The Knowledgeable Consumer is Here to Stay

Jonathan Peck, President of the Institute for Alternative Futures, enlightened ToyCon attendees about the importance of developing sensitivity to the marketplace by learning and beginning to understand both cognitive and emotional development. He offered descriptions of seven stages of human development (Help Me, Tribal We, Gratify Me, Righteous We, Competitive Me, Holistic Us and Interdependent Me) and provided insights as to how understanding these stages can benefit toy manufacturers and marketers.

He went on to warn that the Knowledge Revolution has arrived and never again will the consumer not be informed. Peck, internationally known for his forecasts, offered this to the toy community: “Knowledgeable consumers are here to stay and as a manufacturer you must play to the smart market.”

Peck encouraged everyone to continue to evolve and never stop learning. He offered 5 tips to staying ahead of your competition:

• You must have a vision
• You must create models where you consider the world outside your own business – segmented markets, the international connection, and the external political landscape
• You must use forecasts even if they seem far outside your comfort zone and current business environment
• You must create and be aware of scenarios that address uncertainty in various disciplines – technology, value systems, ethics and economics. Two such scenarios are The Unholy Trinity (where the global economy, global warming, and global communication breakdowns collide) and the China 2028 Scenario (where China’s emerging global marketing power will be either a major challenge or opportunity).
• You must always apply the future to today’s work