Ford's decision to set up the Global Consumer Insight's Consumer Trend and Marketing team in 2002 may have been taken to give the company an edge in what to offer consumers in the decade to come, but it should also help consumers get better products.
The effort will only succeed, after all, if there are consumer demands to meet, and Ford is suggesting in a recent study that there seem to be some things they could bring to the party that different groups of consumers would welcome.
''Understanding consumer trends allows us to connect Ford's brands with core consumer values,'' the study notes, and that will lead to ''strategies, products, and services that consumers will embrace.''
This is a good thing for Ford, the study says, because ''ignoring consumer trends leads to reactive thinking, over-compensation, lost profitability, and missed opportunities.''
To avoid those problems, the group set out to ''examine the trends from present day to 20 years out'' and ''develop an understanding of the impact various trends will have on the automotive industry over the next 10 years.''
A trend, according to Ford, is ''society's viewpoint reflected in action. Some trends are regional in aspect, while others have a global impact. Unlike a fad, a trend is a true change in values and behaviors. History tells us that a competitive advantage belongs to the first company which stays ahead of the curve by predicting a consumer trend.''
After three years of research and consideration, the Ford group came up with eight ''Key Consumer Trends,'' including and aging population, changing physiology, a middle-market squeeze and market fragmentation, a youth influence, nanotechnology, Green action, and safety and security.
Ford's thinking on each of these issues and their idea on how to meet the demands they raise, are as follows:
Aging population: The ''new'' Matures used to be called Boomers and Ford believes this always demanding group ''will see to it'' that they will remain ''very active and seek to go anywhere and do anything.''
Since plus-50s in North America and Europe control the majority of wealth and savings and account for about half of all current automobile sales, you can bet Ford wants to offer them vehicles they like.
The trick there is to ''introduce non-stereotypical, age-compensating products and services that address this group's needs.'' That means ''enhancing their ability to maintain an active lifestyle without marketing 'something for old people'.'' In plain English, that means using technology that assists with failing eyesight and slower response times, and shaping vehicles that are easy to get in and out of. After all, no one really wants a car that reminds them that they're getter older.
Changing physiology: This is a clinical way of saying that people are getting bigger in all senses, but particularly in girth, and that many of them suffer from some sort of physical disability. That disability could be temporary (a sports injury, pregnancy, recovery from surgery), or permanent.
The theory here is that technologies that address such ''physical limitations as vision, delayed reaction and reduced mobility through design has the potential to benefit everyone.'' So, design considerations ''need to go beyond ergonomic buttons and handles to embrace the total product and service experience.''
That might mean getting into the kind of business that's made www.fatcities.com such a popular stop for consumers looking for seatbelt extenders and leg-lifting straps.
The effort will only succeed, after all, if there are consumer demands to meet, and Ford is suggesting in a recent study that there seem to be some things they could bring to the party that different groups of consumers would welcome.
''Understanding consumer trends allows us to connect Ford's brands with core consumer values,'' the study notes, and that will lead to ''strategies, products, and services that consumers will embrace.''
This is a good thing for Ford, the study says, because ''ignoring consumer trends leads to reactive thinking, over-compensation, lost profitability, and missed opportunities.''
To avoid those problems, the group set out to ''examine the trends from present day to 20 years out'' and ''develop an understanding of the impact various trends will have on the automotive industry over the next 10 years.''
A trend, according to Ford, is ''society's viewpoint reflected in action. Some trends are regional in aspect, while others have a global impact. Unlike a fad, a trend is a true change in values and behaviors. History tells us that a competitive advantage belongs to the first company which stays ahead of the curve by predicting a consumer trend.''
After three years of research and consideration, the Ford group came up with eight ''Key Consumer Trends,'' including and aging population, changing physiology, a middle-market squeeze and market fragmentation, a youth influence, nanotechnology, Green action, and safety and security.
Ford's thinking on each of these issues and their idea on how to meet the demands they raise, are as follows:
Aging population: The ''new'' Matures used to be called Boomers and Ford believes this always demanding group ''will see to it'' that they will remain ''very active and seek to go anywhere and do anything.''
Since plus-50s in North America and Europe control the majority of wealth and savings and account for about half of all current automobile sales, you can bet Ford wants to offer them vehicles they like.
The trick there is to ''introduce non-stereotypical, age-compensating products and services that address this group's needs.'' That means ''enhancing their ability to maintain an active lifestyle without marketing 'something for old people'.'' In plain English, that means using technology that assists with failing eyesight and slower response times, and shaping vehicles that are easy to get in and out of. After all, no one really wants a car that reminds them that they're getter older.
Changing physiology: This is a clinical way of saying that people are getting bigger in all senses, but particularly in girth, and that many of them suffer from some sort of physical disability. That disability could be temporary (a sports injury, pregnancy, recovery from surgery), or permanent.
The theory here is that technologies that address such ''physical limitations as vision, delayed reaction and reduced mobility through design has the potential to benefit everyone.'' So, design considerations ''need to go beyond ergonomic buttons and handles to embrace the total product and service experience.''
That might mean getting into the kind of business that's made www.fatcities.com such a popular stop for consumers looking for seatbelt extenders and leg-lifting straps.