Three consumer comms trends we can expect to see more of in 2022
2022 - The year of the tiger - The year of the foxes
Somehow, we’re at the beginning of March (my mum always said time goes quicker the older you get…!), most of us are back – or will be soon – in the office, and Covid restrictions are set to lift shortly.
So, we thought, what a time to look at what we’re seeing emerge in this ‘new world’ (we’re early for buzzword bingo here!) and lay out some consumer comms trends to consider as we get underway with activities.
So, without further ado, let’s play buzzword bingo and talk about the three-consumer comms trend we can expect to see in 2022:
1. Rip up that rulebook and embrace a new era for comms
In short – the pandemic changed us all. Yes, we know, tell us something we don’t need lady.
It’s changed how we work, live, and relax. Much of it has changed for the better, and it’s unlikely we’re going back any time soon. As we emerge, we’re seeing new communities and a new way of comms emerging – from getting involved to the Metaverse, to NFTs, brands are diversifying how and what they do.
That means comms needs to change and evolve too – and it has massively already – but 2022 will see even more new trends emerging and more challenging briefs.
That’s why our first consumer comms trend is all about the desire to be a bit riskier. For the big, bold, ‘might get you fired’ ideas.
As much as I would like them to, I think it’s unlikely that many brands will embrace the latter, but I think what we can expect to see is more experimentation & hopefully more humour in comms.
2. Niche audience engagement will drive comms
Yep, there’s no ignoring it – TikTok is very, very clearly hear to stay. Yes, yes, we know, you knew that one too.
We keep banging the audience drum, so we may as well carry on (we’ve got a good beat going!). Our second consumer comms trends is all about a focus on some very targeted campaigning, as brands battle to understand their audience better.
While train and plane spotting has been put on the map (we know, excellent pun) recently, expect to see even more niche fandoms coming through. And brands wanting to give them a platform (think Munya Chawawa, Rosie Holt and Amelia Dimoldenberg) – all to better align themselves with the things their audience really care about.
That’s going to lead to some excellent new content (check out the above!) – and perhaps some less obvious ones too. We’ve already seen brands appear in games (and indeed create their own) but expect to see many other crossovers emerging.
3. Hybrid as a catalyst for comms change
Yes, yes, we know, another one you knew already. But, for our final consumer comms trend, let’s explore what that means for consumer activations.
Are we going to see less stunts at Waterloo and more in the Metaverse? Unlikely the latter right now, but in short, also, yes.
The impact of a hybrid world is two-fold.
One, there will be more focus on understanding a bespoke audience, where they are and what will impact their behaviour. All of which is why we’re seeing the emergence of the two points above. And that means, secondly, we’ll see a shift in channels too – a move to interesting, smaller partnerships; a focus on emerging channels (though, we may have had enough lockdown podcasts) and a continued move away from massive experiential.
Oh, and it also means that internal comms is going to see a massive surge in 2022 – so consumers brands need to get thinking about how to engage employees who are all about brand purpose, and less about the office pinball machine nowadays…
For us…
For us at ETF, like many agencies we know, this change presents an exciting opportunity. It’s a chance to test ourselves, and our clients to think differently and
2022 represents a big year for us at Eat the Fox. We’ve got BIG plans with our new sister agency, Sling & Stone, and we’re looking at new props to shake up the way consumer tech brands communicate, helping them to understand their superpower, and how they can win in an increasingly crowded marketplace.
And like we said, that’s all about understanding new emerging channels and trends. With that in mind, have a listen to our sister agency, Harvard’s, latest podcast with Zoe Scaman, talking all about Web 3, NFTs and of course, the Metaverse.