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Online consumer communities

Alex Tasiopoulos
In Brands, Bulbshare blog, Media

7 Post-Covid Food Trends… And How Your Brand Should Respond

From a bigger focus on health to cutting back on spend, COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on how we approach food. For millions around the world, it’s changed how shop for, plan and eat our daily meals and transformed our attitudes to eating out.

As we continue to emerge from a world rocked by coronavirus, we asked our global consumer community about the changes in attitudes and behaviours they’ve observed over the last six months when it comes to food. From our responses, we’ve identified seven global food trends that are having real global impact in the wake of COVID-19 – plus a five-step brand tool-kit telling you how your brand or organisation can react.

Keeping it local
Shopping local has been gaining momentum over the last few years and it’s only getting bigger in the wake of the coronavirus. With our global markets reporting over 70% participation in more locally-sourced food shopping, it’s clear that buying local is a major priority post covid. Pre-pandemic, the key rationale around going local was a focus on sustainability, food miles and ethics. While these factors remain important, the impact of COVID-19 has shifted motivations slightly: shopping locally is considered cheaper, when more and more of us are cutting back; it supports local economies in a time of economic upheaval and increased community spirit; and is healthier at a time when people are more focused on boosting immunity. All these factors featured heavily in our study.

“... Due to the current pandemic I have chosen to support the local economy and buy in new and small businesses.”

Bulbshare user, 21 🇲🇽

“The most popular dietary trends in my country are the local food trends because they are known to genuinely have their source and know their ingredients...”

Bulbshare user, 30 🇸🇦

Zero waste
Linked to similar motives around sustainability that have inspired our local shopping trend, we have also observed a significant move towards zero waste. For example, Brazil reported over 85% participation in zero-waste food shopping and over 64% of Malaysians emphasised greater sustainability in their weekly shop. While this has been a growing trend in recent years, we have seen an increased awareness of the environment impact of food post lockdown, as people have been cooking more from scratch, travelling and eating out less and considering the positive environmental impact of this. 

“I think since COVID-19, people have been very careful in how much waste they are making and impacting the planet.”

Bulbshare user, 58 🇬🇧

“More rational food shopping, trying to throw away as little as possible, buying food from local suppliers.”

Bulbshare user, 30 🇵🇱

Veganism, veggi, flexi
While vegan, veggi and flexi diets have been on the rise in recent years, we’ve definitely seen a spike in a move towards plant-based eating as a result of covid. This can be put down to an increased focus on health combined with more time spent cooking at home and, consequently, a move towards trying out new dishes and new diets. Our consumer survey reported 55% of UK respondents using meat substitutes post covid, and 57% of Malaysians replacing dairy products.

“I think that what is happening is making us realise the importance of including vegetables and fruits in our diet - since they help our immune system...”

Bulbshare user, 29 🇲🇽

“I like to experiment in the kitchen in the form of substitutes for some products. For example, instead of meat, soy chops (daughter likes them more than normal meat chops).”

Bulbshare user, 35 🇵🇱

From the garden to the table
Gardening and growing at home are officially booming! As the pandemic has forced many people indoors and anxieties remain high around going into public for fear of close contact, many of our digital customer communities have been growing their own food at home. And why not? It’s good for you – physically, mentally, AND financially. Growing your own is a trend we see becoming increasingly prevalent in 2021. Watch this space for a follow-up piece exploring the home-grown phenomenon… 

“Britain has always had a strong farming community. In my family we have always tried to grow our own food and so even though I don't have a garden I have been part of the window box vegetables trend.”

Bulbshare user, 34 🇬🇧

“Certainly fruits and vegetables [from] your garden; preserves created by yourself.”

Bulbshare user, 36 🇵🇱

The hottest new restaurant: Your dining room
With restaurants having been shut down and/or operating capacities greatly curbed (along with fear of infection keeping people away), our digital research community has been cooking and eating more at home than ever before. Health, fear and financial anxieties have meant more and more people are replacing the restaurant with more elaborate home dining, utilising online recipes and food sites and bringing debonaire dining into the home.  

“Due to COVID-19, most people have to spend more time at home. For me this means more time cooking and less time dining out..."

Bulbshare user, 26 🇲🇾

“I do fear that the restaurant industry may not be able to recover, partly because they were closed and could not survive, and partly because people have changed their eating habits over the last few months and they may stick to it. I think a lot of people realized how much money they saved eating at home, and people will eat out less in the future.”

Bulbshare user, 40 🇬🇧

Back to the basics (of ingredients)
Our customer survey communities have reported a heavy emphasis on going back to basics when it comes to food. Simple, healthy and natural ingredients are at the top of the foodie agenda for our community – with a notable rejection of anything considered processed and heavily synthetic. Preservatives, e-numbers and ‘hidden nasties’ were mentioned time and time again by our community and saturated fats and high sugar levels were top of the list of things to be avoided.

“I pay more attention to the products I buy in stores now. I try to choose wholesome products with fiber, protein and vitamins - limiting pork and other red meats. More organic and bio products that aren't processed..."

Bulbshare user, 49 🇵🇱

“Since lockdown, I've also tried to reduce the amount of sugar, additives and preservatives, cooking at home from scratch with locally grown foods.”

Bulbshare user, 34 🇬🇧

Disease Defence!
Boosting immunity and disease defence is high on the agenda when it comes to food shopping – being mentioned heavily in our open text responses. With not just health but ‘avoiding sickness’ being a high priority, our global respondents indicated a strong desire to eat foods with the intention of increasing their bodies’ natural defences against viruses and illness.

