{"id":1069,"date":"2023-01-18T08:00:41","date_gmt":"2023-01-18T06:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/?post_type=company_news&#038;p=1069"},"modified":"2023-09-26T14:32:16","modified_gmt":"2023-09-26T12:32:16","slug":"the-joyconomy-is-here-2023-brings-elevated-expressionism-to-arm-people-with-hope-joy-and-happiness-for-an-uncertain-year","status":"publish","type":"company_news","link":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/company_news\/the-joyconomy-is-here-2023-brings-elevated-expressionism-to-arm-people-with-hope-joy-and-happiness-for-an-uncertain-year\/","title":{"rendered":"The Joyconomy is here: 2023 Brings Elevated Expressionism to arm people with hope, joy, and happiness for an uncertain year"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Wunderman Thompson\u2019s annual trend almanack features 100 bitesize predictions that offer a splash of colour, inspiration, and an insightful glimpse into 2023<\/em><\/p>\n<p>An unrestrained, impactful, and powerful burst of energy is being injected into the year ahead, arming people with hope, joy, and happiness amid continuing uncertain times, according to \u2018The Future 100: 2023\u2019 from Wunderman Thompson.<\/p>\n<p>The outlook from the 9<sup>th<\/sup> edition of the annual essential trend almanac, which offers a snapshot of the most compelling trends to keep on the radar for the year ahead, says that despite the ongoing economic and environmental crises, people are choosing joy.<\/p>\n<p>Coined by Wunderman Thompson Intelligence as the \u2018Joyconomy\u2019, the rise of trends such as \u2018Elevated Expressionism\u2019, \u2018Feel-Good Feeds\u2019, and \u2018Ageless Play\u2019, demonstrates the opportunities for brands who lean into consumers\u2019 desire for inspiration and optimism, as people are determined to show resilience, innovation, and joy in the face of continued hardship.<\/p>\n<p>This is particularly true in South Africa, where many are facing challenges, such as the rising cost of living, high unemployment, and inflation levels, loadshedding, political corruption, eroding infrastructure and high crime rates. Yet, despite this, consumer confidence is on the rise, and South Africans are starting the year with optimism and determination, searching for moments of joy in small and sometimes unexpected places.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;<em>South Africans have faced significant stress and pressure in recent years, yet many remain optimistic about the future, which highlights their resilience<\/em>,&#8221; said Amy Harper, Senior Strategist at Wunderman Thompson South Africa. &#8220;<em>Brands that tap into this consumer mindset by finding ways to uplift and support them, whilst also communicating in a compassionate and empathetic manner will be able to stay ahead<\/em>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>In addition to the rise of the \u2018Joyconomy\u2019, highlights from the publication include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Culture \u2013 Indigenous Innovation:<\/strong> Indigenous techniques are forming regenerative approaches to managing the environment. In South Africa, brands such as Robertsons are looking at ways to help consumers make informed food decisions by offering endless information about their eating choices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Tech &amp; Metaverse \u2013 Techcessibility:<\/strong> Companies are redesigning their digital environments for greater accessibility. In South Africa, Cadbury P.S. has focused its communication on helping to end cyberbullying in the digital and physical worlds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Travel &amp; Hospitality \u2013 Temperate Travel:<\/strong> Rising temperatures will prompt travellers to seek cooler destinations. Locally, Gen Zs and Millennials are looking for travel brands that genuinely embrace environmentally responsible practices.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Brands &amp; Marketing \u2013 Amplifying Diverse Creators:<\/strong> Growing calls for authentic representation in advertising are driving a wave of brand collaborations with marginalised creative talents. There is also pressure on advertising agencies in South Africa by clients to find ways of incorporating AI into marketing communications to meet marketing and business objectives.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Food &amp; Drink \u2013 Cell-cultured Dishes<\/strong>: Luxury dining may be the first beneficiary as cell-cultured food moves from the lab to the grocery store. In South Africa, calls for clean label claims in plant-based foods are becoming louder due to concerns over ultra-processing.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Beauty \u2013 Resurrected Ingredients:<\/strong> Brands are bringing back extinct and forgotten sensory ingredients. Clean Beauty used to be all the rage in South Africa; now, consumers are looking at Slow Beauty, where beauty products are made with natural ingredients with recycled or biodegradable packaging sourced from ethical suppliers.