Embracing-Analog (JWT Research)

EMBRACING ANALOG:
WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT
March 2013
Image credit: - luz -
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Executive Summary.......................................................................................................... 3 Embracing Analog: Why Physical Is Hot.................................................................................. 4 Drivers.......................................................................................................................... 4 Manifestations................................................................................................................. 9 What It Means................................................................................................................ 15 Appendix: Additional Charts.............................................................................................. 17
A note to readers: To make the report easy to navigate, weve added hyperlinks to this page, so you can jump immediately to the items that most interest you (or, alternatively, you can read the material straight through). This is a report from JWTIntelligence. Go to JWTIntelligence.com to download this and other trend research.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
As we spend ever more time in the digital world, whats becoming increasingly valued is the time we do not spend in front of a screenthe time we spend with real people and real things. As we observed in Objectifying Objects, one of our 10 Trends for 2012, People are fetishizing the physical and the tactile. Its not that were abandoning digitalfar from it. But as we buy more apps, e-books and downloads, and as digital screens become our default interface with the world, we seem to increasingly seek out physical objects and experiences. Embracing Analog and, more specifically, Objectifying Objects are digital-era countertrends, responses to the evaporation of so many physical things into intangible formats. For consumers, these responses coexist with their embrace of techcentric lifestyles; indeed, the stronger that embrace, the stronger the urge to experience the polar opposite. This report examines the increasing embrace of analog, whats driving it, the ways in which its manifesting and what it means for marketers. Methodology JWTs trend reports are the result of quantitative, qualitative and desk research conducted by JWTIntelligence throughout the year. For this report, JWTIntelligence partnered with Frank Rose, author of The Art of Immersion and correspondent for Wired, to design and conduct a survey in the U.S. and U.K. using SONAR, JWTs proprietary online tool. The survey polled 1,200 adults aged 18-plus from Feb. 1-4. In addition, we interviewed Rose and Paul Woolmington, leading authority on marketing and co-founder of the disruptive communications management consultancy Naked Communications Americas. See their bios below: FRANK ROSE, author of The Art of Immersion and correspondent for Wired Rose is the author of The Art of Immersion: How the Digital Generation Is Remaking Hollywood, Madison Avenue, and the Way We Tell Stories. He speaks frequently about the impact of technology on entertainment, advertising and society, which he covered for more than a decade as a contributing editor at Wired and a contributing writer at Fortune. His work has also appeared in The Atlantic, The New York Times and The New York Times Magazine, New York, Esquire, Vanity Fair and Rolling Stone. Among his other books are The Agency: William Morris and the Hidden History of Show Business and the national best-seller West of Eden: The End of Innocence at Apple Computer, now available in an updated edition. His books have been translated into Dutch, French, German, Japanese, Korean and Italian. PAUL WOOLMINGTON, leading authority on marketing and co-founder of the disruptive communications management consultancy Naked Communications Americas Woolmington is an entrepreneur in media, advertising, marketing and communications who has held leadership positions at companies including IPG, Y&R, WPP and MDC Partners. He co-founded Naked Communications Americas, a first-of-its-kind objective communications management company that was heralded by The Wall Street Journal as a top five agency to watch, by The Financial Times as marketings most creative business and by The Washington Post as the agency of the future. He was also recognized by Fast Company in 2010 as one of the 10 most creative people in marketing services. Woolmington is currently devoting his energy to a portfolio of angel investments and advisory roles in a number of dynamic businesses, as well as select high-impact work for government and social cause organizations. Throughout his career, he has advised charitable, arts, media, digital, social, event, content, technology and insight/research concerns, and served on a broad array of industry bodies. Championing innovative and disruptive thinking, he has been extensively published across all media and has served on a diverse array of creative, marketing, media, digital, effectiveness, strategy and integration gatherings, festivals, conferences and award juries.
EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

As we spend ever more time in the digital world, whats becoming increasingly valued is the time we do not spend in front of a screenthe time we spend with real people and real things. As we observed in our Objectifying Objects trend in our 2012 forecast, people are fetishizing the physical and the tactile. Its not that were abandoning digitalfar from it. But as we buy more apps, e-books and downloads, and as digital screens become our default interface with the world, we seem to increasingly seek out physical objects and experiences.
The simple fact is, were physical creatures. Were hardwired to respond to cues in the physical environment. Thats not going to changeunless of course Ray Kurzweil is right and we all get swept up into the singularity and trade our brains for silicon. Which could happen, but I sort of doubt it. FRANK ROSE, author of The Art of Immersion and correspondent for Wired
As life becomes more hyperconnected and convenient, our worlds are being tilted toward the rational IQ sides of our brains. This leaves an increasing gap in the emotional EQ side, which leads us to yearn for and seek out analog objects and physical experiences.
PAUL WOOLMINGTON, leading authority on marketing and co-founder of the disruptive communications management consultancy Naked Communications Americas
DRIVERS
The digitization of the physical world: A multitude of physical things have gotten digitized in the past decade or so, including CDs, photos and their albums, correspondence, books, newspapers and other print media. And with the advent of the cloud and streaming services for music and movies, digital media is unshackled from the bonds of physicality, hard format or even a home computer, as the Chicago Tribunes Christopher Borrelli puts it. Soon even cash will likely fade away as we come to rely on smartphones-turned-digital wallets. Consumer behavior is starting to reflect this shift. According to a survey we conducted in February, majorities of American adults did more of the following activities online than offline over the past 12 months: researching products before buying them, playing games, paying bills, showing someone pictures, buying music, buying books, reading news and listening to music. The younger generations (Millennials, followed by Gen Xers) tended to lean toward digital in greater numbers across more activities than the older cohorts (Boomers and Silents), as did our male respondents. (See Figure 1A; for generational and gender breakdowns, see Appendix, Figures 1F-G; for U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1H-J.) The ease with which we can access anything at any time and the intangible format tend to make digital things feel less valuable and special than their physical counterparts. The cloud has given me the gift of instant gratification and endless access, but inadvertently reminded me that appreciation [for what you have] and availability are closely joined at the hip, observes Borrelli.

