Dentsu’s latest report, ‘Mothers of Reinvention’

Dentsu released the third edition of its Consumer Vision series, titled “Mothers of Reinvention.” At the heart of the report was data from 30,000 consumers in 25 countries, exploring how technology, culture, consumers, and brands will be reshaped in the next 5 to ten years.

AI was at the forefront of the study, and Dentsu worked with 20 experts and futurists in cultural sociology to identify four major forces that will impact the relationship brands have to consumers. The report identifies a set of trends behind each force, as well as a section on how marketers must adapt and act.

For example, Force 01 is identified as “The Future of Technology,” and sees a future where consumers rely heavily on agentic platforms, meaning brands must engage not only with humans, but their digital proxies. One suggestion the report makes is that marketers “build an infrastructure that allows them to communicate with the proxy but also across proxies.”

Force 03, “Infinite Reinvention,” touches on the “cultural time zones” discussed by Kaminkow and Schmerin.

According to the report, 78% of consumers either have, or want to, move toward flexible work that allows for better work-life balance. This will be possible as consumers use AI tools to handle rote work, optimize productivity, and creatively reinvent the structure of their lives.

That restructuring means more free time, and consumers will be looking for human connection through shared experiences. Big cultural moments will be more desirable than ever. The report suggests brands “lean into the cultural IP that allows consumers to connect time and time again.”

In a statement, Kaminkow said, “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.”

To read the full report, click here.