THE SECOND EDITION OF LATEST PROSUMER STUDY AIMS TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE PANDEMIC HAS SHIFTED CONSUMER ATTITUDES AND WHAT CAN BE SEEN AS THE TIPPING POINT FOR MANY COUNTRIES.
As the initial wave of COVID-19 surged and spread across the globe, the Prosumer team fielded an impromptu study to understand the impact of the pandemic on consumer attitudes and behaviors. We released the resultant report—“Beyond COVID-19”—in tandem with 2020’s first Prosumer Report, “ReACT.”
In October, many of those who had returned to their offices found themselves back working from home, living their lives in lockdown and quarantine once more. Consequently, the team chose to run a second edition of Prosumer COVID-19—returning to the same seven markets—to understand what can be seen as the tipping point for many countries around this pandemic, with 79% of Prosumers worldwide understanding that “we need to get used to living in an age of pandemics.”
Key Findings
A new tension with time: People are torn apart between the necessity of surviving the present day and the desire to reinvent tomorrow’s world. An overwhelming majority of Prosumers are tired of waiting, with 90% of them saying the worst thing about COVID-19 is not knowing when it will end.
Heightened fragmentation: In April, a majority of Prosumers surveyed expected the world to be more united and less individualistic as a result of the pandemic. That number declined significantly in October. 79% of Prosumers agreed that the pandemic has widened the gap between rich and poor countries. Moreover, 59% of Prosumers think COVID-19 has created or exacerbated tensions (young vs. old, maskers vs. no-maskers, rule followers vs. rule flouters), which makes it harder to be united and build a society of common interests.
A shift to authority mode: Most Prosumers in all seven countries are angry that, while they are following all health and safety measures during this pandemic, other people are not. Accordingly, 61% would like their governments to force citizens to comply with rules set during the pandemic. Fewer felt individuals should be trusted to make responsible decisions. Nevertheless, majorities in only two countries—France and Germany—indicated a preference for a national leader who will take charge and implement strong measures.
Switching to “joyful resilience”: In light of new life constraints, a majority of Prosumers have redefined the way they bring pleasure in their life. That’s what we call the “joyful resilience” – a life philosophy where most Prosumers prioritize the little things that make them happy, more than 71% of the French are more inclined to live in the moment and not plan for the future.
Brands must ease the present while projecting us into a positive future: Brands are expected to strike the perfect balance between easing our lives in the present, helping us find ways to bring joy into our daily lives, and projecting a vision of a more positive future. While 73% of Prosumers indicated they won’t buy from brands that ignore the challenges our world faces, 49% expect brands to help them feel more confident in the future. Among other expectations, Prosumers want brands to switch from products to services that help them live better with nearly three-quarters indicating that they are more interested now in subscribing to services that help them learn new things.
