The newest TomTom navigation systems can be operated through speech. Users can say the names of millions of cities and streets, and then drive to their destination (in most West-European countries for a start). Besides, text messages can be opened using speech as well. For example: "Do you want to hear this message?" If you say yes, TomTom will read it to you. With this option TomTom has the world premier in the navigation industry (tt). Brands start spoken dialogues with us. Now we start a dialogue with TomTom through TomTom's display, in the future we will also talk to other brands through the same display. And we will have dialogues with TomTom and other brands through the PC, then through the mobile phone, TV, and all other possible displays. The brands will have themselves represented by a visual brand agent who visualizes the dialogue. I wonder what Tom will look like in 'real' life...

HP has introduced life-size displays on which several people can work at the same time. The media-evolution continues... Now life-size in 2D, in the future in 3D. If we then walk past a display, we get a different image. And other people, wherever they are in reality, can see you work in this 3D space. This will be our new 'office' environment, and at home we will put these screens on the walls as well. This way we are able to enter virtual worlds, 3D worlds, brand worlds from anywhere we are. And in those worlds we will meet the brand agents, the artificial representatives of the brand. This is a small step in that direction.

Related trends

• Brand worlds
• More 3D

TomTom as a world premier makes it possible for motorists to improve their maps through its TomTom Map Share™ technology. All users of this system can change maps themselves, and at the same time take advantage of the changes made by others. This way they always have the most accurate maps (tt). People share their experiences with others, real time. Now for road maps, later for nice restaurants or new shops. We won't just see what people thought about it, but also what our friends thought about it. Coaching brands will assist us and will find solutions for the problems which then arise: a new shop that attracts so many people on its opening day, that it is too crowded to normally serve people. TomTom takes a step forward again in developing itself as a mobility coaching brand.

Related trends

• Coaching brands

Many clips of video-sharing site YouTube are not watched on the YouTube site, but on other websites, like here at erwinvanlun.com. YouTube now automatically adds recommendations for other related clips to these. If you move your mouse over the clips, a carousel of clips automatically appears. YouTube this way develops itself further as a home entertainment coaching brand. Now through related clips, later through related clips within our personal interest, background and related to the moment. After that also through interactive experiences. It is like taking a friend to a boutique: you like something you see, and your friend has some more suggestions based on what you just said. Because there is always more... This is a small step in that direction.

Customers of Dutch Internet Service Provider Het Net from now on don't have to commit to a year's subscription any more (dc, Dutch). A typical sign of the development of the network economy. Brands don't buy loyalty through contracts any more (contracts don't lead to emotional loyalty anyway). It is easy to switch between transaction brands. Their service is monitored by coaching brands worldwide and so their quality (value for money) has to be perfect. Het Net with this choice shows it is developing to be a high quality transaction brand. This is a step in that direction.

Related trends

• Coaching brands
• Network economy

If you park your car illegally in Dubai, officials will send your parking fine to your mobile phone through MMS (via mc, Dutch). National governments, 'brands' connected to a region, a strong brand culture and with that solidarity and loyalty, start real-time control of the rules made by the inhabitants. We will be followed everywhere, our behavior will be analyzed on the spot and be corrected immediately if we do something that the majority of the inhabitants don't want us to do. That is how we will keep our countries safe in the future, so we can move comfortably and freely. Just a very subtle difference with a Big Brother which you can't influence. So if you get out of your car at a spot you are not allowed to park at, you will be informed directly, fully automatically. This is a step in that direction.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts have discovered how nano molecules (extremely small molecules that can literally be put together by humans) can 'smell' illnesses (ns). We develop more and more technologies that allow brands to react to people. Now for illnesses (ideal for health coaching brands), but in the future social coaching brands for example could smell how we feel with other people, or career coaching brands can smell our stress in a conversation with a colleague. And help us take the next steps. This is a small step in that direction.

TomTom in its newest navigation systems has added a Help Me button in the main menu, which provides direct access to information about safety and road services. Motorists this way get direct access to local road services, they can get First Aid information, and they can get extended information about for example the traffic rules per country. Even the closest garage, pharmacy or police station can be found quickly. The user can call the number shown on the screen, while the TomTom system shows where he or she is at that moment (tt). mobility coaching brands this way further develop: brands that (safely) get you from A to B. Now the user still has to contact the helpers himself, and tell the location he is at, in the future TomTom will automatically contact police, ambulance or road services when you are involved in an accident. Now just in the car, in the future also when you are on a train, a boat, walking, cycling or in a trishaw. When we think of transport, we think of our mobility coaching brand. This is a small step in that direction.

