Looking Forward to 2007

Following up on yesterday’s post, it’s now time for 2007 to take the spotlight. We’ve already mentioned some important trends this week, but as is so often the case the week before the new year, there are a number of other interesting stories highlighting trends and predictions that can help people and businesses plan for the weeks and months ahead.

A great place to start is with ”70 products, services and trends that will help to define 2007.” The list was compiled by Marian Salzman, EVP and chief marketing officer at JWT Worldwide. Here’s the first ten on list:

1. Skype/VoIP
2. Wii and the next-generation gaming systems
3. The business of social networking
4. Pop-up stores, restaurants and bars ... installation style
5. Shrinky Dink technology (TVs are flat and hidden, iPods are down to half an ounce, speakers are smaller and less visible, and so on)
6. The rise of nanotechnology
7. Sustainable construction/green buildings
8. Hydrogen fuel cell technology
9. Veggie-bus: school buses running on biodiesel fuel
10. Trans-fat fallout

At ClickZ Experts, Pete Blackshaw, chief marketing officer at Cincinnati-based Nielsen BuzzMetrics, lists 11 key marketing trends for 2007. Blackshaw’s extensive background gives his trends a great deal of credibility. This past year saw some tectonic shifts in the media landscape, and according to Blackshaw’s list, 2007 will be just as tumultuous.

Rebecca Lieb, editor-in-chief of the ClickZ Network, also weighs in with 18 compelling predictions specific to online marketing and advertising.

The Los Angeles Times takes a different approach. They solicit the opinions of seven different experts from the tech community to see how innovations “will change how we work, play and communicate in 2007. Those experts include Steve Ballmer of Microsoft, Chris Anderson who wrote ”The Long Tail,” and several other notables.

Lastly, focusing specifically on media, Forbes editors and writers take a look at what is ahead for 2007.

Predicting the future is always difficult, but a read of the above viewpoints shows a great deal of common thought regarding many changes that 2007 seems to have in store.