Article for @institutoriomoda blog | Original version in portuguese here
The WGSN, the world's largest trends research bureau, recently published a survey projecting new modes of consumption for 2022 and beyond. Trends and transformations in social behavior that the agency had predicted would occur over the decade were accelerated by the pandemic and occurred in a matter of weeks.
As a result, changes in consumption have also accelerated and the fashion industry is having to do some real juggling to adapt so quickly. It takes a lot of creativity and resilience.
According to the research, 2022 marks the beginning of the connected decade. We are already quite connected in terms of information, but the differential of this decade will be the digital emotional contagion. That is, the ability to develop our empathy and tune our feelings with those of those close to us, both physically and digitally. This type of affective contagion will reach global scales faster and faster and will happen with both positive and negative feelings.
As for the consumer, what will be their main desires, feelings and desires? According to the WGSN team, fear, arising from financial instability and the climate crisis, will be one of the main feelings prevailing around the globe.
Even in more stable regions, news of economic recession and natural disasters elsewhere in the world will cause a sense of anxiety. Furthermore, a social desynchronization is predicted to happen. That is, with social isolation and the home office, people will create their own routines and schedules. The traditional working day, from Monday to Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm, seems to have fallen into disuse.
There will also be a growing quest for developing emotional intelligence and resilience. The ability to adapt to adversity, overcome obstacles and remain positive even in unstable or negative situations will be highly valued.
Starting in 2022, consumers will value more than ever brands and personalities that convey authentic feelings, rather than the toxic positivity so widespread on social media in recent years. Next, the research defined three types of new consumers: the Stabilizers, the Community ones and the New Optimists.
Stabilizers feel overwhelmed and exhausted, so they prioritize stability, tranquility and practicality. These people are replacing the cult of perfection and productivity with the acceptance of more realistic parameters. They will understand that they will not be able to do a thousand activities at the same time, or have a perfectly balanced life in all its areas and, thus, their rhythm and personal demands will decrease. Its values are simplicity, slow living, calm and unified commerce (omnichannel). They will be those who prefer to simplify the decision-making process, therefore prefer stores with less exposed products, more objective, clean and minimalist designs. In addition, they are interested in products, environments and services that provide calm and comfort.
Among some examples of brands and companies that already communicate with this type of consumer, we can mention: the communication agency @obviousagency, which promotes daily content for the female audience about well-being, self-care and acceptance; slow fashion fashion brands that combine comfort with elegance, such as Âme, which sells pieces of natural and timeless fabrics, and Ayla, which sells versatile pieces of sleep & loungewear.
Community members, on the other hand, tend to be solidary, conscientious, environmentalists and balanced workaholics, who often abandoned urban centers in search of a better quality of life. They also want to slow down like the Stabilizers, but with a focus on valuing their communities and local businesses. They bet on reducing consumption and working hours, as they believe in the benefits of these measures for the planet and personal happiness. How to conquer this group? Through the reuse of products and materials, sustainable initiatives, fair trade and the appreciation of rural cities.
They would certainly be customers of brands such as the Nannacay handbag brand, which rescues the value of artisanal products and strengthens communities of South American artisans, and the sustainable fashion brand Flávia Aranha, which uses natural dyes and works in partnership with several associations. and cooperatives of artisans and weavers from various regions of the interior of the country. It is also worth mentioning the vegan brands that use recycled raw materials, such as Insecta Shoes and the handbag brand La Loba.
Closing the trio, New Optimists are activist, sociable, hyper-connected, adventurous, cheerful, confident and have a collective mindset. They belong to different generations and regions, but all have as their main element in common the “voracious appetite for happiness”. The New Optimists value social inclusion and representation, they like to celebrate small conquests and occasions, and enjoy investing in experiences. This group loves technology and social networks, so actions like live streaming, real-time commerce, and augmented or virtual reality experiences are very attractive to them.
Probably the New Optimists will consume brands like Amaro, which always bets on technological strategies to reinvent the consumer experience, making it more comfortable and objective. In addition, they also participate, buying and selling, in the second hand market, both in stores and in-person events, such as Projeto Gaveta, as well as in digital platforms such as Enjoei (whose very language encourages “small celebrations”) and Repassa.
Understanding new consumer behaviors is crucial to strategizing your brand and launching new products.
If you want to deepen your knowledge on this subject and learn market research techniques, we suggest our Marketing, Branding and Consumer Research in Fashion course package.
Source: WGSN Brasil (https://readymag.com/wgsn/1930840/5/)