Dutch funeral organization Monuta provides insight into the costs of graves through the grave costs meter (Dutch). Monuta published the rates of 500 cemeteries in cooperation with the national organization for cemetereis (Landelijke Organisatie Begraafplaatsen, LOB) (ms, Dutch). Monuta with this helps us select a cemetery. In the end this will be the task of social coaching brands, which will make sure we will be buried next to our friends, that our pictures will be found there, and that our favorite music will be played still. This way we add a couple of years to our lives in the virtual world. This is a small step in that direction.

Fashion lovers can discover and adjust the new H&M summer collection in shops they build themselves in computer game Sims. Through The Sims Fashion Runway or the Sims at H&M, players can show their own designs on a virtual catwalk. Other people can vote for these designs (ab, Dutch). Transaction brands visit consumer worlds. They integrate in a very natural way. In a next step, popular fashion of this virtual world will be produced in the physical world. This is a small step in that direction.

Cars.com helps consumer to find new and used cars through their cell phones. Furthermore, consumers can find dealers on the map, car reviews and blog content. We're mapping all information in the physical world. Currently we have to look for it, but soon we'll aim our cell at a license plate, it'll be automatically recognized, and we can see if it's for sale. And vice versa: if there are any used cars for sale in the neighborhood we'll see it directly on a map. And if we see a new car we can immediately find the nearest dealer to make a test drive. Mobility coaching brands will help us with that. Cars.com is taking a step in this direction.

Microsoft's new interactive table panels Surface again provide a totally different medium for us. The horizontal panel, which we will find in bars, casinos or at home, reacts to our fingers. We put our mobile phone on the panel and our pictures appear automatically. We select, enlarge and reduce our pictures, we listen to music and we play games with each other, like poker. You can see it in Microsoft's demo. And this is not the end yet. Now we drag pictures to our mobile phone, in the future we will drag videos to our TV, and the TV will react to us. Or we will have a smaller version of this panel, replacing the remote control. We will be able to page all brands on this type of displays, using speech. The brand agents then will appear in their own world, seen from above if we like. We will experience brands in a totally different way. This is a small step in that direction.

Eileen (Dutch) is a service that can be called 24/7 for help, tips and practical information on or around the Frisian waters in the Netherlands. For example, practitioners of water sports in Friesland can ask Eileen for the current weather reports, the closest harbor, information regarding bridges and waterworks or reserving a restaurant. This is how personal travel brands, brands that help you get from A to B, are slowly shaped. Currently for on the water, but soon for any form of transport anywhere in the world. Soon Eileen will also know at what time you'll need to be back somewhere and when the last train you can catch to make your appointment in Amsterdam leaves there. Or she can reserve a cab for you. Step by step, we're being helped along.

Coca Cola rents out its buildings for events. Special website World of Coca Cola was introduced specifically for this purpose. Among the facilities are a special theater, a room with the worlds biggest collection of Coke memories, and a special taste-experience room. The rooms can be rented separately, or the total venue can be rented from $15,000 a day. Only in the evening, as the building is in use during the day (dc, Dutch). Brands come to life in all brand touch points: from plant, to office, to shop: every single contact with the brand, for employees as well as consumers, adds to the experience of the brand. Thus we will be invited to lots of special headquarters in the future. This is an example.

The Dutch government is working on a Personal Internet page (PIP) at which citizens can manage their contacts with the government 24 hours a day (tc, Dutch). Even the Dutch government is a brand in the minds of people. The brand Netherlands, with a very rich association network like the queen, the national anthem or the dive in the sea on New Year's day. A brand you feel connected to. A brand that helps to live in freedom, peace and safety in the Netherlands. A brand that adds a lot of value to our lives, which we tend to forget due to (among others) outdated communication. In the end we will also start dialogues with this brand. And it won't stop there. Earlier or later we will also start to feel something for Europe, the brand Europe. And finally (probably at the end of this century) we will feel like we're world citizens, with a much bigger brand of which we know the archetype now, but which is completely different from the brand we will then feel connected to. It will take at least another couple of generations, but the Netherlands as well as other countries are slowly moving into this direction.

Eileen is a service you can call 24/7 for help, tips and practical information on and around the water in Friesland, one of the northern provinces of the Netherlands. Water sport practitioners in Friesland can turn to Eileen for the actual weather forecast, the closest port, information about bridges and locks, or to reserve a restaurant (tc, Dutch). This way mobility coaching brands, slowly evolve: brands that help you get from A to B. Now on the water but in the future for every possible way of transport wherever in the world. In the future Eileen also knows what time you need to be at what place to take the train to Amsterdam, so you won't miss your appointment. Or she can reserve a taxi for you. Step by step the service gets better and better.