Consumer Forecast

Future Consumer 2023

The post-pandemic consumer of 2023 will demand new
forms of digital connectivity and human connection. So
how can brands and companies win in this era of
commerce across categories? WGSN Insight presents the
new key consumer profiles, and what must be done to win
minds and market share

Andrea Bell
01.14.21 · 51 minutes

Ceremonia
Executive summary 
While the global fallout from the events of 2020 were sharp and sudden, the
shadow effects of time uncertainty, emotional overload and a yearning for
brighter days will still resonate in 2023. More importantly, how we feel will have
greater value over what we spend. Here’s your at-a-glance guide to the four
2023 consumer pro les.

The Predictors : in the wake of a warped sense of time and economic uncertainty,
this cohort desires stability, security and can only deal with optimal interference.
Strateg y: develop retail innovations – refillable in-store tech, subscription-based,
pre-order/made-to-order retail and weekly-drop initiatives.
The New Romantics : increased workloads and a deep need to reconnect with
their emotions fuel The New Romantics, a group that is redefining community
collectives.
Strateg y: help people create stronger emotional ties with their inner and outer
worlds by using nature-powered materials and creating sustainable products that
enhance wellness.
The Imp os s ibles : fuelled by the anger of 2020 and lack of institutional
assistance, this activist cohort looks to utilise technology and their peer groups to
build back better.
Strateg y: innovate transcultural products, incorporate indigenous wisdoms,
employ an ethical supply chain and develop direct-to-investor marketplaces.
The Conductors : multi-dimensional, multi-talented and always multi-tasking, this
fotogra erende on Unsplash
thrill-seeking consumer soaks up new neural inputs and seeks high-sensorial
moments.
Strateg y: explore gamefied retail, e-teractive commerce, metaverse markets and
new third-space realms where consumers communicate, play, shop, learn and
work.

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 “Normal has been rede ned, and while the pandemic has shifted both our world and
our thinking, there is cause for optimism. Careful planning, an open mind and a exible
approach will all be crucial to future survival for all brands and businesses.”

Carla Buzasi, President & CEO, WGSN

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Future Consumer 2023 Matrix

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Consumer sentiment: Time Perception
Pandemic-induced uncertainty has altered our grasp of time, changing
memories and giving rise to a renewed focus on an idealised past.

The pandemic, subsequent lockdowns and varied regional reopenings have warped
peopleʼs sense of time. Days seemed to drag on, while months seemed to pass in the
blink of an eye. Add in the sudden shi to a remote workforce in multiple time zones
– according to Google Trends, “world clock” is a 2020 breakout global search term (it
grew by more than 5,000%) – and the concept of time seemed non-existent.
While an influx of time- (or lack thereof) based memes provided moments of
relatable comedic relief in 2020, academics took a more serious approach and named
the lack of time perception the ʻquarantine paradoxʼ. Claudia Hammond, author of
Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time Perception, notes that “days spent
shut indoors might feel long but add up to very little in hindsight, making the months
of repeat routines feel very short. Those who are on the frontlines of the crisis,
meanwhile, may find their days moving at breakneck speed, but find each passing
month longer than the last, as each memory stacks up against the next.”
Time became a collective focal point: how to pass it, how to make the most of it and
how to endure it. Whether people were stress-baking (global flour sales rose 238%
YoY), gardening, hosting virtual cocktail parties or simply trying to maintain, a vast
majority of people spent time reflecting on the good old days. This memory-to-time
reflection is part of a wider behavioural trait psychologists term the ʻreminiscence
bumpʼ.
pexals

“Unmoored from the usual rhythms of our daily lives, time feels
elastic, stretching in nitely ahead and then, without warning,
snapping back.” 

Claudia Hammond, author of Time Warped: Unlocking the Mysteries of Time

Perception

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Reminis cence bump In Australia, New Zealand and South East Asia, sales of Nintendo consoles and retro
Studies show that most people vividly remember experiences between the ages of 15 game titles soared 152% YoY. If people werenʼt playing Super Mario Kart, they were
and 25. People o en equate this memory time frame to nostalgia, but psychologists ʻcomfort viewingʼ – returning to decades-old programmes for a good binge watch. Hulu
refer to this theory as the ʻreminiscence bumpʼ, and the key to it is novelty. Essentially, reported that in April 2020, 11 million hours were spent across the globe watching the
ʼ80s sitcom The Golden Girls. In India, television stations reintroduced classic hit shows
our brains remember these formative years as they are typically the time of first
including Ramayana, Kumkum Bhagya and Bigg Boss due to public demand.
experiences. These can range from joyous occasions: first love, first job, first time
moving out of a childhood home; to stressful experiences: first heartbreak, first time And itʼs not just what people are playing, watching or listening to, European
leaving loved ones. As we age, we experience fewer firsts, which means these supermarkets have seen increased demand for retro foods, too. Waitrose reported a
experiences donʼt imprint on our brains with as much significance. 67% increase in rice pudding sales since pre-lockdown, while Marks & Spencer
An additional factor regarding the reminiscence bump and our identity is that we not reported a 187% rise in Birdʼs Custard Powder sales.
only recall incidents more vividly from this time period, but also sensory experiences While 2020 unintentionally drove some people to live in the past, others were suffering
such as books, films, albums and concerts. with the present, driven by a never-ending cycle of constant connectivity and the lack
of time perception.
Why does this matter now? When people lack time perception, nostalgia is an anchor
to which they grasp and feel grounded in the present even if they are thinking of the
past.
During 2020, amid all the technological advancements that allowed society to keep
functioning, there was a rise in nostalgic items and products, further solidifying the
reminiscence bumpʼs grasp on our global mindsets.
According to the Recording Industry Association of America, in 2020, vinyl records
outsold CDs for the first time since the 1980s.

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S ocial jet lag
As highlighted in Future Consumer 2022, we have entered a desynchronised society –
one where people continue to do many of the same things but no longer at the same
time as others. Social jet lag, the disconnect between our internal, biological time and
social time defined by our work schedules and social engagements, is further
fragmenting our society and distorting our sense of time.
According to Till Roenneberg, a neuroscientist and professor of chronobiology, social
jet lag is a chronic exhaustion resembling the symptoms of jet lag. “Unlike what
happens in real jet lag, people who suffer from social jet lag never leave their home
base and can therefore never adjust to a new light-dark environment … While real jet
lag is acute and transient, social jet lag is chronic,” Roenneberg writes in his 2006
academic study Social Jetlag: Misalignment of Biological and Social Time.
Roennebergʼs findings also identify that the amount of social jet lag that an individual is
exposed to can be quantified as the difference between midsleep on free days and
midsleep on work days.
In 2019, studies showed that social jet lag was becoming a growing problem. Over 40%
of the Central European population suffers from social jet lag, and in Japan, 63.5% of
the population are afflicted with this disorder. While data is not available for all
regions, Roenneberg writes “there is no reason to assume that this would be different
in other industrialised nations”.
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The pandemic has accelerated social jet lag. The majority of peopleʼs schedules have
been upended by new working hours, family responsibilities, and a constant
connection to our phones and streaming devices. The boundaries between our social,
work and downtimes havenʼt just blurred, theyʼve fused, which is having mental and
physical complications.
Research found that social jet lag is associated with a rise in depressive symptoms and
anxiety, which we know were at critical levels pre-pandemic.
However, the physical complications from social jet lag are of growing concern for
medical professionals.
A 2017 study from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine linked people with social
jet lag to poorer health, worse mood, and increased sleepiness and fatigue. Each hour
of social jet lag is also associated with an 11% increase in the likelihood of heart
disease.
In a society where the majority of the population is now technologically dependent,
how do we combat social jet lag to preserve our mental and physical health?
First, sleep matters. WGSN has been tracking the Sleep Economy since 2018, and our
early research found that lack of sleep is a growing public health crisis and the
solutions to help manage sleep are a booming business.
The overall sleep economy is estimated to be worth $40bn, up 8% YoY, according to
McKinsey.
While downtime is critical, so is the need for time management – ensuring that there
are clear daily routines helps us to deal with the quarantine paradox. By defining time,
people are more likely to recognise and adhere to it.
Consumer sentiment: Numbness
Deep-rooted emotional turmoil throughout 2020 has given rise to unique
coping mechanisms. Consumers are looking for any way to deal with a ringing
feeling of numbness.

