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The Futures Less Travelled

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference”.

Robert Frost, The Road not Taken

One of the world’s favourite poems, “The Road not Taken” is often read as a hymn to individuality. In truth, it’s more a wry reflection on the power of storytelling.

Nevertheless, it’s a poignant thought for us.

As we look to 2024 and beyond, we see a world where multiple possible futures coexist. Where it is up to each of us-brands, businesses, and individuals - to design, innovate and strive for the future we want to see.

It's often said that hope is not a strategy. Perhaps not; and perhaps it is hard as we look at the world around us to remain optimistic.

Nevertheless, our report for 2024 embraces hope as a conscious and deliberate choice in a world where we can no longer afford the luxury of cynicism.

‘The Futures less travelled” is about the ways in which consumers exert control in an uncertain world. It is about the surprising power of small acts of joy, care, and optimism as acts of faith, rebellion and resistance.

It is about soft power, and about creativity as a superpower. About what happens when a generation who have grown up versed in the art of world-building meet a suite of technologies that make it easier than ever to visualise, even rehearse, extraordinary possible futures.

Most of all, it is a call to design for the future we want to see. To realise that it is not written and that we are the ones holding the pen.

The report unpacks 5 key trends helping customers and creators shape new futures and new possibilities, each with three important sub trends and themes housed within.