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Retail &amp; Commerce \u2013 Crisis Retail:<\/strong> As the financial crisis bites, brands are stepping up to help their most vulnerable consumers. This year\u2019s social media advertising will use trusted South African influencers, making a notable impact on the spending habits of South Africans who are on platforms, scrolling and looking for items to purchase.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Luxury \u2013 Residence at Sea:<\/strong> The next-gen digital nomad is taking to the sea \u2013\u00a0in style. South African Millennials and Gen Zs have redefined luxury. For this group, it\u2019s not about high-end luxury brands but rather brands expressing their values and identity. Luxury is now a state of mind and not a price point.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Health \u2013 Menopause Retreats:<\/strong> From HRT education to nutritional advice, retreats designed specifically for the menopause journey are on the rise. There is a growing interest in improving everyday health and wellness amongst South Africans through small acts such as walking, mindful drinking, early dinners, and phone-free time.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Work \u2013 Generation Flex:<\/strong> Employee expectations are rising. Despite economic woes, could the balance of power be tipping in their favour? Due to the electricity crisis in South Africa, many employees are returning to work at the office; however, some have become accustomed to life working from home.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>\u201cAs the world, including South Africa, faces the possibility of a recession, it is crucial for brands to understand the latest consumer trends that will shape spending habits. The Future 100: 2023 provides valuable insights that will assist brands in staying ahead of the curve<\/em>.\u201d said Parusha Partab, Group Strategy Director of Wunderman Thompson South Africa.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018The Future 100: 2023\u2019 from Wunderman Thompson\u2019s futurism, research, and innovation unit, Wunderman Thompson Intelligence, is a global report that has been compiled by a leading team of trend analysts, bringing together exclusive expert interviews and proprietary research.<\/p>\n<p>Download the report: <a href=\"https:\/\/bit.ly\/3iRo8qW\">https:\/\/bit.ly\/3iRo8qW<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Credits: <\/strong><br \/>\nWunderman Thompson Intelligence<br \/>\nEditor in Chief: Emma Chiu<br \/>\nEditor: Emily Safian-Demers<br \/>\nWriters: Marie Stafford, Chen May Yee, John O\u2019Sullivan, Sarah Tilley, Carla Calandra, Jamie Hannah Shackleton, Francesca Lewis<br \/>\nSub-Editors: Hester Lacey, Katie Myers<br \/>\nCreative Director: Shazia Chaudhry<br \/>\nCover: Planet City, courtesy of Liam Young<br \/>\nFonts Used: Termina; Helvetica Neue (TT)<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>About Wunderman Thompson South Africa<\/u><\/strong><br \/>\nWunderman Thompson South Africa is born out of the country\u2019s oldest digital, social media, technology and advertising agencies. Strong strategic and creative approaches backed by data and insights that drive service delivery across four Centres of Excellence: Integrated Marketing Communications, Consulting and Technology &amp; eCommerce.<\/p>\n<p>Part creative agency, part tech firm and part consultancy, Wunderman Thompson offers Level 1 BBBEE credentials, a team of 500+ talented professionals, and four office locations nationwide. The group\u2019s global network spans 90 markets.<\/p>\n<p>Wunderman Thompson is a WPP agency (NYSE: WPP).<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em><strong>For more information, please visit us at\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.wundermanthompson.com\">www.wundermanthompson.com<\/a>\/southafrica\u00a0and follow Wunderman Thompson on our social channels via\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/wunthompsonrsa\">Twitter<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/WundermanThompsonSouthAfrica\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/wunderman-thompson-south-africa\/mycompany\/\">LinkedIn<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/wunthompsonrsa\/\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Wunderman Thompson\u2019s annual trend almanack features 100 bitesize predictions that offer a splash of colour, inspiration, and an insightful glimpse into 2023<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1106,"template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":""},"company":[27],"class_list":["post-1069","company_news","type-company_news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","company-wunderman-thompson-sa"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/company_news\/1069"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/company_news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/company_news"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1106"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1069"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"company","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/retailingafrica.com\/companies\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/company?post=1069"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}