Lexus wants to know what you expect from the future. What does luxury look like in a decade? Is it sustainable? Filled with refined materials and high-tech solutions? Does it solve life’s problems before they pop up? The luxury arm of Toyota has commissioned a survey to ask Americans what they expect.
“From the very beginning, our greatest curiosity hasn’t been machines, it’s been people,” said Lisa Materazzo, vice president of Lexus marketing. “What moves them? What makes them tick? It’s the inspiration for everything we do. From the products we craft to the dealership experience, it’s what makes us uniquely Lexus.”
For the study, Lexus surveyed 3,200 Americans from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. Some information detailed as part of the results below, was gathered from an additional field study commissioned by the automaker on November 4, 2019 among 1,003 Americans aged 18-years old and older.
Ford also studies trends and each year releases their Ford Trend Report. One of the key findings of that global survey is that over one-third of respondents have no interest in owning an electric vehicle.
Most Americans (56%), feel that luxury is better described as a lifestyle of experiences than a collection of belongings.
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According to Lexus, “luxury has always been about exceptional quality and, more recently, experiences over possessions. They are the single most inherent features of luxury and are the top “must-haves” for luxury brands, according to the study findings. This trend is projected to continue, as the majority of Americans (73%) believe that identifying luxury with experiences over belongings will be just as, if not more, important in the next decade.”
Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
A full 86 percent of Americans expect luxury brands to provide exceptional experiences.
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Those surveyed expect luxury brands to be highly responsive to customers’ needs, providing expert support and focusing on the details as well as giving a personal touch to service. This personal touch includes knowing the customer’s name and preferences and even attention to sensory elements, such as scent, lighting and mood.
Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Nearly three times as many people a will associate luxury with the opportunity for the occasional “digital detox”, according to the survey.
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Americans love their digital devices continue to feel pressured to be “plugged in” at all times. As the number and sophistication of devices rises, the pressure mounts.
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In the future, 93% of respondents expect to see just as much, if not more, features from luxury brands allowing them to make special requests.
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“I want it my way.” Americans are able to customize their lifestyle more now than at any other time in history. They don’t want that trend to reverse. More than half of the survey respondents (51%) are hoping to see additional tools and innovation supporting ways to customize their online luxury orders.
Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
Environmentally friendly manufacturing and messaging are important trends that Americans hope will continue in the next decade.
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According to Lexus, “Most Americans expect luxury brands to have environmentally friendly manufacturing processes (81%). More than seven in 10 also believe luxury brands should act like leaders on issues surrounding sustainability (71%). And, they are open to innovative materials to help satisfy their demand for more sustainable manufacturing practices. In fact, nearly half (48%) look to see more original materials like faux leather and lab-grown diamonds in the future.”
