The colossal story of 2020 is a global pandemic that has left the world in a fragile and uncertain state. Heading into 2021, consumers are still adjusting to pandemic life. For marketing leaders, that means paying attention to profound changes in consumer trends, values, attitudes and behavior, and adjusting brand strategies accordingly.
A majority of respondents to a September 2020 survey of the Gartner Consumer Community predict that things won’t be back to normal until the fall of 2021 or later. Speaking at the virtual Gartner Marketing Symposium/Xpo® 2020, Kate Muhl, VP Analyst, Gartner, said, “How long consumers think it will take to get back to normal isn’t at all material to how long the pandemic will last, but it is an important metric for marketers thinking about what’s on consumers’ minds and what they’re getting mentally ready for.”
Gartner research on consumer trends captures the most important shifts in consumer behavior, attitudes or cultural experience to provide marketers with a valuable reading of the consumer zeitgeist going into 2021. Three trends are particularly important for marketing leaders to watch.