What if emotion became the best prism for understanding consumers? That’s the premise behind the latest report from WGSN, a market research firm. According to the agency, three major feelings will structure consumer behavior by 2027.
“Emotions offer a new framework for understanding consumers, accelerating product innovation, fuelling growth and strengthening engagement,” explains WGSN in its preamble.
Strategic joy
In a world marked by anxiety, weariness and a form of emotional saturation, joy will no longer be a luxury. It will become a strategic lever. “Cultivating joy is not only good for individual health. It’s also good for the health of companies,” stresses WGSN.
This feeling is rooted in a quest for meaning, an antidote to chronic fatigue. “Joy will be essential in combating negativity and reimagining the world as a more inspiring, inclusive and rewarding place.” Brands will need to create experiences that foster connection, inspiration and serenity.
Witherwill
Witherwill refers to “the desire to be free of responsibility”.
By 2027, it will be a direct response to widespread burnout, whether professional, digital or existential. “Consumers will be looking for a slower-paced existence, with less at stake, fewer to-do lists, but deeper connections and less loneliness,” comments WGSN. “We oscillate between the need to withdraw from the world and the need to reconnect with it.”
Suspicious Optimism
This trend sums up the state of mind of a generation that still believes …
