PUBLISHED BY IDEAPRESS PUBLISHING
How to See What Others Miss and Predict the Future
#1 WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER + WINNER OF 30+ BOOK AWARDS!Introducing the highly awaited tenth edition of The Wall Street Journal bestseller and trend report featuring ten bold new megatrend predictions that will shape our world in the coming decade. Now for the first time, Rohit reveals ten revolutionary new Megatrends that are transforming how we work, play and live. The future belongs to non-obvious thinkers and this book is filled with the trends you need to know to win in the years to come.
WATCH AND READ
TENTH EDITION - PUBLISHED 2020
Every year from 2011 to 2020, Rohit published fifteen new trends. The tenth edition broke that pattern on purpose. Rather than adding fifteen more, it looked back across a decade of curation and asked a harder question: which of these ideas were still true, and getting truer?
The answer was ten megatrends, each one assembled from signals that had surfaced repeatedly across multiple editions under different names. Revivalism, for instance, appeared in three separate reports before it earned megatrend status.
The book also published the complete Haystack Method, the process behind every edition, so readers could run the curation themselves rather than wait for next year's book. It was the finale, and it ended the series exactly as planned.
A QUICK OVERVIEW
Every megatrend has its own page on nonobvious.com: what it means, the signals it was built from, and how it has held up since publication.
01
As individualism rises globally, people are carefully cultivating how they are perceived both online and offline, chasing stardom, and making themselves vulnerable to criticism in the process.
02
Traditional gender divisions and labels are getting replaced with a more fluid understanding of gender identity, forcing a reevaluation of how we see employees, customers, brands and one another.
03
As we become accustomed to consuming bitesized knowledge on demand, we benefit from learning everything more quickly but risk forgetting the value of mastery and wisdom.
04
Overwhelmed by technology and a sense that life is now too complex and shallow, people seek out simpler experiences that offer a sense of nostalgia and remind them of a more trustworthy time.
05
Tired of technology that isolates us from one another, people seek out and place greater value on physical, authentic and "unperfect" experiences designed with empathy and delivered by humans.
06
In the information economy, our attention is our most valuable resource, leading us to be more skeptical of those who manipulate us to get it, and instead seek out and trust those who communicate in more authentic ways.
07
As consumers and employees demand more sustainable and ethical practices from businesses, companies respond by adapting products, taking stands on issues, and putting purpose first.
08
The growing ubiquity of data and the myriad ways it can be collected raise big questions about how to make it truly useful, who owns the data, and who should stand to profit from it.
09
As we increasingly rely on predictive technology that keeps us and our world safe and makes life more convenient, we must contend with the privacy trade-offs required to make it work.
10
As the lines between industries erode, how we sell and buy anything changes constantly, leading to a continual disruption of business models, distribution channels, consumer expectations and even innovation itself.
INSIDE THE BOOK
A few spreads from Non-Obvious Megatrends.
THE FRAMEWORKS BEHIND THE BOOK
THE TEN NON-OBVIOUS MEGATRENDS
Rather than fleeting trends tied to a single year, these megatrends apply ten years of accumulated insight to identify the larger forces expected to shape the coming decade, ranging from how we interact with technology, to how we learn, to how we understand our own identity.
THE CURATION PROCESS
The full five-step trend curation process, from saving stories with a note about why they are interesting all the way through to proving whether a cluster of ideas is really a trend.
WHAT READERS SAID
“This is one of those rare books that deliver insights that are useful and help illuminate where business is going. It's a great read.”
CHARLES DUHIGGBest-selling author of The Power of Habit“Non-Obvious is a sharp, articulate, and immediately useful book about one of my favorite topics: the future.”
DANIEL H. PINKBest-selling author of To Sell Is Human and When“There are very few books I read hoping that no one else around me will. Non-Obvious is one of those.”
SHIV SINGHFormer SVP, global brand, VISA; digital head, PepsiCo; co-author of Savvy“Generously teaches how to develop your own process for evaluating the trends that matter and those that don't.”
ANN HANDLEYChief content officer, MarketingProfs“Non-Obvious can help you succeed. I've already purchased copies for my entire team.”
JOHN GERZEMABest-selling author of The Athena Doctrine“If you believe in a lifetime of learning, read this book!”
