New Emerging Affluents

March: Diageo launches Snapp in Kenya

In a crowded Western market, beverage behemoth Diageo is looking to the NEAs to drive growth and innovation. The last financial year alone saw the launch of 24 new products in Africa, but this messaging around Snapp in Kenya caught our eye. Aimed at women in their 20s, it drew on aspirational themes of female power.

Key Development: taking a firm step towards the Athena Woman macrotrend, Diageo identified a new market of women no longer content with patriarchal culture.

July: World Bank study on Mobile penetration

A key aspect of NEA consumption is the technological leapfrog effect played by mobile phone connectivity. Often struggling with inefficient local government and poor infrastructure, NEAs take connectivity into their own hands. This landmark World Bank report found that around three-quarters of the world’s population now have mobile phones, rising from 1bn in 2000 to 6bn in 2012.

Key Development: the NEAs are a moving target for brands, but are receptive to mobile-focused approaches that we see come of age in The New Value Economy.

September: McDonald’s opens vegetarian restaurants in India

Despite being one of the most recognisable brands in the world, McDonald’s has struggled to resonate with Hindu and Muslim populations in India, which follow religious prescriptions on beef and pork, respectively. With only 271 outlets on the sub-continent, McDonald’s began trialling vegetarian-only kitchens as a way to resonate with NEAs.

Key Development: although aspiring to perceived Western lifestyles, NEAs must always be met on their own terms. No global brand is strong enough to bulldoze local customs.

September: Estée Lauder launches Osiao for the Chinese market

Estée Lauder’s new product followed years of intensive market research and product testing focused on the Chinese consumer, which suggests that a local form of revivalism will be key to Osiao’s success. The product line contains locally prized ingredients such as ginseng and sales counters resemble traditional apothecaries in a bid to engage customers in a diagnostic process common in Chinese medicine.

Key Development: understanding local behaviour is one thing, but using local materials and ingredients gives brands an even greater foothold in NEA communities.

March – Vitra Design Museum focuses on contemporary African design

Digitally native African designers are using new media platforms to shed light on a continent that is a hub of experimentation. Curated by Amelie Klein, along with consulting curator Okwui Enwezor, the exhibition presents the works of more than 120 artists and designers, including the architecture of Francis Kéré, animation art by Robin Rhode and photography by Mário Macilau.

Key Development: NEA Millennials are not just consumers of Western luxury but are becoming a source of global talent and inspiration.

April – Fangsuo Bookstore opens in Chengdu

Chengdu is an emerging first-tier luxury market and in 2013 retail sales reached £41bn (Rmb375bn, €56.3bn, $60.5bn). Located in a downtown development near the ancient Daci Temple, Fangsuo Bookstore balances modern luxury with ancient inspiration. Thirty-seven nine-metre-high concrete columns create the impression of a modern temple and support a ceiling of exposed pipes.

Key Development: The Chinese luxury consumer is growing in sophistication, not only in established markets such as Beijing and Shanghai, but also in regional centres.

July - A new wave of influencers are shaking up the Indian blogosphere

The rise of the New Indian Tastemaker is facilitated by the sharp increase of internet penetration in the country and a significant rise in disposable income. These influencers extend beyond fashion and into travel, food, art and health. LS:N Global’s three case studies capture this diversity. Pavitra Mohan, 31, is a curator and art blogger with a focus on South Asia. Gia Kashyap, 24, is a Mumbai-based mass media graduate turned fashion blogger, and Siddhartha Joshi, 34, is a travel-obsessed designer and blogger.

Key Development: Well-connected, passionate and influential, these New Indian Tastemakers are creating a style of expertise that is rooted in Indian culture – and the world is watching.

September - Digital platform Nataal celebrates contemporary African culture through the best in fashion, music and art

Founded by Mauritanian native Sy Alassane, Nataal highlights the people and products that are bringing Africa to the forefront of the world stage, and offers an insight into trends developing among Africa’s rapidly growing middle class.

The website features interviews with local and international personalities, ranging from fashion designers to chefs, who convey a particular interest in African culture.

Key Development: The rapid growth of Africa’s middle class has instigated an explosion in the continent’s commodities market and stimulated a wave of internal creativity.