6 CONSUMER TRENDS TO KEEP HOLD OF 2021
by Varidda Voraakom HELLO 2021! Congratulations to us all for (almost) making it through 2020, the year taking us off guard. Before the calendar’s end, it feels strange but yet hopeful to take a glimpse into what 2021 have instore for us in bid to stay up to speed with the times of unprecedented changes.
WHAT FUELS 2021 TRENDS Without a doubt, the key drivers influencing the trends for the upcoming year will evolve around the current state of the world intertwined with the consequence of our response to thrive the COVID-10 pandemic.
KEY DRIVER 01 // THE PANDEMIC OF THE MIND The effects of this pandemic has ushered multifaceted of other crisis including economic crisis, politic crisis, societal crisis and cultural crisis - having mental impact on the way we see the world and how we live our lives.
KEY DRIVER 02 // THE SHIFTING MINDSET FROM BEING IN CONTROL TO LETTING GO Since forever, the advancement of technology has always making us feel on top of things and pushing us forward towards the next big things. This is the first time in history, we have been put to slowing down, letting go of ‘what-was’, be ok with ‘what-is’ and going with the flow.
KEY DRIVER 03 // THE ONENESS OF HUMANITY Unprecedented to any precedent times, the whole world is in it together on this pandemic, creating a strong sense of oneness and a spirit of our humanity.
CONSUMER TRENDS 2021 CONSUMER TREND 01 // HOME AS HEADQUARTER ‘There’s no place like home’, especially during the pandemic. While the concept of remote work and hybrid setting office are expected to continue much of 2021, ‘home’ has taken a new meaning, becoming the headquarter of all facets of lives. Keeping consumers feel understood, accompanied, socialized, entertained and making them collaborative, comfortable and productive are key for businesses and brands to earn their share of minds.
CONSUMER TREND 02 // TECH FOR THE ‘NEXT’ NORMAL Despite the panning out of 5G, AI, As-A-Service and Extended Reality(XR), the development of technology in 2021 will evolve around helping us overcoming new challenges, coping with changes and adapting to the ‘next reality’, which is unfolding. The pandemic has unlocked new use cases for technology in key industries including healthcare, finance and retail, to name a few, and will continue to accelerate cloud-based, on-demand platforms moving forward.
CONSUMER TREND 03 // THE TRUTH SEEKER After the year we’ve had, the world had more than enough to pay attention to and consumers are thus experiencing a major pandemic-fatigue and overall bad news burnout. With this mindset, consumers are saying no to ‘drama’ and seeking accurate, fact-checked, non-biased truths in what they curate to consume. In 2021, we expect to see more ‘humanising’ and ‘truthful’ content from businesses and brands, manifested in a more raw and honest style of presentations and more neutral platforms enabling a safe space for voicing their opinions without feeling judged or misrepresented.
CONSUMER TREND 04 // GPS FOR THE SOUL Living with fear, isolation and uncertainty is taking the tolls on consumers. Inside, they feel the need to be acknowledged and understood. In 2021, we expect to see more post-pandemic empathy where businesses and brands will go beyond short-term crisis management and take on a purposeful compassionate role, guiding consumers through emotional rollercoasters and making them feel optimistic to the future through a new wave of emotionally intelligent creativity.
CONSUMER TREND 05 // A DASH OF NOSTALGIA Going through the unrelenting year of challenges in 2020 has heightened anxiety and stress from all of life dimensions. To cope with this underlying wave of fear and uncertainty, consumers are seeking way of escapism, an emotional and spiritual anchors that can help ground them in order to thrive a turbulent time. Communication theme and storytelling surrounding the feeling of nostalgia, familiar, warm, safe and comforting, which is what our world is yearning for now, will make consumers feel disconnected from the real struggles of the present and connected with a much happier and simpler time.
CONSUMER TREND 06 // IN PURSUIT OF A FAIR, EQUAL & JUST WORLD Today’s consumers, particularly the younger generations, are responding to what’s going on around them and driving the growing sentiment for change. #MeToo, Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and Breonna Taylor movements are making them rethink new ways to add to the richness of humanity. In 2021, we expect to see businesses and brands showing more vulnerability and human side and taking part as a force for equality and justice in the world by empowering the under-represented and elevating the most marginalized communities. Rather than strategic branding, diversity, across race, gender, sexuality and socio-economic, will eventually and hopefully be welcomed and normalized.
2021: THE YEAR OF OPTIMISM & HOPE It is important to be opportunistic and resilient at strategic times. With the promise of COVID-19 cure and breakthrough, getting life going again will be the absolute wish of many citizens of the world. And with that brings the opportunity for businesses and brands to weave themselves into the narrative of the market and conduct business ‘as-unusual’, focusing more on compassion than commercial. No matter what ‘normal’ we are going back to or puzzling a new one, there is a real awakening for businesses and brands to contribute to the richness of humanity, lead meaningful conversations and step up in a time of need.
by VARIDDA VORAAKOM #2021 #Trends #2021Trends #ConsumerTrends #ConsumerInsights #ThoughtLeadership #Future #MarketingTrends #BrandStrategy #StrategicPlanning #Inspiration