Marketing Consumer Insights

Trend—Brands are increasingly focused on enhancing the mental health and wellness of their customers, and they’re now doing this through pop-up spaces. Whether charitable or business-focused, these activations prioritize mental wellbeing and aim to give consumers the awareness and tools to take care of themselves and others.

Insight—With global stress levels rising due to a variety of economic, social and political issues, mental health is increasingly in the spotlight—particularly in North America. Consumers’ are increasingly looking to reduce the mental toll that both everyday and large stressors can take on their wellbeing, and brands are responding with a more targeted approach to mental health.

Implications - Tapping into the popularity of delivery services and how commonplace they've become in consumers' lives, brands are promoting products through limited-run delivery offers. Providing both a low-friction experience for the consumer as well as a sense of novelty, this marketing approach mixes many different forces to create a memorable experience.

Implications - An offshoot of the “halfway healthy” phenomenon, we’re seeing fitness brands that traditionally host events like marathons go one step further with indulgent consumption rewards. Offering comfort foods like pizza and burgers to those who finish races or engage in active clubs, retailers are actively expanding what it means to live and lead a healthy lifestyle, through offering more indulgent offerings often not associated with such physical activity.

Implications - As efforts toward greater authenticity and brand loyalty continue to thrive, we're seeing a rise in unbranded, logo-less tactics, often from bigger, more mainstream companies. Not necessarily looking to move away from heritage or legacy, brands are relying on the iconic imagery, aesthetics or references to their products to connect with consumers. Often satirical but straightforward, these unbranded examples are serving to create more approachable identities for brands, allowing consumers to better connect with product references, experiences and emotional connections.

Implications - As major brands look to position themselves as allies for Latinx (the gender-neutral pronoun for those of Latin American identification) consumers in the US, their ads aim to display a nuanced understanding of their complex and sometimes conflicting experiences had by this group. By leaning into micro-moments that are culturally specific to the Latinx experience in the US, these brands are able to make members of this group feel heard and win their love.

Implications - Combating a culture of anxiety and pessimism, brands are making efforts to try and improve the health and happiness of their consumers. More than just a wellness “zone”, brands are turning to activations, activities and promotions that are powered by acts of kindness, empathy and even lighthearted moments . Such positive displays of behavior from brands not only speaks to the desire to connect with consumers in a uplifting manner, but a willingness to connect on more deeply ingrained issues around mental health, livelihood and general happiness.

Implications - As space exploration and science fiction continue to rise in popularity through social media and pop culture, a desire for more education, insight and a connection to what's happening in space is developing. With that, we're seeing official NASA collaborations, partnerships, and astronaut-approved products hit the shelves to give consumers a closer link and connection to the vast galaxy. From products that celebrate milestone achievements to those that simply reference the heritage and longevity of the space administration, these products not only offer a small connection to galactic innovation, but a way for official administrations like NASA to expand their influence and educate audiences.

Implications - Yerba mate has traditionally been consumed as a tea in South America, but today packaged beverage brands in North America are leaning into the herb as a healthful flavor option. This speaks to the desire North American consumers have to experiment with wellness solutions from around the world.

Implications - With digital news significantly impacting the traditional newspaper industry, brands in this space, or entering it, are focusing on redesigning and redefining how people consume printed newspapers. This shift comes as brands look to adapt to make the industry more interesting for consumers who are now used to consuming all media in digital forms.

Implications - Small brands within the underwear space are taking on body positivity that includes more than models with diverse sizes–they're also taking on a range of subjects in the area of body positivity. Everything from non-restrictive masculinity to body hair on women is being expressed in such campaigns, coming in reaction to consumers' growing resistance to the unrealistic ideals that brands in the industry have often held them to.