Historically, disciplines have been placed into the categories of art or science. Recently, Simon Mansell of TBG Digital claimed that advertising has moved from being an art to being a science. Market research – with its underling principals being held in the social sciences – it [...]]]>

Historically, disciplines have been placed into the categories of art or science. Recently, Simon Mansell of TBG Digital claimed that advertising has moved from being an art to being a science. Market research – with its underling principals being held in the social sciences – it could be argued, is traditionally a scientific discipline. However, is market research now going in the opposite direction to advertising – turning from a science into an art?

The Case for Science

The fundamental case for market research being a science revolves around how many traditional scientific principals are still utilised within it. Traditional statistical methods are still a mainstay in any quantitative research project – correlation, key driver analysis, data reduction – all rigid, mathematical processes.  Does the continuing fundamental role of such processes mean research is defined as a science?

Whilst scientific thinking is undeniably rooted in market research’s past, highly scientific disciplines are coming to the fore as potential ‘big methods players’ of the future – marketing sciences and neuroscience for example. Is this a sign science is here to stay?

The Case for Art

Market research output has recently undertaken a sweeping new direction. Infographics and data visualization are being used more regularly to tell research stories. Compared to research of old, these stories are far more visually appealing and require an artistic mind to construct – indeed, many research agencies now employ graphic designers. Is it a case of designer in, scientist out?

The traditional, science based research journey – simply put – goes from objectives to method to analysis to conclusion. However, research is now a lot less linear as we refine methodology, alter concept/NPD offerings, feed back to marketing and product teams, re-test hypotheses and then generate ideas. This journey requires far more intense designing and increased creative thinking to reach the end goal. So, are design and creativity – concepts one associates far more readily with art vs. science – a sign researchers are becoming artistic?

The Verdict

Science in research is likely here to stay. Scientific thinking will feasibly remain at the heart of researchers’ ideas, whether this is statistical thinking, social psychology or cognitive and behavioural sciences. That said, artistic forms of designing and reporting research have bettered market research output greatly in recent years. Methodologically, both science and art have a great deal to offer going forward with disciplines such as neuroscience and semiotics. The reality is science and art will likely become more intertwined in the future of market research – allowing market researchers to get the most from both areas. The jury, therefore, you could say, is out…

Sometimes it can be helpful to go back to basics and have a look at the present from a naïve point of view. It is common sense – and very basic knowledge – that humans are ‘social beings’ who can only exist and lead a [...]]]>

Sometimes it can be helpful to go back to basics and have a look at the present from a naïve point of view. It is common sense – and very basic knowledge – that humans are ‘social beings’ who can only exist and lead a decent life by depending on other people. But yet, especially in business environments, the word ‘social’ was regarded as something that could not be linked with rewards or, in business terms, with ROI.

So this blog is another homage to the ‘Network’ that elevated us to a world of social businesses with groundbreaking models like Groupon (social bidding), Facebook (social network), Pinterest (social photo sharing site) etc. And just as ‘social’ is gaining more weight in the equation against ‘business’, it might be worth reviewing the term ‘Marketing Communications’ as well.

Communication vs. Interaction

Communication is a very broad term and can be described by the activity of conveying information. In a communication, two or more senders and recipients can be involved in both one-way and two-way communication scenarios. However, in the context of Marketing, ‘Communication’ stood for marketers’ efforts to reach their audiences with the means of one-way communication tools such as print, radio and TV or simply promotional offers. This, however, is no longer the only way consumers get in touch with their brands. Consumers can react to their brands’ activities at any given time through a variety of channels. Consumers are not bound to brand touch points selected by brand managers anymore, but can reach other likeminded consumers through channels that a brand manager might not even be aware of or not involved in. The acknowledgement and awareness that consumers could interfere in brand messaging is an external pressure on brand managers who now need to anticipate consumers’ expectations better than ever before. And this is where Interaction begins.

Profitable Interactions

“Connecting used to be, ‘Here’s some product, and here’s some advertising. We hope you like it. Connecting today is a dialogue” says Nike CEO Mark Parker to Fortune magazine.

Nike replaced their traditional advertising media channels with a repertoire of interactive elements that let Nike communicate directly with consumers. For example, they used to spend millions for an ad during a Super Bowl event to reach around 200 Million consumers, but now, according to Fortune, Nike can hit that figure every day across all its sites and social media communities. And this, of course, is paying off for Nike.

