Elly Lau is a Behavioural Analyst at Canvas8. With a degree in sociology and Japanese studies from the National University of Singapore, she operates at the intersections of cultural insight, strategy and storytelling. Armed with a uniquely APAC perspective, Elly has conducted research on DIY media in Singapore and East Asian art history. She also writes a music criticism newsletter in her spare time and is a lifelong defender of fangirl culture.

Once a signifier of luxury or novelty, custom products and services are now within reach of the everyday consumer, thanks to the rise of artificial intelligence, algorithm-led platforms, and the COVID-era digitisation boom. Today, everyone wants to be the main character of their brand experience. 

Personal Worlds

People are taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

Reality Split

Gen Y (born 1982-1996)

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

United States

Skincare

Beauty providers

Technology

Young people are confronting ageing woes more prematurely than ever, and brands can offer tools that assuage these anxieties through predictive clarity. For example, L’Oréal is ushering in the next frontier of precision skincare with a device that can forecast people's skin concerns even before they appear.