All-encompassing peak years 

I live in the rush years. But so does everyone else. First of all, the world is a mess. Secondly, working life seeks new ways of being. And then you should keep up with technological development, make sustainable everyday choices, treat polar night fatigue, make ends meet and be more positive. 

1. Definition of value 

To reap the lasting benefits of the ongoing technological revolution, more emotion and human skills are needed. 

The operating environment cannot be developed solely from the point of view of efficiency, but the goals of changes should be defined through the value created for stakeholders. 

We need a deeper understanding of what people in different roles value. However, collecting data is complicated by the fact that, at the same time, people are redefining what creates value for them. 

The ongoing shift in value expectations affects demand formation and what people want from brands now and in the future. Brands need to be ready to increase their social and emotional importance, because in the future, people will dare to be individuals. They look at what brands mean to them personally, not what brands represent in society at large. 

2. Cross-pressure of responsibility 

People want to make responsible decisions in their everyday lives, but they need support from trendsetters in making future-proof choices. 

Until now, people have sought support from society and decision-makers, but now the focus has been turned towards companies. Brands are expected to act as drivers of change to build a better world. 

The curious thing is that people do not trust companies to communicate completely honestly about their environmental responsibilities, for example, and often companies are believed to be just pretending to be responsible. 

Fortunately, companies will soon have to prepare comprehensive sustainability reports, which means that responsibility practices will have to be opened up openly and with concrete impacts verified. 

But also to meet people’s growing expectations, companies should also emphasize continuous innovation and opportunities that go beyond what is necessary. 

3. Parody of loneliness 

Although technology gives people more communication tools and communication opportunities than ever before, social relationships are in crisis and people are lonely. 

The flood of information has led to exhaustion. Everyone compares themselves to others and things that used to be done together are now done side by side and separately. People are far apart. People’s loneliness is particularly increased by unexpected changes in life situations, and it is difficult to seek help. 

People’s loneliness can also appear as a challenge for companies, as fewer and fewer services that bring people together or products that can be consumed together are used in everyday situations. 

Again, new thinking is needed. Many brands already have good opportunities to promote societal interaction and support people in life situations that cause loneliness. For example, brands can bring together people in similar situations, help their customers more comprehensively in life-changing situations, and actively innovate new services and products to solve societal challenges. 

As the new year approaches, brands need to ask themselves what kind of value we offer to our customers and if it’s something they expect to receive. We need to look beyond our own navel to more meaningful things. 

The role of the brand is perhaps more relevant now than ever before. 

*Source: Red Cross. Research report: Loneliness Barometer 2023. Economic research.  
Sources used for inspiration in the text: Dagmar’s Changing Consumer Survey 2023 and Mintel 2023, Global Consumer Trends  MINTEL, Global Consumer Trends 2024