Discover the trends that will shape business in 2010

Last edited: February 11, 2010

Posted by Business and Arts South Africa

From social dynamics and politics to technology and lifestyle; get the inside scoop on which trends will shape the way we do business this year, with The 2010 Flux Trend Review Conference, powered by BlackBerry. This annual conference hosted by trend analyst Dion Chang will take place in Johannesburg on 25 February at the UJ Arts Centre Theatre.

An array of top thought leaders will offer insights on topics ranging from the “State Of Our Nation”, the “State Of Our Planet”, “Wellness: Coping With Life in the 21st Century” to “Consumer Trends in Post-Recession Economies”, “Marketing & Advertising”, “Technology/Connectivity”, “Popular Culture”, “Urban Spaces for Modern Tribes” and “Ideas That Make The World Work Better”; in a nutshell, business, social and lifestyle trends, which affect the way in which we live, work and do business in the 21st Century.

Speakers include City Press editor Ferial Haffajee; Nando’s marketing manager Sylvester Chauke; “the green bishop”, Bishop Geoff Davies; Head of Vitality Wellness at Discovery, Dr Craig Nossel; media consultant Randall Abrahams; and, technology expert/editor Toby Shapshak.

The 2010 Flux Trend Review Conference, powered by Blackberry, will track the ripple effect of the global economic meltdown, the consumer revolution that has been sparked off as a result, the technology that has provided the tools for change, as well as the massive shift of social and business dynamics that are altering the journey ahead.

The 2010 Flux Trend Review Conference, powered by Blackberry, will also be combined with the first ever Digital Lab workshop to be launched in South Africa by the new creative studio Studio 4332, an affiliate of Proximity Worldwide.

Digital Lab will focus on the use of the ever-changing digital medium with regard to branding and marketing – with international Proximity Worldwide speakers providing a global perspective. The workshop will provide an overview of the role of digital in business today, what it means for South Africa, what the global digital trends are and how digital marketing can be used successfully in the local South African context.

“As a result of the 21st Century information overload, we have less time to absorb, less time to reflect and as a result, less time to make measured or informed decisions. As a matter of survival, not choice, we edit the information flung at us, and discard the information that is not immediately within our immediate area of interest,” explains Flux managing director Dion Chang.

“The only problem is that the information we edit out (and don’t believe is relevant), is becoming increasingly interconnected, so we inadvertently block or divert our information channels. As a result, our perspective is skewed, our social interaction is affected, the generation gap becomes widener and we start to miss out on crucial business opportunities. Too much information is becoming counter-productive.”

The 2010 Flux Trend Review Conference is literally an opportunity to hit the “pause” button. It aims to provide you with a snapshot of “the state we’re in” across a number of industries that have a direct influence on our daily lives, the way we interact with each other, and ultimately, the way we do business with each other.

The annual Flux Trend Review is now in its third year – the conference was preceded by the book of the same name (published by Pan Macmillan). It has a growing following and is used as an essential business and reference tool, is used by a cross section of industries, from marketing departments and corporate executives, to journalists and students. Its holistic approach provides insights into global trends, but also offers a South African perspective to those trends.

Aren’t you curious to discover what state we’re in?

When?: Thursday 25th February 2010

Where?: UJ Arts Centre Theatre. (University of Johannesburg – Kingsway Campus, Auckland Park, Johannesburg.)

Who attends?: Corporate companies, big brands, media planners, strategists, marketing managers, advertising agencies, media agencies and… anyone who needs to navigate the ever changing face of South African business