Babies

Implications - With environmental pollution being hazardous to health and only gaining intensity in populated areas, brands are beginning to create products for infants that prevent them from breathing in contaminated air. These emerging innovations come as babies are the most vulnerable population, highly susceptible to the health hazards associated with pollution. This shift reflects the widely acknowledged fact of climate change and pollution's effects, and works to cater to concerned consumers' desire for preventative products, rather than those that simply offer treatments post-consequence. [More]

Implications - Millennials are notoriously globally minded, using the Internet as a way to gain insight into social issues and expose themselves to different situations to gain empathy. They want to instill the same values in their children. Toy companies are responding by crafting products and services that not only expose kids to various issues, but educate them on how to practice empathy in a tangible way. [More]

Implications - Between paying off school debt and having taken on unpaid internships and other career hardships, the older Millennial is not willing to sacrifice their career to have children. They plan to maintain both by leveraging the help of assistive technology. This goes beyond the logistics of parenting, and into productionizing qualitative aspects of parenting. [More]

Implications - Creativity and self-expression are important to the socially minded Millennial. This does not change as the Millennial enters parenthood, and in fact is a value they're passing on to their own children. Brands are responding by developing products that are conducive to an aspirational, enviable childhood. [More]

Implications - Having gone through post-secondary education during the recession, Millennials have accumulated a fair amount of debt. This adds conflict to their transition into parenthood. As a response, services that are more economical in their approach to baby products are well received. In stark contrast to "budget-conscious" services, these focus on giving the Millennial more bang for their buck, enabling a happy balance between aesthetic-friendly services, and those that offer savings. [More]

Implications - The Millennial consumer remains motivated by the same things as they age. One of their key motivators being personal brand and a sense of fun and adventure, Millennial parents will react positively to fad-focused parenting products. This demonstrates the Millennial's need to balance between the self and tangible responsibilities as they age. [More]

Implications - Millennial parents are a group that is particularly responsive to social media influencers. Small businesses based in the parenting industry are taking this a step further by basing their beginnings wholly online. This is a model that mimics the cosmetics industry, fashion industry, and more lifestyle categories who've cracked the DTC model; it simultaneously establishes authenticity, and shareability. [More]

Implications - Straightforward packaging on baby food both showcases brands' transparency about their products while simultaneously conveying to parents that they understand their concerns about their baby’s nutrition. Transparent labeling enables the consumer to be sure of their product selection without worrying about harmful additives. [More]

Implications - Now that many Millennials have become parents, a rise in technology that helps them to keep track of their children can be seen. In addition to decreasing levels of stress many new parents feel regarding their children, these products can help them improve their parenting skills the way they would develop any other skill. This shows a convergence of digital enhancement with classic parenting skills that accommodates the digital native parent. [More]

Implications - As Millennials enter adulthood, their tendency to prioritize personal health and wellness is reflected onto their children. This manifests specifically with probiotic supplements for developmental reasons. This signifies a new approach toward parenthood and health in general that skews toward age specificity. [More]