how the new consumer culture is influencing PR and marketing - January 19, consumer behavior report
takeaways from this weeks report:
Why consumers feel alone, isolated and adrift right now, and how you can help. Hint: demonstrate trustworthiness.
The most used social media channels by age group.
How the new “consumer culture” is influencing your marketing and PR strategy - for example: you should continue to invest in your brands online experience.
Verde Consumer Behavior Report - January 19, 2021
In the last Consumer Behavior Report we stated: “There’s a renewed sense of hope lingering out there.” That was January 6, 2021. Later that day, the Capitol was under siege, and anger seemed to transplant hope on all sides.
Many questions have surfaced after that event. Are consumers feeling optimistic or not? Are we marching forward to a new normal or a post-pandemic apocalypse? The answer is all of the above.
When It Comes to Trust: Show, Don’t Tell
As Kate Newlin writes in The Robin Report, we cannot underestimate how 2020 profoundly altered consumer mentality -- and not in a good way.
“Our research indicates that The New Consumer mindset is fraught with conflict. There may be a thirst to return to the old normal, but it is a nostalgic cocktail tempered by the sharp intoxication of new modes of living.”
In Newlin’s research of 1,000 people encompassing 1-percenters to minimum wage earners, three consistent themes emerged: anger, fear and a lack of trust in institutions.
From the actual physical trappings of the pandemic (working from home, schooling from home, social distancing, lack of travel, etc.) to extreme political polarization, Newlin says, “...we are not united by the agony of a shared ordeal. We have forged individual pathways.” The isolation and “go it alone” mentality has fomented anger, mistrust and fear. “The new consumer feels alone, isolated and adrift.”
For brands eager to provide solutions and to build the “new normal,” the first step will be to demonstrate trustworthiness. Here, Newlin provides competing advice:
On the one hand, she recommends de-politicizing marketing and messaging.
On the other hand, she acknowledges that pollyanna optimism won’t cut it in a post-pandemic world. To pretend as though everything is okay is tone deaf.
Whichever route you take on the above, the basics of building trust and validating your customers’ experiences will be a critical starting point:
Consumers expect products to perform and brands to deliver on their promise.
Consumers will be expecting excellence and reliability.
Brands that can harness, inspire or build a collective purpose will be rewarded.
Consumer Culture Update 2021
5WPR released a 2021 Consumer Culture Report, identifying: consumer desires, patterns, trends and opportunities for brand engagement. Here are a few takeaways:
Ecommerce has ballooned in both dollars spent and time spent per day shopping (up to four hours !!! per day for 45% of Gen Zers)
EVEN SO...65% of consumers have altered their shopping habits in order to support local businesses
Most used social media by age group (click over to the Report for a full rundown)
Ages 16-21: YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok
Ages 22-34: YouTube, Facebook Instagram, Snapchat
Ages 35-54: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter
Ages 55 and up: Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter
46% of all ages have purchased a product they saw on social media
Gen Z is becoming a force
80% appreciate online shopping for the opportunity to discover new products and brands
50% prefer finding new products and brands in a physical store (not online)
56% choose to buy from brands whose values align with their own
How can these findings influence your marketing and PR strategy? While we concur with these suggestions, credit goes to the 5WPR report.
Keep investing in your online experience and remain (or get) open-minded and creative around what an in-store experience can be.
Show up expecting to connect on social channels, not just sell.
If you’re small, capitalize on the consumer sentiment to support small business.
Focus on how your brand is relevant to a new and evolving reality.
Produce lots of short (and quick to consume) content. It may not be what the algorithm is rewarding, but it’s what consumers want.
Commit to your cause. For real.
Our take: As uncertainty remains the most distinguishing constant, marketers should double down on our humanity. When someone you care about is anxious, what can you provide for them? Validation. Hope. Reliability. The time to listen. The camaraderie of a shared experience or maybe the emotional release of a funny story.
These things aren’t always easy to articulate as brands, especially when consumers are wary and exhausted from unsettling news and unsettled daily lives. But in our active and outdoor markets, authenticity has always been a calling card. We walk the talk. We live our values and pursue our passions with integrity. At a time when truth, health and social justice are at risk, let’s lead in those areas with the same integrity and enthusiasm we bring to our outdoor pursuits. As brands and marketers, we can’t erase all of our consumers’ stresses. But we can provide moments of calm, reassurances and glimpses into a better tomorrow.
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