Culture around us is constantly changing. In other words, people’s tastes, interests, and behaviors continue to evolve with time. Ultimately, cultural trends affect how consumers relate to businesses. What people purchase, from where, and how often are influenced by these trends. In order to properly connect with customers, businesses need to be aware of the most important cultural trends. Below is a list of 4 cultural trends to focus on in 2021 and the coming years:
Brand Activism
Brands have been increasingly aligning themselves with causes that matter to people. This is because people—especially younger generations—are preferring to engage with businesses with values that match their own. Consumers are even putting brand activism ahead of price and convenience. Brand activism might involve awareness campaigns, solidarity statements, donations, and workplace inclusivity.
Sustainability
Most consumers state that they prefer businesses that promote environmental sustainability. More people are trying to lead a sustainable lifestyle and look for brands that help them do just that. However, they don’t always know where to look. In response, a lot of businesses have developed their brands around eco-friendliness and sustainability. They are successfully able to respond to the culture trend. Moreover, this trend will continue to grow in importance, especially as climate change grows as an issue.
Online Community
In 2020, we witnessed major cultural shifts because of the pandemic. Shifts include social distancing and online migration, which have contributed to the growth of online communities. At the same time, businesses that build online communities around their brands have more engagement and higher customer retention. Ways to help build a sense of community include blog entries, community forums, social media posts, and livestreams.
Video Content
Video content is one of the most effective ways to grab someone’s attention. Videos are more popular than ever, exceeding both text and image content in popularity. It helps that video content is easier to digest than other types of content, which is something consumers look for. The number of businesses that rely on video as a form of communication and marketing have significantly increased. They have also been more successful in engaging their audience.
If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that an event can happen suddenly and impact aspects of our culture. If you’re running a business, or want to start one, it’s important to remain in touch with the trends that shape society around you. You want to put your customers at the heart of your operations, but to understand them, you also need to understand their culture and how it will develop.
