5 key themes which will shake up the creative scene in 2022

The cultural and commercial landscape has been rapidly evolving, following the rise of virtual economies and increased awareness on social and environmental issues such as climate change. In recent times, terms such as "sustainability", "NFTs" and "metaverse" are growing in popularity, pushing marketers to rethink how they engage consumers. According to Dentsu’s creative trends report for 2022 titled “New Worlds Order”, these changes can be consolidated into five key themes for marketers to take note of.

1. Alternate realities

The rise of augmented realities and virtual economies create the potential for parallel universes with their own identity, currency and assets – worth no less than those in the real world. This eventually brought about three trends in alternate realities – “virtual signalling”, the misinformation economy and meta-morphosis.

Virtual signalling sees luxury brands make their foray into the metaverse, while up keeping their brand image of luxury. For instance, a Gucci bag being sold in the metaverse would be as proportionately more expensive as compared to non-luxury goods. This includes the sale of NFTs, which may be sold in limited quantity to create exclusivity. According to dentsu, about US$11 billion worth of NFTs were sold in the third quarter of 2021. As NFT collections are limited in numbers, owning NFTs have become an indicator of virtual status. 

Meanwhile, the misinformation economy refers to the “dystopian potential” of two individuals living side-by-side while living in very different perceived realities due to coordinated misinformation campaigns, personal filter bubbles and deepfakes.

Lastly, meta-morphosis refers to consumers’ ability to play with and identify in safe spaces with increasingly sophisticated synergies between real and virtual personas, as well as the rise of virtual streamers and YouTubers. This group of consumers are also known as VTubers.

Self-expression matters just as much as status in the virtual space. Hence, marketers can empower users with the right 'skins', accessories, apparel and avatars; allowing them to explore and express their identity.

According to a dentsu CMO survey, 83% of CMOs said they will offer more remote or virtual products and services going forward. This may be more beneficial for clothing, beauty and self-care brands, but can be implemented by other brands who wish to deliver their message of commitment to inclusion and representation. 

2. Redistributed ownership

In another trend powered in part by blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies, new ownership models emerge; blurring the boundaries between creators, businesses and the communities they engage. For instance, decentralised autonomous organisations are creating a new model for governance, transparency and collective action. In the commercial space comes a new loyalty programme, where consumers can monetise their advocacy in new ways and brands can monetise secondary sales in traceable ways.

Cryptocurrency has also created an avenue of wealth and opportunity among demographics who might not previously have engaged with assets or investments. According to dentsu, cryptocurrency is also the only financial sector where participation is higher among younger adults than older. Notably, there are twice as many men as women who invest in cryptocurrency.

One factor that led to the increase in crypto-assets and investments is the increased adoption of NFTs by mainstream brands such as WarnerBros., McDonald’s and even Toys ‘R’ Us, which made “entering the world of digital assets accessible to the many, not the few”.

One way marketers can appeal to consumers is by creating opportunities for fans to profit from their devotion through decentralised technologies, such as  peer-to-peer sales.

Another way is to create initiatives that will allow fans to monetise their own time and engagement. For instance, as Yield Guild Games, a “play-to-earn gaming guild”, allows users to connect their crypto wallet to instantly start earning as they play.

3. Conscious decoupling

As the urgency of the climate crisis increases, so too has consumers' scrutiny towards companies and brands. Amidst rising climate anxiety, businesses are seriously considering how they can decouple their growth from their impact on the planet. Companies are actively looking for ways to decouple economic growth from environmental damage, with 81% of CMOs agreeing that their business will undergo a fundamental pivot in response to climate change - from access to ownership, or from automotive to mobility for instance.

Similarly, 835 of CMOs agree that sustainable change is only possible through collaboration across industry, policymakers and consumers. To that end, businesses are making alliances with policymakers and other like-minded, often competitor organisations.

Separately, this year saw more people leaving their jobs than at any point in recorded history, as the pandemic has "thrown work-no-work-life-balance priorities into sharp relief". According to a report by McKinsey & Company, 42% of healthcare and social-assistance workers had quit their job without having a new job lined up.

4. Generation "Also Me"

According to dentsu, Generation “Also Me” is the most multi-cultural generation in history, and the generation most at ease with non-binary approaches to gender and identity. They expertly curate personas across platforms and happily embrace contradictions.

The rise of niche social networks and communities of passion enable sub-cultures to flourish and individuals to embrace multiple identities across platforms. In other words, consider "identity" truly decentralised. Businesses must embrace tools and insights platforms that allow them to tune in, in real-time and shape-shift with dexterity in order to meet the needs of their audiences. 

For instance, 44% of Gen Z consumers use YouTube as a channel for investment advice, and 77% see TikTok as platform to engage with political activism, while gaming is used as a space to navigate important social issues. 

Whereas once these partnerships might have felt like a poor or even damaging brand fit, in a decentralised world, businesses are expected to demonstrate their adaptability to changing audiences - conventional considerations around brand fit are becoming obsolete. The ability to flex, experiment, collaborate and even partner with competitor brands in pursuit of new ideas has become an attractive attribute to audiences hungry for new stimulation.

5. Personal bubbles

The pandemic and resulting lockdowns have led consumers to increase their focus on their body, home, and neighbourhood. As more consumers recognise the importance of taking personal responsibility for our health and wellbeing, every brand will be, to some extent or another, in the well-being business whether mental, physical or emotional. The challenge will be to identify credible spaces to play both from a brand perspective and the perspective of responsible data stewardship. 

On the flipside, the rise of personal tracking has the potential to lead to increased fragmentation and privacy challenges. Many businesses have unexpectedly found themselves in the business of healthcare data. Supermarket chains, concert venues and neighbourhood cafes alike are suddenly in the possession of healthcare data, from vaccination status to temperature. 

Additionally, as homes become users' offices, cinemas, bars and restaurants over the course of the pandemic, there was significant investment in home décor, home entertainment systems and more sophisticated remote and virtual entertainment experiences. In parallel, there was also a strong desire for local connection emerging, both in the food category and more widely.

Photo courtesy: 123RF

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