Here at Little Red, clients and journalists alike rely on us to have our finger firmly on the pulse, both in terms of the media landscape and also the trends that shape the main sectors we operate in. As such, we prepare and send bi-annual trend reports to our clients. However, 2020 was rather peculiar so we decided to conduct our trends presentation virtually with our clients just before Christmas.
Needless to say, the presentation was very different from previous reports, and encompassed many more elements than simply the influence of the big design fairs and fashion shows.
Here are some of the highlights:
Creative virtual events continue to be a winner
Here at the Coop, we’ve become a dab hand at the virtual event, from virtual stargazing with craft brewers Siren Craft to launching a range of Bentley Motors audio products for Naim and Focal.
Although this was originally borne out of necessity, virtual launches have now become a key tool in our arsenal. Notably, it provides a higher level of engagement with your target media than you would otherwise get in a physical setting.
After all, you have their undivided attention for an hour or however long the event lasts, and the chat box function allows questions to be answered efficiently and in real time, without disrupting the flow of the presentation. Similarly, last minute drop-outs are kept to a minimum. After all, clicking on a Zoom link is much easier than getting public transport, arranging childcare and all the other obstacles that can get in the way of making it to a physical event.
Of course, they’re also much more cost-effective, but we can still make the experience as special and bespoke as possible, through food deliveries, care packages and interactive activities. For example, attendees to our Lumina launch with Siren Craft Brew received a crate of beer, Siren glass, plus Nikon camera and stargazing binoculars to enjoy from the comfort of their own home. Not bad!
Coming back together
All that being said, we can’t wait to get out there again once it’s safe to do so! Here at the Coop, we thrive on human interaction and catching up with our favourite clients, journalists and partners.
Once we do see the return of physical events, we’re bound to see some changes to the status quo. Those who think creatively and innovatively could easily steal the show on larger, more immersive events, as everyone will be desperate to get out and enjoy themselves.
Many of us have fallen in love with life in the country or smaller cities during lockdown, so we see events and press trips outside of the London bubble becoming much more common. This is also reflective of the media landscape becoming less London-centric. We see more new publishing hubs opening up around the country, joining the likes of Future (behind Marie Claire, T3, TechRadar and many more) in Bath and much of the BBC’s production in Salford.
Likewise, it may be more necessary to give attendees a ‘plus one’, especially for trips abroad, to replicate the family time we’ve cherished over the last year or so.
[(L-R) Mike Giddings UK managing director – Smeg, Alice Temperley – fashion designer and Vic Ruffy – founder Little Red Rooster]
Virtual events may be here to stay, but we can’t wait to get back out meeting people!
Social media dominates the marketing mix
Yes, PR and social media going hand in hand is certainly nothing new. However, with us all cooped up, there’s no better time for brands to ramp up their presence on key social channels.
Social media gives you a direct channel to your target audience, and with so many brands now selling via e-commerce platforms it would be foolish not to give it your undivided attention in 2021.
We predict there will be an even bigger focus on short-form videos on news outlets’ social media channels, while podcast coverage and social awareness will be integral for brands launching new campaigns.
Fortunately, our dedicated team is here to help, led by social media whizz Lynnette Abbott, who joined us from Proporta (Little Red’s first ever client) and previously headed up Ted Baker’s global brand marketing team. She’s written a separate blog about some of the most notable social media trends to expect in 2021 here.
[credit ProlificNorth]
Now is the perfect time for brands to consolidate their social media presence
A shifting media landscape
The media landscape has been heavily impacted by Covid-19, with many experiencing a dramatic drop in advertising revenues and being forced to furlough staff or makes roles redundant altogether.
This environment demanded that media brands adapt and innovate, and we saw countless examples of this. For example, the Evening Standard launching a door-to-door delivery service or Time Out and Stylist going digital only.
National newspaper brands added 6.6 million daily digital readers over the first quarter of 2020 as the first lockdown hit. We see digital engagement continuing to thrive in 2021, but a renewed interest in niche hobby and activity publications is also expected. This is good news for brands as trusted titles like Stuff and Horse & Hound can produce a discernible uptick in sales from engaged readers.