DRIVERS (contd.)
FIGURE 1A:
Online vs. offline

Percentage of American adults who tend to do the following activities more online or offline*
Online Offline 94 76 71 69 67 61 59 57 53 50 49 39 35 33 27 26 24 18 18 7 93 82 82 73 74 76 61 65 67 39 41 43 47 50 51 24 29 31 33 6
Researching products before you buy them Playing games Paying bills Showing someone pictures Buying music Buying books Reading news Listening to music Career networking with people Buying consumer electronics Gift shopping for someone Trying to meet new people Attending a class/Taking a course Reading books Listening to the radio Watching a movie at home Buying clothes Reading magazines Watching TV shows Grocery shopping
*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months.
The emotional void in digital: When choosing reasons why they tend to buy music, read news and do other activities more online than offline, our survey respondents cited ease, speed, convenience and cost. (For U.S. and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1K-L.) That pragmatism was reflected throughout our research, with nearly 8 in 10 respondents saying that they love being able to keep a lot more music, books or photos digitally than they ever could physically, and 7 in 10 saying that these electronic files help them keep their homes uncluttered. More Millennials and Gen Xers expressed these sentiments compared to their elders; they also showed a greater preference for downloading books, movies and music because its faster than taking a trip to the store. (See Figure 1B; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1M-O.) Compare that with the rationale for doing things offline rather than online. Aside from habit (Its how Ive always done it), our survey respondents cited the better experience and comfort found in the physical world. Our research also showed that American adults across generations tend to romanticize the physical, ascribing more meaning to giving and receiving physical objects versus digital versions of the same things. (See Figure 1C; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1P-R.) While digital has its benefits, the more we embrace the format, the more well miss the emotional qualities that it has a hard time replicating.

DRIVERS (contd.)
FIGURE 1B: FIGURE 1C:
Digital pragmatism
Percentage of American adults who agree
Millennials (18-35) Boomers (49-68) Gen Xers (36-48) Silents (69+)
Romanticizing the physical

I love that I can keep a lot more music, books or photos digitally than I ever could physically
85 85 72 61 77 75 64 57 69 62 35 38
54% 70% 79%
It means more to me if someone gives me a physical book than an e-book I think its nice to give a physical book, movie or album rather than an e-version, even if the person has an e-reader or MP3 player Physical cards/ letters make me feel more connected to people than digital notes (emails, SMS, etc.)
76 65 75 78 73 77
76% 73%
Electronic books, music, photos, etc., help keep my home uncluttered I prefer downloading books, movies and music because its faster than taking a trip to the store
75 88 77 79
78%
78 81
Imperfection: Consumers have been seeking authenticity from products and services, and increasingly its the imperfect that feels especially authentica counter to the standardized, mass-produced or otherwise polished offerings that prevail today and the smooth, shiny surfaces of our digital devices. Imperfections on physical objects, such as scratches or scuffs, give them personality, according to 59% of our respondents, with Millennials (67%) and Gen Xers (60%) leading the way.
As human beings we need our emotional being satisfied, and obviously that need isnt being met by our digital experiences. Therefore, in order to balance that, were seeking the analog more than ever. Were looking for more meaningful emotional experiences and connections. Were seeking to rebalance our IQ and EQ states.
Image credit: PeterVermaercke

DRIVERS (contd.)
Nostalgia: People have always had a fondness for things that speak to older ways of living, but today, objects that hearken back to different times strike an especially strong chord among digital natives. Some have embraced the heritage movement, a nostalgia-tinged societal turn toward objects that last, smolder with individuality and are well-made, as The Wall Street Journal puts it. Indeed, our survey found that 67% of American adults sometimes feel nostalgic for things from the past, like vinyl records and photo albums, and 61% have a greater appreciation for things that arent used as much as they used to be, like record players and film cameras. (See Figure 1D; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1S-U.) These objects represent a counterpoint to our always-on, real-time world of bits and bytes. They appeal to our urge to De-Tech (one of our 10 Trends for 2011), as they follow a different pace (e.g., snail mail) and are manually made or operated.
FIGURE 1D:
Nostalgia and the quest for originality