Being ‘social’ can apparently be lucrative for other businesses as well. Manchada, Packard and Pattabhiramaiah, academics from the US, conducted a study on the proprietary online community of a North American retailer. They found that revenue from members increased by an average of 19% after they joined the online community of the company.  Manchada, Packard and Pattabhiramaiah say this is a result of closer ties with other customers and more engagement with the company – and that this increase is ‘economically significant for the firm as it more than covers the fixed cost of setting up the community as well as the variable cost of operating it.’ They further found out that there was no cannibalizing effect and the revenue increase occurred in both online and offline channels and affected all product categories.

But more than this, with the help of its own community the firm was also able to monitor upcoming trends and optimize its promotional strategy which is a something that is not possible through third party sites. For example, on third party sites like Facebook there is a lack of control over customer interaction and the possibility of analysing those by, for example, linking conversations to purchase behaviour. Proprietary online communities are a profitable interaction platform for brands that can involve and empower their customers at all stages of decision making.

Establishing Values

It is quite soothing to see that personalizing a brand is paying off. Even if companies don’t create their own communities, having a Facebook page has become an industry standard. This development is actually good news as it increases transparency and consolidates that companies stay committed to the values they communicate to the outside world.

Don’t look, I’m changing!

Ok, bad joke. But, imagine a world where the traffic lights do talk to the cars to tell them they’re changing in a bid to prevent queues. Or where cars talk to each other to warn them of upcoming hazards. Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V [...]]]>

Don’t look, I’m changing!

Ok, bad joke. But, imagine a world where the traffic lights do talk to the cars to tell them they’re changing in a bid to prevent queues. Or where cars talk to each other to warn them of upcoming hazards. Vehicle-to-infrastructure (V to I) and vehicle-to-vehicle (V to V) communication was one of the hot topics at the Intelligent Mobility Summit I attended in London last week, organised by the Automotive Council.

The day kicked off with Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Justine Greening, reminding us why the future of our roads is so important  – particularly for the economic growth of our country. As ‘the artery through which commerce in our country flows’, the fact that user demand could rise by 35% over the next 20 years means action needs to be taken. But, as she intimated and the rest of the day’s speakers  confirmed, simply laying more tarmac is not – and should not be – the answer.

Many of the day’s speakers believe the answer lies in better technology to take the onus off the driver and reactive driving, both of which are often the cause of traffic jams and collisions . As Paul Campion from IBM explained, “real time is too late, it is prediction that reduces congestion and maximises capacity”, and V to I and V to V communication is seen to be the answer. For example, Paul explained that 30% of urban traffic is actually people driving around looking for a parking space, and that this is actually very unnecessary as with some unlocking of data and a bit of clever technology, V to I communication could easily help people find a parking space. Or, as Pim van der Jagt, MD of Advanced Research & Engineering at Ford of Europe, explained, V to V communication will allow cars to warn each other about hazards well in advance, thus avoiding accidents. Cars will also be able to inform other cars of their speed as they approach junctions, allowing them to make an informed judgement on how to proceed.

And, some of the ideas stretched much further than this, into autonomous driving, for example, where cars can drop you off and then go and park themselves – that’s right, you will be able to plot and reserve a parking space at the station in advance and your car will drop you off and then come and pick you up again! Happy days. Or an autopilot function that can be used in a controlled environment to allow the driver to make better use of traffic time – combine that with cloud connectivity in cars and you really do have a mobile office.

However, all speakers acknowledged the challenges that face such systems working well, not least the collective leap of faith needed from consumers and governments to make it work in the first place. After all, what use is having a car that can talk when it doesn’t have another car to talk to or a traffic light to listen to!

I’ll leave you with this YouTube clip of GM’s EN-V (Electric Network-Vehicle) which shows you just how such V to V and V to I communication might look……

See you in the future!

Consumer products are a global concept. However, as anyone with even the smallest amount of travel experience will know, travelling just a small distance can result in a completely different set of product offerings.  The short journey from England to France highlights this perfectly. In [...]]]>

Consumer products are a global concept. However, as anyone with even the smallest amount of travel experience will know, travelling just a small distance can result in a completely different set of product offerings.  The short journey from England to France highlights this perfectly. In Dover you can walk into a store and buy a wide range of energy drinks. Once in Calais, getting a carbonated caffeine fix is practically impossible. Such is the difference in product offerings between countries, several consumer psyches are created.

