Long-established norms are giving way to shifts in consumer preferences as they prioritize intimacy, authenticity and storytelling. This month’s trends spotted by GPJ Strategists Catherine Wallin and Christopher Chan.
1. The decline of celebrity allure
Consumers sideline celebrities in favor of meaningful
engagement.
The once unshakable allure of celebrities is waning. Movements like #blockout2024 have emerged, sending celebrities to the “digitine” by urging digital activists to block those who fail to leverage their platforms for social justice. Though there’s debate on the effectiveness of these movements, especially on major celebrities with well-established followings, the shift in consumer attention is still notable.
What it Means
Driven by discontent with wealth inequality and celebrity excess, consumers are becoming more intentional with their attention and money. The era of blind celebrity worship has been replaced by a desire for more relatable, socially accountable figures.
Key Takeaway
While major celebrities still hold significant influence, be mindful of which celebrity endorsements you seek. Focus on relatable figures known for their authenticity and amplification of social issues to create more genuine, impactful experiences that align with consumers’ shifting values.
2. Welcome to the era of hosting
Gen Z and Millennials embrace intimate gatherings with dinner parties and in-home cafes.
Multiple publications have proclaimed 2024 as the year of the dinner party. With themed decorations and creative menus, the rise of dinner parties emphasizes a shift towards more intimate environments for socialization. The trend even extends to home cafes, where apartments mimic coffee shops and hosts act as baristas for their family and friends. Now, companies like Timeleft and Dinner for One Hundred are popping up everywhere, tapping into the “hosting era,” by organizing dinner parties that build community and connect strangers through food.
What it Means
Younger generations are redefining how they socialize and network by prioritizing authenticity, community, and meaningful interactions over large, impersonal events. While rising living costs may be an immediate factor, the need for third spaces and trends like sober curiosity are also contributing to these in-home experiences becoming more popular.
Key Takeaway
Lean into the allure of authentic, intimate gatherings by offering experiences that replicate these community-driven events. Focus the experience less on plugging the brand and more on relationship building by opting for smaller format engagements in low-stakes environments that allow for organic conversation and interaction.
3. It’s an up and down summer at the box office
Movies are struggling at the box office during the time of year they normally thrive.
The summer 2024 box office is not off to a great start. Compared to the summers of Barbenheimer in 2023 and Top Gun: Maverick in 2022, movies as a whole are severely underperforming. While some films have been profitable, others can barely justify standard theatrical windows. The Fall Guy, featuring big name draws, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, was pulled from theaters after just 3 weeks while the much anticipated Furious: A Mad Max Saga has struggled at the box office and is headed towards a similar fate. This year’s earnings for May to September estimate a low that hasn’t been seen since the year 2000.
What it Means
Years ago, movie studios made a strategic commitment to streaming in the name of content and subscribers and today, they’re continuing to double down. This has resulted in a progressive shortening of theatrical windows for films and is playing a significant role in audience decision making when it comes to in-theater viewing.
Key Takeaway
For brands, tracking and reacting to evolving consumer behaviors has always been crucial. When it comes to content and entertainment in particular, understanding audience preferences and adapting strategies to meet their evolving needs can drastically enhance engagement and ensure relevance.
4. NCAA football video game returns after an 11 year hiatus
Fans will finally be able to play as their favorite college football team again.
NCAA Football was one of the most popular video games of all time, so much so that people still play the last iteration from 2014. Now fans will finally get an updated version with its return as EA Sports’ College Football 25. And with legal hurdles cleared, the game can include college player names and likenesses for the first time ever, adding to the trademark authenticity of the game. The enormous success of the franchise prior to its hiatus and the new graphics and technology of next-generation game systems have expectations sky high.
What it Means
Audiences crave access to authentic, real-world storytelling. In this case, part of the appeal of the re-released video game is the hyper realistic college football experience. Whether it’s leading your favorite school to a national championship or winning the Heisman Trophy, players get a taste of the real world NCAA gameday experience.
Key Takeaway
Brands that seek to create increasingly more immersive and authentic experiences are able to forge stronger, more meaningful connections with their audience. By meeting the demand for authenticity – whether through gamified or IRL experiences, brands can enhance engagement and build loyalty.
OUT-THERE EXPERIENCES
People, brands and marketers continue to push the boundaries of physical and digital experiences, with new and creative executions popping up across the globe.
Passersby can treat themselves to a Deluxe Cheez-It milkshake, a cracker coated grilled cheese, and blast some tunes on a jukebox that only accepts Cheez-Its as payment.
Tennessee Tourism is taking the guesswork out of vacation planning by generating personalized recommendations based on participant’s brain waves.
After going viral for too many fails, McDonald’s is saying farewell to AI drive-thru cashiers…for now.
35 couples will tie the knot alongside a footwear brand that celebrates connections built for a lifetime.
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