2020 proved to be the year of emotional plurality – occupying multiple emotional

states simultaneously due to an ever-changing and increasingly complicated world.
For many regions, the pandemic was the tip of the iceberg for an emotionally
charged year. Racial injustice, government elections, institutional reform, workersʼ
rights movements and climate crisis were the Titanic – and it seemed we were going
down with the ship.
Research shows that when we are feeling negatively overwhelmed or burnt out,
numbness becomes a psychological defence mechanism.
With so many emotions being processed in such short time periods, our brains adapt
to the emotional overload through desensitisation.
The events of 2020 have led to a spectrum of intense emotional clutter – from fear to
outrage, grief to anger, this has led people to be on edge and is driving FOFO (fear of
finding out): a fear and apprehension about whatʼs to come.
In August 2020, Pew found that 55% of US adult social media users felt “worn out” by
how many political posts and discussions they see on social media. The chronic
doom-scrolling, alongside longer working hours, social and political unrest and all
the challenges associated with the pandemic, have led to heightened levels of
global emotional and physical depletion. What does this mean for 2023? Look to @lulannie

structure caring as a coping mechanism to combat the numbness cycle.

“It’s easier to feel numb and shut down than to experience many
emotions at once. We live in a culture of productivity, being busy,
and the constant input of noise without signal. Numbness is a way
to cope with this.”

Elizabeth Hinkle, LMFT

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Compas s ion fatigue
Record levels of depletion are driving compassion fatigue across all generations.
According to the American Institute of Stress, compassion fatigue is o en mislabelled
as burnout, but itʼs a slightly different concept. Unlike burnout, compassion fatigue is
highly treatable but is far less predictable. The onset of compassion fatigue can be
sudden, whereas burnout usually emerges over time.
Compassion fatigue is characterised by physical, emotional and mental exhaustion and
results in emotional numbness. It is a form of secondary traumatic stress, as the stress
occurs as a result of helping or wanting to help those who are in need. In medical
terms, it is o en referred to as “the cost of caring” – essentially, youʼre giving so much
while depleted that you have nothing le .
Unsurprisingly, compassion fatigue spiked in 2020 for medical and frontline workers. In
South Africa, 59% of medical respondents screened positive for burnout, as indicated
by high scores on the emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation (numbness) scale. A
recent study in China found that “compassion fatigue has emerged as a detrimental
consequence of experiencing work-related stress”. The final proof point was in 2020,
when the World Health Organization listed compassion fatigue as a global
occupational health hazard.
While this may seem doom and gloom, there are coping mechanisms to combat
compassion fatigue and numbness.
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Str uctured car ing
In 2017, WGSNʼs Future Consumer 2020 report forecast selective apathy as an
emerging tool to deal with anti-anxiety and the weight of perfectionism.
This coping skill has evolved for 2023 to ʻthe joy of apathyʼ. While this sounds like a
major contradiction – how can people be joyful while lacking emotion? – the culprit is
the emotional overload.
Care and compassion are wonderful human emotions. But what happens when we care
too much? When do passions become obsessions?
“We cannot be effective in coping with problems or creating necessary change in our
world when we are spread in too many directions,” writes MC Alexander in his book
Better Living Through Selective Apathy. Alexander notes that “selective apathy does
not mean refusing to care about anything. It is learning to step back and objectively
examine every piece of information we have presented to us, and determining an
appropriate response instead of having a knee-jerk reaction.”
Words like “meaning” and “reason” o en get trotted out here. The simple truth that
connects these words is a sense of focus, of direction, of finding your way. And focus
certainly doesnʼt mean ʻeverythingʼ – like using apathy skilfully, even artfully, it means
picking something specific to target.
By focusing our caring efforts, we will yield better results, thus driving down levels of
emotional fatigue and upping productivity.
P ushing p ur p os e Operating in a permanent crisis mode increases stress, anxiety and feelings of being
The outcome of compassion fatigue and structured caring is a search for purpose. lost. For some, this is the catalyst for examining their lives and figuring out who
Collective social isolation forced a societal reckoning where individuals across the matters, what matters, and how they want their future to look. While for others, this
social spectrum began to question their purpose and meaning across all areas of their sudden internal questioning of purpose can feel overwhelming and add to already
existing feelings of burnout and despair.
lives. This level of questioning only usually happens a er a significant life event
(death, marriage, or large-scale changes). The events of 2020 meant that we are
experiencing this feeling on a collective level. Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl coined
the phrase “tragic optimism” to refer to the ability to look for meaning in life despite
pain and suffering.

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Consumer sentiment: Hope
The belief things will get better and the role an individual’s agency has in
driving that change is inspiring consumers to focus on what a renewed world
will look like.

As highlighted in Future Consumer 2022, radical optimism was a key sentiment to

combat constant negativity. Optimism isnʼt uncool, itʼs rebellious, and in times of
uncertainty itʼs a brave choice. But there is a difference between hope and optimism.
Hope is about using personal agency to achieve a desired outcome. Optimism is
when people expect good things to happen more than bad ones.
If there is one thing we learned in 2020 it is that people need hope, literally and
figuratively. According to science, hope is more than a feeling. Neuroscientists have
been investing in the science of hope, and studies found that when people feel
hopeful, the brain releases neurochemicals called endorphins and enkephalins
which mimic the effects of morphine. The result is that the brain can overcome
hurdles and move to a place of recovery. In scientific terms, hope and recovery are
not causally connected, but they are correlated.
Many struggled to find hope in 2020. Time magazine sought advice from more than
100 leaders, ranging from Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen to former Soviet Union
president Mikhail Gorbachev, on how we can find hope post-pandemic, for the
publicationʼs yearly Time 100 issue. A key theme that resonated throughout the
essays was hope as an action point, a platform on which we rebuild, and not a passive
emotion. Hope demands that we look at the chaos, danger and fear around us and
the seemingly insurmountable challenges we face globally and refuse to accept InStyle
defeat.

“Hope is a psychological force or ‘buffer’ that provides resilience

and helps us deal with stressful and negative situations.”

Barbara Lee Fredrickson, professor of psychology at the University of North Carolina,

USA

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Hop e in action Younger Canadians have the highest levels of hope for a brighter future, according to a
As highlighted in WGSNʼs US Youth: Political Priorities report, 2020 has shi ed the 2020 Environics Institute for Survey Research study; and in Hyderabad, a city located in
course of history, causing a knock-on effect on Gen Zʼs future. Their dreams changed, the Indian state of Telangana, youth activists and advocates reflected messages of
they reached new thresholds of outrage, and they are more driven to change the hope and confidence during Republic Day. Arshdeep Bhardwaj, the 20-year-old CEO of
online platform Crivly, says: “As the youth of this country, we should constantly
world.
innovate and challenge the status quo to rise on the path of development.”
In our survey, when asked what was most inspiring about the future, one respondent
Jayathma Wickramanayake, the United Nation's secretary-generalʼs Envoy on Youth,
said it was the ability to play a part in creating it.
writes in a recent UN paper: “Some have warned that in addition to the tragedy of lost
Gen Z grew up with the pressures of cleaning up the world they inherited, having been lives and the pain of lost livelihoods, a generation has lost its chance to contribute to
exposed to the realities from many angles due to social media. Gen Z is facing our future. But I have seen how young people today – the worldʼs largest generation of
some critical issues, many of them passed down by the people who came before. They youth in history – is finding purpose in this moment of crisis, and inspiring others to
are on the frontlines of major battles, not just racial and economic justice, but also the hope.” Wickramanayake also notes that youth from Syria to Peru to South Sudan are
looming environmental crisis. Accompanying this level of uncertainty is plenty of “reminding their communities how to stick together, even when weʼre all staying
alienation, depression and anxiety. Nothing is what it once was. Economically, apart”.
environmentally and, of course, culturally.
Hope and the chance to rebuild, reform and rethink society is a key motivator.
According to a 2020 Spotify survey, 62% of global respondents are willing to rebuild
society from the ground up.
Letʼs be clear, this isnʼt just a Western sentiment. According to a ViacomCBS study,
“South African youth are leading the pack in exemplifying resilience and optimism as
the change generation. Some 53% of young people are hopeful for change in the
future.”

