-Pure Living -- how can city consumers live in a city that's free from pollution, trash, and contaminants?
-Aging Infrastructure -- what can we do about the aging water systems, building foundations, et cetera, and create a modern and updated city?
-Traffic and Congestion -- how can we reduce the wasted time, wasted fuel, and the high stress (and its deleterious effects on health)?
-Neighborhood Safety -- how can we minimize the crime and similar things prevent people from making the most of their cities?
-Overstimulation -- how do we keep people from being overwhelmed and ending up in choice paralysis and disconnection?

Building Solutions

Sterling Brands, working with Bayer, employed their Collaboratory at Sterling Brands.  Instead of using focus groups, they had very candid dialogues with people in the comfort of their own home.  Everyone involved is highly vetted before they can get involved in the study.  The aim is to create a two-way dialogue that allows the company and the consumers to have a meeting of the minds.

Afterward, Sterling hosted an ideation workshop with a client with sketch artists on site and explored a number of solutions.  One of the most notable was the "Refresher Box," an opportunity to get some personal space with some fresh air, perhaps a relaxing scent, and so on, which doubles as a potential branding/marketing opportunity.

What kinds of solutions can your company generate for the cities of the future?