I sometimes feel nostalgic for things from the past, like vinyl records and photo albums
66 71 66 63 67 65
61% 67%
I have a greater appreciation for things that dont get used as much as they used to, like record players or film cameras
56 49 76 80
79%
Nostalgia is a consequence of the loss of emotional connections and the anxiety that produces. In our new digitally driven world thats moving at an ever faster pace, nostalgia takes on a deeper context: the sentimental yearning for things past that felt safe and secure and represent happier, less complex times.
I sometimes miss having some memories in a physical form, like photos, letters or books with inscriptions
81 84
I would be interested in buying now-obsolete items (vinyl records, a record player, cassette tapes and/ or a typewriter) as a collectors item
64 51 28 15 78 77 75
75% 45%
The quest for originality: Adopting items that people no longer 61 have a true need for (wristwatches, stationery) conveys some originality and quirkiness in the owner. This is especially true of the younger generations. According to our survey, 64% of Millennials said theyd be interested in buying now-obsolete goods as collectors items, followed by 51% of Gen Xers; 75% of American respondents agreed that if one of their favorite books, albums or movies came out in a collectors edition, theyd prefer to have a physical copy rather than an e-version. (See Figure 1D; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1S-U.)
If one of my favorite books, albums or movies came out in a collectors edition, Id prefer to have a physical copy rather than an e-version
Image credit: kennymatic

DRIVERS (contd.)
To have and to hold: Physical artifacts can be keepsakes, identity markers and status symbols. They can be limited-edition, rare or one-of-a-kind. They can be collected, shared, framed, proudly displayed, nicely wrapped. We can touch and smell theman attribute that many people appreciate: 72% of our U.S. survey respondents said that they like the smell and feel of books; 56% said the same of magazines. Physical objects also have a longevity that digital objects lack; 76% of our survey population said as much. (See Figure 1E; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 1V-X.) As Joy Division and New Order bass player Peter Hook observed in The Independent in November 2011: It was a wonderful thing when you were younger just to walk around with an LP under your arm, showing off how rare your record was. You cant do that with a CD, and you certainly cant do it with an MP3. I loved the sense of longing and anticipation before you got the album: examining how the sleeve looked and felt, then taking the record out of the sleevethen, of course, the music! Putting it on the turntable, the delivery is so much more satisfying than a CD or MP3 has ever been, or ever will be.
FIGURE 1E:
To have and to hold

78
I like the smell and feel of books
68 69 71 58
72%
As we spend more and more of our time in virtual environmentswhich are still evolving and increasingly immersiveits only natural to want to have something to grab onto. And if youre going to grab onto something, it had better be tangible.
FRANK ROSE, author of The Art of Immersion
I like the smell and feel of magazines
55 56 53
56%
and correspondent for Wired
Physical objects, such as letters, seem to have a sort of longevity and endurance that digital objects do not
75 72
76%
79 87

MANIFESTATIONS
Vinyl revival: Vinyl has been on the upswing for a while, only growing in popularity as digital becomes more pervasive. Its not just indie bands releasing vinyl albums now, but major acts like Florence + the Machine, Taylor Swift and Justin Timberlake (whose 20/20 Experience is coming soon), with some records including digital download. While vinyl sales account for a small percentage of overall albums sold, U.S. vinyl sales tracked by Nielsen SoundScan and Billboard showed the fifth consecutive year of growth for the format in 2012, with a 19% year-over-year increase. U.K. sales experienced a similar rise. U.K. department store John Lewis added a lineup of 20 vinyl records for the 2011 holidays, along with Play & Display frames from a company called Art Vinyl (pointing to the fact that in some cases, albums are more dcor than media format). More than a year later, John Lewis continues to sell the Art Vinyl range, with music available exclusively on vinyl. And HMV in the U.K. is finding that younger shoppers are buying vinyl even if they dont actually own a record player, because they think its cool; The fans want to associate with it, almost as a badge of honor, a spokesman told The Independent. The same holds true stateside: Half the kids are buying [vinyl records] to listen to; half are buying them as artifacts, Terry Stewart, CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, told The New York Times. And while deluxe box sets and limited-edition special releases are nothing new, these are increasingly over-the-top in their objectification; for example, a deluxe edition of Okkervil Rivers 2011 album I Am Very Far included two LPs with embossed packaging and laser-etched vinyl, a CD with a sizable booklet, a laser-cut replica of the albums paper-cut cover art, a hardcover book of lyrics, a poster and a signed letter from the bands front manall packaged in a wood box branded with the album title. In 2012, The Avett Brothers released a deluxe box set, in a pine box adorned with a burned-in design, containing 13 calendar and lyric prints, seven high-quality photo prints, an exclusive six-song CD demo, a digital download of the album and either a 180-gram double vinyl gatefold package or a limited-edition die-cut package CD. Rihannas latest album, Unapologetic, also comes in a substantial deluxe edition, containing a deluxe version CD, collectible vinyl records, a handwritten personal note from Rihanna, a USB flash drive, posters, handwritten tour notes, a concert DVD, a T-shirt, photos, lithographs and stickers.
Becks Song Reader: As its description reads, Becks latest album comes in an almost-forgotten form twenty songs existing only as individual pieces of sheet music, never before released or recorded. Complete with full-color, heyday-of-home-play-inspired art for each song and a lavishly produced hardcover carrying case, Song Reader is an experiment in what an album can be an alternative that enlists the listener in the tone of every track, and thats as visually absorbing as a dozen gatefold LPs put together. Bringing the songs to life is up to the user, but the projects publisher, McSweeneys, is posting renditions by readers and select musicians on its website. Lauding Becks ability to connect to generational moments in his music, New York magazine wrote that Song Reader is tapping into an Americana backlash, a nostalgia for things simpler and craftedDIY homesteading, preserving jams, music released on sheets of paper.
Image credits: Justin Timberlake; John Lewis; Amazon; Rihanna