JONATHAN BECHERPresident, San Jose Sharks; former CMO, SAP“As a B2B marketer and leader, this is one of my rare must-read recommendations for my entire team.”
NAVEEN RAJDEVFormer chief marketing officer, Wipro“In this book, Rohit shows us how and where to find the future trends that will shape your business, your brand, and even your own decision-making.”
SALLY HOGSHEADBest-selling author of How the World Sees You“Rohit provides a gold mine of ideas and trends that will shape the future of marketing and product development. Read this book to get in front of the herd.”
GUY KAWASAKIChief evangelist, Canva; author of The Art of the Start 2.0“A consistently engrossing guide to trend forecasting.”
THE NON-OBVIOUS TREND SERIES
One book every year from 2011 to 2020, each one researched and written by Rohit, each one built around fifteen curated trends. The series won more than twenty awards, reached more than a million readers, and ended on schedule with the Wall Street Journal bestselling Non-Obvious Megatrends. Every edition from 2011 through 2019 is now free to read in full.
FREE PRESENTATION · 200,000+ READERS IN THE FIRST WEEK
Released free as a slide presentation rather than a book, the first edition introduced fifteen trends and the concept of Likeonomics, which later grew into a full book of its own.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · FREE DOWNLOAD
The lens widened from marketing to business as a whole, taking in corporate culture, charitable causes, the early promise of big data and the digital afterlife of the people we lose.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · 250,000+ VIEWS
The third edition topped Amazon's Marketing Research category for nearly three months and drew more than 250,000 views of the online edition.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · FREE DOWNLOAD
This edition introduced the five research categories used in every edition after it: culture and consumer behavior, marketing and social media, economics and entrepreneurship, technology and design, and media and education.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
The first edition published as a full-length book, with an extensive new section on the craft of trend curation itself. It became an instant Wall Street Journal bestseller and put the Haystack Method into readers' hands.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · 60 PAST PREDICTIONS GRADED
Few trend forecasters grade their own homework. This edition added an index rating all sixty trends from the previous four years, with an honest mark on how each prediction had held up.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · AXIOM SILVER MEDAL
Fifteen new trends paired with a recap of four years of research, and a Silver Medal for Business Theory from the Axiom Book Awards.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · SIX MAJOR BOOK AWARDS
A full visual upgrade: color interiors, far more illustration, and every trend icon redrawn. It won six major business awards and was a finalist for the American Marketing Association's Leonard L. Berry Marketing Book Prize.
READ IT FREE
15 TRENDS · WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
The format evolved again with large text callouts and a comprehensive appendix reviewing every trend from the previous eight years.
READ IT FREE
10 MEGATRENDS · READ BY OVER 1 MILLION PEOPLE
The finale, published exactly as planned. Instead of fifteen new trends, a decade of research distilled into ten megatrends built to last, alongside the complete Haystack Method.
FREE EXCERPT BUY THE BOOKAWARD-WINNING RESEARCH
Across ten editions the series has been recognized by business award juries, independent publishing programs and reader panels alike. Non-Obvious Megatrends is the most decorated book in the series. Here is every honor, and what each award is for.
WINNER
Best Business Book Of The Year
Presented by the American Business Awards, often described as the world's premier business awards, the Stevies recognize achievement across every industry and category.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
GOLD MEDAL
Gold Medal, Business Theory
The Axiom Awards recognize exemplary business books, judged on quality of content, originality, design and production.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
WINNER
Winner, Business: General
A global competition for independent publishers in which judges weigh each book against a broad set of editorial and production criteria.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
WINNER
Best Business Book
A program that has evaluated and promoted thousands of independently published books since 2007.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
GOLD MEDAL
INDIE Book Award Gold Medal, Business
The largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
WINNER
Non-Fiction Book Of The Year
A program designed to foster the promotion of new authors and books, with a single title named across all nonfiction each year.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
FIRST PLACE
First Place, Business And Finance
A global competition that honors excellence across all types of literature, with separate placings inside each subject category.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
GOLD MEDAL
Gold Medal
Hermes honors the messengers and creators of the information revolution, with Platinum as its top tier.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
SILVER MEDAL
Silver Medal, General
Granted to books that demonstrate notable merit through engaging and inventive content.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
GOLD MEDAL
Gold Medal, Best Book Series (Non-Fiction)
The IPPY Awards honor the best independently published titles from around the world.
