New Megatrends author Marian Salzman predicts 2025 will see us burrowing in, curbing tech, and pursuing delight

• Salzman—who’s been #trending for 30 years—sees 2025 as the year we all “balance, blend, and burrow in,” taking every opportunity to slow down and decompress
• 30th annual cultural forecast includes climate-conscious house hunts, “leaning out,” and an intensified race to preserve cultural uniqueness

Creator of the world’s first online focus groups (via AOL dial-up modems in the 1990s), bestselling author Marian Salzman has been #trending for 30 years with predictions encompassing everything from sleep as the new sex to metrosexuality, “brand me,” and the rise of singletons.

Salzman, who serves as senior vice president for strategic projects at Philip Morris International U.S., released her 30th annual trends report https://mariansalzman.com/trends-report today. It highlights key forces shaping our near future—from generative AI as the next medium expanding human creativity to pushback against globalization and the tech arms race. Across decades, Salzman’s predictions have helped companies and brands stay ahead of emerging cultural shifts, capitalize on market gaps, and lead on the “next big thing” in culture, politics, business, and media.

“Looking back over 30 years of trends has reminded me of their cyclical nature,” said Salzman. “Elements once considered outdated have made a comeback, typically in slightly different form. Yesterday’s clean eating is today’s Yuka obsession. And while sleep may still be the new sex, it’s now less about self-care and more about defying outmoded ideas of success, as exemplified by ‘cozy entrepreneurship.’ People aren’t just complaining about things they don’t like anymore; they’re changing them.”

Looking ahead to 2025, Salzman’s cultural forecast is all about self-preservation and -actualization. “In a world of tumult and instability, we’re burrowing in at home as a safeguard against chaos and external threats,” Salzman explained. “And while we appreciate most things tech, we’ve traded in FOMO for self-imposed rest, recovery, and reflection. Equilibrium is the modern-day holy grail.”

Standout trends from the 2025 report include:

• Burrowing in: Political instability and climate insecurity are making risk-reduced homes—at whatever price point—the ultimate luxury acquisition.

• DON’T do the hustle: It’s not anti-disco, but anti-burnout and -24/7 work pressure. Elements of the slow life we crave include walking tourism, tea flights, and retro brands.

• No-go viral: Celebrities (actual and would-be) are taking cues from Taylor and rejecting flash-in-the-pan fame in favor of “forever fandom.”

• Nauseated by our sea of sameness: From antler carving in North America to Brazil’s Indigenous Bororo language, we’re rushing to preserve the myriad elements of global culture on the endangered list.

• Lifecare: Thanks to advances in AI wearables and the democratization of medical tech and testing, patients are wresting control of their healthcare away from the pros.

• Pursuing moments of delight: Joy remains an aspiration, but now we’re chasing something more attainable and immediate: tiny pinpricks of delight that can cut—however briefly—through the angst blanketing much of the planet.

“As we move into 2025, more of us will recognize that culture, technology, and personal well-being are tightly intertwined,” Salzman said. “Our need for rest, recovery, reflection, and human connection has never been more urgent.”

To download “10 Trends for 2025,” visit https://mariansalzman.com/trends-report.

About Marian Salzman

Marian Salzman is a global thought leader, trendspotter, and communications pro who built her career by helping companies and brands anticipate the future and find their sweet spot ahead of the competition. Working with companies as diverse as Nike, Levi Strauss, SAB Miller, Pizza Hut, Reckitt Benckiser, and Estée Lauder, she has helped clients understand how emerging trends—from metrosexuality to conscious consumption and the age of rage—will impact consumption choices, brand strategies, and sociopolitical priorities. Since 2018, she has been on a new mission: helping Philip Morris International deliver a smoke-free future—a world without cigarettes—to the benefit of current adult smokers and public health.

A sought-after speaker, Salzman presents on topics ranging from branding to consumer and business shifts. She is the author or co-author of 17 books, including Buzz, the first big business book on viral marketing; Agile PR: Expert Messaging in a Hyper-Connected, Always-on World; and her latest book, The New Megatrends: Seeing Clearly in the Age of Disruption (Penguin Random House, 2022).

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