Also see Marian’s blog posts on the Huffington Post.
“The End of the Trend,” The Boston Globe, March 10, 2013
Anything goes in fashion these days, according to the writer of this Boston Globe article, who went to Marian as one of her main sources. “Some days I think it started with those idiot crocs,” says Marian, CEO of Havas PR North America and a leading international trendspotter, in the piece’s opening sentence. While a fashion forecaster says grunge started this no-trend fashion movement, Marian adds that the way we work now really helped define it. “If I’m going to be working at home and only seen on Skype [from the shoulders up],” she says, “isn’t one vintage jacket all I need?”
“More Than Words,” Stamford, Feb. 7, 2013
“As a trendspotter, my eyes tend to be forever focused on the future,” starts Marian in this column, “but one of my favorite ways to look back is through various linguists’ and lexicographers’ annual words of the year lists.” Here, she gives opinions on the most respected lists; they focus on “big cultural trends and attitudinal shifts,” says Marian, but she’s not sure how many of the words will change the universal vocabulary. Topping those lists for 2012 are capitalism, socialism, GIF and hashtag. Marian herself topped the list when a word she popularized in 2003—metrosexual—was chosen by the American Dialect Society as its word of the year in January 2004.
“What Does Lance Armstrong’s Scandal Teach Us About Personal Branding?” Bulldog Reporter, Feb. 5, 2013
Bulldog Reporter picked up this post by Marian Salzman from the Havas PR blog, and it originally ran in her weekly personal branding column on Forbes.com. Marian’s bottom line: “Even though Lance Armstrong has been in the news for months … [f]rom a crisis management and personal branding standpoint, he has a long road ahead of him.” She says his response has been a textbook example of what not to do—from remaining silent for much too long to selfishly agreeing to testify against prominent cycling officials to giving a self-serving, hollow apology on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa. It’s a cautionary tale, says Marian, and the sharpest lesson learned is this: “Have a clear plan for personal rehabilitation and live it.” Read the full post for more insight and personal branding advice.
“Kate Middleton, Prince William Choose Baby Names—Buy Domains, Reserve Twitter Accounts?” Celeb Dirty Laundry, Jan. 30, 2013
This blogger was impressed by a post from Marian on her Forbes.com blog about personal branding. Called “Kate Middleton and the Branding of a Duchess,” the post talks not only about the duchess’ brand but also about that of the little monarch growing inside her. The blogger was struck by Marian’s statement that she bets “if Kate and William have chosen [a baby name], they’ve also registered the URL and opened the Twitter account.” To it, the blogger replied: “Could protecting the baby’s name now be a smart decision and a sign of William and Kate’s desire to be modern monarchs? Wouldn’t it be amazing if they made a Tumblr account for the baby a la Beyonce? I would die.”
“Leading Trendspotter and Havas PR, North America CEO Marian Salzman Offers 2013 Predictions with Brand New E-book Launch,” Campaign Brief, Jan. 15, 2013
Campaign Brief (in Asia, Australia and New Zealand) gives a sneak peek at some of Marian’s trends for this year, from her new e-book What’s Next? What to Expect in 2013. Here are a few: A new and rising trend is copreneurship, as life partners of whatever gender and sexual orientation go into business together. The travel front for 2013 is all about wellness journeys, whether for plastic surgery, fertility clinics or even dental care. “Native” is now a trigger word in fashion and style; as modern life accelerates into a future that gets more virtual with every year, consumers are increasingly feeling a sense of rootlessness. We will be rethinking quality of life. We’ve all been living life at breakneck speed; in 2013, there will be more interest in slower alternatives: slow cooking and eating, slow courtships, slow travel.
“Muscle Mania: What Are the New Fitness Trends for 2013?” Metro (U.K.), Jan. 14, 2013
In 2013, we’ll be looking forward and back, according to a few experts in this article—from technological breakthroughs that let people easily assess and track their workouts to retro exercise routines, such as the Powerhoop (a souped-up version of the hula hoop). For her part, Marian says sweat-working will be the new networking. “Most devoted employees find time to exercise daily to reduce stress, get fit and stay healthy,” she says. Now, “more … companies will be taking steps to help employees fight the battle of the bulge.”
