The Planned Giving Blogger

Trendwatching.com‘s new briefing asserts that though “. . . the need for recognition and status is at the heart of every consumer trend,” what’s different, they say, is that “an increasing number of consumers are no longer (solely) obsessed with owning or experiencing the most and/or the most expensive.”

Their definition:  “STATUSPHERE | As consumers are starting to recognize and respect fellow consumers who stray off the beaten consuming-more-than-thou-path, ‘new’ status can be about acquired skills, about eco-credentials, about generosity, about connectivity.”

“GENERATION G (generosity) captures the growing importance of ‘generosity’ as a leading societal and business mindset. As consumers are disgusted with greed and its current dire consequences for the economy—and while that same upheaval has them longing more than ever for institutions that care—the need for more generosity beautifully coincides with the ongoing (and pre-recession) emergence of an online-fuelled culture of individuals who share, give, engage, create and collaborate in large numbers.”

Now, one of the most important drivers behind GENEROSITY is the collaborative/free/creation/crowdsourced/gift/sharing movement that—especially online—has unlocked in entirely new ways the perennial need of individuals to feel part of the greater good, to contribute, to help. But the online world of course also makes it easy to showcase and share one’s acts of altruism.

The status-implications for non-profit organizations, and B2C brands big on giving initiatives?  Work harder on helping your consumer-donors show and tell others about their donations and contributions!”

Phyllis