Art & Design Consumer Insights

Trend - Postcard-making workshops are becoming a popular feature at pop-up events, offering guests a creative, hands-on way to connect with the brand. These interactive sessions allow participants to create a tangible, personalized product that delivers a message and introduces a new brand to the recipient.

Insight - Consumers seeking unique shopping experiences are increasingly drawn to events that facilitate personal connections with brands and encourage sharing the experience with loved ones. In response, brands are designing pop-ups that allow consumers to create personalized keepsakes for those in their lives and invite these individuals to experience the brand. By focusing on consumers' desire for shareable moments, brands can attract an audience that values community throughout the product journey.

Trend - Computer hardware brands are releasing power supplies with modular designs that enable users to use only the necessary connectors. This saves space and improves aesthetics in custom builds by reducing clutter. Previously exclusive to higher-end PSUs, even budget devices are adopting modularity.

Insight - Consumer technology enthusiasts frequently build their own custom devices, whether as a hobby or as a cost-saving measure compared to buying prebuilt units. When building their own devices, consumers on a budget often prioritize high-performance components, while on the higher-end of the cost spectrum, aesthetics also become an important factor. Hardware brands are trying to appeal to both consumer segments by launching affordable devices with aesthetic benefits.

Trend - Kitchen appliance brands are releasing compact range hoods designed to sit on a countertop. These hoods are not permanent fixtures, as per the norm, and are instead portable, meaning they can be stored away when not in use. These hoods are designed for homes that are more strict on space.

Insight - As the cost of living continues to rise to crisis levels, consumers are tasked with saving money wherever possible. For homeowners, this often means investing in smaller, more affordable alternatives to full-size appliances or tools. Simple everyday devices, such as ovens or refrigerators, can be expensive and cumbersome to fit in more modest homes. As a result of this, brands in the kitchen appliance space are releasing lower-cost, more portable solutions.

Trend - There is a renewed interest in culinary arts in the TikTok era that also impacts the world of nightlife and drinking. A new era of cocktail fascination is emerging, with mixology treated as an area of interest among consumers. Mixology hobbyists are more interested in flavor combinations and sensorial experience than the simple act of drinking.

Insight - This repositioning of mixology speaks to members of Gen Z who consume less alcohol than their predecessors, but still enjoy the ritual of social drinking. It introduces a new avenue for consumers who lean more sober-curious. With more focus on the craft and alternative functions of cocktails or mocktails, this group can focus on exploring flavor and texture. To these consumers, this pursuit is more about self-expression and immersion into a new topic of interest than sheer consumption.

Trend - Architectural companies are creating compact homes with sustainability-first designs. Often with an emphasis on minimalism and nature, these homes offer the essentials for living comfortably in a compact structure built with eco-friendly materials.

Insight - As more millennial consumers become homeowners, many are noting the current undesirable state of the housing industry. With rising costs of living affecting more than just housing costs, it is becoming increasingly difficult for many such consumers to live comfortably on their own. As a result, architectural companies are creating compact, often portable, homes with eco-friendly designs that help mitigate energy costs, tax rates, and more.

Trend - Grounding sheets, made with conductive materials like silver or carbon, embody a wellness trend aimed at harnessing the Earth's natural energies for health benefits. By allegedly transferring the Earth's electrons to the body, these sheets replicate the benefits of barefoot grounding, promising improved sleep, reduced inflammation, and greater relaxation.

Insight - There is a growing consumer desire for holistic and nature-inspired wellness practices, especially in an era of digital overwhelm and disconnection from natural environments. This growing trend in wellness reflects a desire for solutions that combine the best of modern science with traditional wisdom. For brands, this presents an opportunity to innovate within the wellness space, offering products that promise to reconnect our bodies with the Earth's natural healing properties.

Trend - ADHD chairs are designed to support movement and focus by providing subtle stimulation. These features help concentration and alertness, addressing the challenges faced by many with ADHD in maintaining focus, especially in environments that require prolonged periods of sitting, such as classrooms and offices.

Insight - The growing recognition of ADHD is part of a broader push towards inclusivity and the creation of spaces designed for diverse needs, with the goal of challenging conventional standards. This reflects a societal embrace of neurodiversity, with the understanding that customizing environments can significantly help communities that have been mainly underserved. As advocacy for neurodiversity grows, brands have a golden opportunity to pioneer in neuro-inclusive design, paving the way for spaces that are both more equitable and effective.

Trend - Electric bicycle manufacturers are using bamboo in place of aluminum for frames to improve sustainability. Bamboo is lightweight and malleable for bike frames, while also being biodegradable. By using bamboo, brands are aiming to reduce their carbon footprints and appeal to eco-conscious consumers.

Insight - Each year, more consumers turn to electric micro-mobility solutions rather than gas-powered vehicles. This is often due to rising costs of gas, dense traffic, and environmental concerns. This has led to an increased amount of micromobility repair stores, as well as increased development of public charging infrastructure to mitigate battery constraints. In recognition of this environmental trend, bike brands are furthering their sustainability by turning to materials such as wood and bamboo.

Trend - Appliance manufacturers are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) for the next generation of laundry machines. AI machines automatically optimize the load settings, such as rotation speed, based on the type and weight of the fabrics, thus saving consumers time and effort when doing laundry.

Insight - Adults in North America are finding themselves with less free time each year due to various economic and social factors. Many of these adults struggle to balance full-time jobs with familial and home obligations. This increases their willingness to invest in smart home products that save them time or money. Home appliance manufacturers interpret this desire for time-saving as an opportunity for automation, leading to many brands turning to artificial intelligence.

Trend - Brands are creating "third places," a concept championed by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, to offer social spaces distinct from home and work. These welcoming environments foster regular connections among people through shared interests or activities, responding to the consumer's quest for community and spontaneity.

Insight - The remote work boom and social shifts are fueling a consumer desire for "third places" – hubs beyond work and home for connection. Craving escape from car-dependent suburbs and planned social activities, consumers seek spaces for spontaneous interaction and emotional support. Brands that successfully tap into this trend do so by crafting casual, community-focused havens. These spaces cultivate a sense of belonging and unity, drawing people together over shared experiences and interests, thereby winning the hearts and loyalty of consumers.