What might be obvious about your market seven years from now that isn't obvious today?
In 2019, Futuremade published The New Dimensions of Media, commissioned by Sky: 15 strategic forecasts across five territories and three time horizons. Seven years later, we audited every forecast against reality.
7 materialised. 7 emerging. 1 still ahead of its time.
SKY x FUTUREMADE
The New Dimensions of Media
Seven years later: a strategic foresight audit
What happens when you return to a futures report seven years later and test it against reality?
Sky commissioned Futuremade to explore the future of media. Published in 2019, The New Dimensions of Media: Five Trends for the Future identified 15 strategic forecasts across five territories, looking from the near term through to 2040.
In 2026, Futuremade returned to every forecast and audited it against observable technological, commercial, behavioural and regulatory change.
The result: 7 materialised. 7 emerging. 1 still ahead of its time.
14 of the original 15 forecasts are now either clearly visible or demonstrably emerging.
STRATEGIC FORESIGHT THAT LASTS
The purpose of strategic foresight isn't to predict headlines. It is to identify the shifts in technology, behaviour, markets and society early enough for organisations to understand what they could mean—and act before those implications become obvious.
For Sky, Futuremade combined:
Horizon scanning
Emerging technological, social and industry signals.
Expert interviews
Perspectives from people working at the leading edge of media and innovation.
Ethnographic consumer research
Exploring emerging technologies and possible futures through the eyes of consumers.
Strategic analysis
Translating signals into commercially meaningful territories and longer-term forecasts.
The work produced 15 strategic forecasts across five strategic territories and three time horizons.
WHAT WE SAW THEN. WHAT YOU SEE NOW.
The five territories identified in 2019 were:
01 — Immersive Entertainment
Futuremade anticipated immersive worlds offering audiences experiences unavailable in conventional media.
Today, that trajectory can be seen in experiences including ABBA Voyage, Sphere Las Vegas, immersive venues and digital performers.
2026 audit: EMERGING
02 — Innovative Interfaces
In 2019, Futuremade looked beyond conventional screens towards a world in which:
“…the user, him or herself, becomes the interface.”
Today we see biometrics and facial recognition, Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses, AI product try-on and digital twins.
2026 audit: MATERIALISED
03 — Trusted Sources
Futuremade forecast:
“A brand-new category of media forensics and security will emerge…”
By 2026, Content Credentials, AI watermarking, deepfake detection platforms and Online Safety regulation are part of a rapidly developing infrastructure for determining authenticity, provenance and trust.
2026 audit: MATERIALISED
04 — Smart Environments
Futuremade anticipated media moving beyond passive devices towards intelligent environments capable of anticipating what people wanted:
“Media will prepare your viewing, so you don't waste time searching.”
Today, conversational AI is entering the home; AI agents are becoming personal assistants; robotaxis are changing mobility; and vehicles are becoming media environments in their own right.
2026 audit: EMERGING
05 — Empathetic Media
Perhaps one of the more unusual forecasts was that emotional data would become part of how media understood and responded to people:
“Emotional analysis of individual customer journeys will enable media services to predict the right content for the right mood at the right time…”
Today that direction is visible in mood-based playlists, digital wellbeing tools, empathetic AI modes, AI therapy and AI companions.
2026 audit: MATERIALISED
WHY SOME FUTURES ARRIVE FASTER
The audit revealed something else.
Digital systems—software, services, AI and regulation—can transform within years. Physical systems such as buildings, transport and infrastructure move more slowly, requiring investment, construction and behavioural change.
Good foresight anticipates both what changes and how quickly.
WHAT GOOD FORESIGHT DELIVERS
Futuremade works with organisations to identify the forces that could reshape their market before those changes become obvious.
Our strategic foresight work can uncover:
Emerging customer behaviours
New commercial categories
Technological inflection points
Novel business models
Strategic opportunities
The objective isn't prediction for prediction's sake. It is better strategic decision-making under uncertainty.
COMMISSION FUTUREMADE
What might be obvious about your market seven years from now—but isn't obvious today?
Futuremade develops bespoke strategic foresight for organisations, brands and leadership teams seeking a rigorous view of the forces shaping their future.
Strategic foresight reports • Executive briefings • Leadership workshops • Keynote presentations