TREND BOARDS 2024

THE IMMERSIVE CONSUMER Everything, all at once...

THE HOME

Viewed as the new world hybrid, this consumer type is racing towards the future - one foot in the real world and the other planted firmly online! They’ll pay with crypto while dining in-person. They will unlock meta rewards to be used for real life products. They’ll invest in NFT artwork to be displayed in their homes. They are not fearful of tech, but hopeful. The immersive consumer is interested in brands that compliment physical goods with connected content. ‘Gamification’ increasingly appeals too. Earning rewards and levelling up purchases through loyalty schemes will grow in popularity as these consumers seek greater value from their choices.

Immersive virtual worlds will be increasingly influential in the aesthetics of physical spaces, and the boom in craft and DIY will see people take a more free spirited approach to colour. Expect consumers to become more confident about using bold brights in the home, either as accents or all-over applications. The economic downturn will also see more people using bright colours as a pick-me-up in hard times.

For our immersive consumer, home is a place to play. Like so many other aspects of life, play and entertainment became more embedded in homes during the pandemic, and this will continue into a period of economic downturn. This will take shape in two ways. On one hand, the escapist appeal of screen-based entertainment will become a bigger focus as the metaverse develops, opening up opportunities for brands to

establish a presence and sell products in virtual spaces.

On the other, the tactile pleasures of cooking and hosting will drive purchases, as restaurant visits and vacations become less frequent, and people will look to hone skills they developed during the pandemic. Play and entertainment will also influence how we decorate our homes, giving rise to more expressive and joyful aesthetics.