Digital trends - Waiting for 2022

1. Our voice speaks louder than social distancing

The number of people around the world using social media has grown by over half a billion compared to last year. Everyone knows that the lockdown has increased people’s search for online information, entertainment and connections. What few people know, however, is that conversations via voice messages, audio recordings and non-real-time voice-to-voice dialogues have increased exponentially in recent months, all thanks to increasingly advanced audio technology.
Case in point: 73% of global Internet users aged 16-64 use Internet audio streaming services each month (on any device).

HypoVereinsBank and UniCredit Corporate & Investment Banking have been producing podcasts for some time now to offer their clients in-depth analysis on finance and economic topics, and are available on the main audio streaming platforms with weekly and monthly episodes. 

2. Tough times for fake news

Did you know that 64.5% of Internet users get their breaking news from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram instead of traditional media?

This proliferation of sources unfortunately encourages the spread of fake news. In an effort to combat the problem of misinformation, social media platforms and traditional media are sharing factual information that establishes a sense of trust. Recently, Twitter announced a partnership with Associated Press and Reuters aimed at ensuring that only high-quality content appears at the top of search results for popular topics. Bots and fake news, your days are numbered!  UniCredit takes part in the communication campaign “I navigati” to raise awareness of cyber security risks and online misinformation 

3. The Metaverse, the stranger

Everyone talks about it, but few people really know what it is. The “metaverse” was actually born in the gaming world and has become a "parallel" virtual dimension where you can perform digital actions such as shopping, receiving customer support or taking part in events by interacting with other users connected to the same virtual room. The metaverse is an existing non-physical and non-temporal space that has enormous potential, so much so that globally, social media users say they acquire more skills from social networks (57%) than from university (51%).

Imagine, therefore, if you could visit an exclusive exhibition or the UniCredit tower, or -- why not? -- access a bank branch through a smartphone or a smart TV, without leaving home.

4. Inclusion will be increasingly critical 

These past couple of years have caused all of us to be more demanding when it comes to social responsibility. Digitalization and virtual communities are also being asked to do their part as facilitators of inclusion across gender, culture and physical/mental conditions. Social media will become more genuine about inclusivity. This inclusiveness that must be real and not just for show; heartfelt and not as a means to an end. Digital inclusion is for everyone - no one should be left behind. 

UniCredit's new strategic plan includes an acceleration of digital processes. "Over the next three years we will invest 2.8 billion euros in digital and data to transform our technology. Our operating model will bring core competencies inside the bank, developing a new way of working, which has customers at the center and is based on common platforms."

5. Comunities will be key

The social justice campaigns that made headlines in the news last year like Black Lives Matter or the #MeToo movement have one important thing in common: they all draw strength from community, and teach us that if the digital world is evolving, it is because of human beings and their relationships.

UniCredit's reason for being is to provide communities with the tools they need for progress, generating value for all our stakeholders across Europe and unlocking the potential inherent in the individuals and communities to whom we offer our services.

We look forward to a promising 2022.

Happy New Year to all!