Differing Perceptual Product Value

The allure of the seemingly basic products of one nation of consumers is an international luxury to another. Products sampled or viewed abroad often garner high consumer affinity, driven by the likelihood that the experience may have been a one-off or the product may symbolise positive emotions such as travel experiences. However, to the consumers who use their domestic products daily, such goods attain a hygiene factor – often being taken for granted. One market’s rubbish is another market’s gold dust.

Geographical Barriers Increase Demand

Natural human instinct is often to want what we cannot have. Nothing is more restricting to fulfilling consumer needs than a vast geographical distance. Often therefore, it is not the international product which consumers want, but the fact that they cannot have it driving the underlying demand.

Trend Setting

Foreign products are cool. Being ‘international’ is trendy. Is this driving consumer appeal for products sampled abroad? Do Brits visiting Canada buy overpriced ice hockey shirts because they look good? Possibly. But maybe they buy them because they are Canadian produce. Going to another country and sampling local goods is fashionable. Going half way round the world and buying the same things available in your local shops is not.

What has this all created?  Unknowingly to brands affected by this phenomena, it means that brands which are physically centred in a few markets actually have an emotional global presence. Their products are on the radars of consumers who have visited their home markets, even if they are not present on consumer’s local shelves. It has also created a consumer culture whereby having knowledge of foreign products and brands is fashionable. What does this mean? More consumers are trying local products when they travel in order to be a part of this culture – often driving high affinity towards such goods and creating demand which geographical boundaries mean cannot be met, but building individual identities as being ‘international consumers’. Tim Horton’s anyone?

Despite a recent spate of foot injuries in the NSUK office, Dan, Shamvir and I left work on 22nd March to take part in the BAAF firewalk, raising money for children in care. Feeling pretty confident about the challenge ahead (as surely no real danger [...]]]>

Despite a recent spate of foot injuries in the NSUK office, Dan, Shamvir and I left work on 22^nd March to take part in the BAAF firewalk, raising money for children in care. Feeling pretty confident about the challenge ahead (as surely no real danger would be involved?), we began to feel more dubious when faced with a strip of burning logs.  There was no need to worry though, as we were to become trained ‘experts’ in firewalking.

Our training instructor was Scott Bell, two times Guinness World Record holder, who began the training session by requesting that we ‘sign our lives away’ (these things are protocol). Following this, he kindly highlighted that burned feet is a real possibility, explaining the potential 3 scenarios that lay ahead:

• - We would come away unscathed (preferable)
• - We would have hot feet for the following few hours with the possibility of red patches (less preferable, but more likely)
• - We would come away with blisters (but don’t worry they usually heal within 48 hours)

Fully aware of the risks involved and preoccupied by the prospect of blistered feet, Bell talked us through 4 theories explaining why humans are able to walk across burning coal:

For those who were looking for more in terms of guidance, Scott offered what he considers to be the 2 most important factors when walking across a bed of hot embers:

Attempting to reduce our growing fear as the challenge drew nearer, Scott reassured us that firewalking dates back to 1200 BC and is practiced by many cultures across the world – often used as a rite of passage to test an individual’s strength, courage and/or faith. Consequently, Scott concluded that if thousands of others can do it, past and present, so can we! My interpretation: failure is a sign of weakness.

And so the training session ended and, faced with 10ft of 560º coals (the temperature at which car manufacturers melt engines), we took a deep breath, armed ourselves with the will to succeed (along with the desire to keep our pride intact) and told our brains to make our feet start walking (at a brisk pace, as unfortunately sprinting does not prevent blisters)!

A great feeling of accomplishment (and relief) followed, having conquered our fear and achieved our goal – and of course we have photos to document our bravery!

And by the way, if you’re still wondering what the secret is to firewalking…

THERE IS NO SECRET

Just don’t get cold feet!

I’ve just come back from the biggest of apples – New York. It wasn’t my first time there, and it certainly won’t be my last, but this was the first time I was there for pure pleasure. And yet, one of the biggest things [...]]]>

I’ve just come back from the biggest of apples – New York. It wasn’t my first time there, and it certainly won’t be my last, but this was the first time I was there for pure pleasure. And yet, one of the biggest things that struck me was firmly work-related – it sure as hell knows how to promote itself!