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The bus ines s of hop e
Hope is also a key factor in success, according to Dr Shane Lopez, a Gallup senior
scientist who dedicates his career to studying hope. “Itʼs hard to be successful without
being hopeful. When you think the future will be better than the present, you start
working harder today.”
Gallup finds that employees who strongly agree that their leader makes them feel
enthusiastic about the future (Gallupʼs measure of hope in the workplace) are 69 times
more likely to be engaged in their work compared with employees who disagree with
that statement.
A 2020 McKinsey report finds that the post-Covid executive agenda should be “moving
from a room called fear to a room called hope”, and Harvard Business Review writes
that the success of employees during this tumultuous time is centred around a
workplace that provides moments of “entertainment, comfort and hope”.
Cynicism in the workplace decreases productivity, and studies show that cynics tend to
make less money.
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Olga Stavrova and Daniel Ehlebracht, both professors at the University of Cologne,
write in their research study: “They [cynics] are likely to suspect mean motives behind
other peopleʼs behaviour, might be less likely to join collaborative efforts, and avoid
asking for help in case of need, which may eventually undermine their economic
success.” The only exception was for cynical people in countries with high rates of
violence and little social support, whose negative views were more reasonable.
There is even a psychological term for this employee – a cynical saboteur, which is
described as a “person who assumes the worst of everyone, shoots down every new
idea, and generally drenches their environment in negativity”.
Constructive criticism is necessary. Questioning the status quo o en leads to
innovation and new ways of working. However, a constant cycle of cynicism stalls
progress, people and performance.
Now, before the eye-rolling commences, hope isnʼt cliché, itʼs something society needs
to adopt to get through the collective issues society faces in 2023. To paraphrase Matt
Thompson, journalist and founder of Code Switch, NPRʼs race and cultural outlet, if we
have the privilege to feel hope, we have a responsibility to share it.
Consumer sentiment: Cautious Motivation 
The ever-changing nature of the pandemic throws up glimmers of normality
only to rip them away. Consumers are growing weary of having their plans
altered and are adopting more cautious approaches to returning to normality.

Itʼs anticipated that by 2023, coronavirus vaccines will be deployed in most countries
and the pandemic will likely be under control. However, society isnʼt going to rapidly
return to what it once was. That world is gone. As we reshape this new world, there
is a strong desire to return to the social moments pre-Covid: travel, shopping,
entertainment, happy-hour drinks, eating a meal with a group of friends. At large,
people want to dip their toes back into a life beyond their front door, but companies
shouldnʼt expect them to dive back in.
Cautious motivation will be a key sentiment for both social experiences and self-
improvement.
A large example of cautious motivation in action centres around travel. Tourism made
up 10% of global GDP in 2019 and was worth almost $9trn, according to a recent
study by McKinsey. The same paper found that tourism spending is not likely to
return to pre-crisis levels until 2024, putting 120 million jobs at risk.
Inmarsatʼs Passenger Confidence Tracker found that in a global survey of 10,000
travellers, eight in 10 air passengers say their travel habits will change as a result of
Covid-19, with 41% planning to travel less frequently. The report finds “this
sentiment is even higher among Asian passengers, with 58% in India and 55% in South
Korea planning to travel less in the future. Britons and Hungarians were the most
Adrian Swancar
eager to get back to travel – 26% of those surveyed said they would ʻget on a flight
todayʼ.”

“Everyone is not starting a new business, a new venture, a new

platform, doing new research, a new diet or exercise plan during
this time. I think that’s what is portrayed a lot, especially on social
media.”

Dr Danielle Hairston, assistant professor at the Howard University College of

13 Medicine, USA
The ʻmis s ing ʼ motivator
The phrase “You donʼt know what youʼve got til itʼs gone” is a definite contender for the
2020 mantra. When people miss something (a person, place, or thing), they are more
motivated to seek the thing out (if they are able). This same theory is linked to how the
brain responds to the rush for limited-edition product sales (“I might miss getting the
deal!”), and why people are more likely to visit a beloved restaurant or pub when
returning to their hometown, and save money to book their annual holiday.
For most people, the pandemic accelerated the missing motivator, especially when it
came to human interaction.
Karen Cassiday, managing director of the Anxiety Treatment Center in Chicago, USA,
says: “We flourish when we have our face-to-face rituals, our smalltalk with neighbours
or the casual hug when we greet a friend. If we become psychologically wise from the
pandemic experience, we will build more opportunities for daily face-to-face
interactions and forego the idea of a largely virtual life, because our physical
interactions with other people affirm our existence, our humanity and our
interdependence on one another.” It is the need for human interaction, both physical
and mental, that will drive the return to daily life.
While the majority of people able to work from home are enjoying the new flexible set-
up, a portion would like to return to the office a few days a week due to missing their
colleagues.
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A survey from Morning Consult found that 58% of US remote workers feel
disconnected from their co-workers, and 44% of respondents reported feeling more
isolated and lonely working from home, too. In Britain, 55% of workers aged 55-75 said
they miss meeting in person and working with their colleagues, according to an Ipsos
Mori poll. There is a similar sentiment in South Africa, where RMB CEO James Formby
says: “Employees do miss the personal interaction with colleagues. While online
meetings still enable formal engagement, informal interactions such as having a coffee
or lunch with a team member are harder to replicate.”
Itʼs even harder to replicate touch, and the pandemic accelerated an already growing
society of touch-deprivation. One of the primary ways the body triggers oxytocin
production is specifically through physical touch – lack of touch leads to anxiety,
depression and stress. One study found that “high-touch cultures have relatively low
rates of violence, and low-touch cultures have extremely high rates of youth and adult
violence”.
In the US, 31% of Americans have gone more than four months without touch,
according to YouGov, and in India, there is growing concern among mental health
professionals that the lack of touch and physical interaction may increase mental
illness in the country.
The handshake and the high-five may be retired, but safe physical touch such as hugs
are a likely antidote to the coronavirus blues.
Modified motivation
Letʼs be clear, not everyone is going to rush back to pre-Covid lifestyles. Collective
trauma, fear and anxiety will still linger for years to come – but for people ready to re-
enter, the ʻover-motivationʼ may prove too much. This group wonʼt struggle from having
too little motivation, but from having too much. Think over-booking social
engagements, tackling new diets, workout routines and hobbies. The burst of
enthusiasm fuelled by months cooped up inside will drive a spike in over-commitment,
which will lead to cancellations and feelings of burnout.
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For people who are still uncomfortable with social gatherings and interactions, overly
motivated friends, family and co-workers may drive feelings of inadequacy.
Dr Danielle Hairston, an assistant professor at the Howard University College of
Medicine, USA, says: “The perception that weʼre not doing enough can be damaging to
our psyches and can be a demotivator in itself. An important step of just getting
through the day is to acknowledge that itʼs normal and perfectly fine not to be
productive or motivated.”
Consumer pro le: The Predictors
A warped sense of time, emotional fatigue and economic uncertainty have
taken a toll on this cohort. The Predictors desire stability, security and can only
deal with optimal interference.

ʻPandemic uncertaintyʼ has been used so much to describe 2020 that the term has
become a bit of a buzzphrase. However, there is no arguing that the uncertainty of
2020 (health, work, schooling, ability to access essential items) has lasting effects
into 2023 and beyond.
A significant change for The Predictors will be the adoption of a recessionary
mindset. Even for families and individuals that are financially stable, there is a
ʻproceed with cautionʼ spending mentality.
The share of people planning to reduce their spending post-pandemic is 56% in
Spain, 43% in the UK and 42% in Italy, according to a recent study by PWC. Deloitteʼs
recent economic insights report doesnʼt anticipate discretionary spend in the US to
recover until 2022.
There is another sentiment driving forced savings globally, and it is similar to
attitudes post the 2008 global recession: guilt.
McKinsey found that “although respondents consistently cited uncertainty over the
crisisʼs impact on their income as the top reason for planning to trade down or forego
purchases, one-third of Chinese mobile-phone shoppers cited feelings of guilt as
their reason for doing so. Similarly, one in five Indian consumers who planned to
trade down or forego purchases of large domestic appliances said their main reason Kinfolk
was that it didnʼt feel right to spend, given the current social context.”

“Our brains are statistical organs that are built simply to predict
what will happen next. We have evolved to minimise surprise.” 

