Consumer Insights > Social Media

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 - Millennial parents are a group that is particularly responsive to social media influencers. Small businesses based in the parenting industry are taking this a step further by basing their beginnings wholly online. This is a model that mimics the cosmetics industry, fashion industry, and more lifestyle categories who've cracked the DTC model; it simultaneously establishes authenticity, and shareability. [More]

Implications - Brands are emerging with bold soda-flavored food items that delight both those looking to abstain from sugary carbonated beverages and pop fans undeterred by health concerns. This new view of soda as a more indulgent refreshment is manifested in its conflation with confectionery treats and signifies the overarching influence of the health and wellness movement on shifting dietary norms. [More]

Implications - Consumers with a preference for bubbly are embracing prosecco-flavored sweets and treats that provide a feeling of celebration in a more portable format. This shift speaks to the desire to see one's preferred drink of choice be expanded into other elements of a lifestyle in the interest of transforming everyday instances into tiny moments of celebration. [More]

Implications - Spirits and champagne brands are leveraging the desire for tranquil moments of escapism during everyday life by activating with garden-inspired venues brimming with fresh floral arrangements. This progression highlights the new role of direct-to-consumer marketing in articulating the messaging of a lifestyle vision of the brand in an accessible yet aspirational way. [More]

Implications - In a time when consumers of all ages are motivated by the social sharing of everyday experiences, individuals are opting for gothic-looking all-black menu items that visually entice with the help of ingredients like squid ink, black sesame or coconut ash. In addition to being seen as a reaction to the current cultural obsession with fantasy-inspired aesthetics that offer a taste of escapism, this progression speaks to the desire to see familiar experiences enhanced with multi-sensory elements that also boast practical effects such as detoxification. [More]

Implications - Speaking especially to those interested in over-the-top food experiences that lend themselves to social sharing, hybrid donut experiences are incorporating surprising and sometimes savory elements that combine to create something new and unique. This shift is an extension of the push for new experiences [More]

Implications - Given the nature of consumers in congregating around local brands, many cannabis-focused businesses are becoming community centers as customers naturally form around emerging institutions. This shift speaks to the desire for experiences that lend themselves to the cultivation of offline connections in order to offset the effects of the majority of individuals spending so much time online, as well as specifically highlighting the implications of something like cannabis legislation in disrupting behavioral norms. [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]