Mindful media leads to mindful purchasing
Publications have been careful to align their tone and focus to the realities of consumers during the pandemic.
Predictably we saw less of a focus on opulent items and more of a desire to showcase practical products like home entertainment or fitness gear in shopping roundups. The items which were once deemed essential are no longer necessary, while products and services which enhance our lives at home will become increasingly popular next year.
This is reflective of a consumer base that wants more honesty and longevity from its brands. Supply chains and manufacturing practices are being scrutinised and greenwashing will be a fatal move in 2021.
Digital services and subscriptions
Another huge value-add for consumers in the last year has been the continued rise of digital services and the subscription economy.
As office-based employees and companies around the world embraced remote working almost overnight, Zoom experienced staggering growth, with daily meeting participants peaking at 300 million in April, up from 10 million in December 2019.
Entertainment followed suit, with Twitch, the world’s largest live streaming platform for gamers, winning millions of new users and live-streaming shooting up 45% between March and April as we settled into our lockdown routine.
Going forward, layering a subscription service on top of a sale of a physical good, like a coffee bean subscription to a coffee machine, will be an important way for traditional businesses to stay relevant.
[Credit: Primephonic]
Digital subscriptions like Ludwig, from our client Primephonic, will continue to prove popular in 2021
Home comforts
The home and how we decorate it has never been more important. What was once a base to live in has become an office, a home school and a place for entertainment this year.
With more time to research, redecorate and re-organise during lockdown, it presents both a unique opportunity and an immense competitive challenge for brands operating in this space.
During the first lockdown, Kingfisher, owners of B&Q and other DIY chains, reporting a 21.8% jump in sales from the beginning of may to end of July as customers rush to make home improvements.
One trend we expect to see more of in 2021 is the concept of “broken plan”, where open plans are split into personal hubs for work, play and study as the lines between these becoming increasingly blurred.
In addition, “bringing the indoor outside” will be hugely appealing as the warmer months draw in.
Kitchen, office and home school spaces that are currently indoors will move outdoors as try to make up for all the vitamin D we’ve missed out on. Accessories such as heaters and garden screens will be in high demand as a result.
Witness the fitness
Keeping fit became a nationwide quest during lockdown, with hundreds of thousands of families tuning to Joe Wicks’ wildly successful PE With Joe workout on YouTube.
Experts say that it takes at least 66 days to form a habit; funnily enough around the same time period as the first UK lockdown. With this in mind, we can expect many of those who got into fitness in 2020 to carry it on more permanently.
Add this to government initiatives such as the £2 billion to be invested in the “cycling revolution”, and the boom in the fitness industry is set to continue.
We can also expect brands and agencies to capitalise on this later in 2021, so events that couple the interest in fitness with the unexpected and a nod to doing ‘good’ will prove popular.
Sustainability over seasonal trends?
With the world in so much flux right now, not to mention Brexit thrown into the mix, we foresee a return to more sustainable buying habits and purchasing design-led pieces that stand the test of time.
This counts as much for consumer tech as it does for interiors and fashion. For example, we saw our client Transparent Sound continue its dedication to modular design, meaning its iconic speakers are built with components that are intended to be upgradeable as technology develops through the years.
Fashion houses and designers are also taking a longer-term view, bending the usual norms of setting seasonal trends far in advance, with purchasing happening direct from the catwalks without the usual delay. Nonetheless, we see a few key aesthetics dominating proceedings for the next 12 months and beyond.
Acceptable in the 80s
Firstly, we have seen a return to 80s fashion, progressing naturally from the focus on 70s style in SS20.
Clashing brights and prints, miniskirts and a whole lot of shoulder action took over the runways at each and every city’s fashion week.
We can expect to see more exaggerated shoulders, neon colours, high-volume party dresses and double denim throughout 2021 as well.