Karl Friston, professor of neuroscience, University College London

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Prediction er ror
No matter where we sit on the financial spectrum, the chronic uncertainty that is
ongoing will drive The Predictors to require little prediction errors. They simply donʼt
have the mental capacity for it.
To summarise, a prediction error is when an unexpected change happens in a daily
routine. For example, a shopper goes to the store to pick up eggs, and they are sold
out. A train is delayed, causing the traveller to be late. These prediction errors
increase anxiety and stress because our brains perceive them as a potential threat to
our daily lives. Itʼs the primitive part of the brain sending an urgent message that
something is wrong. Not only do prediction errors increase stress and anxiety, they
also monopolise the brainʼs resources.
Dr Karl Friston, professor of neuroscience at University College London, says: “It turns
out our brains are incredibly greedy when it comes to energy consumption, sucking up
20% of calories while accounting for only 2% of overall body weight. When our routines
are disrupted, we have to make new predictions about the world – gather information,
consider options and make choices. And that has a significant metabolic cost.”
With neural fatigue rising for The Predictors, exerting more energy and resource is
simply an option they mentally canʼt afford.
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The attention divide
Another key challenge for The Predictors is the attention divide – which is the brainʼs
ability to attend to two different stimuli at the same time and respond to the multiple
demands of its surroundings. This skill is critical to a personʼs ability to multi-task and
be efficient in daily life.
However, the events of 2020 have widened the gap in the attention divide, meaning we
are processing interference more slowly and with less patience.
The attention divide in action could be a person ordering something online, and an
email or family member interrupts their focus. This cohort is more likely to click off,
then complete the transaction.
Baymard Institute calculated data from 41 different studies and found that the average
cart abandonment rate is just under 70% – in other words, roughly seven out of 10
global shoppers abandoned their cart in 2020. As global e-commerce rates continue to
soar (FTI Consultingʼs US Online Retail Forecast says $1trn will be spent by 2023, a
year earlier than projected in 2019), the attention divide will likely mean the difference
between success and stagnation in 2023.
Engagement strategies: The Predictors
How do companies prepare for a cohort that craves certainty, is low on
attention and is prioritising nancial security?

The future is auto refill: As refillable in-store technology becomes more

mainstream (look to Nestléʼs 2020 deployment of in-store refill stations ranging from
Purina cat food to Nescafe coffee in Switzerland), auto refill is a win/win for The
Predictors. Itʼs a time-saver, sustainable (connected machines and the internet could
eliminate $150bn in waste across major industries, driving a ʻproductivity revolutionʼ,
according to GE) and helps bridge the dreaded attention divide.
Cas e s tudy
Amazon Dash Replenishment services are already on the market, but the next
iteration of this smart tracking system is connecting to smart packaging. Based in
Florida, Jabil Packaging Solutions is working with Amazon to develop smart
packaging. Dr Amanda Williams, smart packaging lead at Jabil, says: “This is the
so ware that lives behind the Dash button, where you just push a button and it will
automatically replenish your coffee, your detergent, your diapers within hours.” No
texts, apps or push notifications necessary.
Amazon is banking heavily on auto-replenishment and recently unveiled the Dash
Smart Shelf, a weight-sensing, wifi-enabled auto-replenishment scale. When placed
on a flat surface, such as a warehouse rack, it can track inventory for commonly used
products. When it senses supplies are running low, a replenishment order or
notification is automatically sent. Currently in market for business, there is industry
Amazon
talk that this is the first step of Amazonʼs Smart Pantry.

18
Subs cr ip tions s oar: Fortnite, Apple and Nestlé all segued into the subscription
sector in 2020 with new monthly products and services. For Predictors, knowing there
is a set delivery helps build routine, while bundled services combat neural or choice
fatigue. A new study from CouponFollow shows that during the Covid-19 crisis, many
global consumers have leaned into subscription-based product – some for the first
time. More so, retailers are taking note of this shi ing behaviour, and data projects that
by 2023, as many as 75% of direct-to-consumer brands will have a subscription-based
offering.
19
Whatʼs different for 2023?
The win for companies across all sectors is access to deeper consumer insights.
SnackNation, for instance, offers consumer insights and runs product sample and
package tests for brands including Hershey. Vitamin box company Bulu has expanded
its business to include making private-label subscription boxes for major brands
including Crayola.
Another key component driving the rise of subscriptions for The Predictors is known
as the ʻdopamine deliveryʼ – some research suggests there is a chemical pay-off for
buying into them. Opening these boxes is thought to release dopamine, creating an
instant spike of satisfaction.
Power of the p re-order: For The Predictors, one of the greatest drivers of customer
stickiness is stock availability and avoiding the dreaded “item currently unavailable”.
The sentiment is so strong that inventory apps such as Zoolert and NowInStock are
daily search tools for this cohort. Pre-orders are a solution to eliminate consumer
anxiety and provide a sustainable alternative to avoid over-production and deadstock.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Pangaia: available in the US and Europe, this apparel brand advocates made-to-order
fashion with a pre-order model that reduces product waste and over-production, while
appealing to shoppers who want to know a product is in stock.
2. Kitri: based in London, the womenswear brand produces monthly collections and
weekly drops. New pieces are released in strictly limited runs, which allows the
company to gauge customer interest and demand without overproducing. Once a style
has sold out on the site, Kitri encourages pre-orders and delivers the product to the
customer within eight weeks.
3. Ginlee: based in Singapore, Ginlee has implemented GOOD (Get Order On Demand)
manufacturing. According to the company: “In a bid to be more sustainable by
eliminating waste, weʼre introducing an option that YOU can play a part in. Just by
waiting three to five weeks. Weʼll even take 15% off your order. Thatʼs your reward for
helping us be more sustainable.”
20
S eamles s s avings : The Predictors are savvy shoppers, but a lack of time and
resources means they arenʼt always able to price-hunt. This cohort will look to
innovative discount models that do the legwork for them.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Microso Edge: in a bid to compete with Amazon and Google, Microso unveiled a
new coupon feature when using the Bing browser. When shoppers visit a retailer site,
Microso Edge alerts the shopper to the discounts available by simply clicking on a
blue shopping tab in the address bar. The seamless savings are extended to the
checkout, where the coupon codes are automatically applied to the cart.
2. StormX: available in Korea and the US, the gamified shopping loyalty platform is at
the forefront of the emerging cryptoback trend, coined “cashback for the digital age”.
With up to 87.5% cashback in some cases, StormX offers some of the most generous
percentage rebates on the market for shopping at thousands of online stores.
Additionally, the savings are automatically applied to the userʼs account, creating the
seamless link from search to savings.
3. Klarna: referred to as the shortcut to shopping, in June 2020, instalment payments
platform Klarna launched its no-fee loyalty programme Vibe to eight million global
users. Upon opening the app, customers are shown real-time applicable discounts at
multiple retailers including Toms, Rue21, Asos, Sephora and Uber.
Consumer pro le: The New Romantics
Increased workloads and a deep need to reconnect with their emotions fuel the
New Romantics, a cohort that is rede ning community collectives. 

The pandemic has reinforced the sense of community, family and a reassessment of
what really matters. Briefly, the Romanticism movement (which exemplifies the
importance of emotions and freedom) gained popularity in the West in the
1800s among people who sought to distance themselves from the ruthlessness of
the Industrial Revolution. During this era, Romanticists wanted a life led by romantic
ideals of life, nature and community values. Sound familiar? The New Romantics
share this ideal, but arenʼt lo y dreamers seeking a New Age utopia.
WGSN began tracking this emerging cohort in Asia in 2017, where research showed a
rise of Asian Millennials moving to rural areas to focus on leisure and cultural
reconnection. By 2023, this cohort will be global, due to pandemic-induced
normalisation of remote work mixed with a need for more space and affordable
lifestyles.
A Harris Poll survey of US adults found that 39% of urban dwellers claimed the
pandemic prompted them to consider leaving for a less crowded space. Among
those surveyed, 18- to 34-year-olds were more likely than other age groups to
move. In a recent Japanese government survey, 35.4% of people in their 20s who
work in Tokyoʼs 23 wards said they are interested in ditching big cities for rural areas.
And in Australia, 10 major companies have signed up to the Regional Australia
Council 2031, which encourages people to work in regional areas to diversify their
talent without the limit of location. nytimes

“Millennials get this intentional community thing more than people

in the past. It’s people ghting against the idea that productivity is
your self worth. It’s not running away from the world and sticking
our head in the sand – it’s reinventing the wheel.” 