MANIFESTATIONS (contd.)
The niche for cassettes: Cassettes have found a place in the underground music scene and as bonus items. For example, last fall the Deftones made a cassette single available to the first 50 people who preordered the bands new album at the merchandise table during each show on their North American tour. In November 2011, Dinosaur Jr.popular during the heyday of cassettesreleased a limited-edition box set with three albums on tape. As Stan Schroeder wrote on Mashable at the time of the release, When everything is digital and immediately available, one starts to yearn for the physical medium and all the little quirks that go with playing a record on a gramophone or playing a tape in the old cassette recorder. Motivational objects for music: Physical items that represent digital music can make a download feel more tangible and satisfying and fans feel that theyre purchasing a keepsake. We know people need something to hold in their hands, explained the lead singer of Hungarian band The Kolin, which is selling two singles in the form of special 3D glasses and a novelty pen (the songs can be downloaded for free with purchase). Other examples:
In 2011, the Norwegian band Datarock released a $50 red vinyl diamond accompanied by a USB drive containing their
latest single along with scores of bonus tracks, photos, music videos and a concert film. Other bands have also used the USB format to pack in the extras, including heavy hitters such as Lady Gaga, Kiss and Queen.
Playbutton, which launched in 2011, sells albums packaged in what looks like a
novelty button featuring album artwork. A tiny memory card contains the tracks, three buttons allow playback, and theres a headphone outlet. Artists including Florence + the Machine, Belle and Sebastian and Justin Bieber have used the format.
Philadelphia startup Data Garden makes seed paper albums: Instead of a CD,
buyers get a download code on a card screen-printed with water-based ink that can be planted to sprout flowers. The founders call the idea trans-digital.
Last fall, French producer and DJ

Breakbot sold pieces of chocolate that were playable records as part of the promotional package for his single By Your Side. The chocolate records cost $21 a pop and included a link to a video that showed the making of the limitededition edible records.
Pushing the envelope even further,

former White Stripes member Jack White, in partnership with Butthole Surfers Gibby Haynes, plans to release a 7-inch collectible single printed on X-ray sheets at this years SXSW Music Festival.
Image credits: Deftones; Datarock; Playbutton; Data Garden; Ed Banger Records
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Wristwatch revival: Watches tap into the heritage trends love of self-consciously retro and finely made items, says The New York Times, and carry an analog chic, especially watches that show the gears of the timekeeping mechanism. Even digital watches have some appeal, with American Apparel now selling everything from vintage Casios to old Swatches and Seikos. Swiss watch exports rose 11% year-over-year in January to $1.6 billion. And Fossils watch division reported double-digit growth in 2012. Stationerys revival: Paper is experiencing a renaissance, with digital natives embracing the notion of handwriting notes to send through the mail. Stationery was on our list of 100 Things to Watch in 2012, and sales remain robust: The global stationery and card market is expected to reach $111.8 billion by 2016, a 25% increase since 2011, according to an August 2012 report from MarketLine. Louis Vuitton recently launched a stationery line, showcased in a new Cabinet dEcriture in one of its Paris boutiques. Etsy is packed with stationery products, and despite its name, Paperless Postthe company that pioneered highend e-vitesis now offering physical as well as e-cards. Minted, similar to a Threadless for stationery products, raised $5.5 million in a second round of funding in November 2011. Visitors to Minted can vote on artist and designer submissions, with the winning designs turned into calendars, cards, invitations and other paper goods, using fine paper stock, rich inks, and crisp printing methods. The further from email the better, with letterpressprinted cards and embossed papers especially popular. For instance, fountain pen sales have soared: On Amazon, year-over-year sales doubled between January and May 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, while U.K. stationery store Ryman also said sales have risen.
With digital things, everything happens invisibly. The owner of a mechanical clock or watch can see how it works. Clocks still tell time 100 or 200 years after they were built. That is incredible in a digital age where things can be out of date in a year and unusable in five.
DAVID SOKOSH, watchmaker and owner of analog-timepiece line Brooklyn Watches, Old Souls, New York, July 3, 2011
Image credits: Louis Vuitton; J Press Designs
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Converting digital into physical: Many a website can turn digital photos or designs into calendars, cards, mugs and so on, but increasingly were seeing tools that bridge the digital and physical worlds in more interesting and novel ways. These new platforms address a growing consumer desire, with 73% of our U.S. survey population saying they sometimes find themselves wanting to turn their digital memories into physical keepsakes, so they have a tangible record of them.
Digital-into-physical cards: Various services turn digital content into physical

