The Non-Obvious Trend Report Archive
Building on the bestseller list success of 2015, the seventh edition paired 15 new trends with a recap of four years of research. It earned a Silver Medal for Business Theory from the Axiom Book Awards.
The Story Of The 2017 Report
If you ever looked at purchasing a new model of a car, you know that manufacturers don't revamp the entire design every year. Some years the model is relatively unchanged, and some years it is updated significantly. This was a "maintenance" year for the Non-Obvious Trend series: The interior design and format were largely the same as 2016. The book again had a big release, and for the first time it was distributed widely across desirable locations, such as airport bookstores, which helped broaden the audience. More readers discovered the report for the first time, and more international translations entered the market. Meanwhile, my speaking dates and workshops continued to grow. From a content perspective, this was a popular year with several standout trends, including Passive Loyalty, about a shift in how brands actually gain loyalty; Fierce Femininity, on the new revolution in how women are portrayed in media and culture; and Invisible Technology, about how technology increasingly anticipates our needs and blends unnoticeably into our lives. This 2017 edition also won the first of what would be many book honors, a Silver Medal for Business Theory from the highly competitive Axiom Book Awards. Fierce Femininity Side Quirks Desperate Detox Passive Loyalty Authentic Fameseekers Lovable Unperfection Preserved Past Deep Diving Precious Print Invisible Technology Robot Renaissance Self-Aware Data Moonshot Entrepreneurship Outrageous Outsiders Mainstream Mindfulness
Trend Longevity Ratings measure how well each prediction held up. Graded in 2026.
15 trends
Trend 01 · 2017
A new generation of creators is turning to social media to establish brands, attract eyeballs, and become the next big thing.
Influencers continue to be a force online, but their constant quest to capture our attention is leading to fatigue with their supposed authenticity and diverting attention elsewhere.
Trend 02 · 2017
While brands compete for our shrinking attention spans with more content than ever, many people prefer to go all in on the topics and experiences that truly capture their interest.
People still find enjoyment in content and storytelling that takes them deep into interesting topics. Podcasts, investigative journalism, immersive film, and other long-form experiences continue to be appealing.
Trend 03 · 2017
(Originally curated 2014) As technology, media clutter, and an overload of gadgets make life increasingly stressful, people are seeking moments of reflection and pause.
Tech saturation continues to drive people to find a respite. Apps help people to disconnect, places in the real world offer tech-free zones, and people seek more peace and quiet.
Trend 04 · 2017
The fierce, independent woman has emerged in recent years, redefining the concept of femininity and reimagining gender roles.
Current events and the political and cultural climate continue to shift how we perceive women's place in modern society. Since publishing this trend, we see a new story reinforcing its validity almost weekly.
Trend 05 · 2017
As technology grows more sophisticated, it becomes better at predicting and anticipating needs, protecting us, and providing utility while blending seamlessly into our lives.
Technology continues seamlessly to make everyday tasks and transactions easier, cheaper, and more efficient. These benefits make this trend continually relevant and a key element of our Protective Tech megatrend.
Trend 06 · 2017
(Originally curated 2014) Today successful marketing campaigns increasing focus on using the power of personality, quirkiness, and imperfections to create authentic with customers connections.
The idea that brands and leaders are showing vulnerability and building trust through a willingness to share flaws continues to resonate and is a key ingredient in brands acting more human.
Trend 07 · 2017
(Originally curated 2015) Meditation, yoga, and quiet contemplation become powerful tools for individuals and organizations to improve performance, health, and motivation.
Since the trend was predicted several years ago, it has continued to describe entire industries, new ways of thinking, and a strong movement to improve ourselves at home and at work.
Trend 08 · 2017
A new generation of entrepreneurs is thinking beyond profit and placing social impact, not financial performance, at the center of their organizations' missions.
The world's problems remain complex, and entrepreneurs generate social impact and fill the gap left by ineffective governments. This trend also inspired the trend of Good Speed from the 2019 report.
Trend 09 · 2017
Some of today's most innovative and influential ideas are coming from complete outsiders whose unconventional quirks disrupt entire industries.
Outsiders continue to disrupt entire industries, countries, and global orders. We expect this trend will continue to affect everything from politics to music in the coming decade.
Trend 10 · 2017
A new understanding of loyalty is challenging brands to get smarter about how they can generate brand enthusiasts.
Forward-looking brands redesign their loyalty programs and try delight to inspire loyalty. Given the focus on this, we decided to republish this trend in 2019.
Trend 11 · 2017
(Originally curated 2013) Thanks to the digital revolution, people are developing a more meaningful and emotional relationship with physical objects and printed material.
The fact that we place even more value on the things that are printed because they are more valuable and rarer has continued, leading us to integrate this trend into the 2018 trend of Touchworthy.
Trend 12 · 2017
(Originally curated 2014) Technology is offering new ways to preserve history, changing the way we experience, remember, and learn from the past in the process.
This trend continues to be vitally important as work continues to preserve artifacts digitally and produce 3D libraries of cultural sites before they are damaged in war or consumed by natural disaster.
Trend 13 · 2017
As robots’ utility moves into the home and the workplace, they adopt more human-like interfaces and even adopt micro-personalities.
As we live through this "renaissance age" of robots, we are tackling big questions about what we want them to do and what we don't. The debate and trend could shape the decade to come.
Trend 14 · 2017
As technology advances, algorithms and artificial intelligence make real-time analysis so fast that it can move from input to insight to action all on its own.
In contrast to our more alarmist trends of Data Overflow and Data Pollution, this trend suggests data might create value by analyzing itself-something that is showing signs of happening.
Trend 15 · 2017
A global shift toward individualism has led to a surge in side-hustle, entrepreneurs driven by passion, and a renewed appreciation for what makes people unique.
People continue to create value from their hobbies, passions, and personality quirks. This desire to pursue side projects and the global rise of individualism inspired us to bring this trend back in 2019.
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