Sky Blue, executive director of the Foundation for Intentional Community

21
The great migration Human cap ital
By force or by choice, the pandemic led to major migratory shi s globally. Some fled One of the shadow side effects from flexible working not only meant increased activity
for safety, some to quarantine with family or friends, and some sadly because they for some, but is resulting in more data-tracking tools, particularly in regions outside of
could no longer afford to stay in their homes. Europe. This new age of data tracking is o en referred to as managing human capital.
The stats are haunting. San Francisco and New York had 80% more people leave the As people are effectively tethered to a computer – no jumping into a meeting room,
city than move in. The Financial Times analysis powered by Google mobility data grabbing a coffee or commuting – many US, LATAM and Canadian companies are using
states that: “In major urban areas, from Boston and Milan to Tokyo and Mexico City to tools such as ActivTrak, HiveDesk and Work Examiner (whose company slogan is
New Delhi and Toronto, city centres show larger falls in mobility.” The report finds “Track those who do the job and those who tweet”) to monitor their employees.
“few cities have escaped the impact. Visits to central Paris were down 40% in the week Most monitoring so ware will track keystrokes, email, file transfers, applications used
to October 9 2020 compared with the pre-pandemic average in January, and even
and how much time the employee spends on each task. Most will take periodic
Stockholm, which has had much lighter restrictions, has suffered a decline of 20%.”
screenshots to let managers know what is on the employeeʼs screen.
Pandemic p roductivity
Some can even send notifications if youʼve gone offline for an extended period of time.
Some economists maintain that the rural revolution will dissipate as the pandemic The concept of human capital management mixed with compassion fatigue is driving
slows down. However, others argue that the heightened levels of work expectations this cohort to realign their values and their feelings towards people and community. In
will only drive people to seek a better work-life balance. short, The New Romantics need to get to a place where they can feel again.
Itʼs no secret that people who maintained their employment in 2020 worked longer
hours. 48% of global C-suite respondents to the CNBC Technology Executive Council
2020 survey said team productivity had increased since the pandemic began. 72% of
technology executives said team workloads had increased more and “everyone was
working harder”.
A recent study by The Economist and Atlassian found that employees in Israel, South
Africa, India, America and Australia had a minimum of 32-48 minutes added to their
workdays in 2020. In Brazil, where more than half the working population is now
unemployed, people who maintained jobs are working longer hours to make up for the
lack of resources. The Chinese economy surged 4.9% in the July-September quarter
compared with the same months last year, according to Chinaʼs National Bureau of
Statistics, driven largely by increased worker productivity.

22
Contemp orar y collectives Pacific Gardens, located outside of Nanaimo, British Columbia, is setting a global
To be clear, these arenʼt the crunchy hippie communes of yesteryear. Sustainable living standard for multi-gen communities. There is a shared dining hall, multiple
practices, and diversity in terms of race, age, socio-economics and career roles, are at playgrounds and weekly wellness classes. But the real advantage according to the
the core of these modern collectives. residents are the diverse ages (two to 80 years old) and occupations of the residents,
including entrepreneurs, IT workers, home-schoolers, tradespeople and retirees.
The Dancing Rabbit eco-village in Missouri, USA is diverse, multi-generational and
Multi-generational design priorities will be a key differentiator for future homers, as
focuses on sustainable living. To allow for economic diversity in the group, the lease
highlighted in The Future of Home 2030.
rates and membership dues are low and there is no buy-in fee.
The Findhorn community in Scotland is based on zero-carbon homes, a free central Hearst has collaborated with Americaʼs Black Artists + Designers Guild on a concept
home that explores Black multi-generational living. Based around an ʻanchor familyʼ –
community garden that provides a farm-to-family supply chain, and there is a local
the family which typically hosts holiday get-togethers – the house includes
currency, the Eko, for people undergoing financial pressures.
architectural additions such as a studio apartment over the garage.
While different regions have seen spikes in different community priorities
(sustainability, internet connectivity, financial fees vs sweat equity), a key thread is the Additionally, modular and flexible housing will be a new selling point. US housing
company Module is implementing the concept in Pittsburgh, with Lego-like home
rise in multigenerational planning.
blocks with removable roofs so that storeys can be added.
In Canada, the rise of multi-generational housing (defined in the region as three or
more generations under one roof) is the fastest-growing type of household in the
country.

23
Engagement strategies: The New Romantics
How do companies prepare for a cohort that is seeking to reconnect with their
feelings? Focus on products, services and initiatives that help people create
stronger emotional ties with their inner and outer worlds.

Ritual rap ture: In response to a prolonged period of disconnection and

introspection, consumers are hungry for sensorial moments. They are craving ritual
and routine in their day, but not at the expense of mundanity – they want to exercise
their feelings in safe and structured ways. Part backlash against pandemic productivity,
part in search of transcendence, the New Romantics desire synchronicity with their
surroundings.
Cas e s tudies :
1. WA:IT is a new beauty brand built to represent the symbiosis between Japanese and
Italian cultures. Its ethos, “Stay present and observe, to wait, and absorb”, is
channeled through its sustainable agenda and its product descriptions, which claim
to promote a meditative state and raise the vital tone.
2. 3rd Ritual, as noted in Future Innovations 2023, is a British wellness brand which
threads its theme of being more mindful with time and activity through its products,
claiming: “When you move half as fast, you notice twice as much.” Its hero product, a
brass meditation tool, uses fire, gravity and sound to mark the passing of time. 3rd
Ritualʼs brand positioning speaks to the New Romantics with its focus on creating
simple rituals for sacred experiences.
3. Elsa Molinardʼs mineral black stoneware water vessel is designed to be heated with
water and hugged. According to Molinard: “In this ever-faster world, ritualised 3rd Ritual

moments of connection can bring us back to the here and now.”

24
Ps ychedelic s olutions : As the psychedelic wave snowballs into a science-backed and
socially acceptable market, consumers are reaching for mood-altering and sensorial
enhancements. The New Romantics are open-minded and big advocates of nature-
powered materials and substances.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Feals is a premium CBD brand tapping into the feelings market with its standalone
products or its monthly subscription model. The company has created three
product strengths to target both new and experienced users, and features a diverse
mix of customer reviews.
2. Garrett Leight developed mood-altering sunglasses that feature BioChrom lenses
that promote different effects including Boost, Relax and Focus. The limited-edition
range uses lenses from photography manufacturer Zeiss and are priced at US$420.
3. Rainbo is a sustainable medicinal mushroom company selling mind-elevating food
and supplements. The brandʼs e-commerce allows consumers to shop by how they
want to feel, and it recently launched a free hotline for people to call and ask
anything about mushrooms.
25
Emotional hygiene: Increasing awareness of the importance of mental and emotional
hygiene will hit mass in 2023. This is driven by the mental health tsunami, as noted in
Future Drivers 2023, and will surface new solutions for dealing with stress, anxiety,
insomnia and disconnection.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Tmrw is branded as a simple, lo-tech sleep solution, designed to help calm busy
minds. The company launched in November 2020 offering three hero products for
the bedroom.
2. Thyself is a personal mental health e-diary embedded into a userʼs browser.
Dubbed as a “digital mental health toolkit”, the freemium service allows users to
log their feelings and track them over time to surface larger patterns of moods and
emotions.
3. Local Optimist is a content marketing output by clothing brand Madhappy. The blog
has evolved into an anxiety resource offering stories, interviews, toolkits and
playlists to consumers in need. In September 2020, Madhappy rolled out a free
hotline to provide support and encourage conversation around mental health
issues.
4. Real opened a mental health studio in New York City offering 1:1 sessions with
therapists in a safe space for its female-identifying community.
Consumer pro le: The Impossibles
Fuelled by the anger of 2020 and lack of institutional and governmental
assistance, this cohort looks to utilise technology and their peer groups to
create a future where anything is possible.

As highlighted in Future Drivers 2023, citizens are questioning the foundations and
structures of the societies they inhabit, and they are pushing to address the root
cause of issues, not just the symptoms. There is a mass awakening that racial and
educational inequalities are inextricably linked. As a result, The Impossibles are
championing solutions to ensure systemic change is enforced.
The consumer demand for businesses to action accountability isnʼt a new mindset.
WGSN forecast the rise of The Localvists in 2016, a cohort that prioritised community
growth, analogue activism and community commerce. By 2023, the revolution will not
be televised, it will be monetised, meaning this cohort will largely do business with
companies that amplify diverse products, services and even future investments.
The result is that this cohort will impact a companyʼs bottom line.
A 2020 report from CompareCards found that 38% of Americans – and more than half
of Gen Z and Millennials – are currently boycotting at least one company for lack of
diversity. In Brazil, hundreds of thousands of citizens are calling for the boycott of
major companies that support President Jair Bolsonaroʼs bigotry and
authoritarianism. Similarly, in Soweto, South Africa, thousands of protestors caused
the closure of numerous Click stores a er the chain posted an advertisement that
racially stereotyped Black citizens.
afrocheampong
In 2023, cancel culture will evolve to focus on diversity, as The Impossibles support
diverse companies and communities.

