Consumer Insights > Marketing

Implications - As heteronormativity in the mainstream slowly makes way for a more inclusive and dynamic picture of what the family unit can look like, brands are seeking to adopt a more all-encompassing approach in the services and products they offer to parents and families. With the evolution of social dynamics has come brands' continued willingness to cater to what is now marketed as the norm, rather than perceived as being the exception. [More]

Implications - As the LGBTQ+ community in North America is no longer relegated to existing in small private spheres, creative work inspired and created by this community has followed its entrance into mainstream cultures. The recognition of LGBTQ+ in mainstream creative channels allows consumers to engage with the community in a way that goes further than the simple acceptance of its legal rights. [More]

Implications - The generation famously known as "Walking Ad Blockers" can be difficult to connect with, but at its essence, Generation Z is a group of young consumers who are as impressionable and inquisitive as youth generations before them. These desire for self-discovery is magnified by a sense of empathy inherent to the digital native. Brands are responding by creating campaigns around providing information to the group to create positive brand recognition. [More]

Implications - Often leveraging tech tools such as virtual reality, tourism brands are launching aspirational campaigns that aim to inspire consumer travel with immersive activation experiences that blend entertainment and product education. This progression highlights the need to meet consumers in the physical spaces they occupy on a daily basis and the opportunity of brand activations to serve a moments of product education and brand awareness. [More]

Implications - With parents looking for travel packages that provide entertainment options for the whole family, cruise brands are leveraging iconic pop cultural franchises to create once-in-a-lifetime family vacations that take escapism to the next level with fantasy and fairy-tale themes. This progression highlights the continued influence of the nostalgia cycle on travel and specifically, among parents and within the realm of family travel. [More]

Implications - It's no secret that Millennials prioritize personal growth and experience over affluence and material goods. This is particularly urgent among Mid-Millennials who feel adulthood fast approaching, and are thus doubling down on efforts to make positive changes to the self. This can be implemented in all aspects of life, from financial literacy to the workplace. [More]

Implications - Millennials have made authenticity a top priority for brands across categories. The new definition of authenticity, however, goes beyond aligning with certain causes and into using the right language. Utilizing micro-influencers to not just serve as the face of a brand, but control the creative, ensures attentive advocacy for younger Millennial groups. [More]

Implications - Brands are emerging with bold soda-flavored food items that delight both those looking to abstain from sugary carbonated beverages and pop fans undeterred by health concerns. This new view of soda as a more indulgent refreshment is manifested in its conflation with confectionery treats and signifies the overarching influence of the health and wellness movement on shifting dietary norms. [More]

Where gluten-free dieting was once specific to those with celiac disease, it has since become a marketing tool that seeks to convey the health benefits of a multitude of food items. A manifestation of this shift is that gluten-free foods are now offered in convenient, pre-packaged forms. This shift is indicative of consumers' tendency to appreciate marketing-induced fads, without having to expend their energy in seeking them out. [More]

Implications - Champagne brands are using brand activations and unique partnerships to cultivate an air of accessibility that balances out their status as luxury brands. This progression highlights the need for all brands to maneuver themselves in order to break free from the constraints of a brand heritage that is so strong it may appear to consumers as unrelatable. [More]