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New Leisure Rules Through Catalyzation

Instructor: Courtney Scharf
Wellness
Download the Wellness Trend Report
Consumers' committment to self-improvement has heavily influenced leisure and enteratinment trends over the past decade. With the pandemic disrupting routines, however, the question becomes: how has consumers' relationship to wellness changed?

In this module, we explore the "wellness backlash," and how companies will need to be more transparent, inclusive and honest when it comes to appealing to modern consumers' desire to be their best selves.
Related Trend Report: Wellness
Workshop Questions:
1. How can you support consumers in being their best selves while meeting a need for affordable solutions?
2. What are some specific changes you'd need to make to ensure that your offering is inclusive?
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Featured Insights

Social Wellness
Social media wellness initiatives aim to counter some of its ill effects
Trend - As the negative impact of social media continues to be studied, businesses in this space are aiming to combat some of that bad press by prioritizing wellness initiatives and offering users resources that help them maintain their physical and/or mental health.
Workshop Question - How is your brand responding to criticism and customer feedback?
4.5
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Gamer Support
The esports industry takes action to make mental health care more accessible
Trend - Esports companies are teaming up with mental health organizations to provide guidance and promote safety within the gaming community. Through expert partnerships and campaigns, these initiatives aim to make online spaces safer, inclusive, and better equipped to support those who may be struggling.
Workshop Question - How can your brand ensure its social impact initiatives resonate with its target consumer?
5.2
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Post-Grind Recovery
Consumers are pivoting away from hustle culture and toward rest and relaxation
Trend - The relentless "grindset" mentality that dominated the 2010s is facing a cultural backlash, with consumers increasingly seeking rest, boundaries, and sustainable work practices over 24/7 productivity optimization. Companies are launching campaigns that celebrate downtime, mental health days, and the radical act of logging off.
Workshop Question - How might your brand reframe success beyond productivity metrics to connect with consumers seeking sustainable fulfillment?
5.9
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AI Maternity
Transforming maternal care with smart, personalized digital guidance
Trend - Brands are developing AI-powered applications specifically designed to support pregnancy and maternity by offering personalized coaching, health tracking, and real-time advice. These tools integrate advanced algorithms with data-driven insights to provide tailored content on prenatal care.
Workshop Question - How might we leverage AI technology to provide personalized and accessible support in addressing modern consumer needs?
5.3
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Minimalist Health
Health and wellness brands rebrand to minimalist designs and easy-to-read labels
Trend - Health and wellness brands are rebranding with minimalist designs and simple, easy-to-read labels. This trend reflects a commitment to transparency and authenticity, aiming to create a clean, modern, and approachable aesthetic for consumers.
Workshop Question - How can we incorporate minimalist design principles to enhance transparency and authenticity in our brand's communication strategy?
4.3
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Healthspan Plans
Consumers are proactively looking to extend their healthy years
Trend - The focus on wellness has evolved from short-term fixes to long-term health optimization, with consumers actively seeking evidence-backed solutions that support healthy aging. From cognitive enhancement supplements to personalized preventative care programs, brands are responding with products and services that promise to extend not just lifespan, but "healthspan" - the period of life spent in good health.
Workshop Question - How could your brand help consumers invest in their future health outcomes?
5.1
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Microbiome Meal
Dietary health companies are launching gut microbiome-specific meal plans
Trend - Dietary health brands are increasingly focusing on gut microbiome health. As research in this field continues to showcase the importance of balanced microbiomes, these brands are releasing personalized meal plans for consumers looking to prioritize gut health.
Workshop Question - How can your brand create solutions that address the growing consumer focus on ultra-personalized products in the food and health spaces?
5.3
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Algorithmic Exodus
Users abandon algorithm-driven platforms for intimate digital spaces
Trend - Consumers are increasingly abandoning algorithm-driven social platforms in favor of more intimate, user-controlled digital spaces like group chats and Discord servers. This shift represents a deliberate move away from platforms where content and connections are determined by algorithms, toward spaces where users have greater control over their interactions and information flow.
Workshop Question - How can your brand create more authentic, algorithm-free spaces for community building?
4.2
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GLP-1 Community
Apps and websites are launching social features designed to support GLP-1 users
Trend - As GLP-1 gains popularity in the western world as a weight management solution, brands are launching apps and services designed to support the GLP-1 community. These apps offer support through social forums, fitness and diet planning, and enable direct connections to healthcare providers if needed.
Workshop Question - How could your brand foster a sense of community and likemindedness with its consumers?
5.7
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Informative Yogurt
Dairy brands are redesigning packaging to explicitly advertise health benefits
Trend - Brands in the dairy industry are redesigning product packaging to be more explicitly informative. These new packagings highlight the ingredients' exact nutritional benefits, such as benefiting gut health. Many such products are also advertising organic or eco-friendly ingredients.
Workshop Question - How could your brand redesign its packaging to ensure it best appeals to the desires of its consumers?
7
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Mental Health Campaign
Brands are launching initiatives to support proper mental health practices
Trend - Brands across various industries are campaigning for the importance of mental health. Often through financial partnerships with charities, these brands are showing their support for social causes and are investing necessary resources to address mental health concerns and prevent crisis.
Workshop Question - How could your brand build community relations through social support campaigns?
4.7
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