As I look forward to attending Dassault Systémes 3DEXPERIENCE FORUM in Boston on 11/16, I’m thinking about the forces that will shape the Industry I work in for 2016 and beyond.
Here are the FOUR TRENDS to shape Consumer Packaged Goods & Retail in 2016:
- The Connected Consumer: It’s happened, just like we’ve been reading about for quite some time. Today’s consumer is fully embracing digital as part of their lives. They expect their brands and retail stores to offer innovations that keep pace with their connected lifestyle. The shopping trip we all remember fondly (or not) is no longer linear.
- End-to-End Transparency: Take a connected consumer, give them access to Big Data….and you now have the ‘Age of the Enlightened Consumer’. Today’s enlightened consumers care more about a product’s whole lifecycle – from ‘stable to table’. Show the consumer how your products and packaging can help them in their efforts to live a more sustainable life. They will look for meaning from your company and your brand, and they will vote with their wallets (or PayPal accounts).
- Agile Supply Chains: As Private Label puts pressure on brands to innovate and defend premium costs…..manufacturers will look to increase the pace of innovation. But speeding up innovation doesn’t just happen, you need a supply chain that is flexible and fast and can deliver early, under-cost and on-quality innovation. In many cases, companies with poor networks and aging plants will not have the flexibility needed for profitable innovation.
- Mass Personalization: Consumers are now wanting a ‘built-for-me’ and not a ‘one-size-fits all’ approach. With innovation in formulation, packaging and distribution….consumers are now expecting a product experience that matches their specific lifestyles and profile. This trend will influence wearables, artificial intelligence and 3D printing to create personalized brand experiences for consumers.
I would also suspect continued increases in pressure from a regulatory standpoint to make products safer and healthier. It should definitely be an exciting year as both brand manufacturers and retailers focus their resources on delivering innovation to drive a deeper connection with consumers.
To learn more about our approach at Dassault Systémes, visit our Consumer Packaged Goods & Retail section on the 3DS website, and to Learn more about the innovations happening here at Dassault Systemes, we encourage you to join us at the upcoming 3DEXPERIENCE FORUM North America on November 16th in Boston and November 19th in San Francisco, where this year’s theme is “Doing Business in the Age of Experience.”
