individualseriality.com

Individual seriality.

A new trend in consumer products branding is the slight differentiation of each product during its production, so to make it (look) unique.

While mass customization is the method of “effectively postponing the task of differentiating a product for a specific customer until the latest possible point in the supply network” (Chase, Jacobs & Aquilano, 2006), the new trend makes each serial product slightly different during the production process.

Recent examples are Coke cans and Nutella’s jars with the first name of the consumer. A further example are the all different one million bottles of vodka recently launched on the market by Absolut.

This is the last step in the progressive re-customization of products: in times were consumers are less attracted to buy, products must be more creative to be seductive and estblish a direct relationship with each of them.

Thus, while at the high end of the market consumers are requesting hand-made unique items (think about all big fashion brands now offering taylor made suits to their male customers), mass market products such as soft drinks, snacks or vodka did found their way to (apparent) uniqueness.

According to our Concept Team here at New Trends Domains, this emerging trend can be well defined as individual seriality.