At our first webinar of the year, we unlocked 23 insights for 2023, with brand opportunities across a whole host of sectors including automotive, beauty, travel, retail and banking. Against the backdrop of a permacrisis, we revealed all the ways that brands can reward, reassure and reconnect with consumers throughout the year, even as they face uncertainties and risks. Below are 5 key predictions from the presentation:
Survivalist tech will feed consumers’ need for resilience
One breakthrough innovation announced at CES this year was the Snapdragon – a satellite-based solution for two-way messaging on Androids.
The iPhone 14 was the first smartphone to offer satellite connectivity for emergency use in 2022. But what sets this innovation apart from Apple‘s is that it gives Android users the ability to two-way message during non-emergency situations.
Developed by chip giant Qualcomm along with satellite phone firm Iridium, this is set to revolutionise connectivity as it allows consumers to be in contact in remote, rural and offshore locations where network connectivity often cuts out. Currently, owns 72% of global mobile operating system market share, which means more than half the population will have access to the technology from the latter half of 2023. As the permacrisis endures – and with 57% of global consumers saying they feel personally at risk from climate change over the next five years – could other prepper-style technology enter the mainstream as consumers look to be ready for any future?
Chronic illness will move up the health and wellness agenda
March is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Awareness Month in the US, and in the year ahead we expect to see more attention given to a group that’s long been absent from public discourse and wellness trends – people living with chronic illness. Not least because of just how large an audience it is.
And long COVID has made chronic illness a hot topic: an estimated 17 million Europeans had long COVID in the first two years of the virus. Its economic impact is also being felt: modelling by the Brookings Institution shows that as many as 4 million US workers are out of work due to the condition.
Look out for conversations around, for example, how the workplace can be made more accessible for those living with chronic illness, as well as more companies stepping up to offer their support. Buoy Drinks, for instance, is a drink supplements brand that provides discounts for those with chronic illnesses like Crohn’s disease or MS and it also sponsors influencers who unashamedly share details of life with chronic illness and speak up about the stigmatisation they face.
Smart homes will get even smarter
Late last year, a new open-source smart home standard known as Matter was launched, making it easier to control smart home devices across multiple platforms such as Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings.
And at CES, several smart appliances and services that support Matter were announced, with launches to follow later this year.
We expect consumer engagement with the smart home to grow. By 2028, we predict that 41% of the global population will have used a smartphone app to control appliances in their home, up from 29% today.
One challenge facing smart home adoption, though, is consumer concern about privacy and security. For example, Amazon sparked privacy concerns when it acquired iRobot, maker of Roomba, last summer, giving it the ability to map the interior of consumers’ homes.
Set-jetting will kickstart post-pandemic travel
With the world back to its pre-pandemic travel glory, many travellers will ditch the standard Lonely Planet guide and instead take inspiration from the movies they watch. Named the 2023 travel trend by Expedia, set-jetting is the term used to describe fans travelling to places that are popular filming locations for movies and TV shows.
New Zealand’s first official tourism campaign post-pandemic, If You Seek, promotes Hobbiton’s movie set. And if you don’t have time to read the multiple dissertations that delve deep into the effect of the Lord of The Rings franchise on New Zealand’s tourism, you can browse the Travellers Worldwide article on the top 23 Lord of the Rings filming locations to visit in 2023.
While set-jetting is not a recent phenomenon, it is becoming increasingly popular among travellers. A recent report valued screen tourism at £55 million in Scotland, creating 1,200 full-time jobs.
Black Tomato, an online travel company, is offering 60 limited-edition trips inspired by the world and travels of James Bond. The company is already taking pre-bookings and will go live with its 007 Experience in March 2023. EON Productions, the UK-based production company that has made the James Bond films since 1962, is endorsing some of the experiences in the packages.
AI will underpin food and recipe discovery
Artificial intelligence and machine learning have been important product development tools for a while now, and last year we saw several ingredients created with AI’s help – for example, new dietary fibres that promote gut health.
But AI is also gearing up to help consumers make personalised recipes and nutrition plans.
One example, Yummy, is an Estonian meal kit company and it’s using generative AI to build a customisable meal planning and grocery shopping service. It imagines a future where consumers can tell the platform things like their budget, their health conditions, and whether they want to pair their meal with a certain movie or festive occasion, and it will provide a bespoke recipe or menu idea, complete with AI-generated photos and an option to have the ingredients delivered.
And our research shows that consumers are eager for personalised food and drink recommendations: 71% globally are interested in food recommendations based on their microbiome.
What else can we expect from 2023?
From new loyalty trends and expectations to the latest metaverse use cases that will capture consumers’ attention, our presentation highlights many more insights into the consumer landscape in the year ahead. To see beyond the noise of today and understand how to plan for tomorrow, watch our full webinar here.