cards that get mailed out for the sender, one of our 100 Things to Watch in 2012. Tools like Sincerelys Postagram app, Shutterflys Treat app and Postcard on the Run (Technology delivered the old-fashioned way) enable vacationers and others to create physical postcards from mobile snapshots. Similarly, Sincerelys Ink Cards, Apples Cards (for deluxe letterpress-printed cards) and the like let people send greeting cards using a mobile device; Paperless Post can print and deliver physical invitations in addition to e-vites. Postal services in Sweden, Austria and Poland also offer digital-into-physical cards. The U.S. Postal Service does so by working with third-party sites such as AmazingMail, Cardstore.com and Click2Mail. Last August, Facebook started testing a tool that lets members mail physical photos to social connections.
Giving social media output a physical presence: A range of new services allow people to come to gripsliterallywith their
social media output, turning tweets and posts into real-world items. MOO Inc., for instance, offers business cards created from Facebook users Timeline images and data, using the same fonts and layout; it includes the persons Facebook URL. As a default, the back of the card features a quote from the customers Favorite Quotations field. Apparently intended for the most prolific tweeters, the Twitter Poster re-creates the customers profile picture using his or her own tweets (an interesting modern-day interpretation of the portrait). Instagram users can decorate their homes with their creations using Stitchtagram, a service that crafts handmade pillows using fabric printed with Instagram shots. Also designed for Instagram users, Instaprint produces Polaroids for the digital age. Its wall-mounted devices print photographs taken with Instagram and tagged with an events location or hashtag. The rentable devices are marketed toward the event market, providing a fun way to generate party souvenirs. Likewise, the Polaroid Cacher is a graduate student concept that allows users to make instant photos of digital experiences, such as milestones posted to a Facebook timeline. Users install a browser plugin that lets them select a portion of the screen and capture a picture of it. The image is then sent to a Bluetooth-enabled vintage Polaroid camera for instant developing. The designer says the project captures digital media in a traditional analog format, as [a] means to create tangible, durable mementos of our digital life.
Image credits: Postagram; Stitchtagram; Adri Navarro
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FIGURE 2A:
New uses for old things

Ive upcycled now-obsolete items (books, records, cassette tapes, etc.) into something new and more useful I like the idea of combining new technology with old parts (for example, an iPhone dock made out of a vintage alarm clock)
57 44 33 26 75 64 41 32
57% 43%
Finding new uses for old things: People are increasingly repurposing things, with 57% of our Millennial and 44% of our Gen X survey respondents in the U.S. telling us that theyve upcycled obsolete items into something new and more useful. (See Figure 2A; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 2C-E.) Physical books, for instance, are being turned into decorative items, artfully piled or colorcoordinated on shelves in retail spaces and homes. Noted The New York Times in January 2011, The printed, bound book has been given a stay of execution by an unlikely source: the design community. Theres also the single deluxe book whose role is at least partly decorative: Pottery Barn, for instance, has sold limited-edition leather-bound books on the artistry of mixing drinks and single malt Scotch. In late 2012, Random House of Canada introduced the series Books Are Beautiful, 30 re-released titles assembled with interior design in mind. The year before, Vintage Books in the U.K. released a similar book series in celebration of its 21st anniversary. Also in the U.K., department store Selfridges has a section of beautiful books in its bookshop. Artists have been turning books into works of art for some time now. For instance, paper artist Jodi Harvey-Brown creates pop-up paper art that depicts famous scenes from the books content. A work made from a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, for example, shows two boys floating away on a raft thats encased within the pages of the hardcover novel. Meanwhile, three-quarters of Millennials and nearly twothirds of Gen Xers say they like the idea of combining new technology with old parts. Manufacturers are responding, releasing items such as an iPod docking station made with Victrola parts. Chicago-based Fotio has created a portable digital photo booth without the booth that combines the looks of a vintage camera with an iMac digital display, which is available to rent for events. Users can take their photos and view them on the screen before the images are sent to a private or open online gallery. Users can access the private gallery only via a password provided by tickets that are stored alongside the camera.
Image credits: Random House; Jodi Harvey-Brown; Fotio
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Missing physical things: In the near future, advances in technology will render many physical items obsolete. When asked which items they would miss a lot if they were to go away, our survey respondents cited books, cash and mail as the top three. (See Figure 2B; for gender breakdowns and U.K. results, see Appendix, Figures 2F-H.)
FIGURE 2B:
How much people would miss things

Percentage of American adults who would miss the following things a lot if they went away
Millennials (18-35) Gen Xers (36-48) 52 Printed books 42 58 69 51 Paper cash/notes 38 59 63 46 Physical mail (postcards, letters, etc.) 35 51 53 34 Printed magazines 25 39 46 34 32 46 63 30 Printed newspapers 18 42 59 23 20 30 45 33% Pay phones 35% Printed catalogs received through the mail/post 46% Paper medical records 52% Printed textbooks 30 24 24 31 23 14 17 19 27 13 19 12 22 40% 10 Printed business cards 19 18 19 7 5 5 10% 17% 20% 53% Paper maps Boomers (49-68) Silents (69+) 22 17 31 43
26%
27%
18%
Watches
Landline phones
27%
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WHAT IT MEANS
Embracing Analog and, more specifically, Objectifying Objects are digital-era countertrends, responses to the evaporation of so many physical things into intangible formats. For consumers, these trends coexist with their embrace of tech-centric lifestyles; indeed, the stronger that embrace is, the stronger the urge to experience the polar opposite, as were seeing with Millennials sending handwritten notes and buying vinyl. Amplify qualities unique to physical goods: Immersion in the digital world makes us more keenly aware of whats unique about physical objectsthings that can be carried, held, opened, displayed and given. We may no longer have a real use for some of these objects, but for certain consumers, that makes them even more appealing: They become statements and in some cases imbued with more significance than they had when they were used for more functional ends. Brands can amp up the tactile, enduring, imperfect qualities of their objects, creating premium offerings that serve as unique gifts or collectibles. Digital brands, meanwhile, can find clever ways to imbue their offerings with these qualities. Instagram, for instance, lets users take perfect digital images, then use filters to age them, make image quality look poorer or add discoloration.
Millennials are more attuned to things digital than any other adults. As alluring as the digital world may be, were beginning to realize its limits and Millennials are in a better position to do so than anyone. If youre looking at digital from the outside, as way too many older people still are, all you see is that everything looks wrongbut thats because youre looking at it through the wrong lens. When youve embraced it on its own terms, youre in a position to criticize it intelligently.
FRANK ROSE, author of The Art of Immersion
and correspondent for Wired
Avoid the emotional void in digital: As Paul Woolmington observes, To better serve consumers and create more powerful immersive relationships, brands need to address the relationship between the rational and emotional states (IQ and EQ) across digital and analog platforms, channels and experiences. The opportunity for marketers is to understand how citizens and society can not just do things more cheaply, easily and quickly but also connect emotionally in deeper ways across the digital-analog divide. Use physical objects to increase the perceived value of digital offerings: Well see more brands that live in the digital space creating so-called motivational objects, an emerging phenomenon in the music category. If the offering isnt tangible, theyll simply create an object that represents the digital property. This not only satisfies the need for tangibility but increases perception of value, since digitization raises questions about the fair price of intellectual property (i.e., consumers used to feel they were paying in part for the record or the printing costs). Bridge the digital and the physical: Digital brands can also enable people to use technology to create physical objects, like postcards that are sent through the mail. They can offer novel services that transform our virtual information into real-world stuff. For Valentines Day last year, for instance, eHarmony Australia developed an easy way to create a keepsake. For those who liked the online dating sites Facebook page and filled in the relevant details, eHarmonys Calligraphy Cupids crafted a handwritten love letter and delivered it. Brands can also use technology to make items on demand, thanks to the advent of 3D printing.
Image credit: eHarmony
15

