AMERICAS — Dentsu released the third edition of its Consumer Vision report, titled "Mothers of Reinvention," which identifies four major forces expected to impact brand-consumer relationships and introduces the concept of "cultural time zones." The report draws on responses from 30,000 consumers across 25 countries and input from 20 experts and futurists in cultural sociology.

Dentsu defines cultural time zones as moments of human collectivity. The concept is addressed in Force 03 of the report, titled "Infinite Reinvention." Dentsu suggests marketers prioritize live events and cultural moments as consumers spend more time online and with agentic platforms, and recommends brands lean into cultural intellectual property that enables repeated consumer engagement.

Force 01, titled "The Future of Technology," predicts consumers will rely heavily on agentic platforms, requiring brands to engage with both humans and their digital proxies. The report suggests marketers build an infrastructure to communicate with digital proxies and across multiple proxies. It also indicates that increased use of artificial intelligence for routine tasks and productivity optimization will give consumers more free time and drive them to seek human connection through shared experiences. According to the report, 78% of consumers either have or want to move toward flexible work arrangements for better work-life balance.

Beth Ann Kaminkow, CEO of Americas and chief global client officer at Dentsu, discussed the findings during a Marketing Vanguard Summit session co-hosted by Dentsu. Kaminkow cited the recent Met Gala as an example of a cultural time zone, noting that fans could engage live with others and stream the event in real time, and referenced Substacks that linked to clothes and styles worn by guests.

"Everything gets amplified in a way that is not distracting, that does not feel like it's pulling you out of the moment, but pulling you deeper into the moment. That whole experience gets amplified by the community that you are now a part of around you," Kaminkow said. She added: "We have to look for these counter moments where we do what is right for our brands, in a way that's going to break through and stand out."

"What stands out in this year's findings is that consumers are not simply asking brands to become smarter or faster. They are looking for brands that can help them progress, pursue their ambition to reinvent themselves, and mentor them in their journey into the next. That has implications not just for media and creativity, but for product design, customer experience and the role brands play in peoples' lives," she said.