Pop Culture Consumer Insights

Trend - Celebrities—whether they be chefs, singers, and even investors—are recognizing the immense popularity of hard seltzers as refreshing low-alcohol beverages with younger consumers. As a result, many are working with brands to launch their own special version.

Insight - The purchasing decisions of Millennial and Gen Z consumers are strongly influenced by the social media platforms they favor. As many become increasingly trusting of the celebrities and influencers they follow, individuals begin focusing on these personalities' preferences—from lifestyle to food and beverage. This information is later used as guidelines and inspiration for consumer's own purchasing decisions when they are experiencing uncertainty about the items they want to buy.

Trend - In order to connect with their fan base, celebrities are partnering up with brands and curating specialized boxes and experiences that are useful to individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic—from fitness programs to grooming or snack boxes.

Insight - Consumers are doing their best to help flatten the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic by staying at home and maintaining social distancing. For many, shopping online is the better or the only option—whether it's for essentials or something necessary for a daily routine. Individuals often find it difficult to gauge a product virtually, void of the in-store shopping experience support, and as a result, are turning to the advice of people whose opinion they trust.

Trend - Whether it is in the form of therapy, a branding technique, or a product/experience, companies are increasingly exploring the potential of magic mushrooms or truffles in the context of the contemporary market. These experiments are conducted legally and entrusted to the guidance of experienced professionals.

Insight - Openness to new experiences is something that contemporary consumers are attuned to—especially individuals who are part of the Millennial and Gen Z demographics. Many seek out ways to satisfy their growing curiosity and this is made possible in various industries thanks to the rich, unique, and diverse product offerings. In this space, individuals are expanding their sense of adventurism and are, therefore, creating a demand for increasingly daring and impactful experiences.

Trend - Brands in various sectors, spanning travel and tourism to alcohol and entertainment, are helping consumers cope with "political fatigue" ahead of the upcoming U.S. elections. These solutions range from an escapist hotel stay to a relaxing political coloring book.

Insight - American politics have been a constant source of news for consumers around the world and with the election day close, many consumers are feeling anxious over the impending results. This, compounded by other stressors this year–the pandemic, economic uncertainty, and remote work and learning–has resulted in many consumers feeling overwhelmed and looking for comforting ways to manage these anxieties.

Trend - In response to the many physical restrictions of COVID-19 safety guidelines, brands are launching all-hours streams in order to better connect with consumers. These special curated content initiatives focus on different lifestyle aspects—from entertainment and education to health and wellness.

Insight - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, consumers are faced with government-imposed physical restrictions that limit what they can indulge in in public spaces. Those who are more mindful of their interactions are choosing to remain at home for the most part. In order to pass the time and continue to engage in their hobbies and desires for self-improvement, many turn to the digital environment for entertainment, education, and more. In this space, consumers prioritize options that enable a certain on-demand appeal, allowing them to tune-in and tune-out with respect to their schedule.

Trend - As the cannabis industry continues to grow due to legalization in some areas in recent years, so does the community around it. Influencer culture is breaching into this space, as individuals use the digital platform to engage with an audience about the topic of cannabis.

Insight - Due to their mass digital consumption in today's era, consumers familiarize themselves with products and services by searching for reviews online. They often trust peer reviews more than advertisements. Specifically, Millennial and Gen Z demographics are likely to engage with digital reviews from real-life sources. This is especially true regarding newer products and industries such as cannabis.

Trend - Businesses are aiming to make the act of partaking in the presidential election easier for consumers. As a result, many companies are transforming their brick-and-mortar locations into registration hubs and offering educational materials to encourage participation.

Insight - Contemporary consumers—especially those who are a part of the Millennial and Gen Z demographics—are placing emphasis on ethics and sustainability, which has resulted in many expecting their favorite brands to take a political stance and support social causes. As a consequence of the growing consumer consciousness, individuals feel more confident and better about their purchasing decisions, knowing that a given brand is using its power to advocate for a better world.

Trend - Whether for loyalty or the distribution of financial aid, the concept of alternative currency is gaining popularity. Institutions and businesses deploy this in the form of wooden money or digital stimulus to strengthen buying power.

Insight - Many consumers are experiencing high levels of financial stress, both in the current context of the COVID-19 pandemic and even before that. Simultaneously, they are recognizing the importance of supporting local and smaller businesses. This, in turn, is creating a demand for timely solutions that will support consumers throughout difficult times, while enabling them to access life necessities and services.

Trend - Brands in the gaming and technology space are launching virtual bands compromised of digitized characters. These virtual bands cater to a range of consumers by curating albums in a variety of genres like hip-hop, metal, and K-pop and often feature well-established video game characters as leads. These characters are all created to have unique characteristics and personalities to help viewers better identify with the bandmates.

Insight - Younger generations of today are completely immersed in the digital world, having spent their youth engaging in online activities like social media and video games. Since platforms like radio and cable tv are less frequently used by these consumers, brands are adapting their products and services to reach consumers on their preferred platforms. These consumers are already extremely familiarized with digital characters and readily accept new offerings that incorporate these figures.

Trend - Since March, mainstream Western media has covered COVID-19 content in high volumes and many have taken to social media to share about the virus, creating a bigger opportunity for misinformation. To remedy this, organizations are going beyond traditional fact-checking platforms and are aiming to engage consumers directly with authentic information through building community, centered around experts and verification.

Insight - In recent years, individuals have become aware of the dangers of fake news and as a result, many are increasingly skeptical about the information they consume, both online and in print. COVID-19 has caused people to do a lot of research, pertaining to the virus itself, its effect on other countries, the political responses to the pandemic, and so on. Because of this desire of wanting to understand and better educate themselves in the pandemic, individuals are looking for trustworthy and verified information.