SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–With Thanksgiving approaching, Americans looking back at the upheavals of 2020 surprisingly don’t want to return to life as it was before the pandemic.
According to Ignite 360, a San Francisco-based consumer insights and strategy firm that has been tracking Americans’ habits and values since the start of the pandemic, people want change – and not just political change. Nearly three quarters of adults said they want to make a change in their own life post-pandemic. They want a spiritual change. Only 18% of people said they want to go back to exactly how things were in 2019.
The dominant theme that’s emerging reflects a new macro trend that could shape our lives for a generation: Gratitude.
74 percent of people surveyed who said they want change said they want to learn to be happy with what they have. They also want to reduce consumer consumption and impulse buying while spending more time with friends and family as well as on ‘self-care’.
“The pandemic has taken away many of our distractions, giving people the chance to pause and reflect on their lives as well as the state of our society. It has allowed us to ponder and react to issues like social injustice, and to reconsider what really matters to each of us,” said Ignite 360’s CEO, Rob Volpe. “This is about the present, what we have around us and what truly nurtures us such as our personal relationships. This new appreciation for gratitude will have meaningful implications to our society and culture – as well as to how brands do business — going forward.”
“Like the Authenticity trend, which began to take root in the 1990s and sparked major changes over the past 25 years, the Gratitude trend will take time to embed itself fully in our approach to daily living. Advertisers, for example, should take heed and start incorporating messages that reflect the increased appreciation of family and close friends that will resonate with consumers’ shifting attitudes,” added Volpe.
Ignite 360’s findings are part of “Navigating to a New Normal,” the firm’s ongoing study following the impact of the events of 2020 on Americans. It consists of regular weekly and bi-weekly conversations with 16 Americans, diverse in thought, experience, gender, age, ethnicity and backgrounds. The study also features a quantitative survey that has been gathering data since early April 2020.
The sample size for the data in this study is n=1,250 each week through the end of September. It is representative of US adults 18+ for age, gender, geography and ethnicity.
For more data from this part of the study:
https://www.ignite-360.com/blog/what-americans-want-the-thirst-for-meaningful-change
About Ignite 360:
Ignite 360 is a consumer insights and strategy firm that helps Fortune 500 companies and growing organizations find the big ideas to move business forward. Through qualitative and quantitative methods, our holistic 360° approach provides companies with a unique level of intelligence and empathy by tapping into the hearts and minds of their customers. Ignite 360 is headquartered in San Francisco. For more, visit ignite-360.com.
