3 Ways Consumer Priorities Are Changing – And How Brands Can Support Them
The pandemic has offered both brands and consumers alike an opportunity to reassess their priorities
Tapped into their communities and the zeitgeist, creators and influencers are leading the charge in nurturing these new priorities. Through these emerging communities, brands have the chance to evolve their messaging, better understand shifts in consumer habits and infuse their products and services with new relevance. Below are three communities and trends I’ve watched develop over the past few months, with some tips on how brands can dive in.
Tap into Gaming – But Be Authentic
In the opening months of the pandemic, gaming and gaming-related content have become incredibly popular: the online gaming community has exploded, driving a 10% increase in viewership on Twitch (a gaming-focused livestream platform) and a 15% increase on YouTube Gaming in mid-March alone, according to The Verge. And while Twitch has emerged as an interesting new platform for brands, it’s worth noting that it’s not just for gamers, with a growing “Just Chatting” livestream category and a bustling music scene.
No matter what type of content viewers choose to watch, platforms like Twitch have become popular by offering a space for live community engagement. In an interview with USA Today, esports caster Rosemary “Nekkra” Kelley said that "I wouldn’t be able to get through my own self-quarantining if I didn’t have this community of people I can communicate with on a regular basis. That goes from playing games with them to just chatting about what’s going on."
While a gaming goldrush may offer new ways for brands to engage, they must do so authentically—gamers are a passionate and protective audience. Influencer partnerships can help brands build trust with close-knit gaming communities through live content like creative unboxings, competitive challenges and storytelling. Success in livestreaming can also connect brands to other touchpoints like chatting app Discord, video on-demand platforms like YouTube and other social channels, where conversation across these communities often spill over.
Wellness is Increasingly Important – But Make a Good Brand Match
There are so many ways that the pandemic has prompted consumers to stop, reflect and reassess what’s important to them. One of the big trends I’ve seen is a focus on wellness and wellbeing as consumers seek comfort and calm in a time of so much uncertainty. This has manifested in different ways: research from Google shows a 45% increase in consumption of videos related to cooking and recipes in April 2020 compared to the same time last year. In addition, meditation-related videos enjoyed 35% more views, while fitness saw a 55% increase.
Influencers and content creators are leading the charge here, helping their audiences establish better habits and form new traditions. This was the strategy behind our work with HelloFresh, which tasked 15 influencers led by celebrity Davina McCall to get into the healthy habit of cooking from scratch. The activation won two Silver Influencer Marketing Awards.
When it comes to wellness, it’s important that the community or content creator you align with make a good brand match. Not every food or beverage brand can claim to be healthy, but they can advocate for responsible consumption. The mindfulness and meditation trend can also open up so many possibilities for brands to support wellness—so get creative as you think of practical ways you can help audiences enhance their daily lives!
Help Consumers Plan for the Future – And Build Relatability
Now that we’re about half a year into the pandemic, consumers are asking themselves: what’s next? To answer that question, they’re taking time to plan for the future, turning to content that’s helping them make sense of our overwhelming reality. One way that I’ve seen this in action is through travel-related content. As communities open up, wanderlust is in full swing, and brands can help inspire consumers and show them how to travel responsibly: for example, camping in the fresh outdoors away from others or taking a socially distanced road trip.
Perhaps more urgent for younger consumers—or Millennials in particular—is understanding how to safeguard their finances within a turbulent market. In my work with influencer activations, I advise that brands grant influencers creative freedom to engage with their audiences in a way that feels natural. For fintech brand N26, this strategy helped the brand understand common concerns that customers have when it comes to saving money. Influencers polled their understanding of finances while sharing tips of their own, helping to make the financial industry a little more relatable and understood.
In such a time of change and hyperadoption, there are so many ways that consumers are building new traditions and spaces to connect. By showing up with an authentic interest in offering value to audiences in new ways, brands can tap into these communities and better support them–becoming more adaptive both now and into the future.