To get you started in the new year, we’ve rounded some of the biggest predictions in food, fashion, marketing and more…
What’s in store in the coming year? Experts across industries are weighing in with their forecasts, and as usual, we’ve curated the best of the bunch to set you up to start 2019 right! Happy new year – here are some of the biggest trend predictions to be ready for:
Food & Restaurant
Cannabis-infused drinks can look forward to high times in 2019, according to Eater. Small brands like Tarukino and California Dreamin’ have made a name for themselves with CBD and THC-laced apple ciders and sodas, and now major names are stepping in. Everyone from Constellation to Molson Coors is looking to take a hit of the cannabis cashflow. But don’t expect any “unholy, Four Loko-esque product[s]” because mixing THC and alcohol is illegal; instead, the new genre of drinks could become an alternative to alcohol or coffee. (For more on CBD products taking off, check out our trend Cannabis Infused.) Eater’s own prediction roundup calls out oat and wheat milk, healthy desserts, and ugly food as culinary trends taking off. Meanwhile, Pinterest’s data indicates that “grazing tables,” (family style platters of eye-pleasing grabbable food—think cheese boards on steroids) and “pegan diets” (part paleo, part vegan) will be big.
And one tougher prediction for the restaurant industry: according to Bloomberg, “2019 looks worse” for chain restaurants already struggling to reel in Millennials. The likes of Starbucks and McDonald’s have closed the doors on locations to tighten up their purse strings, but that might not be enough. Delivery services continue to eat chain’s revenue as they struggle to catch up, both in practical terms (stopping soggy burgers) and by gathering more customer data. They’ll also have to deal with inflating food and labor costs in the coming year.
Fashion & Retail
Had enough of ‘90s nostalgia? Too bad! The trend will be revisited once again in a few ways, according to Elle—including square-toed shoes, and “swirling terrestrial TV graphics,” aka “word art and swirling graphics of the opening credits of Saved By The Bell and Clarissa Explains It All.” Don’t worry if you don’t get it, just be prepared to see plenty of ’90s-inspired looks continuing to trend. Another throw-back style many are predicting will be big: tie-dye. And cannabis won’t just be a hot ingredient in the year to come: Fashionista reports predict cannabis culture will have its fashion moment in merch next year, saying emerging Los Angeles-based brand Mister Green is one to watch, but that many major designers have been playing in the space.
On the business of fashion front, Forbes predicts that big retailers will be coming for Amazon’s crown with services like one day shipping, mobile tools, and subscription models. We’ll throw our own predictions in the ring, and say we’re betting that social shopping will continue to trend in 2019, with tools like snap to shop making mobile impulse purchases a bigger opportunity.
Media & Entertainment
Buckle up, because 2019 is going to be the year of the streaming service showdown. Networks are launching an onslaught of new streaming services to compete with the likes of Netflix and Hulu. CBS, Disney, and now Warner Media are hopping on the bandwagon to compete for young cord-cutters’ viewing time. One eMarketer analyst predicts this over-saturation in the streaming wars will lead to “a shakeout,” in which companies will be weeded out unless they consolidate their offerings. Netflix could lose one fifth of its content to new network-led streaming services, according to Recode. Expect to see the streaming giant continue to ramp up on original content to keep their audience in place—and one study claims they’ll be more in-demand than licensed titles by the end of the year.
Other entertainment predictions to note: Business Insider says that movie ticket subscriptions will be a more common offering (thanks Moviepass!), and that superheroes and reboots could break box office records (thanks Avengers!). Meanwhile, Snapchat predicts that Minecraft, Fortnite, Call of Duty, and Red Dead Redemption will continue to make cultural waves.
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