CONSUMER TRENDS

VML study says ‘slow living’ lifestyle is set to shape year ahead

By our African Marketing Confederation News Team | 2024

Bewildering growth of tech and desire for human connection is leading people to slow down and opt for a more mindful lifestyle.

In a post-Covid world that is being shaped by a bewildering amount of technology, people are craving authentic human connection more than ever before.

The insight is from VML’s newly released ‘The Future 100: 2024’ report, which lays out 100 consumer trends set to shape consumer spending over the next year.

It finds that people are in their ‘slow-living’ era being called The Great Deceleration; slowing down their lifestyles and opting for a mindful approach to the year ahead.

In this new paradigm, the most successful and fastest-growing brands are connected ones, as people seek emotional engagement with the brands they buy from.

The researchers say 79% of people believe the role of brands has changed over the past five years, with the top three roles being to ‘make the world a better place’ (40%); ‘improve people’s health and wellbeing’ (38%); and ‘create a more positive and helpful future’ (32%).

Photo by RF Studio from Pexels

As 2024 unfolds and new consumer trends come to the fore, an intentional slowdown shifts the pace for people and businesses after years of rapid acceleration.

We are craving passion and togetherness

“With humans craving passion and togetherness – particularly as we see AI becoming more and more mainstream – the time is right for brands to tap into this shift, and use technology to connect with humans on a deeper level as they opt for a more mindful approach for the year ahead,” says Naomi Troni, Global Chief Marketing Officer at VML.

Add report co-authors Emma Chiu and Marie Stafford: “Community and connection at scale are essential to 2024, with 67% of people agreeing that community is more important than one individual, and 76% believing that technology helps bring people together.

“With most consumers looking for surprise, mystery, awe and wonder in their lives, new experiences that engage a wide spectrum of emotions are in demand. A profound and enriching year awaits!”

You can find out more about the study, and VML’s views on the consumer trends likely to shape 2024, here.

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