You see, it’s not just that it’s branded incredibly well, it’s that its branding strategy is based on the fact that it IS the brand. Everything about the city lives and breathes the brand, not least all of its inhabitants who are more than happy to act as its brand ambassadors…and with 8,175,133 of them in 305 square miles, speaking 800 languages, what more could you ask for?

‘I ♥ New York’, and oh how I do, is a logo and slogan which feels like it’s been around forever. But a bit of delving quickly reveals it was born out of market research (ah, I love it even more now!) about 35 years ago.  In 1976, the New York state was in an economic slump and looked to tourism for the answer. They received $400,000 dollars from the Governor and decided to spend it all on market research (clever New York). This in turn (having listened to the research I hasten to add), led to a $4 million advertising budget which launched the I LOVE NEW YORK campaign in 1977.

But it isn’t just a coincidence that the city has remained so strong and ‘on brand’ for so many years, it has been a very well considered, planned and monitored process. In 2008, the campaign was relaunched and new branding guidelines were issued. The guidelines are as you would find them for any other brand… they show a target audience, a typeface, advertising guidelines, photography selection rules and logo dos and don’ts. They even have a jingle which I have luckily managed to escape or I fear I might have fallen out of love with New York for being a bit too American. It also includes a Brand Pyramid which underlines just how effective and ‘on the money’ their brand strategy has been. At the very top is its Brand Character which reads: ‘The only state with the soul of New York City – charismatic, larger than life and tells it how it is’. Perfect. What a successful branding campaign because this is exactly how I, and I’m sure many others, see The Big Apple. Oh OK, I know, I know, people saw it like this way before 2008 -  and maybe before 1977 even – but the fact that they stuck to who they are, what they know best  and what their brand ambassadors believe in  means it was truly effective (New York was the most highly Googled location in the world registering 4.6 billion search results as of September 2011). I am sure this is based on what market research would have undoubtedly told them – work with the positives you have and do not try to be something you are not.

So, perhaps all cities could learn a thing or two about the power of branding to re-energise tourism and the economy, not least London. We have a huge year ahead of us with the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics… and at a time when our economy could really do with a cash injection. Can we ‘do a New York’ and use this global exposure to capitalise on London as a brand for years to come?

I’d like to think so, but the first question that springs to mind is whether Londoners can ever be true global ambassadors of London?  Whilst we undoubtedly love our city as much as New Yorkers love theirs, God forbid we might actually start a conversation with someone to tell them about it!

So, during the summer when you see that tourist on the Tube or someone stops to ask you directions, conjure up your best British charm, smile and tell them one of the reasons  why you ♥ London.

My family has been involved with all aspects of the emergency services transport systems for many years. When my mum was riding in ambulances as a nurse to help those in need, my dad was co-ordinating which ones would go where while working as a [...]]]>

My family has been involved with all aspects of the emergency services transport systems for many years. When my mum was riding in ambulances as a nurse to help those in need, my dad was co-ordinating which ones would go where while working as a volunteer for London Ambulance Service (LAS). My late uncle was a dedicated fireman rushing to the aid of his local Beckenham community and the surrounding areas, and my sister is one of the nurses who goes around in the blood bank vans!

But even though I already knew the great work these people do, I must say that the day the Air Ambulance service landed on my school playing field and saved the life of a pupil who had collapsed in a PE lesson, I was in awe. What an amazingly talented and dedicated bunch, landing anywhere they can to get people to hospital to save their lives, faster than any of the other services can even imagine.

That is why, when I found out that a petition was being signed to get the government to finally debate exemption from paying duty on the fuel they use, I had to spread the word!

At this point I must thank my colleagues at Northstar, all of who have signed the petition and passed it on. As the 100,000 mark has been reached on this petition, I still think awareness needs to be raised about this. So, if you agree with me and all of Northstar, we would welcome your support for this magnificent volunteer funded service and also hope that you please pass it on to all your UK friends.

For more information, please visit the London Air Ambulance website at http://www.londonsairambulance.co.uk/.

