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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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