WHAT IT MEANS (contd.)
Revive older, meaningful traditions that are fading with the transition to digital: People are nostalgic about whats getting lost in our rush to progress, as were still working out where slow communication and the tactile fit into this new way of living. Brands can find ways to position themselves as counterpoints to the proliferation of digital goods in consumers lives without being anti-technology. From a Birdie, for example, enables people to create an Album of Letters for friends or family, asking others to contribute a thoughtfully composed note to mark a birthday or other occasion; the recipient gets a website composed of these missives but can also receive a hardor soft-cover printed edition. We are trying to create a medium that encourages carefulness, deep communication, privacy, and permanence, says the site. Allow people to repurpose old goods: The rapid changeover from physical to digital goods has quickly rendered many objects obsolete. Millennials, who are among the most nostalgic for our analog past, also have a hacker mindset. Theyve grown up in a world where established systems have been upended, and remix culture has given them a feeling of ownership over goods and content. Hacking or repurposing obsolete items allows this cohort to create something truly personal and unique, as well as eco-friendly. Brands can embrace this ethos by facilitating the repurposing of old goods into something totally new. Leverage the trend carefully: As Frank Rose notes, The important thing is this: People are no more going to abandon digital than theyre going to abandon electricity. Its just that people are realizing that digital isnt everything. If you keep in mind that digital is for efficiency and convenience and physical is for feelings of permanence, substance and roundednessfor feelings generallyyou cant go too far wrong.
THOUGHT STARTERS
What products or services can you offer that are selfconsciously analog, satisfying the need for tangible goods? How can you amplify qualities that are unique in physical objects, making them more satisfying to touch, hold or admire?
How can your brand help users turn obsolete objects

into something new?
How can your brand conjure up the sensation of

physical imperfections in the digital realm?
How can you position your brand as a counterpoint to

the proliferation of digital goods in consumers lives without being anti-technology?
If youre a digital content brand, how can you

encourage consumers to purchase by catering to their desire for physical goods?
If youre a technology brand, how can you help

people connect to things and behaviors that hearken back to our analog past? Can you create physical things that represent digital property?
If you produce physical goods, how can your brand

help bridge the analog-digital divide?
Image credit: From a Birdie
16
APPENDIX:
ADDITIONAL CHARTS
Image credit: -luz -
100%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
0% Researching products before you buy them Playing games Paying bills Showing someone pictures Buying music Buying books Reading news Listening to music Career networking with people Buying consumer electronics Gift shopping for someone Trying to meet new people Attending a class/Taking a course Reading books Listening to the radio Watching a movie at home Buying clothes Reading magazines Watching TV shows Grocery shopping Gen Xers (36-48) Boomers (49-68) Silents (69+) Millennials (18-35)
FIGURE 1F:
APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Activities done digitally (U.S.)
Percentage of American adults who tend to do the following activities digitally*
*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months. Some Silent activities not shown due to small base.
18
100%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
0% Researching products before you buy them Male Playing games Female Paying bills Showing someone pictures Buying music Buying books Reading news Listening to music Career networking with people Buying consumer electronics Gift shopping for someone Trying to meet new people Attending a class/Taking a course Reading books Listening to the radio Watching a movie at home Buying clothes Reading magazines Watching TV shows Grocery shopping
FIGURE 1G:
Activities done digitally (U.S.)
(contd.)
Percentage of American adults who tend to do the following activities digitally*
19

FIGURE 1H:
(contd.)
Online vs. offline (U.K.)

Percentage of British adults who tend to do the following activities more online or offline*
Online Offline 96 74 73 68 67 65 55 52 51 50 40 34 29 26 21 20 18 15 14 12 66 71 74 79 80 82 85 86 88 60 45 48 49 50 26 27 32 33 35 4
Researching products before you buy them Paying bills Playing games Buying books Showing someone pictures Buying consumer electronics Reading news Gift shopping for someone Buying music Listening to music Career networking with people Buying clothes Trying to meet new people Reading books Attending a class/Taking a course Watching a movie at home Listening to the radio Watching TV shows Grocery shopping Reading magazines
20

FIGURE 1I:
(contd.)
Activities done digitally (U.K.)