26
Build back better
The pandemic flight, followed by subsequent unemployment and business closures,
has decimated communities globally. Boom towns are now gloom towns. For The
Impossibles, challenge is an opportunity to build back better, and this mantra applies
to local governments, community centres and businesses. The shi for 2023? The
Impossibles are doing it for themselves, by themselves.
As highlighted in Future Drivers 2023: Communities 3.0, the strengthening of
community bonds is partly driven by the need to fill in gaps le by the perceived
inaction of governments to protect citizens. The rising distrust in governments and
institutions is coupled with a wider dissatisfaction with capitalism.
The real change is happening at the ballot box as diverse, young and fiscally
challenged individuals are challenging career politicians, and winning. In California, 25-
year-old Jocelyn Yow became the youngest Asian-American woman to serve as a US
mayor in 2020, and this aligns with the US election trends in 2020 where age, religious
and ethnic diversity was voted into office. This civic transformation is happening in India
where there are now 64 MPs under the age of 40, and Sanna Marin made headlines
when at the age of 35 she became prime minister of Finland.
Letʼs be clear, this youth civic wave is challenging the institutions, not the ages of other
elected officials. The Impossibles are driven to represent the everyday, underserved
and o en overlooked voices in the rooms where governmental decisions are being
made. Itʼs critical for people from communities to speak about these communitiesʼ
priorities.
If The Impossibles canʼt get a seat at the table, they are simply building new houses,
giving rise to a growing trend in the West of ʻbuying back the blockʼ.
27
Buying back the block
This is a term used to describe groups of diverse people reinvesting in abandoned and
or struggling communities and offering either free or affordable housing alongside
regular-priced housing.
Timothy Webb and Rashae Bey recently purchased four duplexes and one single-
family home (26 units in total) in Columbia, South Carolina and are renovating the
properties to be used as safe housing for young Black professionals, college students
and housing-voucher recipients, who are among the least represented in real estate.
Similarly, Evopia is a real estate development and management firm that uses “the
power of real estate to protect the economic, health and political interests of Black
people globally”. With the support of more than 1,000 members, the company has
moved forward to develop an affordable, sustainable community in Atlanta. The new
development will provide cost-effective, modern homes for people who are
disproportionately affected by the housing crisis in the Metro Area.
In Canada, where the Black population is increasing YoY, the Foundation for Black
Communities (FBC), led by and for Black people, with a focus on investing in and
supporting Black communities, was founded in 2020. This collective was set up to
address the philanthropic gap, a er finding that of 40 leading Canadian foundations,
only two funded Black-led organisations between 2017 and 2018.
Currently, this is a movement with regional growth in North America, but itʼs likely to
impact other regions by 2023.
Connected community s upp ly chain
In 2023, this cohort will see a bigger focus on self-sufficiency, with emphasis on
preserving resources (environmental and financial) and the desire to keep cash flow
within local communities. This is resulting in a renewed focus on the community supply
chain.
From the rise of community kitchens and gardens to hyper-local re-commerce, the
path to purchase is likely a few steps away.
This mindset is challenging the existing views around company ownership and
stakeholders. Exit to Community is a project run by the University of Colorado, USA and
Zebras Unite, which enables start-ups to move from investor-owned to community
ownership, which could include users, customers and workers in the local community.
Tristan Harris, co-founder of the Center for Humane Technology, USA, says:
“Community ownership and governance of technology platforms is a big part of the
movement towards a more humane future.”
A global stakeholder community is also a key initiative for The Next Generation
Internet. As highlighted in The Information Era: Digital Ethics series, the European
Commission aims to shape the internet for 2030 with a series of initiatives, such as a
public consultation platform for gathering new ideas, a research hub and the
construction of a global stakeholder community for activating change.
Bus ines s buycotting
As diversity initiatives take centre stage, companies acknowledge the power of their
spend, redirecting their budgets towards more diverse suppliers. Investing in diversity
as a business starts with an internal transformation. In September 2020, The Justice
Collective partnered with SurveyMonkey to track the representation of women,
people of colour and LGBTQ+ individuals within a vendorʼs board, leadership team, and
wider employee base.
The initiative has been adopted by companies such as 23andMe, Box, Headspace and
Zoom, and creates more transparency around where businesses are spending their
money.
According to Zander Lurie, CEO of SurveyMonkey, brands have the luxury of choosing
their own suppliers or providers, so it is imperative that they put “capital behind
vendors that share [their] values”. Companies should proactively ask their vendors
what they are doing to make their business more diverse and equitable ahead of
signing business deals.

28
Engagement strategies: The Impossibles
How do companies prepare for a tech-savvy, politically motivated and socially
driven cohort? Focus on inspiring action, sustained progress and long-term
change for good.

Trans cultural p roducts : As global identities are reshaped and revamped to reflect a
wide range of voices, trailblazing consumers with a multitude of heritages are
challenging the status quo with expressive products that fuse heritage and
progressive branding.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Fly By Jing: inspired by the flavours of her hometown in Chengdu, China, Jing Gao
reimagined the Sichuan chilli sauce staple for the American market. The
enterprising founder launched the food brand through a Kickstarter campaign and
embraces an unapologetic ethos: “Fly By Jing doesnʼt conform to anyone elseʼs
notions of value, taste, tradition. It is one personʼs recipes, one personʼs vision and
one personʼs story.” The line has expanded to other categories including apparel and
hygiene products.
2. Ceremonia: created by influencer and brand guru Babba Rivera, this new clean
haircare brand debuted in October 2020. Inspired by Riveraʼs Latinx roots and
childhood rituals, the DTC line is branded as “The future of Latinx hair care”.
3. Omsom: this new grocery e-tailer celebrates a range of Asian cultures and was
created by first-generation Vietnamese American Vanessa Pham a er not feeling
represented in mainstream supermarkets. Pham aims to disrupt the grocery market
in the US to “reflect the changing DNA of this country”. In 2021, the company will Fly by Jing

unveil a new collaboration with Chrissy Teigenʼs mother, Pepper Teigen, to change
public perception around MSG.

29
Alchemy activis m
The emotional and physical strain of community activism is taking its toll on The
Impossibles, and this cohort is looking to pre- and post-wellness rituals with healing
and protective qualities.
Erika Totten, spiritual life coach and facilitator of Harrietʼs Apothecary – a healer's
collective led by Black cis women, queer and trans healers – noted the importance of
invoking the sacred when protesting and demonstrating in the streets: “Thereʼs a level
of alchemy in creating healing spaces. Even in the midst of these systems of
oppression, we are still calling ourselves sacred.”
Cas e s tudies :
1. Ms Tea: based in California, Ms Tea is a community herbalist who sells wellness kits
for intense days of activism. The Hedge iTonic is a popular international choice and is:
“A blend of heart protective Hawthorn Berries, Rosehips, Motherwort & Tulsi. Allies
for heartbreak, grief, shock & trauma. Alcohol based or alc-free options.” Additionally,
the Fire Season herbal kit (designed to protect the lungs in fire and environmental
crisis) had record demand in Australia and China in 2020.
2. Five Flavors Herbs is a multi-cultural healing collective using transcultural recipes
and heritage to produce its wellness line. The kits include Herbs for Staying Grounded,
Chinese Five Spice Healing Herbs and Herbs For Gratitude.
3. SudTana: based in Thailand, the company fuses Thai wisdom and Eastern remedies
to produce its ethical, organic products. The Thai Wan Plai Body Recovery oil features
more than 20 potent and organic herbs for mental and physical pain relief. The
company also says it is perfect for everyday activities: easing tension, aches and
tightness from the day.
30
Elevate the es s ential economy
The appreciation of and admiration for essential employees will resonate for years to
come. Alongside the rise of genuinfluencers, companies that invest in products and
services that acknowledge and highlight essential workers will gain loyalty with The
Impossibles.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Nikeʼs 2020 Air Max 90 City collection focused on essential workers who ʻmoved the
cityʼ with design elements dedicated to these workers. The company highlighted
Parisian bakers, Tokyo construction workers and Londonʼs postal workers. The
Shanghai edition featured food delivery workers in the city, who are facing a
particularly difficult time during the Covid-19 pandemic. The design of the sneaker
features elements of Chinaʼs food delivery services, such as its two-tone colourway
inspired by scooters, and star motifs that nod to the in-app rating systems. The sneaker
was released on Chinese streetwear retailer Doeʼs online shop, and it partnered with
Chinese food delivery app Ele.me to deliver orders within two hours a er the drop.
2. Pepsi, in collaboration with Chinese state-run Peopleʼs Daily News, launched its
Everyday Heroes campaign in June last year, which celebrated essential workers who
have continued to work despite the risks of Covid-19. The campaign included
illustrations that show store staff holding a thermometer, a delivery driver on his
scooter, a construction worker holding a hammer, and a medical worker in personal
protective equipment (PPE), all rendered in a retro design reminiscent of mid-century
Chinese CCP propaganda posters. This also aligns with retro Pepsi ads that are part of
the brandʼs global campaign to “Celebrate Every Generation”.
3. In December 2020, Airbnb launched Airbnb.org, a nonprofit to allow the hosts who
rent out their properties on its platform to provide free stays to refugees, people
affected by natural disasters, and frontline workers in the coronavirus pandemic. Many
global house listings have adapted their descriptions to thank and welcome essential
workers.
DTC meets DTI
Direct-to-consumer marketplaces are opening that allow shoppers to invest directly in
the business. The Impossibles will gravitate to this direct-to-investor model to ensure
that small businesses can survive and thrive post-pandemic.
Subscription boxes and marketplaces that ʻgive something backʼ to communities and
underrepresented groups will be particularly popular with The Impossibles, who
want to redefine community collectives.
These investment opportunities will allow consumers to be directly involved in
business initiatives that help to bring about long-term social change both locally and
around the world.
31
Cas e s tudies :
1. BOM: this Black-owned marketplace created a “subscription box that allows you to
invest directly into Black businesses. Every month you will receive five products within
the categories of skin, body, food, home, and beauty from a Black business. Each
category will represent a different Black brand.” Every subscriber also has access to a
private monthly virtual chat with the founders to gain information about their stories
and provide a community unboxing.
2. The Helm is an early-stage venture firm investing in global game-changing female
founded companies. Brands such as Haute Hijab and Mahmee are available on The
Helmʼs female-founded online marketplace.
Consumer pro le: The Conductors
Multi-dimensional, multi-talented and always multi-tasking, The Conductors
are taking on new challenges and demanding new experiences.

