Re-designing the postpandemic world

The global pandemic has had a definite effect on how people live, work, and value their time.

Amid these shifts in consumer behavior, brands and marketers are reimagining their customers’ journey and experiences to meet—and anticipate — the new normal. These behavioral changes will shape how we live and engage with the world in the years to come.

Some of the trends include customer experience (cx) taking center stage for all marketing activities, which means meeting a range of expectations for a frictionless e-commerce purchase experience all the way to delivery -and knowing that customer loyalty now largely depends on how well brands connect with and share the same value systems as their consumers. The rising need for personalization is a gamechanger — as consumers gravitate towards brands, they feel they have to understand them and relate to their specific needs. After all, buying habits have changed not only in terms of choosing online purchases from a wider range of social channels and digital platforms; but trends such as buying ‘local’ are also a strong focus in many locations and have given more prominence and uplift to SME businesses.

Conscious Consumption

— The Sustainability Generation

The push for sustainability is nothing new, but according to research by Accenture, the pandemic has accelerated consumer interest in conscious consumption. Younger consumers are driving the sustainability agenda, with data revealing that 90 per cent of millennials would buy from a brand if they trust their environmental and social business practices.

Many industries, such as fashion, are already pitching to mindful consumers through efforts such as moving to sustainable fibers, fabrics, and materials, and incorporating 3D software to enable real-time alterations and simultaneously making a concerted effort to cut waste. Then there’s the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in inventory management and recycling to introduce more efficiency into the supply chain.

Consumers are better informed and have become drawn to sustainability issues and to reducing their carbon footprint to manage climate change. And this has encouraged brands to adapt, too. Ultimately, it will become increasingly difficult for businesses to succeed without incorporating more integrated sustainability practices and partnerships into their eco-system. Consumers have not shied away from voting with their wallets for those that are making more environmentally friendly decisions.

Authenticity and Activism — Brands with Purpose

The effect of the pandemic has also motivated consumers to connect with brands on a more meaningful level. Gen-Z and millennial consumers prefer to buy from those that do good, and they favor brands with credibility in the causes they support.

Brands are expected to stand for an authentic purpose, like caring for people and the planet, and not just for profits. They have found success when they lead with actions that better society and reflect positive human qualities such as empathy, compassion, loyalty and reliability. They are aligning their values with their consumers in everything from diversity and inclusion to responsible sourcing and supply chains to community engagement. This is a connection at a much deeper level, and the brand’s reward is consumer loyalty.

Personalisation and AI — It’s All About You

The ultimate way to connect with consumers on a more human level is to deliver a personalized experience at every stage of their purchasing