Staggering the release of technology upgrades has been around since, well, technology started to be upgraded! I remember a myth once circulating that the Sony PS3 games console was completed as the PS2 was being released! I’m not sure this is true, but this seems to [...]]]>

Staggering the release of technology upgrades has been around since, well, technology started to be upgraded! I remember a myth once circulating that the Sony PS3 games console was completed as the PS2 was being released! I’m not sure this is true, but this seems to be what consumers are thinking all the same. We tend to think we have outsmarted a tech giant such as Sony or Apple by being up-to-date with release dates, only for them to outsmart us by releasing something along the lines of the inspiration for this post.

The inspiration for this post was Apple saying it was taking pre-orders of the “New iPad2” last week. So, they are not even going to give it a new “model number”?!  Just gives me a sense of “I only just upgraded to the iPad2 and now you want MORE money from me?!”! I think if they had named it the “iPad2.5” or something similar, I would have felt much better about it-  but I think what it should really be called is “The iPadthatwillmakeyouspendevenmoremoneybeforeyoudosoagainonaniPad3”.

The release is supposed to be before the end of this summer, so I’m afraid the only conclusion I can draw from the release of the “New iPad2” is that it is not an excellent interim product, but a way to make you spend approx £400-£500 on an iPad2, approx £400-£500 on a “New iPad2” and then approx £400-£500 on an  iPad3! And with their customer retention strategy, you know that A LOT of people will end up buying all three!

I wish upgrades were as simple as taking the stabilisers off your first bike, but those aforementioned are far more expensive and leave you feeling twice as unsteady. What if I take my stabilisers off and then they invent mega stabilising wheels? I suppose if I loved the brand of my bike that much, I might just buy them!

NO, I AM NOT YELLING AT YOU!

We’ve all been there. You’ve received an email – mistakenly written in caps –and immediately believe the sender is frustrated or angry. We’re all occasionally guilty of miscommunication and while these are rudimentary examples, they plainly demonstrate that the content [...]]]>

NO, I AM NOT YELLING AT YOU!

We’ve all been there. You’ve received an email – mistakenly written in caps –and immediately believe the sender is frustrated or angry. We’re all occasionally guilty of miscommunication and while these are rudimentary examples, they plainly demonstrate that the content of a message is often less important than the context.

Miscommunication is not just limited to email and other forms of impersonal communication, the spoken word can also be miscommunicated too. In fact, only a mere 7% of the meaning and impression conveyed when speaking is attributable to the words we use. But where does the other 93% come from? The other 93% is communicated through voice (38%) and body language (55%).

So, what are the implications of this in a business context? Firstly, this demonstrates face-to-face communication is far more effective than impersonal forms and therefore, remains the most common presentation approach. Secondly, in order to present effectively, it is key to understand how voice and body language should be used.

For the purposes of this blog post, I am focusing on three key learnings related to body language, voice and the way in which each contributes to a successful presentation:

1)                  Eye contact

2)                  Gestures and movement

3)                  Voice

Eye contact

Depending on how eye contact is used, it can create both positive and negative impressions on the audience. Properly used it can generate the impression of trustworthiness, confidence, competence, enthusiasm, honesty, credibility and determination. Used incorrectly, the presenter can be perceived as weak, dishonest, uncomfortable, insecure, nervous and/ or reluctant to be there.

Furthermore, proximity to the audience and length the gaze is held also conveys meaning. The closer one is physically to the audience the more powerful the impression, and the longer the gaze, the more effective the interaction between presenter and audience. Communication is two-way, and the more effectively you engage the audience, the more effective you will be. But remember what your mother used to tell you – “It’s not polite to stare”. Too much of a good thing can also be a bad thing, so be mindful that eye-contact held too long with any one individual can be intimidating.

Gestures & Movement

We all know them – the people that speak more with their hands than their mouth. What impact does this have on communication? Firstly, gestures prove to be another key element of delivering a potent presentation because it allows you itemize, emphasize and illustrate certain points you are trying to get across to the audience. Secondly, it helps create the impression that you are more animated, energetic, entertaining and by extension, more engaging. Finally, since it is natural to use our hands when speaking, it serves to create a more relaxed stance and adds a further dimension to your presentation. However, it is important to remember to gesture with purpose – you don’t want to look like a mime acting out a street performance.

Similarly, the way you move (beyond gesturing) also has a big impact on how you are perceived. Movement with intent can help you look more at ease, natural, energetic and captivating and even shift the room dynamic. Anxious movement can create a negative impression, ultimately doing little more than distracting the audience.

