7 minute read
KEY DRIVERS: CUSTOMISATION, TECHNOLOGY, MEDIA
from Wellness
by Becky Green
KEY DRIVERS
Key driving forces behind the trend were identified through analysing changes in society and technological advances, revelant to the trend.
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CUSTOMISATION
(The Business Of Fashion, 2018)
Personalisation is fast becoming a necessity for consumers; they are demanding more than just a product with their initials engraved, they desire a personalised shopping experience from start to finish. Brands are personalising their marketing and communication, service and products in order to acquire new customers and maintain loyalty with existing customers.
This trend has formed new creative opportunities for a range of market sectors like luxury, beauty, healthcare and travel. Research states “44% of consumers say that they will likely become repeat buyers after a personalised shopping experience with a particular company.” (Gilliland, 2018) The demand for authentic and personalised marketing is apparent due to consumers feeling as though they are valued by the brand; it creates a memorable experience with the brand, provoking customers to feel emotion and appreciated when receiving customised marketing.
Furthermore, the ability to create and customise a unique product/ service made specifically for them and by them, drives repeat business. Especially within the health and beauty industries, the shift away from the ‘one size fits all’ mass produced products is opening new opportunities for brands and consumers alike.
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The skin care market has seen brands like Atolla launch “a proprietary machine learning algorithm to translate data into customized skin care.” (Hoshikawa, 2019) Users are given strips that test their pH, moisture and oil levels from their skin, the results are then sent into the Atolla HQ, using the brand’s mobile app, and analysed. The brand then produces a completely personalised formula for the consumers’ skin which is updated monthly based on their results. Customisation is
pushing health and wellness brands like Atolla to create innovative, new products that keep their customers engaged with the brand and satisfied with their service and products. However, not all personalisation is welcomed as consumers can fathom when a brand is simply joining on the bandwagon; providing insincere customisation services purely as a money making strategy rather than enhance a customer’s experience.
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TECHNOLOGY
In an era of ever-developing technological advances, the world is becoming digitally dependent. Unlimited access to digital devices is driving the Health and Wellness trend, opening new opportunities for brands, whilst creating new expectations for consumers.
Jose (2018) discovered that “with technology consumers are more connected, their expectations become high and more sophisticated tools are being used for getting the needs satisfied.” With this technological revolution, an abundance of Apps and websites have consequently been created and are available for users to satisfy a variety of needs from gaming to dietary advice. Apps have paved a new way for healthcare brands by giving them a new platform to interact with their consumers and new services to o!er. Particularly amongst those who are Millennial and Gen Z consumers, trust is being lost in traditional healthcare, these people are now “turning to health websites and apps as their primary source of health information” (McGregor and Smith, 2018) This advance has driven the health and wellness trend into the current convenience culture that is apparent and playing an essential role in Gen Z consumers day-to-day lives. Consumers are now choosing to cement their trust in robotics and artificial intelligence rather than see human specialists. This allows patients to be seen and treated without having to take time out of their busy schedule to visit a Health Centre.
However, it can be argued that this may not be wholly beneficial; as stated by LS:N Global (2018) “people are showing up at their doctors’ o!ices with all [this health] information, and right now doctors don’t typically know what to do with it all,’ says Aimie Chapple, UK health lead at Accenture.” With consumers being able to self-diagnose from the comfort of their own home at the click of a few buttons, an era of health anxiety and hypochondria could be triggered, possibly leading to a further back-log of patients desperately seeking a doctors appointment. This could be due to being falsely diagnosed following no physical examination, relying solely upon the advice of an AI GP.
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The delivery of healthcare through new technologies continues to better the lives of consumers across the globe. Moving away from expensive, bulky and fragile equipment enables vital healthcare to be delivered in countries like Kenya where a mobile phone device is easier accessed than clean water. Andrew Bastawrous (2014) developed smartphone-based technology “that enables community healthcare workers and empowers them to deliver eye care everywhere.” New devices such as this are constantly pushing the health and wellness trend, creating new possibilities and bettering the quality of life for consumers worldwide.
MEDIA Consumers are constantly digitally connected via social media: one of the greatest driving forces behind the health and wellness trend.
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Consumers are obsessed with how the lives of others and their own are being portrayed online through platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. Not only are consumers connected with each other, but also with celebrities and influencers and consumed by their lifestyle. According to Ypulse (2019) “the majority of [Gen Z and Millenials] follow online celebrities (defined as (bloggers, vloggers, YouTubers, Instagrammers, social media stars, etc.) on social media, but Gen Z is more likely to do so, with 60% of 13-18-yearolds saying they follow them.” Gen Z consumers in particular are becoming increasingly invested in achieving an unattainable, glamorous lifestyle 28
and will go to extreme lengths to do so. Research informs that “[over half of] Gen Z [consumers] say they would be much more likely to buy an online celebrity-endorsed product, versus 15% of Millennials.” (Ypulse, 2019) This influencer culture is driving the health and wellbeing trend as online beauty gurus and lifestyle bloggers share their skincare regimes and self-care rituals, influencing their subscribers to follow them. Social influencers are growing health and wellness micro trends such as Spirituality- alleviating stress and detoxing the mind, driving mental wellbeing and promoting self-care.
However, it can also be argued that social media can be the route of destruction for the mental wellbeing of consumers. “While social media platforms can have their benefits, using them too frequently can make you feel increasingly unhappy and isolated in the long run.” (Barr, 2019) with consumers constantly comparing their lives to those filtered lives of others. With the average Brit checking their phone twentyeight times per day (Barr, 2019) it can be seen as both advantageous and detrimental to the health and wellness trend. Social media, although it can a!ect self-esteem, is also one of the fastest methods of communication. There are “2.4 billion internet users, nearly 64.5 percent [of them] receive breaking news from Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Snapchat and Instagram instead of traditional media.” (Martin, 2018) This highlights the ability of platforms like Instagram to spread new information, awareness and campaigns, including taboo topics such as mental health. Celebrities and influencers in the media also remain as a crucial force behind this trend and not just for their ability to promote products. Their experiences, and coping methods associated with health and wellbeing are widely accepted by their large following, enlightening and influencing their audience to become involved with campaigns and charities etc.
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