Percentage of British adults who tend to do the following activities digitally*
Millennials (18-35) Gen Xers (36-48) Boomers (49-68)
100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Watching TV shows Gift shopping for someone Showing someone pictures Buying consumer electronics Listening to music Grocery shopping Playing games Buying books Paying bills Buying clothes Reading books Reading news Buying music Researching products before you buy them Watching a movie at home Listening to the radio Reading magazines
*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months. Silents not shown due to small base. Networking with people, Attending a class, and Meeting new people not shown due to small base.
21
100%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
0% Researching products before you buy them Male Paying bills Female Playing games Buying books Showing someone pictures Buying consumer electronics Reading news Gift shopping for someone Buying music Listening to music Career networking with people Buying clothes Trying to meet new people Reading books Attending a class/Taking a course Watching a movie at home Listening to the radio Watching TV shows Grocery shopping Reading magazines
FIGURE 1J:
Activities done digitally (U.K.)
(contd.)
Percentage of British adults who tend to do the following activities digitally*
22

FIGURE 1K:
(contd.)
Top reasons for online vs. offline activity (U.S.)

American adults top five reasons for doing activities either online or offline*
Online
1. Its easier 2. Its faster 3. It fits better with my schedule 4. It better matches my needs, wants and likes 5. Its cheaper
Offline
1. Its how Ive always done it 2. It better matches my needs, wants and likes 3. Its a better experience 4. It feels more comfortable 5. Its easier
FIGURE 1L:
Top reasons for online vs. offline activity (U.K.)

British adults top five reasons for doing activities either online or offline*
Online
1. Its easier 2. Its faster 3. It better matches my needs, wants and likes 4. It fits better with my schedule 5. Its cheaper
Offline
1. It better matches my needs, wants and likes 2. Its how Ive always done it 3. Its a better experience 4. It feels more comfortable 5. Its easier
FIGURE 1M:
Digital pragmatism (U.S.)

Male Female
I love that I can keep a lot more music, books or photos digitally than I ever could physically Electronic books, music, photos, etc., help keep my home uncluttered
79 78
67 74
I prefer downloading books, movies and music because its faster than taking a trip to the store
54 53
23

FIGURE 1N:
(contd.)
Digital pragmatism (U.K.)

Percentage of British adults who agree
Millennials (18-35) Gen Xers (36-48) Boomers (49-68) Silents (69+)
I love that I can keep a lot more music, books or photos digitally than I ever could physically
80 84 67 44 76
72%
Electronic books, music, photos, etc., help keep my home uncluttered
70 67 46 66
68%
50 43 27
49%
FIGURE 1O:
Digital pragmatism (U.K.)

Male Female
I love that I can keep a lot more music, books or photos digitally than I ever could physically Electronic books, music, photos, etc., help keep my home uncluttered
72 72
68 68
54 45
24

FIGURE 1P:
(contd.)
Romanticizing the physical (U.S.)

Male Female
It means more to me if someone gives me a physical book than an e-book I think its nice to give a physical book, movie or album rather than an e-version, even if the person has an e-reader or MP3 player Physical cards/letters make me feel more connected to people than digital notes (emails, SMS, etc.) Imperfections on physical objects, such as scratches or scuff marks, give them personality
71 75
73 79
73 83
55 63
FIGURE 1Q:
Romanticizing the physical (U.K.)

It means more to me if someone gives me a physical book than an e-book
72 83 83 86 72 87
83% 80%
I think its nice to give a physical book, movie or album rather than an e-version, even if the person has an e-reader or MP3 player
87 88 84 76
81%
Physical cards/letters make me feel more connected to people than digital notes (emails, SMS, etc.)
82 77 61
Imperfections on physical objects, such as scratches or scuff marks, give them personality
58 48 41
54%
25

FIGURE 1R:
(contd.)
Romanticizing the physical (U.K.)

Male Female
It means more to me if someone gives me a physical book than an e-book I think its nice to give a physical book, movie or album rather than an e-version, even if the person has an e-reader or MP3 player Physical cards/letters make me feel more connected to people than digital notes (emails, SMS, etc.) Imperfections on physical objects, such as scratches or scuff marks, give them personality
71 88
77 88
73 88
55 52
FIGURE 1S:
Nostalgia and the quest for originality (U.S.)

Male Female
66 69
58 64
75 84
I would be interested in buying now-obsolete items (vinyl records, a record player, cassette tapes and/or a typewriter) as a collectors item If one of my favorite books, albums or movies came out in a collectors edition, Id prefer to have a physical copy rather than an e-version
47 42
72 78
26

FIGURE 1T:
(contd.)
Nostalgia and the quest for originality (U.K.)

65 75 81 59 61 62
58% 72%
58 46 78 82
78%
77 73
I would be interested in buying now-obsolete items (vinyl records, a record player, cassette tapes and/ or a typewriter) as a collectors item
50 46 34 18 75 83 81 77
79% 40%
If one of my favorite books, albums or movies came out in a collectors edition, Id prefer to have a physical copy rather than an e-version
27

FIGURE 1U:
(contd.)
Nostalgia and the quest for originality (U.K.)

