With the slew of trend forecasts rolling out, our team combed through more than 10 reports published by social platforms, consulting groups and consumer insights tools to curate the need to know trends that will impact the influencer marketing spaces for 2022. Below is what’s on our radar for the year ahead.

NOSTALGIA, NOW

With mentions of ‘nostalgia’ higher than they were pre-pandemic, people are clearly craving the comfort of familiar times. However, themes of the past are not equal. Carefully consider what nostalgic reference will resonate most with your social audience to tap into this trend.

Some upcoming nostalgia trends to look out for include a Hellenistic Revival, in which people will take inspiration from ancient Greece and the Y2K aesthetic. Brands like Oreo are also tapping into millennial mixtape nostalgia through a connected packaging experience that lets fans create a personal mixtape.

VALUES OVER VALUE

With an increased need for meaningful connections around diversity and community, alignment to a consumer’s values is surmounting the idea of value for money. A survey by Stackla revealed that only 19% of consumers find brand-created content authentic. As such, brands should consider turning to user-generated content (UGC) to build trust and authenticity amongst social audiences.

In response to this desire for authenticity and transparency, a rising class of influencers exist to spread ideas rather than products – known as “geninfluencers.” For example, singer Olivia Rodrigo was invited to the White House to encourage people to get vaccinated.TikTok superstar Charlie D’Amelio partnered with Proctor and Gamble to create a dance promoting Covid safety measures.

With an increased need for meaningful connections around diversity and community, alignment to a consumer’s values is surmounting the idea of value for money.

HYBRID IS THE WORD

Augmented reality has not shown more signs of growth than during the pandemic. Events are going hybrid, social commerce is booming and metaverse technology will soon be a reality. Brands must forgo any biases toward less-familiar formats and begin embracing the hybrid approach across programming to avoid being left out.

McKinsey reports that both businesses and customers experienced five years’ worth of digital adoption progress in just eight weeks in the beginning of the pandemic. Due to the global pandemic combined with this progress, a Forrester survey reveals that 58% of marketing leaders agree that “all flagship B2B marketing events will be hybrid in two years.”

However, some retailers aren’t waiting. Nike’s Seoul-based Nike Rise concept store sought to redefine retail commerce by gamifying the in-store experience with social apps. It’s only a matter of time before more retailers adopt these new formats.

COME ON GET HAPPY

While 2020 seems to have generated more angry and fearful news, consumers in 2022 will push through the negative and embrace a positive outlook on life. New optimists range from Gen Z to Boomers, but despite their broad demographic, they have many unifiers – the largest being a vivacious appetite to embrace joy.

According to WGSN Insight, by 2022, radical optimism will push through the negative and result in immense feelings of joy and pleasure. Additionally, a December 2021 Ipsos survey finds that 71% of US adults are optimistic that 2022 will be a better year for them than 2021.

How does this relate to your brand? A Forrester study reveals that consumer demand for brands that deliver instant happiness and comfort will propel category growth. Consumers will turn to uplifting, pleasing products and experiences that offer a reprieve from the fatigue of ongoing uncertainty.

Consumer demand for brands that deliver instant happiness and comfort will propel category growth.

PURSUIT OF PURPOSE

Prompted by cultural shifts and uncertainty during the pandemic, consumers are seeking to reevaluate their lifestyles to behave with more intention. Zeitgeist research reports that treating oneself and indulging are in the top three things that have become more important to consumers in the past year.

To tap into this shift toward purposeful behaviors, brands should inspire and motivate consumers to take back control of their lives following pandemic-era lockdowns. Take cues from a new campaign from Visit Dubai, “A brand new you,” that encourages travelers to rediscover themselves by exploring the city’s biggest attractions.

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