The logic behind consumer trends

Fixed cycle

Trends are driven by the fixed cycle of the Zeitgeist, the dominant mentality in society – the spirit of the times. If you are aware of this trend cycle, you will know which ones will become dominant and which ones you can leave behind.

Zeitgeist trend model

This model is based on the idea that societies develop in cycles, like the Kondratieff cycles. To create a consumer cycle, I have developed the
8 ConsumerWorlds, where every world stands for a person’s core need.

The 8 ConsumerWorlds are plotted on the well- known Carl Jung model: I versus We and Freedom versus Secure. It is a dynamic model rather than a static one, because every forty to fifty years the same consumer needs become dominant again, expressed in a different form, product, service or experience.

Early 2000s: green

The Green Zeitgeist at the beginning of the new millennium was a reaction to the nineties. The 1990s were all about living life to the max. The Berlin Wall had collapsed, the free-market economy has triumphed, European countries could join the EU and the euro – without proper checks.

When society is at the top of the model for too long, a big correction follows. The first during this period was the dot-com crash and a much bigger one was the credit crisis. As a consequence, society went back to its origins – Back to Basics. The Green Zeitgeist is driven by two consumer worlds, the preservative and the social world, leading to six consumer trends. To name a couple: Keeping what is good (we value good stuff from the past, such as vintage clothing and retro cars like the Mini Cooper and Fiat 500) and Authenticity is the biggest trend (we value the real thing, for example pure, natural and honest food).

Current Zeitgeist: yellow

After the Green – Back to Basics – period, Western society shifted towards the Yellow Zeitgeist, which is about the New Order. Many people, especially millennials, started to challenge existing systems and create new ones. They were asking fundamental questions. Does everyone need their own car? How can we make the food system more sustainable? This period led to tensions (yellow vest and climate protests) but also to many new opportunities, with start-ups, scale-ups and unicorns (Tesla, Airbnb, Uber, Ayden).

The Yellow Zeitgeist is driven by two consumer worlds, the emotional world and the world of freedom, leading to six consumer trends.
Some examples are Wellness is the new status (we want to feel good, physically and emotionally) and Time for inspiration and new experiments
(we are open to new combinations and setting new frontiers, like outer-spacers Branson and Bezos).

These yellow consumer trends are still relevant today and for the coming years, but it will not be long before we go into the next phase, with COVID-19 accelerating the shift.

Next Zeitgeist: blue

The Blue Zeitgeist will become dominant in the years to come. In this Smart Well-being period, people will want to know what is best for them and best for the planet. Not based on what foodie influencers say, but based on science, a rationale or personal markers. We will go from the emotional world of storytelling and experiences towards the rational world of facts and proven impact.

The Blue Zeitgeist is driven by two consumer worlds, the secure and the rational world, leading to six consumer trends and numerous brand opportunities as we head for 2030.

During my presentation at the GlobalPETS Forum in Amsterdam Beach, you will get to know more details about this and gain a better understanding of what is coming next.