Consumer Insights > Pop Culture

Implications - As the health and wellness movement continues to expand on its already considerable breadth of influence, cult pop culture franchises are lending their branding to workout wear and at-home fitness equipment. This shift highlights the extent to which individuals see their fandoms as extensions of their personal brands, with room for organic incorporation in other areas of interest such as athletic or other pursuits. [More]

Boomers are reclaiming the narrative surrounding their lifestyles and preferences and revealing themselves to be much more "modern" than they are often perceived and portrayed as. Their entertainment preferences are not always as conservative as mainstream discourses would make consumers believe. The changing perception for what Baby Boomers prefer in terms of entertainment speaks to an overarching theme of different demographics choosing to autonomously represent themselves across various platforms. [More]

Brands are representing a more relaxed approach to parenting by incorporating humor into their various products and campaigns. The "humor" tactic is the most recent development in the evolution of parent-targeting initiatives. This shift speaks to the necessity of accommodating the personal values of Millennials as they become the next generation of parents, with a more relaxed and open-minded approach than their predecessors. [More]

Implications - The popularization of podcasts provides a new market for brands to ease consumption and distribution to reach a larger audience. Celebrities and content creators alike are producing diverse podcasts on everything from fun facts to feminism, increasing the need for sharable platforms and streamlined access. This shift in desire for verbal enlightenment highlights new outlets for co-creation between consumers who want to share content and brands that can offer a place to do so. [More]

Though products related to sexuality and sexual health have always been viewed as somewhat taboo, some brands that offer them are taking it a step further by grounding their campaigns in political and social issues. The dichotomy between these strong "left-leaning" stances, and the seemingly more prominent "conservative" movement in North America is allowing brands to make more definitive statements that will ultimately target the demographics most important to them. [More]

Implications - Social media and streaming have changed consumer expectations of media content. This has expanded beyond changing expectations of traditional media, and into a redefinition of online media that is more educational, as well as more interactive. This ties into the desire to accumulate memorable experiences that impact the consumer. [More]

Implications - As ubiquitous in the Instagram-driven collective design ideal as 'Millennial pink,' palm leaf prints can be observed as commonplace in contemporary branding, retail design, fashion and much more. This fixation highlights the influence of an image-driven social media culture in which one's possessions and surroundings become a prop that speaks to a new kind of social currency. [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 - Consumers seeking more "bang for their buck", especially millennials, are putting more of their budget toward experiences versus products. Standing out in a sea of competing entertainment options are interactive, often exclusive theater experiences that actively involve attendees by providing them with anything from assigned costumes to opportunities to influence the event itself. [More]

Implications - Consumers are embracing drinkable nostalgia in the form of retro sodas spiked for the ultimate escape from "adulting." Also highlighting the desire for familiar flavors in adventurous formats, this progression speaks to the role nostalgia can play in the contemporary pursuit of meaning in everyday experiences such as eating and drinking. [More]