Market Consumer Insights

Trend - Researchers from universities and construction-focused startups are developing new methods or materials for 3D printing in the architectural space. This is leading to brick, wood, and glass solutions for customizable, scalable home home construction with a reduced environmental impact.

Insight - While home construction companies have become quick and efficient at building homes at-scale, particularly when the homes share similar designs, these companies often receive backlash due to the environmental impact of the large gas-powered construction vehicles, the excess materials, and the damage caused to the surrounding area. This has caused companies to invest in solutions for more eco-friendly options that do not compromise on scalability or customization, leading to 3D printed solutions.

Trend - Popular soda brands are collaborating with other brands in the restaurant, CPG, and drinking spaces to create co-branded products. These collaborative products blend the iconic flavors and brand recognition of both products for the mutual benefit of both companies.

Insight - While there is a large variety of options when shopping for food, many consumers in the Western World fall into habits, sticking to brands and products that they are familiar with. This is due to the consumers not wanting to take risks, caused by either minimal free time, or simply because they want to continue with the safe option. To appeal to these consumers, brands across the food industry are releasing collaborative products that lend the credibility of both brands to the product.

Trend - Brands in the more designer end of the tech spectrum are releasing products with stretchable and malleable displays. These use AMOLED technology and are built in such a way that they can be twisted and bent without breaking or stopping the image from being displayed.

Insight - Businesses and startups with more niche product ideas often run into barriers when trying to bring a concept product to reality. These barriers can include cost, scale, or simply the feasibility of the product in general. Many such products in the technology space are limited due to physical limitations regarding battery sizes or screen sizes, amongst other potential issues. In order to address these concerns, designer tech brands are creating malleable displays for unique product ideas.

Trend - SaaS companies are launching Artficial Intelligence (AI)-based tools that gather and analyze both customer feedback and product information to provide recommendations for product managers. These tools are designed to automate monotonous tasks and free up time for managerial action.

Insight - Product managers face challenges in making data-driven decisions and handling large volumes of data. These users are often stretched thin, and gravitate toward organization and automation platforms, particularly those related to more monotonous tasks. In order to appeal to these users, brands are creating AI-based consumer and product analysis tools designed to provide actionable insights from datasets comprised of consumer priorities and demands, as well as product information.

Trend - Software companies in the gaming space are launching marketplaces designed for game developers. These marketplaces offer assets, such as 3D character models, audio tracks, or maps, to be purchased and licensed for use by other developers, aiming to streamline and decentralize game development.

Insight - Novice game developers could encounter any number of issues when entering the space based on their prior expertise. For example, those with an artistic background may have no trouble drawing their character models and maps, but may struggle with music or 3D animations, while the inverse may be true for another developer. In order to appeal to these developers and alleviate stress where it may arise, gaming software brands are launching marketplaces with licensable assets.

Trend - Brands in the CPG space are turning to chia seeds to create better-for-you alternatives to on-the-go breakfast offerings. Coming in the form of bars, bowls, and snackables, these packaged products offer healthy breakfast options for consumers with busy lives and limited time.

Insight - As individuals age, they typically take on more and more responsibilities ranging from advanced schooling to full-time employment and personal obligations, such as families and friends. This often leads to periods with very limited free time, leading to these consumers turning to time-saving options when possible, preferably without compromising on their lifestyle preferences. In order to appeal to such consumers, CPG brands are creating healthy on-the-go breakfast options with chia proteins.

Trend - AI companies are launching platforms that focus on licensing and distributing content generated by artificial intelligence (AI) models. These platforms protect the users of such content, ensuring that the users do not have to worry about legal concerns surrounding the use of AI content.

Insight - As AI-generated content gains popularity in nearly every creative and professional field, consumers who use such content for commercial products, such as advertisements or entertainment media, are increasingly worrying about the gray area zone that AI content currently exists in. In order to appease these consumers and increase the popularity of using AI content in commercial use, companies are launching platforms that handle the legal licensing of such content databases.

Trend - Beverage brands that specialize in electrolyte-based hydration drinks are now creating more health-conscious options for consumers with diabetes and other conditions with strict dietary restrictions. These drinks are available in pre-packaged and mixable formats for convenience and accessibility.

Insight - Many consumers with diabetes begin to adopt more active lifestyles in order to control and counteract the condition as much as possible. However, increasing activity levels requires adjusting one's diet alongside it to yield optimal results. Particularly when being physically active, it is important to maintain proper hydration levels through beverages with electrolyte formulas. In order to appeal to these consumers, brands are creating electrolyte drinks with fewer sugars.

Trend - Startups are launching AI tools that generate product descriptions for online retailers. These tools take into account cost, highlight features, and detailed information to generate attention-grabbing copy quickly. These tools are designed to save time and money for online storefront operators.

Insight - Retailers with storefronts are aware of the challenges associated with each aspect of the website. These challenges include paying either internal IT departments or third-parties to maintain the website, taking product photos, dealing with online fulfillment and post-service support, and more. These retailers are closely following the AI revolution for tools that alleviate one of these challenge categories. Brands are addressing one category with AI product description-generating tools.

Trend - Brands in the food and beverage space are releasing meal toppers designed for instant noodle dishes. These meal toppers are designed to either enhance the flavor or nutritional content of the meal without inhibiting the convenience of the meal. This helps elevate the meals of consumers on a budget.

Insight - Consumers with little time or money to spend on food, such as students in university or workers with tight schedules, often turn to meals that are quick to prepare, such as canned food, frozen food, or instant noodles. However, these consumers are not blind to the nutritional downsides of these meals, and instead eat them only out of necessity. Consumers are now looking to improve the quality of such dishes with toppers that enhance both the nutritional content and flavors.