Whether it was by force or by choice, 2020 caused many people to adapt and learn
new skills. Parents had to master the art of home-schooling. Homes became offices,
bars, restaurants, emergency rooms, schools and gyms. Commuters effectively
became computers – processing office culture via a screen. And let us not forget the
explosion of hobbies ranging from baking to needlepoint.
Whether people liked it or not, forced change enabled the majority of people to
survive 2020, and some to even thrive in 2020.
While other cohorts ran on emotional reserves and craved stability, The Conductors
were able to effectively channel their energy into multiple directions due largely to
cognitive flexibility – a neural skill that may be the job skill of the future. In short,
cognitive flexibility allows people to shi gears and think about things in more than
one way. A fixed mindset is more likely to sabotage peopleʼs efforts to thrive in a
changing and challenging environment.
With the change of adaption accelerated in 2020, this cohort is now used to seeking
out new neural inputs, and in 2023 will seek out new experiences and high-sensorial
moments, driving the next wave of multi-hyphenate careers.

“Elastic thinking is about stretching your mind and using ‘bottom @sackiteytesa

up’ processing in the brain rather than the top down executive
functions that drive analytical thinking. It encompasses a range of
processes including, but not con ned to, neophilia (an enthusiasm
for novelty), schizotypy, imagination, idea generation and divergent
thinking.”

Dhruti Shah, journalist and author of Bear Markets and Beyond: a Bestiary of
Business Terms

32
The pas s ion economy evolves As ynchronous working
As highlighted Future Drivers 2023, amid the deepest global recession in decades, 2023 brings a shi towards output-based ways of working. A focus on tasks completed
younger generations are among those being hit the hardest. In Brazil, which is entering rather than time-inputted means greater flexibility for The Conductors. This ability to
the greatest recession in 120 years, according to S&P Dow Jones Indices, the youth work on their own schedule, from anywhere in the world, will drive new mindsets for
unemployment rate is 26.9%. In the UK, a study by the BBCʼs Panorama found that 2023.
people aged 16-25 were more than twice as likely as older workers to have lost their This growing autonomy extends from work delivered into communication schedules
job in the pandemic. Becoming more financially responsible and resilient than ever
and working hours, facilitating greater scope for side hustles, parental care duties and
before, The Conductors are taking advantage of new opportunities for growth. personal projects or hobbies.
In 2023 and beyond, a new generation of hybrid experts will fuel the passion economy. Expect to see a rise in email signatures that feature “I work on my own schedule to fit
In this economy, non-producers meet with non-consumers and exchange goods –
around my life, please donʼt feel obligated to reply”.
virtual goods: content.
Additionally, this will reshape businesses. According to Cal Henderson, co-founder of
An example of the passion economy in action: previously, a teacherʼs only option for
Slack, asynchronous working “will demand a restructuring of organisational KPIs as
work was at a school or university. Now there is MasterClass, Udemy and Outschool. well as a mindset shi to allow for more flexibility”. He goes on to say “we canʼt judge
The passion economy created a whole new sector of jobs, allowing people to
effectiveness based on how long you sit at your desk any more”.
monetise their thoughts, skills and ideas.
Of course, this isnʼt a new economic stream – bloggers, influencers and content
creators are early adopters of this revenue source dating back to the early oughts.
However, the pandemic resulted in normalising stream-and-screen time, opening the
world of content creation to new generations and industries.
In China, 40-plus-year-olds now also account for more than 25% of total users on
TikTok, and older influencers emerging in-app are attracting middle-aged consumers
to shop more on short video platforms. According to Facebook, baby boomers are
driving the c-commerce (conversational commerce) movement in Vietnam. The
company says “the average c-commerce buyer in Vietnam will increase their c-
commerce spend by about 30% in 2021”.

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From jet-s etting to foot-trekking
The duality of The Conductors is that while they live in hi-tech societies and are early
adopters of digital lifestyles, they prefer analogue moments to keep them grounded –
literally. Highlighted as a Future Innovation for 2023, for The Conductors that are able
to shi to asynchronous working, the outdoors is calling.
In 2020, culture shi ed outdoors as people worldwide sought out their own versions of
ʻfrilu slivʼ – free-air life. People are increasingly aware of the health benefits of being
immersed in nature: from forest bathing to ʻawe walksʼ (walks where mindfulness is
practised), being outdoors has been proven to reduce stress and increase reported
levels of positivity.
For The Conductors, this will result in adventure-seeking and getting an outdoor dose
of dopamine to the brain to replace the stagnant screen time. However, there will be a
noticeable shi from jet-setting to foot-trekking, driven by sustainable priorities and an
extreme desire to travel slow and connect with local communities.
Emerging brands are starting to cater to this cohort. Based in the UK and France,
Byway Travel encourages people to “discover the world by traveling through it, not
flying over it”, and creates travel packages by train, boat or foot. In Japan, JR Kyushu
has launched its new 36+3 luxury sightseeing train (the 36 in the trainʼs name comes
from Kyushu being the 36th largest island in the world, while the +3 represents the
railway company) –
34
a jet-black, electric train going to remote island locations. Similarly, train travel is
having a revival in the US, and not solely based on travel restrictions.
Frank Marini, president of Amtrak Vacations parent company Yankee Leisure Group,
says: “93% of those booking and travelling with us this year and next are new to us,
which is amazing. And I know itʼs [likely] they never would have considered us before.
They want to get out of the house and book something different.”
Marini goes on to say about 70% of the bookings are for trips to national parks, but he
is also seeing customers “looking to check a cross-country trip off their bucket list”.
Steady wifi, ability to hop on and off, and the cost being more affordable, will continue
to drive train travel for The Conductors.
As the outdoor market becomes more lucrative, products and services will adapt.
Think outdoor rental kits delivered to a travellerʼs final stop, a rise in multi-purpose
outdoor wear, click-and-collect lockers, and maybe even train-to-table dining.
Engagement strategies: The Conductors
The Conductors are channelling their energy in multiple directions –invest in
new enterprising experiences, virtual adventures, and multi-hyphenate worlds.