The Non-Obvious Trend Series
PLATINUM AWARD
Platinum Award, Individual Achievement
Hermes honors the messengers and creators of the information revolution, with Platinum as its top tier.
The Non-Obvious Trend Series
WINNER
Business Book Of The Year
Named for the longshoreman philosopher, the Hoffer Award honors salient writing and the independent spirit of small publishers.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
SILVER MEDAL
Silver Medal, Best Business Book
The IPPY Awards honor the best independently published titles from around the world.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
GOLD MEDAL
INDIE Book Award Gold Medal, Business
The largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
GOLD MEDAL
Gold Medal, Non-Fiction Book Award
Created to honor excellence in nonfiction books, judged by a panel drawn from the association's membership of writers and publishers.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
WINNER
Pinnacle Book Achievement Award, Best Business Book
Books are evaluated on content, quality, writing style, presentation and cover design.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
SILVER MEDAL
Silver Medal, Business Theory
The Axiom Awards recognize exemplary business books, judged on quality of content, originality, design and production.
Non-Obvious 2017 Edition
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Official Selection, Gary's Book Club
An annual selection of notable books featured on the floor of the world's largest technology tradeshow.
Non-Obvious 2017 Edition
SELECTION
Selected As A Best Business Book
Soundview Executive Book Summaries selects a small number of business titles each year worth condensing into a short read for its subscriber audience.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
OFFICIAL SELECTION
Official Selection
Summaries.com features condensed versions of standout business books, chosen for their practical, actionable ideas.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
FINALIST
Montaigne Medal Finalist
The Eric Hoffer Award's Montaigne Medal track recognizes the year's most thought-provoking books, honoring works that challenge conventional thinking.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
HONORABLE MENTION
Honorable Mention
Unusual among book awards in that every entry is judged and reviewed by actual readers rather than an industry panel.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
FINALIST
Finalist, Outstanding Book In Media Ecology
Presented by the Media Ecology Association, the McLuhan Award recognizes an outstanding book in the field of media ecology.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
FINALIST
Finalist
One of the largest mainstream book award competitions in the United States, judged across dozens of subcategories.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
DISTINGUISHED FAVORITE
Distinguished Favorite
An international competition open to independently and traditionally published authors alike.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
FINALIST
Finalist
An awards program recognizing independently published books across genres, judged on writing, design and reader appeal.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
FINALIST
Finalist
The largest international awards program for indie authors and independent publishers.
The Non-Obvious Trend Series
FINALIST
Finalist
A competition that receives more than two thousand entries from authors and publishers worldwide each year.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
SEMIFINALIST
Semifinalist
The AMA's book prize recognizes titles whose innovative ideas have significantly impacted marketing thought and practice.
Non-Obvious 2018 Edition
FREE DOWNLOAD
The workshop guide Rohit uses to teach the Haystack Method, self-hosted and free to download.
A guide to running your own trend curation workshop using the Haystack Method.
Download PDF
AUDIO BOOK
The audiobook edition is available from all major platforms.
FOREIGN EDITIONS
Megatrends and the Trend Series have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Non-Obvious Megatrends
Non-Obvious (Trend Series)
EVEN MORE PRAISE
All 9 advance endorsements the book received, unedited and in full.
Non-Obvious is a sharp, articulate and immediately useful book about one of my favorite topics: the future.
Author of DRIVE
One of those rare books that delivers ... a great read!
Author of THE POWER OF HABIT
A goldmine of ideas and trends.
Author of THE ART OF THE START
If you believe in a lifetime of learning, read this book!
Former Chief Marketing Officer, SAP
Insightful, thought provoking and illuminating!
Author of SAVVY
Trends that will shape your business and decision making.
Author of HOW TO FASCINATE
It gets better every year!
Author of STILLNESS IS THE KEY
A powerful argument for how curation can change your organization.
Former Chief Digital Officer of New York City
Well written ... a joy to read!
Author of EVERYBODY WRITES & Founder of MarketingProfs
BRING THE TRENDS TO YOUR STAGE
Rohit turns a decade of trend research into a keynote built around the shifts that matter most to your industry.
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© 2026 Rohit Bhargava. Washington DC.