Male Female
67 76
62 55
74 82
I would be interested in buying now-obsolete items (vinyl records, a record player, cassette tapes and/or a typewriter) as a collectors item If one of my favorite books, albums or movies came out in a collectors edition, Id prefer to have a physical copy rather than an e-version
43 36
74 84
FIGURE 1V:
To have and to hold (U.S.)

Male Female
66 77
51 61
74 79
28

FIGURE 1W:
(contd.)
To have and to hold (U.K.)

70
77 83 80 66
77%
69 55 49 76
61%
80
81%
84 85
FIGURE 1X:
To have and to hold (U.K.)

Male Female
68 86
56 65
75 86
29

FIGURE 2C:
(contd.)
New uses for old things (U.S.)

Male Female
47 40
57 57
FIGURE 2D:
New uses for old things (U.K.)

48
Ive upcycled now-obsolete items (books, records, cassette tapes, etc.) into something new and more useful
40 24 28
35%
67
I like the idea of combining new technology with old parts (for example, an iPhone dock made out of a vintage alarm clock)
53 34 18
46%
FIGURE 2E:
New uses for old things (U.K.)

Male Female
39 32
47 46
30

FIGURE 2F:
(contd.)
How much people would miss things (U.S.)

Percentage of American adults who would miss the following things a lot if they went away
Male Female 43 62 44 59 32 58 34 46 27 41 29 37 22 31 Pay phones Printed business cards 10 10 Paper medical records 20 33 21 30 15 24 15 21 16 19
Printed books
Printed textbooks
Paper cash/notes
Paper maps
Physical mail (postcards, letters, etc.)
Printed catalogs received through the mail/post
Watches
Printed magazines
Printed newspapers
Landline phones
31

FIGURE 2G:
(contd.)
How much people would miss things (U.K.)

Percentage of British adults who would miss the following things a lot if they went away
Millennials (18-35) Gen Xers (36-48) 49 Printed books 60 66 65 41 Physical mail (postcards, letters, etc.) 49 57 65 45 48 61 55 36 Watches 44 59 65 28 Printed textbooks 37 50 47 18 Landline phones 26 49 60 26 Printed magazines 36 42 41 36% 36% Printed business cards 40% Printed catalogs received through the mail/post 49% Paper medical records 12 6 14 4 8 5 18 17 11 7 7 13 8 7 15 7 51% Paper maps 59% Printed newspapers 21 44 50 17 25 29 50 27% Boomers (49-68) Silents (69+) 27 34%
Paper cash/notes
52%
Pay phones
10%
12%
9%
10%
32

FIGURE 2H:
(contd.)
How much people would miss things (U.K.)

Percentage of British adults who would miss the following things a lot if they went away
Male Female 43 74 47 57 33 68 40 58 27 51 28 43 24 46 28 39 24 29 10 13 9 11 9 11 5
Printed books
Printed newspapers
Paper cash/notes
Paper maps
Physical mail (postcards, letters, etc.)
Paper medical records
Watches
Pay phones
Printed textbooks
Printed business cards
Landline phones
Printed catalogs received through the mail/post
13
Printed magazines
33
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Embracing Analog: Why Physical Is Hot

Director of trendspotting Editors Senior trends strategist Trends associate SONAR Design Ann M. Mack Marian Berelowitz Ann Abel Jessica Vaughn Nicholas Ayala Mark Truss Karen Montecuollo Peter Mullaney
CONTACT:
Ann M. Mack
212-210-7378 ann.mack@jwt.com @annmmack
Jessica Vaughn
212-210-7225 jessica.vaughn@jwt.com @jess_vaughn
2013 J. Walter Thompson Company. All Rights Reserved.
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EMBRACING ANALOG:

WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Online vs. offline

*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months.

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Romanticizing the physical

Image credit: PeterVermaercke

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Nostalgia and the quest for originality

Image credit: kennymatic

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

To have and to hold

I like the smell and feel of magazines

and correspondent for Wired

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Image credits: Justin Timberlake; John Lewis; Amazon; Rihanna

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Last fall, French producer and DJ

Pushing the envelope even further,

Image credits: Deftones; Datarock; Playbutton; Data Garden; Ed Banger Records

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Image credits: Louis Vuitton; J Press Designs

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

Digital-into-physical cards: Various services turn digital content into physical

Image credits: Postagram; Stitchtagram; Adri Navarro

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

New uses for old things

Image credits: Random House; Jodi Harvey-Brown; Fotio

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

How much people would miss things

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

and correspondent for Wired

Image credit: eHarmony

EMBRACING ANALOG: WHY PHYSICAL IS HOT

How can your brand help users turn obsolete objects

How can your brand conjure up the sensation of

How can you position your brand as a counterpoint to

If youre a digital content brand, how can you

If youre a technology brand, how can you help

If you produce physical goods, how can your brand

Image credit: From a Birdie

Image credit: -luz -

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Activities done digitally (U.S.)

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months.

Percentage of American adults who tend to do the following activities digitally*

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Online vs. offline (U.K.)

*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months.

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Activities done digitally (U.K.)

Activities done digitally (U.K.)

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

*Base: Performed activityeither online or offlinein past 12 months.

Percentage of British adults who tend to do the following activities digitally*

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Top reasons for online vs. offline activity (U.S.)

Top reasons for online vs. offline activity (U.K.)

Digital pragmatism (U.S.)

APPENDIX: ADDITIONAL CHARTS

Digital pragmatism (U.K.)