Voice

The way in which you speak (your tone, speed, emphasis, pauses, etc.) also contributes to generating meaning and creating the right impression. To communicate effectively it is important to remember to project your voice, vary your speech, and make the most of your pauses.

Can you hear me at the back of the room? There’s no need to shout. Projection is not about the level of volume; rather it’s about managing your voice so you deliver the message with just the right amount of force, so the audience can hear you clearly and audibly.

Remember back to university, when you had that monotonous professor who put you to sleep during his lectures? To be a dynamic presenter it is important to diversify your speech – raising and lowering your volume, emphasizing particular words and generally speaking passionately in order to keep the audience attentive.

Pausing is also important because it allows you to collect your thoughts, creates a sense of emphasis or anticipation for what comes next. Furthermore, it gives you the opportunity to take a breath, control your pace and avoid the dreaded run-on sentence.

In short, it’s not what you say, but how you say it that’s important!  When presenting, remember that your body language and voice are more meaningful and impactful than the words that you use. Next time you are speaking in public, remember the following 3 tips:

1)      Maintain the correct amount of eye contact

2)      Gesture and move with intent

3)      Project your voice and vary your speech

So what are you going to do when you are telling someone how great this blog post is? Look them in the eye, put your two thumbs up and speak about it with passion!

Q: What does a farmer, art gallery director, music guru, journalist and a group of market researchers have in common?

A: They were all gathered in a room in February to discuss what’s hot, not and forthcoming in British society.

Detailing all of the trends highlighted by this [...]]]>

Q: What does a farmer, art gallery director, music guru, journalist and a group of market researchers have in common?

A: They were all gathered in a room in February to discuss what’s hot, not and forthcoming in British society.

Detailing all of the trends highlighted by this gathering of seemingly ‘trendy’ occupations would require a Britannica Encyclopaedia sized book. However, in order to make this an acceptable size for the blogosphere, we have managed to narrow it down into 3 key trends:

Tom, Dick and Harry – Journalist Extraordinaires

A journalist used to be an individual working for a media publication who reported the news out to the masses. However, with the growing popularity of Twitter, almost anyone has the ability to become a social commentator with the power to pass judgement on current affairs. Resultantly, Twitter is now where many news hungry consumers go to find out up-to-the-minute news reports. The fast-speed, up-to-date nature of Twitter has meant that often it breaks news before the mainstream media – e.g. this past weekend Twitter broke the news of Whitney Houston’s death nearly ½ hour faster than the press. What could this all mean? Is the twittersphere going to replace the paper stand? Are journalists going to be removed from a career by the casual social commentator? #possibly.

The Louvre Factor

In an age dominated by reality television, it was surprising to learn that art gallery admissions have notably increased of late. Furthermore, having an art gallery has become a desirable identity pillar for many regions. Looking at the drivers of these attitudes, several logical – and verging on the obvious -trends were identified. We are living in financially turbulent times and art galleries are good VFM. Further, families are now looking for educationally functional ways to entertain children – what better way to do so than a VFM trip to an art gallery? Adults too, seeking to enjoy an educated and sophisticated day out, are heading to their local art galleries. VFM, educational, sophisticated, entertaining – will Britain’s Got Talent soon be Britain’s Got Artists?

Ace of Bas-ic

In a society dominated by seemingly complex technology and processes, it was a bold statement to say that consumers are going ‘back-to-basics’. The rise of street sellers and sales of basic foodstuffs in restaurants shows that in-fact eating out (one of the reputedly ‘trendiest’ forms of entertainment) is the leading sector heading in this direction. Digging deeper, a whole culture exists where consumers are returning to rudimentary eating habits – farmers markets are in the ascendency in rural areas and home growing of vegetables has been increasing for many years. Will this trend spread to other sectors? With the economic downturn seamlessly continuing, it is possible – keep an eye out for black cabs being turned into horse & carts anytime soon!

A Pinch of Salt

Q: What does a farmer, art gallery director, music guru, journalist and a group of market researchers all from London have in common?

A: They are all, on the whole, well educated and part of a well informed microcosm of the UK population.

And that is exactly the problem. It would be bold to say that these trends are currently happening throughout the entirety of the UK, without first stepping out of the ‘trend bubble’ that existed in that room.  However, maybe this would be a good opportunity to let us know whether you have spotted any of the above trends or variations of?