Consumer Insights > Pop Culture

Implications - Highlighting the ubiquitous nature of coffee as a symbol of social interaction and much more, the experience of coffee consumption has become a space for innovation that also provides a unique view into the current cultural collective consciousness at any given moment. This progression demonstrates the new context of coffee as a gourmet food experience rather than a commodity, a transition that can be observed taking place currently in other adjacent categories such as cannabis. [More]

Implications - Restaurant menus are catering to those interested in Instagram-friendly dining experiences by producing brightly colored, aesthetically pleasing dishes that lend themselves to image-based social sharing. This shift speaks to the interest in creating social media-friendly experiences that offer rare elements of joy and delight, while it also highlights the innate interest in curation as a means of having specific control over something tangible in a time of great cultural and social stress. [More]

Implications - Hyper-indulgent dessert items adorned with rainbow toppings are enticing social media-inclined consumers looking for experiences they can celebrate and relive online. This progression showcases the new secondary role of food and beverage experiences as shareable moments that emphasizes insider knowledge on of-the-moment menu items. [More]

Implications - Food brands are attempting to embed themselves in youth culture by creating clever branded merchandise that emphasizes the experience of consumption. Tying into the role of material objects as "props" in the attention economy, this progression highlights the new opportunity for brands to engage consumers through novel, lifestyle-driven aesthetics in order to cultivate a community of fans. [More]

Implications - The Internet has democratized the gathering of information, but it's also granted almost anyone the ability to create content. This creates a lack of trust for all news sources. For the Millennial generation, there is an extra level of mistrust surrounding large news outlets that can only be alleviated by way of alternative outlets that lead with accountability. [More]

Implications - The existence of the Media Gap -- the space between representation in mainstream media and the diversity of audience members -- is widely acknowledged, however, it is expanding beyond who's in front of the camera and into who's behind it. The inclusion of more races, genders, ages, and beyond in the crafting of stories ensures a 360-degree view of diversity in media that is more authentic and deliberate. [More]

Implications - In a curious progression of direct-to-consumer marketing by way of social media influencer campaigns, Insta-famous dogs are parlaying viral buzz into prosperous brand partnerships. This intriguing progression speaks to the evolving nature of the pet economy, while it also serves as an example of how influencer marketing is expanding beyond the more obvious iterations in fashion, beauty and experiences such as music festivals. [More]

Implications - As the war on fake news rages, media platforms are earning the trust of dubious consumers by changing the game and providing multiple perspectives rather than promoting a single message. Inundated with free access to media, consumers are becoming more open to varying opinions and realizing that there is always more than one side to the story. Through offering multiple angles to the news within one resource, media outlets can engage their readers on a much more authentic level, increasing brand trust through transparency. [More]

Implications - Following in the same vein as everything bagel in becoming a flavor in its own right, birthday cake is now an mainstream flavor offered in a variety of food and beverage categories. This shift highlights the comfort in familiar experiences such as shared celebrations and the ability to evoke the positive connotations of such events in exciting new flavor offerings. [More]

Implications - As fast food and QSR brands look to entice customers with buzz worthy launches that resonate on visual social platforms such as Snapchat and Instagram for ultimate reach, many are partnering with heritage confection brands to create limited edition menu items that simultaneously cater to the new cross-generational view of such indulgences as a special occasion. This progression reinforces that the proliferation of marketing efforts for new products launches heavily relies on the "word of mouth" enabled by social media and highlights the opportunity for brands to elevate consumer perceptions with esteemed collaborations that can also lead to the cross-polination of adjacent yet previously unreached new customers. [More]