Wunderman Thompson On New Brand Metrics
Wunderman Thompson Intelligence has released a new report, ‘The Age of Re-enchantment’, exploring how a tumultuous few years have left global consumers yearning for something more. The research found 93 per cent of people believe that life is short, so we must make the most of it, 89 per cent of people see fun as a necessity that keeps them going in trying times, while 83 per cent of people are actively seeking out experiences that bring them joy and happiness.
The survey of more than 3,000 adults in the UK, US, and China by the global futures and trend intelligence unit finds that whether people are numbed by pandemic isolation, burned out by grind culture, or shocked by horrors of politics, war, and the climate crisis in the 21st century. The study also includes interviews with Gen Z from 17 different countries around the world, alongside in-depth expert interviews with thought leaders across a range of fields including psychology, neuroscience, technology, architecture, and design.
The above study found 76 per cent Gen Z agree that when something is magical it allows them to escape from the mundane and nearly half of those surveyed mention that they tend to avoid things that are predictable and formulaic. Half of the respondents say they are fascinated by content that explores dystopian themes or futures and 55 per cent agree that horror provides an opportunity to experience fear in a safe environment and 57 per cent of people say they enjoy feeling a few goosebumps now and then, especially millennials.
Two-thirds of respondents mentioned that they want brands to make an astounding factor with spectacular advertising. Meanwhile, 61 per cent want brands to help them feel intense emotions, and 63 per cent want companies and brands to provide multi-sensory experiences. The report finds that consumers are craving experiences that deliver feelings of joy, wonder, magic, and awe, with some looking too darker thrills like the uncanny, surreal, and dystopian.
“Uncertain times might imply a shift to a more practical attitude, but instead people are yearning for emotion-inducing experiences that deliver feelings of joy and wonder, craving the spectacular, the surreal, and the otherworldly,” says Marie Stafford, Global Director, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence. Stafford further adds, “The new brand metrics are jaw drops, heart swells, and goosebumps. Brands can help people transcend tough times and jolt them from long-standing malaise by celebrating the thrilling, the uplifting, the awe-inspiring, and the magical. Welcome to the age of re-enchantment!”
As well as unearthing how consumers are seeking out thrills and adventure, the report offers several key brand takeaways and rich creative territory – from promoting full-spectrum emotion, escaping the rational, and even ‘going dark’. Meanwhile, unleashing the ‘Joyconomy’, building in moments of joy, play, and fun can be a powerful strategy for brands to uplift and engage customers.
Wunderman Thompson saw the first shoots of this movement in this year’s ‘Future 100’ in the appetite for adventure and thrills in Remote Dining, in the craving for amazement in Multiversal Design, and in the burgeoning joyconomy expressed in Ageless Play. ‘The Age of Re-Enchantment’ report – which features 18 original trends backed by proprietary survey data, and interviews with 20 thought leaders in the space – sets out a path for brands to reflect the new mindset and re-enchant the world.
