Activity 2

Activity 3

Research Activity

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WGSN Consumer Trend Research

Future Consumer Insights from 2025 to 2027

2025 – Reclaiming Time & Four New Profiles

• Opting out vs. opting in: New Nihilists drop out of mainstream responsibilities while Pioneers actively build new systems
• Human-centric reduction: Reductionists emphasise ethics, sustainability and offline community
• Time as currency: Time Keepers treat time as the most valuable resource, investing it in meaningful experiences
• Innovation leadership: Pioneers drive technological and societal innovation, from smart cities to safer metaverses

2026 – The Great Exhaustion & Gleamers

• Burnout & Polycrisis: Economic, political and environmental crises have created large amounts of exhaustion, especially among youngsters
• Micro-joy & glimmers: Consumers will look for small, happy moments to defend against stress
• Positive reinforcement: Brands that help consumers find "glimmers" and celebrate minor achievements can gain loyalty

2027 – Emotions, Brand Communities & Coexistence of Polarities

• Collective burnout & search for community: Digital fatigue will drive consumers toward IRL communities and brand-led gatherings
• Emotional drivers & Witherwill: Emotional connection will be central to spending decisions; Witherwill reflects the desire to escape responsibilities and find slower living
• Play & joy as coping mechanisms: Humour and play will help consumers manage stress; brands can harness nostalgia and playful UX to attract "kidults"
• Privacy & polarities: Some consumers will prioritise privacy, simplicity and authenticity (Guardians of Privacy), while others (Energisers) will embrace playfulness and humour. The co-existence of such polarities reflects 2027's "and/and" mindset

Key Progression Across 2025–2027

WGSN's consumer forecasts reveal a clear progression:

• From realignment to reclaiming: Previous consumers seek balance and alignment; 2025's cohorts work to reclaim time and agency
• From burnout to glimmers: 2026 emphasises burnout and the search for micro-joy (glimmers) to counter stress
• From digital fatigue to emotional currency: 2027 underscores emotional connections, community and polarities; brands must build authentic UX to keep user retention

WGSN Personas Research

Future Consumer Insights by Year

Future Consumer 2024

WGSN outlined 4 big personas focused on reconnection and control after years of global instability:

• Regulators: Prefer control, order, and routine. Often Gen-X in leadership roles who dislike chaos and long for stability. Think: frictionless experiences, clear rules, low stimulation.
• Connectors: Reject the hustle and are redefining success. They're into fractional living (sharing stuff, co-owning, subscriptions). Startups, side gigs, flexible lifestyles? Totally their vibe.
• Memory Makers: Obsessed with time well spent—less about perfection, more about presence. They declutter life, slow down, and seek meaningful, often nostalgic, moments.
• New Sensorialists: Tech optimists who blend physical and digital. They use crypto, love NFTs, and seek immersive, hybrid experiences that feel magical and interactive.

Future Consumer 2025

The theme here is taking back control of time and space.

• New Nihilists: Young and overwhelmed by climate doom and societal failure. Rather than stress, they tune out and define happiness on their own terms. Their apathy is a coping mechanism.
• Reductionists: Want fewer screens and more human moments. They value in-person connections, sustainability, kindness, and brands that "do the right thing."
• Time Keepers: Time is their most precious currency. They avoid doomscrolling, invest in rituals, and build meaningful memories over material gains.
• Pioneers: Future-forward and change-loving. They dream big—smart cities, the metaverse, you name it. They're hybrid creators with one foot in reality and the other in tomorrow.

Future Consumer 2026

Only one public persona so far, but it's a fun one:

• The Gleamers: Celebrate minorstones, not milestones. They find joy in personal wins like paying off loans or quitting a toxic job. Success is now personal and shareable, not societal. It's about sparkle in small stuff.

HMI Research

Design Trends & HMI Relevance

1. Affectionate UI (WGSN)

Insight: Emotionally intelligent interfaces are reshaping digital experiences by detecting and responding to user feelings. Responsive UI Orbs and modular interfaces adapt in real time to personal input.

HMI Relevance:

• Use sensors (light, rotary knob) to mimic emotional response (e.g., moon glow)
• Modular visual states (chaotic-to-ordered particles) follow user control—emotionally evocative

2. Strategic Joy & Intentional Tech (WGSN Tech 2024)

Insight: People seek immersive, co-creative experiences that bring meaning and joy. Tactile controls and sensory feedback are essential for engagement.

HMI Relevance:

• Rotary knob = tactile joy in shifting time
• Light sensor + moon brightness = poetic control through ambient conditions
• Projected visuals invite meditative exploration (not just data output)

3. Brand Strategy – The Future of Multisensory Marketing (WGSN)

Glimmers & Multi-Sensory Triggers (WGSN Tech 2024)

Insight: Micro-moments of joy or "glimmers" are powerful emotional triggers. Brands increasingly use sound, light, texture, and movement to create these subtle moments of delight and emotional safety.

HMI Relevance:

• The moon's glow acts as a glimmer — subtly responsive to ambient light input via a sensor
• Tactile interface (rotary knob) builds engagement through gentle co-creation
• Particle convergence simulates soothing transformation — a slow ritual that builds trust and calm

Project Path

WGSN Personas & Project Path Applications

1. The Reductionists (WGSN Future Consumer 2025)

Insight: This group values simplification and clarity. They reject digital clutter and want interfaces that do less but do it better. Accessibility, minimal UI, and peace-of-mind are central.

Path Relevance:

• Build interfaces that declutter complex processes (e.g., healthcare, finance, scheduling)
• Tools that automate, filter, or summarize with elegance
• Prioritize readability, calmness, reduced steps

2. Emotion Recognition & Adaptive Interfaces (WGSN Trend)

Insight: Even functional tools are expected to respond emotionally or personally. Interfaces must now adapt to the emotional state or context of the user.

Application:

• Mood-aware apps for productivity, learning, or therapy
• Interfaces that shift based on stress detection, environmental light, or user tone

3. The Gleamers (WGSN Personas 2026)

Insight: Celebrate minor personal victories. These users appreciate tools that acknowledge small goals and personal metrics.

Project Path Use:

• Habit trackers
• Gratitude logs
• Systems that show users their own progress back to them (e.g., "You saved 2 hours this week using this tool!")

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