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chevron-downCulture Rising: 2022 Trends Report
What just happened? What's next? Discover a foresight-driven framework for understanding our changing culture.
Download the full reportThis article is also available in: English (UK), Français, Deutsch, 日本語, í•œêµì–´, Português (Brasil), Español, Español (España), ภาษาไทย
Contents
Introduction
Dramatic events wire and rewire our lives. They help shape who we are and what we become. Major transitions like the emotional gauntlet of high school, military deployment or a backpacking trip can have a profound impact on self-understanding and a life’s direction.
The COVID-19 pandemic does that too. It's a stress test for everyone, a soul-shaping moment that underscores the need for resilience, agility and human connection. Will we ever take a hug for granted again? Or a live concert with friends? This global health crisis helped us realize how much we mean to each other.
The physical, mental and spiritual effects of the coronavirus pandemic have been profound. In our latest global foresight survey, we found out that the future ain’t what it used to be: 37% of the respondents say the pandemic spurred them to reevaluate their purpose and priorities in life, while 41% said that if they had a do-over, they’d choose a different career. And 65% now expect more out of work and life.1
These are just a few of the startling statistics that animated Culture Rising: 2022 Trends Report, formerly known as the Topics and Trends Report. We reinvented our approach this year, adopting a new foresight methodology that helped us divine the deeper cultural trends below the data, revealing not only where we’ve been but where we may be going.
Along the way, we learned that COVID-19 sparked new behaviors and brought more social awareness to issues that have been playing out for generations. More people are demanding a recognition and accountability of history and championing equality with a desire for historically marginalized voices to be heard. Brand choices are increasingly an expression of personal values. And while technology plays a growing role in connecting us and energizing social movements, people have also grown more mindful of their screen time and the power of in-person connection.
As marketing leaders and brand strategists, it’s critical to understand these cultural shifts and what’s driving them so we can intelligently respond to changing values, needs and desires. That’s where this foresight comes in. Culture Rising: 2022 Trends Report explores four major global themes, as well as 20 related trends, that we feel represent some of the most significant cultural changes around the world in the past year. We’ve gleaned these from analyzing our aggregated and anonymized company user data as well as an original 12-market global study that indicates signals of change (there’s more on that methodology below). The research provides a cultural forecast for the next 12–18 months. We hope it provides both understanding and inspiration for action.
Let's rise together.
Foresight methodology
Our foresight approach—unveiled for the first time with this report—is a unique way to systematically think about the future.
We combine original research and forecasting with insights that are deeply grounded in analysis of social media conversations and behavioral signals like hashtags used around the world.
When we analyzed our data and applied our foresight methodology, four key themes emerged: diversifying identities, relationships renegotiated, greater expectations and expanding values. Within each theme, five trends were identified. The result is a novel way of viewing the world that shows how people will connect, create and consume in the next few years. In doing so, Culture Rising helps empower strategic decision makers to move more confidently into the future.
What's shifting?
SIGNAL GATHERING
is based on our proprietary on-platform data and is designed to identify rising trends worldwide.
Facebook and Instagram data:
- 600,000 unique conversation topics
- Anonymized, aggregated insight into the shifting behaviors of 3.5B+ people
- Look back over the past 15 months (conversation topics) and 21 months (hashtags)
What's sticking?
DRIVERS SURVEY
uncovered the dynamics behind the shifts.
Commissioned survey with the Mintel market research firm of 36,000 people across 12 markets in six continents:
- Asia-Pacific: Australia, India, South Korea, Thailand
- Europe, Middle East, Africa: Germany, Nigeria, Poland, UK
- Latin America: Brazil, Mexico
- North America: Canada, US
What's next?
PLAUSIBLE FUTURES
were revealed through data triangulation and expert analysis.
Determined the trends that are most likely to move from niche to norm, becoming essential to tomorrow's business strategies:
- In-house and external subject-matter experts
- In-market local experts
Authenticity and self-expression expand and evolve, creating new and more fluid identities. In the process, the things that divide us can also bring us together.
The value of human connection has never been greater, but the shape of modern relationships is more flexible—from how people engage with their devices to the ways they meet, love, interact and create with one another.
Our dreams have gotten bigger. So have our expectations and our digitally enabled opportunities. People will redefine what success means and how they achieve it. We’re reappraising traditional education and hybrid work, while pursuing new careers and joining the creator economy.
What we value shapes who we are and how we behave. Look out for next-level sustainability, global tastes, local community and total wellness. Our shopping habits are no longer just self-expression—for many, it’s an act of self-preservation.
How to use this foresight
We hope you've enjoyed this report and our forecast of how people will connect, create and consume in the next three to five years. More importantly, we hope you're inspired. Read on for a recap of our suggestions for how to incorporate Culture Rising into your organization so you can move more confidently into the future.
Find and fulfill your brand’s purpose, as consumers are increasingly looking to businesses to solve society's problems. Adapting to cultural trends is an opportunity—only if approached authentically. Conviction is key but nowadays action is everything. To avoid accusations of #Greenwashing (or #Wokewashing), it's best to act first before you advertise it.
Champion inclusivity. Learn about the difference diversity in advertising can make. Talk to people whose experiences can expand yours to help ensure authentic, inclusive representation. Connect with the people who are part of the communities you want to connect with—whether that's Black creators or the disabled community. Explore the "Beyond Bias" framework and these resources for building business equality. And finally, remember that change starts at home. Are you cultivating a radically inclusive culture at work?
Connect experientially. People haven't run out of attention. They just need a good reason to spend it on you. People may not remember what you say, but they'll always remember how you make them feel. Whether it's an interactive poll, an AR experience or a full VR immersion, have a little fun and take chances so you spark an emotional response with your audience.
Collab for success. If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, find a friend. No matter your business objective, there's a strong chance you can do it better with a partner. It could be a set of diverse creators, members of an underrepresented community, a Spark AR developer, an NGO or even a like-minded brand.
Collide your trends. No trend is an island. Environmental sustainability and business sustainability can go hand in hand. Want to see real magic? Bring a few trends together. For example, combine e-commerce and entertainment and you get live shoppertainment (like Petco did)! Combine social good with diverse creators and you've got a campaign that will resonate with new folks in new ways. The possibilities are endless. The future is unwritten. GROW ON and build it.
Culture Rising: 2022 Trends Report
Discover a foresight-driven framework for understanding our changing culture.
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