“Op-Ed: Rays of Hope in Newtown,” Stamford Advocate, Jan. 11, 2013
“The images of Sandy Hook Elementary School students returning for classes on Jan. 3, their first day of the ‘new normal,’ were both heartrending and heartwarming,” wrote Marian in this bylined piece. Therapy dogs welcomed the scared children to a building the community had transformed, uplifting banners are seen around town, scholarships and other funds have been established, and former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords met privately with families of the victims. Marian was also heartened to hear that Giffords and her husband, Mark Kelly, had met with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and hopes their conversation and others lead to changes in the national gun law discussion.
“What’s Next in 2013: A Lesson in Trendspotting with Marian Salzman,” Madison Ave Insights, Jan. 10, 2013
“Spotting industry trends and making forecasts for a year ahead is a challenge, especially in an age of constant change and technological developments,” says the writer in his introduction to a Q&A with world-renowned trendspotter Marian. In her answers, Marian illustrates her process for identifying trends (pattern recognition), the future of wireless (including apps for voting), the most important trend in her 2013 forecast (“Co”), personal brands and the coolest object in her office right now, among many other topics.
“One Office, Multiple Generations: How Millennial Women Are Winning the Age Game,” Allvoices, Jan. 8, 2013
“Fearless and determined,” starts the writer of this post, “millennial women have overwhelmingly rejected the idea of working hours, as many respond to work emails on the go.” She adds that millennials in general are challenging office protocols. Because of all that, she says, “women are uniquely positioned to navigate increasingly multi-generational offices.” She cites speakers from the CNN Dialogues forum last October, including Marian. It was there that Marian said this: “Millennials are the most skilled, inexpensive brain trust available. At work, they want real time feedback and employers that are mentors and partners.”
“Experts Unveil Their Food Predictions for 2013: What Will Be Trending in Restaurants and Home Cooking,” New York Daily News, Jan. 6, 2013
In an article that asks chefs and other foodies what they’re forecasting for the world of food this year, Marian stands out as the only trendspotter. Local food, plant-based plates and fermentation were common threads. What does Marian foresee? “Veggies are moving to the center of the plate, prepared in innovative ways. Kale is being hailed as the new bacon (complete with backlash), and new greens are on deck to take its place: Beet greens, chard, and mustard greens to name a few. Local produce is increasingly in demand, with chefs outdoing one another by foraging or growing kitchen gardens on rooftops.”
“Dads Fear the Social Stigma of Staying at Home,” The Independent, Jan. 6, 2013
In a survey from The Independent, more than half of working fathers in Britain want to cut their hours in order to help more in raising their kids. A case study profiles Ben D’Alton, 27, the father of young twins, who recently went part-time as his wife’s maternity leave was finishing. The article also cites Marian’s prediction that 2013 would be the year of the stay-at-home dad. “Rather than being diminished by the rise of women,” she says, “the growing ranks of devoted and capable dads are likely to find their new role liberating.”
“How to Get Ahead of the Curve,” BD Online, Jan, 2, 2013
In this blog post on Building Design magazine’s website, there is not only British architectural news but also a look at one of Marian’s predictions in her annual trends report, What’s Next? What to Expect in 2013. “What caught my eye,” says the writer of this post, “was her prediction that copreneurship is on the rise. The term, meaning life partners going into business together, is something architects have always done, pretty successfully.… Now though, according to Salzman, the tougher economy is making others realize that copreneurship—collaborating, pooling resources, and sharing practical and financial support—is a good thing and something we will see a lot more of in 2013. In this, if nothing else, architects are ahead of that troublesome curve.”
“What 2013 Will Bring: Green, Yellow, Fear and Control,” Star-Ledger, Jan. 1, 2013
On the list of what the New Jersey Star-Ledger believes will be out for 2013 is trying to unplug. The writer quotes Marian as saying, “[I]t’s almost unimaginable that you could get away from it. Really, how would you do that? The train has left the station.” Continuing in the tech vein, Marian says we are choosing to do more things digitally than manually. Plus, she says, food is one of the things we’ll want “as straightforward as possible.” That includes detoxifying with supergrains, buying chickens for the eggs, and seeing more organic foods available in mainstream grocery stores.
