovation officer at US document solutions firm Xerox, highlighted future technologies like HealthSpot, a digital telemedical standalone pod.

Oleysa Govorun, director of strategy and insights at US dairy brand Dannon, emphasised the emotional meaning of wellness and its growing importance to consumers. "The 1980s were about an absence of negatives in food, and the 1990s focused on a presence of positives... but in 2020, consumers will view health as part of their values and identity," she told delegates. Take a look at Holistic Health for more on this topic.

As retail becomes democratised through new tech-enabled channels, Lindsay Angelo – a strategist for leading international activewear brand LuluLemon – noted that consumers are increasingly "connecting with brands that aren't afraid to show their flaws and their personality".

Meanwhile, Kyle Nel, executive director of US home improvement chain Lowe's Innovation Lab, reflected on the success of its recent Holoroom initiative, which provided an engaging virtual-reality-enhanced shopping experience.

Stay tuned for our full report from the event, coming soon. In the meantime, visit the IIR Foresight & Trends website for more information.