Metavers e markets : As noted in Future Innovations 2023, the internet is evolving

into the metaverse, a shared digital realm that will drive culture and design, enabling
new modes of expression and experience. Think of it as a growing manifestation of
the Internet 3.0, a connected third space which will impact how consumers
communicate, play, shop, learn and work.
Cas e s tudies :
1. ComplexLand was the first virtual iteration of the cancelled ComplexCon festival
to be hosted in December 2020. In this free open world, attendees can dress up in
stylish gear and enter stores to buy merchandise, see performances and more.
Complex describes its five-day experience as a cutting-edge mall meets fashion
conference – all in a video game.
2. AFTERLIFE (網路來生) is part-experimental space, part-online MMO game.
Created by Taiwan-based collective NAXS Corp, the project explores the future of
networked immersive experiences and launched during the Unsound festival in
October 2020. The designers also staged a six-hour-long live programming
showcase as part of its debut, including video screenings, DJs and producers, and
digital sculptures.
3. Disney: in November 2020, in lieu of its physical locations, the company launched
Disney Theme Park Metaverse. The virtual experience will use user settings and ComplexLand
data to unlock storytelling and personalisation. Once reopened, Disneyʼs parks
will integrate its metaverse with wearables, smartphones and digital access
points.

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Enable vir tual gi s E-teractive commerce
The Conductors are leveraging platforms to earn virtual gi s from their audiences, The tech-savvy Conductors look beyond store loyalty and towards product and peer-
which can be converted into money or tangible rewards. The virtual goods market is review loyalty. The new world of ʻe-teractionʼ is all about use cases, demonstrations
currently worth $50bn and is expected to reach a value of US$89.7bn by 2025. Brands and connections with real people who are avid users of the product, not just
can tap in by gamifying their digital shopping experience and creating opportunities for promoters.
young consumers to share and pay with branded currencies. Cas e s tudies :
Twitch, TikTok and Facebook have unveiled ways to thank a content creator via virtual 1. Google Shoploop: Googleʼs new shopping tool helps consumers to discover new
tips by offering in-app currencies paid for with real money.
products with short-form 90-second videos. Getting a real-life product video from an
Cas e s tudies : advocate is the new in-store recommendation counter.
1. Spoon Radio: South Koreaʼs Spoon Radio introduced the concept of interactive audio 2. Supergreat is a community of real beauty fans sharing routines, reviewing products,
broadcasting while targeting Gen Z. Spoon allows its users to broadcast themselves in and shopping daily drops.
real time in return for virtual gi s from their audience. These virtual gi s, or “spoons”, 3. Popshop Live gives users and brands the opportunity to host their own shows on the
can be converted into cash or other tangible goods. Uniquely, Spoon DJs o en earn
platform, making shopping gamified.
several times what a traditional radio DJ would earn and can do so while social
distancing.
2. London-based app Sweatcoin encourages an active lifestyle by allowing its users to
pay for rewards with their physical efforts. The app awards its users with a digital
currency – one SWC for every 1,000 steps they walk or run while using the app. Once
users accumulate enough coins, they can exchange them in the appʼs storefront for
items and experiences.Although sweatcoins cannot be converted into real cash, they
can be donated to social causes listed on the platform.

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On-the-road retailing
Whether itʼs digital activations or physical locations, The Conductors are ready for
social quests and safe experiences – with the integration of smart and discreet
technology. Exploration drives this curious cohort who are looking to uncover offbeat
destinations, nostalgic moments and multi-purpose services.
Cas e s tudies :
1. Hyundai partnered with Spotify on its latest campaign, showcasing virtual tours of
three musiciansʼ hometowns. The My City Unlocked experience blended the potential
of storytelling while streaming audio.
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2. eBay launched a drive-thru service in Los Angeles to help sellers authenticate
potentially counterfeited goods. Dubbed the Authentication Station, the pop-up
provided a safe and engaging service to support users in seamlessly selling their
sneakers or watches.
3. New Balance: in Singapore, the footwear brand activated a multi-function pop-up
inspired by 1970s American diners. The restaurant creatively integrated its reinvented
327 sneaker, which was made available during the limited experience.
Action points
From seamless e-teractions to the return of the subscription service, 2023
marks a new era of commerce. How can brands and companies win in the digital
age? Think physical touch, the power of real-life connection and bridging the
attention divide. 

1. Power of p redictability: from innovations in auto-refill packaging to a rise in pre-

order apparel, brands need to address the dreaded ʻout of stockʼ moments
2. Pr ior itis ing p r ice-jump ers : financially stretched consumers are on the value
hunt. Combine this with a stronger suite of shopping tools and it means brands
have to work harder to deliver value and stop ʻprice-jumpingʼ consumers from
switching their loyalty
3. Divers ified downtime: changes to working practices and a greater prioritisation
of self-care gives rise to consumers focused on friends, family and themselves.
From the rise of emotional hygiene products to hyper-sensorial services,
welcome to the Mood Market 3.0.
4. Shopp er tainment goes mains tream: new platforms, livestreaming capabilities
and acceptance from mass-market consumers mean shoppertainment canʼt be
ignored as a sales channel any longer
5. Make way for the metavers e: retailers, get ready for new digital realms that will
transform how people shop, work, play and learn. Start strategising now
6. Ethical action: every cohort is demanding positive change – socially,
environmentally and ethically. Ensure you have a business plan that doesnʼt Bon and Pon

prioritise profits over people, and be ready for the shi from DTC to direct to
investor

“Despite being on lockdown for most of 2020, we learned we are

occupying two spaces full time: the physical home and the digital
world. Brands and retailers must follow this lead. We’ve surpassed
omnichannel and moved into omni-interaction – a streamlined
38 approach to break down the silos between physical and digital
commerce. If you don’t meet your customers where they are,
someone else will.

Andrea Bell, Director of WGSN Insight

Research index
Cons umer s entiment: time p ercep tion Cons umer s entiment: cautious motivation
Google Trends world clock Reimagining the tourism industry
Global flour market 2020 Inmarsat 2020 travel study
Recording Industry Association of America revenue statistics 2020 YouGov ʻhugs in Americaʼ statistics
Nintendo sales in APAC MorningConsult remote work survey
Retro food sales increase in the UK Ipsos Mori remote working survey
India re-runs retro content American adolescents and touch
Hulu TV ratings 2020 Touch deprivation in India
Social jet lag in Japan
Social jet lag in Central Europe Cons umer p rofile: The New Romantics
Social jet lag and physical health Chinese Bureau of Statistics
Brazil labour market
Cons umer s entiment: numbnes s The Economist pandemic working survey
US social media users ʻworn outʼ US migration stats
Burnout, anxiety and depression in South African doctors FT survey on global cities during pandemic
Compassion fatigue and Chinese nurses Canadians and multi-generational homes

Cons umer s entiment: hop e Cons umer p rofile: The Predictors

The relations between hope and subjective well-being PWC spending habits in Europe
A systematic review of Interventions for Hope/hopelessness in older adults McKinsey Asia: post-Covid discretionary spend
Spotify and Gen Z study Deloitte Economics insight report
Gallup Survey on strengths-based leadership Brain energy study
How hope can make you happier Cart abandonment survey
The vicious cycle of disrespect and cynical beliefs The IoT and packaging
Cynical beliefs about human nature and income Subscription services market in 2023

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Cons umer p rofile: The Imp os s ibles
Consumers boycotting survey

Cons umer p rofile: The Conductors

European ageing statistics
UN: Population 2030
Virtual goods market
Facebook: Vietnam conversational commerce
WGSN macro forecast 2023
The timeline for WGSN's suite of 2023 trend reports, moving from business strategy to
consumer and product strategy

40
The trend matrix

41
Related reports

Future Drivers 2023 Future Innovations 2023 Future Consumer 2022 US Youth: Political Entering the Metaverse
Priorities

42
Future Consumer is created by WGSN’s team of global experts
Lead Future Cons umer Team
Andrea Bell, Director of Insight, Los
Angeles
Joe McDonnell, Head of Insight, London
Sarah Owen, Senior Strategist,
Insight, Lisbon
43
Contr ibutors
Amer icas
Quentin Humphrey, Strategist, Insight
Cassandra Napoli, Strategist, Insight
Luiz Arruda, Head of WGSN Mindset
LATAM
Saul Lopez, Head of Account
Management, Hispanic America
As ia
Athena Chen, Senior Strategist, Insight
Jemma Shin, Strategist, Insight
Europ e Afr ica
Sarah Housley, Senior Strategist, Mia Du Plessis, Account Manager
Lifestyle & Interiors
Petah Marian, Senior Strategist, Insight
Matt Poile, Analyst, Insight
Laura Saunter, Senior Strategist, Insight
Clare Varga, Head of Beauty
Martina Rocca, Strategist Insight
Bethan Ryder, Editorial Director
Lisa White, Creative Director of WGSN
and Director, Lifestyle & Interiors