Steve Starobinsky - So what’s the biggest trend of 2020? tBR Person of the Week

I want to go on record and say I got to Austin, Texas before Joe Rogen and Elon Musk. I moved from Los Angeles to Dallas, Texas in 2008 and haven't looked back since, and this summer in Austin I found a new appreciation for nature, the water, hiking with my dog, and board games. I was able to recharge for a busy holiday season in the industry of play. My last trade show was in February, so instead, I traveled through flavors, trying new home cooking techniques and combining cuisines that I've tasted and learned about in my product discovery journey over the last 15+ years. Even picked up a new nickname in the kitchen -- Steveo Bronzino. I started a video podcast (vodcast), called the Happy Half Hour where I interviewed people in the business of Play. I met with individuals and companies from New Zealand to Bentonville. We began a social dialogue about new products, marketing strategies, and about the obligations the toy and trend industries have to end consumers and retailers with an emphasis on the environment and marginalized communities hoping to bring empowerment and positivity. I found myself gravitating towards playful brands and campaigns, in various industries, that are new yet familiar. It's easier to make something mass-market cool, than it is to make something cool mass-market. Brands that are transparent, authentic, wholesome, collaborative, and doing it for the right reasons are resonating. This pandemic's unexpected global byproduct is time, and we are questioning and experimenting what we do with it. With my extra time, I decided to follow the advice of one of my favorite guests on the HHH, former Spin Master CMO, Nancy Zwiers who recalled, "Give away what you want more of"; and I want to help people be successful in the business of play.

So what’s the biggest trend of 2020? That’s easy - TIME, we have more of it and we’re more careful with it. Whether it was positivity, pivoting, evolving, or whatever you did to overcome the challenges of 2020, I applaud you, and I am excited for you and our industry. With travel and entertainment expendentures at record lows and more time on our hands, consumers will find your brand, understand what makes it unique, why you are in the business in the first place, and how you plan to leave a positive impact on this planet after you're gone. It's an amazingly transparent, double edged sword that makes me cautiously optimistic for 2021.

Steve Starobinsky Diverse Marketing Dallas ∙ Atlanta ∙ Minneapolis ∙ Las Vegas ∙ New York ∙ Seattle 2050 N. Stemmons Frwy. | Suite 439 | Dallas, TX 75207 m: 818-489-3258 www.diversemarketing.com www.diverseinsights.co