ln this session, We Are Social will be releasing their fourth annual Think Forward trends report.

Head of Strategy, Harvey Cossell will be outlining the key findings of our research. Attendees will also hear expert points of view from media, fashion and culture, with guest speakers including Cameron-James Wilson, creator of the world’s first virtual influencer Shudu and Leila Fataar, Founder of Platform13.

In 2018, huge numbers of people have felt their identities to be under threat – politically, from surveillance and data capture; culturally, from appropriation and homogenisation. Now they want it back. As a result, some have rallied against social entirely. Others have used it as a forum for change. Many have engaged in a backlash against big data.

Amidst the crisis, brands are expected to have a voice that speaks directly with consumers, as well as a role in driving cultural change, and some are struggling to find their place. People expect honesty, proper representation and innovation that’s balanced with responsibility.

The 2019 Think Forward report unpicks the complex and ever-shifting web of consumer identity and looks at the role brands play in reflecting and shaping it. The session will arm you with everything you need, from insights into raging culture and gender debates to the new rules of data. Because if there’s one thing we’ve learned about the identity crisis, it’s that the solutions lie in digital innovation.