GWI have a new report – 65 pages of it – looking at the consumer trends to look out for in 2022. For those who don’t know them, GWI is a leading audience targeting company for the global marketing industry : “we show you how consumers think”.  We find their reports very useful, and I think this one in particular will be of interest to our readers. Their flagship survey “GWI Core” is the world’s largest study on the digital consumer. It never stops growing and the data represents over 2.5bn internet users, offers 40k+data points, and tracks 4k+ brands across 47 markets.

The survey covers areas and insights such as:

The pursuit of purpose –  How the pandemic has changed consumers’ approach to life : “…time is too short and fragile to be wasted”.. Cliché or not, we’re increasingly seeing this mentality manifested in consumer attitudes and their view of the workplace.The pandemic not only changed how we work, but why we work as well. Employees are increasingly concerned with how they can make those 16,790
days from becoming an adult to reaching retirement worth their time. Nailing that should be the priority of every business striving to be on the winning side of the talent war in the year ahead

More than skin deep – The new looks in personal care and what it means for marketing. Lockdown was a chance to experiment. Without the steady hands of a professional, consumers’ beauty regimes were left up to them. “We’ve done extensive research into consumer behaviors during this time – and long after – meaning we’re well-placed to provide insight into how this impacts cosmetics brands, retailers, and social media campaigns in 2022.”

May we have your attention please – How media preferences are changing. There are only 24 hours in a day. Even before COVID, the concept of the attention economy, where publishers of all stripes fight to conquer time in the day, was gaining currency. In 2022, vaccines will usher more
consumers into the pandemic endgame, making that competition even more fierce in what some are labeling an “attention recession”. “With our 360-degree perspective on the consumer, we’re uniquely placed at GWI to track the attention battle during the pandemic so far, and provide insight into where it might head in 2022.”

A virtually imperfect life – How consumers are sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly on social media.Pre-pandemic, glamour, luxury, and
ambiguity were at the heart of influencer culture. It paid to be a closedbook with an elaborate cover – enticing people to read, but never giving too much away. This meant content in the limelight was often surface-level. Research from as far back as 2010 speaks of social media fueling new demand for less artificiality in images; but brands and their ambassadors are currently feeling the repercussions of this long-standing trend most heavily, after lockdowns sparked a backlash against the influencer community. Some audiences are trying to close the chapter on perfection, meaning companies and social media personalities who fail to dig deeper may miss out on an opportunity to meet followers where they are. 

At your best – How consumers are taking control of their wellbeing. It’s impossible to go through a pandemic and not think about our physical
and mental wellbeing differently. Many of us spent much of this time taking action to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe. We’ve praised healthcare and frontline workers around the world. And we’ve seen how quickly lives can change. As a result, there’s been a step-change in how many consumers think about their health and how they manage it. Two-thirds of consumers say they’re more conscious about looking after their physical and mental health than before the pandemic. How we think about health is shifting from “What do I do when I get sick?” to “How can I prevent illness and stay healthy?” 

To the moon – Exploring the paradoxical rise and uncertain future of crypto. The last 18 months have transformed cryptocurrency. Its growth has been faster than ever, yet its future has never been so unclear. Flush with time on their hands and few
activities to spend money on, many consumers have forayed into crypto trading for the first time during the pandemic. Everyday consumers, many not sure exactly what the blockchain is. This all leads to one big trend. Cryptocurrency, once only understood among a relatively fringe community of anti-establishment investors, is now becoming a household name – and quickly. Analysts estimate that the global cryptocurrency market will more than triple by 2030, hitting a valuation of nearly $5 billion. Whether they want to buy into it or not, investors, businesses, and brands can’t ignore the rising tide of crypto for long.

Download the full report here.