Prosumerism

Trend - Psilocybin gummies are emerging as a popular option thanks to a changing legal landscape and increased consumer interest in exploring psychoactive substances for wellness. These gummies offer a discreet, convenient, and controlled way to consume precise doses of psilocybin.

Insight - The decriminalization of psilocybin has gained traction in several US states, signaling a broader cultural shift towards the acceptance of psychoactive substances for recreational and wellness purposes. These consumers who are seeking wellness alternatives and novel experiences are embracing the potential of regulated psychoactive substances. As psilocybin becomes more legally accessible, demand rises for products that offer a safe, measured, and socially acceptable way to explore its effects. Brands catering to this emerging recreational market will win by prioritizing convenience and socially acceptable formats, like gummies.

Trend - Brands in the beauty industry are making less-traditional procedures more affordable and accessible. Through marketing and increased availability, these procedures are being destigmatized, and are in turn becoming more commonplace. These factors result in fewer barriers for interested consumers.

Insight - Millennials and previous generations grew up in a society that stigmatized purely cosmetic procedures, such as bodily injections or lifts. In part brought on by the shifting nature of the beauty industry and by North American society trending in a progressive direction, the stigmas around such practices are fading. As a result, brands are more openly advertising these services in order to appeal to consumers who may have previously considered or been on-the-fence about such beauty practices.

Trend - An extract from the sea holly plant is being used in skincare products from serums to sun care to repair skin. These items are designed to integrate anti-aging benefits into traditional skincare products. Sea holly extract has been shown to reduce sun damage, signs of aging, and signs of stress.

Insight - The prevalence of social media has led to a strong interest in the beauty and self-care industries, with Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha consumers using more beauty products earlier on than previous generations. Social media trends have drawn attention to the effects of aging, and the importance of combating the effects of aging as early as possible through the use of preventative products such as sunscreens, leading to brands redesigning daily ritual products with anti-aging ingredients.

Trend - As a more scientific skincare product, sun protection has become a category some consumers are not just casually interacting with, but rather self-educating on. This has created a sense of "insider information" and exclusivity that brands can encourage through extravagant launches or limited releases.

Insight - The skincare industry is one that lends itself well to the Prosumerism movement, wherein consumers are not just using the products but hoping to become experts within the category. This is partially due to the pursuit of better products, but there is a social aspect as well; this self-education tends to happen in community-driven online spaces, where knowledge of an exclusive product is a status symbol. Ultimately, this shows that insider knowledge is increasing in value among online communities.

Trend - Brands in the 3D printing space are releasing materials that prioritize sustainability without compromising on function. The sustainability ranges from including renewable resources, such as wood or plant-based fibres, to using energy-efficient, low-emission production systems.

Insight - 3D printing is continually increasing in popularity not only in industrial applications, but also with hobbyist consumers. However, as the industry continues to expand, it continues to attract more attention from environmental regulators and consumers due to the unrenewable nature of most plastic-based filaments. Brands are recognizing the public and private desires for sustainable materials, and in response are investing in renewable materials and energies.

Trend - Photography brands are designing smartphone-compatible stabilizing devices with motorized gimbal mechanisms. These devices physically support smartphones while capturing media, allowing for unique angles and steady footage devoid of jitters and harsh movements.

Insight - Social media has impacted consumer behavior, leading to a significant increase in individuals aspiring to pursue content creation and influencer status. These consumers are in search of products that help generate professional-grade media content using their current equipment. Businesses that recognize the demand for affordable and effective media production solutions can appeal to consumers who require these tools to further their creative pursuits.

Trend - Televisions and displays with fully-transparent frames are now being manufactured for consumers. These displays improve workplace installations, video calling, and aesthetics for homes, as they can be fully hidden when powered off. These are high-cost products for more luxury consumers.

Insight - For higher-income consumers, aesthetics are a large factor when considering investing in new products. This is similar for future-facing workplaces looking to augment their buildings with the latest technologies. These two markets align on priorities; products must be innovative with clear value-adds without negatively impacting aesthetics. These desires are leading to brands crafting near-invisible devices with unique features that cannot be mimicked by lower-cost alternatives.

Trend - Businesses are launching portable monitors built directly into foldable cases. These cases house built-in batteries for the display while protecting the display from damage. This design results in several use cases for these displays from workplace showpieces to on-the-go entertainment.

Insight - Jobs that necessitate travel to different environments bring a number of challenges for workers. Particularly for workers who need to travel for conferences, conventions, and other showcases, it is necessary to always have their required tools safe and ready to use, whether it be to set up a booth or market a product. Brands are now designing products engineered for these professionals that ensure necessary tech devices are both portable and protected for frequent travelers.

Trend - Tech companies are launching portable displays designed to attach to a laptop. These screens clip to the top or sides of a laptop, and are designed to provide workstation-levels of productivity in a portable scenario. These accessories improve the efficiency of remote and hybrid workers.

Insight - Even years into the post-covid world, many industries are remaining with remote and hybrid work environments. The employees in these situations often work in environments that are not their own home, such as coffee shops, for various reasons. When working in these environments, consumers turn to convenient, portable accessories to maximize productivity. Brands are recognizing these desires and launching accessory devices that minimize the productivity losses from portable workstations.

Trend - Computer hardware manufacturers are creating external enclosures for M.2 solid-state drives (SSDs). These enclosures transform high-speed SSDs into on-the-go solutions with the speed and quality of internal drives. External SSDs are designed for users with large amounts of important data.

Insight - Many modern consumers have large amounts of data that is crucial to protect, whether it be personal files, work-related documents, or even entertainment media. For these consumers, the security of their data and the speed at which it can be accessed are priorities, as many need to transfer large amounts of data between devices. These pressures are leading businesses to launch high-speed external storage solutions with security-focused features.