Health

Implications - Nutrition and fitness have arguably been the leading pieces of the wellness movement over the last few years, but as mindfulness and mental health begin to become more of a priority, products to facilitate activities like meditation are becoming more and more popular. Beyond apps and studios that facilitate mindfulness activities, accessories that are a part of meditation practices are becoming particularly desired by today's wellness-focused consumer, speaking to a willingness to spend on inessential products and services perceived as catalysts to personal growth. [More]

Implications - Millennials today are known for their preference to spend on experiences rather than products, and this has impacted and contributed to the popularity of travel among this generation. Layering onto this interest in exploring the world is millennials' interest in self-improvement, which has led to the creation of tailored travel experiences focused around providing a path to wellness as well as a chance to explore the world. This shift speaks to the ways in which wellness has the capacity to impact a huge variety of segments, and the ways in which companies can leverage that interest to create something more appealing to today's young adult consumer. [More]

Implications - Making a shift from a mostly functional product into something much more aspirational, supplements and vitamins are undergoing a change in terms of how they're marketed, branded and perceived by consumers. Thanks to the influx of start-ups looking to revolutionize the industry using customization, minimalist aesthetics and more relatable language, these products are, in some cases, being perceived as luxury items. [More]

Implications - Businesses are designing and creating products that ease the process of nursing for mothers. Whether created for public nursing, to ease breast milk pumping or for mothers who don't nurse, such businesses and products reveal a more serious focus on women's health in the public sphere. [More]

Implications - The adoption of automated and electric self-cleaning functions into various tools that touch the face is simplifying the sanitation process for consumers. This shift is able to balance consumers’ penchant for self-care, with their inability or unwillingness to prioritize constant upkeep for the products that offer that self-care. [More]

Implications - Long praised as a natural remedy for sleeplessness and anxiety, herbal superfood valerian root is being newly incorporated into a range of snack and drink formats for easier, more enjoyable consumption. This shift speaks to the influx of adaptogenic "edibles," in which holistic ingredients are adapted into enjoyable formats as an alternative to oral capsules or tablets, hinting at the evolving expectations of consumers around the experience of their herbal remedies. [More]

Implications - The decriminalization and legalization of cannabis that continues across North America has not yet entirely resolved the exclusion and disproportionate penalties applied to people of color within this space. In reaction to this, people of color are creating their own brands and carving out their own spaces within the cannabis industry, empowering one another and supporting inclusion and education. [More]

Implications - There’s often a stigma associated with disability aids as most consumers don’t want to stick out from the crowds. Modern aids, like hearing devices, are responding with not only more functional adaptations but also more aesthetically minimalist solutions. Whether it be crafting designs reminiscent of jewelry or simply adding elements of connectivity, these examples are speaking to the desire for aids that are not only more aesthetically pleasing, but aids that can better adapt and integrate into consumer rituals and lifestyle habits. [More]

Implications - There are many well-known causes that are associated with specific colors, and food brands are adopting those colors into the actual foods and beverages they offer, rather than in packaging alone. This shift allows these brands to align themselves with a higher purpose, in a way that works as a more intimate, thought-provoking interaction with consumers. [More]

Implications - It's been shown that cannabis consumption enhances sexual pleasure, and cannabis brands are taking advantage of that fact by creating products that are specifically marketed with that purpose in mind. These emerging products are able to cater to niche consumer interests, appealing to their preference for personalization. [More]