[Credit: Fashionista]
Pretty green
The majority of 2020 may have been spent indoors but SS21 looks to be inspired by the great outdoors. Designers experimented with all shades of green, combined with a plethora of trends – everything from feminine satin pleats to masculine co-ords, clashing with contrasting block colours in moss green and shimmery emerald shades.
In fact, trend forecasters WGSN picked out jade as a key colour for A/W 22/23, with its “calming and grounding quality” offering balance in difficult times.
[Credit: WGSN)
WGSN chose Jade as one of their key colours for A/W 22/23
Luxe loungewear
Unsurprisingly given the amount of time we’ve spent at home, SS21 presentations were awash with designer loungewear creations.
Some labels opted for minimal co-ordinating tracksuits in natural shades, while others clashed expressive prints and block colours channelling the 80s trend. We also saw muted colour palettes, dramatic prints and clashing colours in luxurious cashmere.
Fashion editors and tastemakers see WFH staples such as blanket capes and slippers blending with more traditional office wear to level up our loungewear for 2021.
[Credit: Vogue]
Max Mara’s Spring 2021 collection was one of many to take cues from loungewear
Curves
In 2021, we’ll also see a strong shift away from sharp edges and angles toward softer curves and more circular shapes. This trend goes hand-in-hand with the resurgence of many retro design elements and also ties into political and artistic undercurrents of the past couple of years.
In the interior’s world, curved, natural shapes will bring a softer touch, as well as creating a more organic and relaxed feel to the home at a time when we’re spending so much more time indoors.
[Credit: The Art of Bespoke]
Art Deco-esque curves will stand out 2021
Eclectic glamour
Eclectic glamour is an interiors trend that brings together and balances influences from multiple periods and styles.
Taking particular cues from the roaring ‘20s 100 years on, this is a sophisticated take on a 20th century aesthetic. Importantly, eclectic glamour is a design which is truly personal to you and is all about balance throughout the home.
A great example of this is Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s kitchen, providing a suitably retro backdrop for the “kitchen disco” that gave us so much joy during lockdown.
Rich colours and metallics run throughout the trend – think copper with warm tones such as mustard and peach anchored by navy.
[Credit: Jess Hurrell @gold_is_a_neutral]
Give a space some retro spin with eclectic glamour
Lagom – the next Scandi design sensation
The environmental crisis facing our planet is inevitably having an impact on the way we style and source the interior elements in our homes.
Eco and sustainability are now higher on the agenda than ever before – re-purposing key pieces, using sustainable materials and environmentally friendly alternatives like cork.
This pairs well with the slow living and minimalist lifestyle offered by ‘lagom’. Taken for the Swedish and Norwegian for ‘just the right amount’, it emphasises balance and moderation as a route to contentment.
From an interiors and design point of view, this manifests itself through upcycling, de-cluttering and more sustainable buying decisions.
[Credit: Transparent]
Our friends at Transparent truly embody the ‘lagom’ ethos
Cottagecore
A TikTok favourite from Lockdown 1, cottagecore will continue to make inroads into mainstream design in 2021.
Cottagecore takes influence from traditional country home aesthetics and makes them achievable in city living using fabrics, lampshades, vintage finds and old frames. Its roots can be traced back to the hippie movement of the ’60s and ’70s, and even as far back as Marie Antoinette, says the truly fantastic Museum of English Rural Life Twitter account.
It also encourages shopping at charity shops and markets, feeding into the eco trend for re-purposing furniture and key pieces throughout the home.
The emergence of cottagecore reflects the desire for many of us to move outwards from the cities and into the countryside post-lockdown. Rightmove reported late last year that enquiries from city dwellers about buying a home in a village increased by 126% from the same time in 2019.
[Credit: Fortune]
Cottagecore has moved from TikTok to the mainstream
While we’re always excited to cast our minds ahead to the trends that will shape the year ahead, it’s clear that many things will never be the same.
Many of the changes to the media and the way we shop are likely to be permanent, and it’s crucial that brands adapt. If you’re unsure about which direction to go in, we’re always happy to have a chat.
Here’s to 2021 being a whole lot better than its predecessor.
