Part #2: The power of playfulness

INTRODUCTION

Hi, and welcome to part two of the first part of a four-part series. A series that will look at the current and forthcoming cultural trends brands need to be aware of. Why is this important? Well long-time readers will know that fame, or getting people to talk about your brand, is the most effective path to brand growth. And that the best way to achieve this is to tap into what people are already talking about (ie culture).

If you enjoyed this edition please do me one small favour and share it with colleagues, friends, family, your existing agency who aren’t pulling their weight 😉 etc etc.

Enjoy.

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A SERIOUS WORLD

To say the 2020s have been a difficult decade so far would be an understatement. Over the last three years, we have jumped from one crisis to the next. We have lived through a global pandemic, Capitol riots in America, mass job losses, and war on the borders of Europe. And whilst some hoped 2023 might be better, in reality, most fared far worse.

We have gone from a health crisis to a cost-of-living crisis. Most have struggled with rising prices brought about through inflation. Many more have failed or struggled to make mortgage payments as interest rates continue to rise. And to top it all, there is the looming threat that A.I. could potentially see many of us lose our jobs in the near future.

This continual crisis has forced many to reconsider traditional professional and personal paths in life. Gone are the days of a stable job for life. Gone are the days of buying a family home in your thirties, let alone your twenties. And gone are the days of traditional milestones. Today, younger generations are placing less value on traditional milestones such as university graduation, marriage, and moving out of the parental home.

To make matters worse, the traditional means of escaping or forgetting how bad things have become have come under threat too. The Hollywood writers' strike was one of the longest in decades, a strike that saw many of our most desired films, TV shows, and even video games delayed. And as covered previously, the growing blandness of content and sequels saw opportunities to escape through entertainment and play dwindle even further.

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STRATEGY MASTERCLASS

Does this newsletter leave you wanting more? Do you wish you could learn the secret strategic approach behind some of the world’s most famous brands and awarded creative agencies? Well, good news. The next cohort of our Strategy Masterclass is now live and we given it a massive overhaul. Watch the video to get an overview:

Click the link to check out the new updates and products…

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IMPLICATIONS FOR BRANDS

How should brands respond to this? In our 2023 trend report ‘Thriving in Uncertain Times’ we identified ‘Escaping Reality’ as a key trend for the year ahead. In 2024 we believe this trend will evolve to become even more important as consumers seek new forms of play as a means of escapism. This desire for play will also be fuelled by changes in society where some will have more time to play as we see a potential pivot toward the four-day working week and the continuing rise of ‘quiet quitting’.

In short, brands should help people escape through the power of playfulness.

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#1 PLAYFUL PARTNERSHIPS

One of the biggest brand moments of 2023 was the Barbie movie. It racked up over $1.4BN in revenue & helped Mattel increase toy sales by 9% in Q3. Pivotal to the Barbie movie's success was the vast array of partnerships the brand did, from AirBnB to Burger King. A partnership that benefitted Barbie’s reach and allowed other brands to showcase their playful side. So it goes to show that even brands in boring categories can be more playful with the right partnerships. Brands can learn from this and look for more playful partnerships in 2024.

#2 EMBRACE YOUR PLAYFUL SIDE

One of our favourite campaigns of 2023 was McDonald’s ‘Raise your arches’. The campaign brilliantly conveys the playful side of the McDonald’s brand & the joy a cheeky Maccies can bring. Brands should learn from this and explore ways to bring their playful side to life in 2024.

#3 MAKE THEM PLAYFUL

As the world becomes more stressful, many have struggled to keep up with their playful side. Netflix looked to combat this by partnering with Nike last year. The campaign saw a number of workout classes released on the platform, enabling more people to get moving and be playful. Brands can learn from this and find ways to get people, who have lost their way, to play more again.