NEW YORK, Sept. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Some of the nation's leading trends experts delivered their predictions on marketing and product trends and how they relate to brands at Nextpert News Network's Trends Breakfast II on September 9, 2003. Highlights from the breakfast attended by lifestyle editors, publicists, senior marketing executives and media executives at Nextpert's headquarters at Chelsea Television Studios in New York City include:

Pam Danzinger of Unity Marketing, "The new macro trend is 'connecting' not cocooning. The age of connecting is about consumers emerging from their cocoons and reconnecting with the outside world."

Dr. Robert Passikoff of Brand Keys projected that consumers will spend more this holiday season with discount department stores and online will get the highest increases.

Nicki Gondell of Trend House said there's, "Angst in the Zeitgeist and that consumers want Truth -- Emotional Intelligence -Health - Mastige (prestige meats mass) - Value -- Design Solutions and Whimsy."

Gonzalo Perez of MTV said to look for "the Celebrity as ME" and that "MTV'ers are more connected with family, and that as in the past, parents are once again being looked up to as role models.

David Patrick Columbia of NY Social Diary said that -- Companies are linking up with charities on events to get positive media and be connected with the right people.

Katlean de Monchy of Nextpert Report said that Nextpert remains bullish on the Wireless Lifestyle and Smart Products and projects resurgence in travel, especially history related travel.

Nextpert hosts a quarterly seminar in conjunction with its release of each new edition of Nextpert Report, the newsletter all about the new and the next. Nextpert News Network is a leading resource for trends and what's next for TV news and other media. It also produces satellite media tours, VNRs and trend segments. The company has been an integral part of some of 2003's most notable new product launches including Intel Centrino and Virgin Atlantic's new Upper Class, providing strategy and execution.