Category
Lifestyle
Assisted Choices
Trend cluster
Category
Branded
Float
Culinary brands release limited edition pool floats for summer.
5.6
Trend score
Trend
What is the Branded Float trend?
Branded Float: In recent years brands within the food space have prioritized novelty by expanding beyond their classic products with branded pool floats. These products highlight how companies are merging into non-traditional spaces--increasing the online shareability of their brand and strengthening loyalty among Millennial and Gen Z consumers as a result.
Insight
The consumer insight behind the Branded Float trend
In an era where content is prioritized, Millennial and Gen Z consumers are turning to brands to provide eye-catching, social media-worthy accessories that create a dynamic backdrop for their photos. These products cater to the attention economy and provide a novel way for younger consumers to show their loyalty to brands through their social platforms.
Trend themes
Themes within the Branded Float trend
Three behaviours holding the trend together01
Novelty Pool Floats
Brands are expanding beyond their classic products with branded pool floats to increase the online shareability of their brand and strengthen loyalty among Millennial and Gen Z consumers
02
Content as Priority
Younger consumers are turning to brands to provide eye-catching, social media-worthy accessories that create a dynamic backdrop for their photos.
03
Unorthodox Product Offerings
QSR brands continue to offer unorthodox, non-food related products to uphold their off-beat personality and sustain customer engagement.
Industry implications
What the Branded Float trend means for industry
Where the trend changes the playbookFor
Food Industry
Food brands are prioritizing novelty by expanding beyond their traditional products with quirky merchandising, eye-catching and Instagram-friendly accessories to catch customer attention.
For
Retail Industry
Retail brands can tap into the trend of creating branded merchandise, capitalize on novelty pool floats and other unconventional merchandising to expand their offerings beyond their usual product lines.
For
Marketing Industry
Marketers can take advantage of unorthodox product offerings and capitalise on hashtags and viral social media content to grow the online shareability of a brand.
Workshop question
Consider how your brand could leverage novelty to connect with younger consumers.
Trend signals
Trend signals for Branded Float
Trend score 5.6 out of 10, from popularity 79%, activity 82%, freshness 8%.
Popularity79%
Activity82%
Freshness8%
Audience
50%Men
50%Women
- Gen Alpha
- Gen Z
- Millennial
- Gen X
- Boomer
Market
North America
Europe
Asia-Pacific
Evidence
Examples of the Branded Float trend
4 featured examples from May 24, 2018 to May 22, 2019CategoryArt & Design
Limited-Edition QSR Pool Floaties
The KFC Colonel Sanders Floatie Has a Chicken Bucket Holder
Fast food chains can create limited-edition merchandise to increase brand awareness and customer engagement.
CategoryMarketing
Condiment-Themed Pool Floats
Taco Bell Created a Summer Pool Float Shaped Like a Hot Sauce Packet
Outdoor retailers can expand their summer product offerings by including unique pool floats and beach accessories that are both functional and visually appealing.
CategoryMarketing
Fried Chicken Pool Floats
Cracker Barrel is Giving Away a Southern Fried Chicken Pool Float
Opportunity for restaurants and food brands to create unique promotional products to engage customers
CategoryMarketing
Ranch Dressing Pool Floats
Hidden Valley Ranch Launched a Summer Collection with Pool Floats
The food and beverage industry can explore the opportunity of creating branded pool floats and novelty merchandise collections to enhance their brand visibility and drive consumer…
