The Dream Society: How the Coming Shift from Information to Imagination Will Transform Your Business

by Rolf Jensen

" The Dream Society . . . provides dramatic insights into how marketing will operate in the 21st century."­­Atlanta Business Chronicle A fascinating look into the future of business, as featured in Fast Company The future is uncertain­­the world is constantly changing. While anything can happen, some things are far more likely than others. Rolf Jensen, internationally renowned futurist, provides readers with a tangible look at what the future will be like over the next 25 years. By identifying what lies ahead, Jensen gives people the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and strategically align themselves to capitalize on the unknown future, a future Jensen calls "the Dream Society." This dream society is characterized by the commercialization of emotions. In this provocative exploration, Jensen says that it will no longer be enough to produce a useful product. He shows that, for a product to be successful, its primary purpose will be the ability to fulfill an emotional need. Those who understand the workings of this dream society will be the ones who create the new products, new markets, and new businesses that dominate the world of tomorrow.

Genres: Business, Nonfiction, Buisness

Paperback

First published May 21, 1999

Reviews

[John Loy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I WANT TO APOLOGIZE FOR ALL CAPITOLS, HOWEVER I AM WRITING THIS ON MY PHONE AND HAVE FAT FINGERS!! NOW BESIDES FAT FINGERS I WAS APPROXIMATELY 20 YEARS LATE READING ROLF JENSEN'S BOOK DREAM SOCIETY. THE BOOK MAINLY DEALT WITH HOW BUSINESS WILL BE MORE EMOTIONALLY DRIVEN IN FUTURE AS OF 1997 I BELIEVE. SO HAVING A SMALL BUSINESS HERE IN 2023 AFTER A CRAZY PANDEMIC AND EMOTIONAL STORIES RUNNING THE WORLD OF COURSE THE BUSINESS HAS BECOME EMOTIONALLY MORE DRIVEN THEN THE 9 TO 5 JOBS OF REAGANOMICS ROLF WAS WELL ON POINT IDENTIFYING THE MARKET WELL IN ADVANCE. UNFORTUNATELY THE 2 STARS WAS BECAUSE IS WAS DIFFICULT TO GET THRU AS HIS MOTIVES AND MEANINGS FOR A GOOD STORY DRIVING THE BUSINESSES IN THIS DECADE. WOULD READ ANOTHER BOOK BY MR. JENSEN ON DIFFERENT SUBJECT MATTER THOUGH AS HE WAS VERY ARTICULATE IM HIS FEELINGS.

[Kresimir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting view into future (some of it past by now)

[Micius Mi]

1999 metų knyga

[Gatot Widayanto · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book is truly a pleasure in itself because Rolf Jensen, the author, clearly explained his proposition where when this book was published in 1999, Rolf observed that the world had begun to enter an era which he called the Dream Society, namely a the condition of society that focuses on "story" and is no longer the processing of knowledge as in the information society era. He said, the signs of the world having entered the dream society (Dream Society) have appeared. He gives an example that happened in Denmark which is the origin of the author. Consumption of eggs, for example. There has been a development in the demand for eggs not only for the quality of eggs that come from modern industrial-based chicken farms, but instead the people want eggs produced from chickens that are raised conventionally, not using machines. In fact, consumers are willing to pay about 20% more for eggs hatched from chickens that breathe fresh air, not chickens that are given vitamins and raised in a chicken farm cage. People have started to care that the way of raising livestock in the time of their ancestors, although labor intensive and expensive, is felt to be more natural and reminds them of the time when they were small and saw chickens in everyday life and not chickens that were put in a heating machine to hatch. People want to eat eggs like when they were teenagers or children. In my opinion, people like this don't just enjoy their eggs but also want to get a feel that fits with what they experienced in the past. Nuansamatic Society.

Nuansamatic is indeed not standard Indonesian but a term which in my opinion fits a certain situation in the past, maybe five years ago or even thirty years ago or more. For example, in my own context, working without drinking coffee feels like something is missing. If there is coffee, the taste becomes very nuanced. Why? Back when I was a teenager, my habit was to study late into the night, when the next day was an exam, while enjoying brewed coffee and listening to Radio Australia. Indeed, when I was a teenager I lived in the city of Madiun which was also my hometown. Tuning Radio Australia to the SW band of a Ralin brand transistor radio was a daily habit and a pleasure in itself. So, if at this time you can work while drinking brewed coffee and tuning in to the AM or SW radio, it feels very nuanced.

Gatot Widayanto
Member of BREED (Book Review, Entrepreneur Excellence & Dialogue)

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I would have read this when it first came out and hope that he has another book out soon. Interesting how many of his future theories have come to pass.

[Roger Teo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book. One of the best book I ever read. Thanks, Rolf.