Consumer Insights > Pop Culture

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]

Implications - Rather than acknowledging internet jokes made at their own expense outright, several savvy celebrities are spinning such situations by producing licensed merchandise of their own, a move that above all else, helps them reaffirm their agency. This intriguing shift demonstrates the potential opportunity to convey authenticity by re-channeling seemingly negative commentary into a moment of humurous self-deprecation between the brand and fans. [More]

Implications - With highly anticipated rereleases of cult footwear of the era and hard to acquire yet undoubtably covetable accessories dominating the social feeds of style tastemakers, fashion-minded consumers without the same accessibility are fast incorporating the aesthetic with the influx of unapologetically 90's pieces newly emerging from both brands of that era and savvy streetwear and skate brands. This progression demonstrates the value in observing the unique convergence of streetwear and social media culture and it's incidental role in the acceleration of the nostalgia cycle in fashion, but also by being part of a movement forcing traditional fashion institutions consider alternative in a possible 'See Now, Buy Now," model. [More]

Implications - Consumers are being drawn to food and drink products marketed around fairy tale-esque iconography that aims to re-position consumption as an experience of escapism. In addition to being a continuation of the acknowledgement of "adulting," this shift highlights the desire for escapism amid uncertain political times and the ease of creating an imaginary narrative around dining. [More]

Implications - The accessibility of resources like Kickstarter have made the toy market a crowded one. In response to this, both larger companies as well as more entrepreneurial teams are releasing board games focused around highly unusual concepts more likely to go viral than their more traditional counterparts. This appeals to consumers in search of more unique products to reflect their individualism, while tapping into a sense of nostalgia via analog play. [More]