Connecting the dots.

Consumer trends
that will shape 2020

Our analysts have crunched the latest numbers and pulled out the trends that matter. Here's everything you need to know about the year ahead.

01

What’s up, doc?

With the advent of new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), telehealth, and robotics, healthcare — as we know it — is changing. Using consumer data, this trend explores the role digital technologies and AI will play in reshaping the healthcare system.

There’s strong demand for digital health technologies

Consumers say using the following health tech/features could help them manage their health effectively

02

Privacy in a cashless future

As consumers continue to grapple with taking control of their online identities, they might soon have to start worrying about their financial identities too. Both Facebook and the Chinese government are preparing to roll out their own digital currencies next year, meaning more scrutiny and awareness is likely to be placed on where and how people are spending their money in their day-to-day lives.

1 in 3 consumers in the UK and U.S. say they’re not sure which organizations offer the best protection of their personal data

03

Can I speak to a human please?

With technology as the great equalizer of society, relying on devices to meet our needs has become part of mass culture. We investigate how going “back-to-basics” – to ultra-humanized experiences – is becoming the new face of luxury.

04

The reinvention of retail

Tales of retail apocalypse are increasingly flooding conversations. Retail stores are thought to be losing their leverage in the digital world, and encouraged to expand their reach with omnichannel strategies. Covering all channels and being digital-first isn’t the solution, a change in mindset is. Stores can be fashion brands’ greatest asset in 2020.

Top 3 desired features in clothes/apparel stores

% of in-store fashion buyers in the U.S. and UK who say they would most like to see the following features available in clothes shops

When the penny drops

Economic outlook for 2020

6 in 10 internet users believe their personal finances will improve in the next 6 months

As the warning bells continue to ring out about an impending recession in 2020, we take stock of the opinion of both consumers and business across a range of key industries.

05

Data is the new jet fuel

After 2020, travel may never be the same again. Better data management, personalization, and cross-selling are all on the agenda. As airlines and travel publishers face volatility, they join a host of contenders to battle for the ultimate prize: becoming the only travel provider you ever need.

Travel app usage has grown 90% since 2015

% who have used a travel app in the last month

Travel app usage has grown from 20% to 38%.
06

Out with the new, in with the old

With Disney+ set to roll out as 2019 draws to a close, we’re all reminded of the power of nostalgia in marketing. But the online landscape in 2020 will bring on a new kind of it – the nostalgia of trawling through historic personal data.

62% of internet users in the UK and U.S. have felt nostalgic about a song in the past year

% who have felt nostalgic about the following in the past year…

A song
64%
A photo
52%
A TV show
40%
A film
37%
A video
27%
A book
23%
A console game
16%
Fashion
14%
Graph showing percentage of internet users who have felt nostalgic about things in the past year.
07

Commerce at the crossroads

Increasingly, we’re seeing efforts aimed at getting consumers to buy while they’re on the move. Advancements in 5G, voice technology, and contactless payments are helping to create a new location for online shopping. But how do consumers feel about this? And where is the greatest potential?

50% of UK and U.S. drivers are excited about the idea of using in-car technology to buy products ahead of time

08

Two can play at that game

We are in the middle of a high-stakes, highly competitive battle royale, as tech giants clamour to be the frontrunner in the gaming space. It’s easy to understand why, as gaming is among the most truly cross-demographic activities we track, and has started to evolve into a new form of social network that is transorming how we connect through shared experience.

7 in 10 online gamers in the UK and U.S. feel part of a gaming “community”

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