“I think this pandemic helped us realise how poorly fed we were because as a result of this, consumption has changed to healthier products that strengthen the immune system to face any disease...”

Bulbshare user, 46 🇲🇽

“COVID-19 makes most of us aware of the importance of 'food care' for a healthy body and avoiding dangerous diseases.”

Bulbshare user, 28 🇲🇾

Brand tool-kit

  • Invest in sustainability. COVID-19 has seen an increased focus on sustainability and the impact of farming, shopping and travel on the environment. Our community demands that brands are demonstrating sustainable farming processes and ethical, environmentally-friendly sourcing. ‘Conscious consumerism’ is at the heart of our Bulbsharers’ outlook and they expect brands to be the same.
  • Minimise waste. From packaging to the products themselves, consumers are looking to cut out waste wherever possible. Any packaging innovations that cut back on waste – particularly plastic – will be sure to engage shoppers and draw people to your brand.
  • Go local. Our post covid consumers are more focused on supporting local communities than ever before. It’s time to reduce your food miles by using local producers. Brands that shout about the local farmers and producers they invest in will gain traction with post covid consumers who are also growing their own, sourcing local and looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
  • Focus on health. Our global customer advocacy community has made it clear that health is more important than ever post covid. Be it boosting immunity or disease defense or just keeping things 100% natural, health messages on food packages will be more critical over the coming months.
  • Be aware of tightening budgets. People all over the world are continuing to cut back in the wake of growing financial uncertainty, and brands must be sensitive to this. Messaging around simple, honest value will be key, as shoppers connect to brands that understand that many of us are facing challenging times.

To find out how Bulbshare could benefit your organisation, please contact Michael Wylie-Harris on michael@bulbshare.com

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare webinars, Digital Trends

Last orders? Drinks industry experts discuss the impact of Covid-19 for alcohol brands this Christmas

Join our panel of industry experts as they share key insights on what a Christmas of closed bars and pubs could mean for the drinks industry… 

Thought-leading panel, including:
– Paul Thomas, Global Insight Director, Asahi
– Liz Davies, Category Lead, Budweiser Brewing Group
– Seb Szczukiewicz: Drinks Industry Insight Specialist, Bulbshare

Elizabeth Johnson
In Bulbshare blog, Trends

Meet the post Covid-19 consumer… The new world trends you really need to know

Coronavirus has changed everything. From how we shop, work and socialise to our attitudes towards mental health and the environment. We’ve become more cautious and considered, more aware of our impact on others. We’ve been forced to be more insular but have learnt to be more community minded. And we’ve gained renewed perspective on the things that really matter.  

The post Covid-19 world will be different in so many irreversible ways. Consumers will fundamentally change their expectations and behaviours and brands must innovate in order to adapt. We asked our global customer insights community what their post Covid-19 world looks like in order to get a feel for the key trends that will shape the future. Here’s what they told us…

Event dining and AI delivery 
One of the sectors hit hardest during the pandemic, restaurants will have a rough  time regaining their dine-in customer base. Consumers have gotten used to lives without eating out and have seen the huge benefits of this in terms of the money they are saving. And when our global focus group community does return to dining, they’ve told us it will be treated more as an event – characterised at first by belated celebrations missed during lockdown.

“First thing we are going to do as a family is go out for a big meal to celebrate not only all our birthdays but our 19th anniversary.”

Bulbshare user, 39 🇬🇧

“Once the bans are lifted, I cannot wait to get together with my family to celebrate all the birthdays and anniversaries we have missed!”

Bulbshare user, 46 🇬🇧

Factors such as high unemployment rates, the fear of a second wave of Covid-19, and realisations around savings made during lockdown will mean restaurants have to rethink their entire business models to get consumers back through the door. We’ve already seen how imperative takeaway and delivery options are, and they will continue to be the main source of revenue for restaurants that survive this period of isolation. Enter AI delivery. In the UK, a robotic delivery service by Starship Technologies is already autonomously bringing fresh food to almost 200,000 residents of Milton Keynes. No human drivers or curriers involved, just a small, cooler-sized vehicle.

Brand Takeaway: Brands must be creative yet compassionate. It’s important to change your business model to best fulfill your consumer needs during this time. Maybe that means introducing more prepared, cook-it-yourself meals and less cooked-to-order, expensive foods. Or, reinventing the dining experience to be a celebratory event, for groups of friends and families to have a delicious dinner within socially distancing guidelines. Or, even more forward-thinking concepts like embracing technology in a traditionally human-centric exchange.

Family Values 
If there’s anything our consumer community agrees on, it’s that being isolated from family and loved ones has been one of the more difficult consequences of lockdown. But, almost 50% of our global customer community members said they will not meet up in large groups of people even after stay-at-home restrictions are lifted. Many are still afraid for their health and safety, and actively want to protect others in their households. Most immediate post-lockdown interactions will be to visit family members they haven’t been able to see, whether because of travel restrictions or susceptibility to disease.

“Go and visit my family who live 200 miles especially my grandparents and give them some presents.”

Bulbshare user, 28 🇬🇧

“If the situation is fully controlled, I will run to see my family who live in another state to hug and kiss them more than ever. I will walk with my family on trails that have not been before, we will explore more in nature and take more care of it.”

Bulbshare user, 27 🇲🇽

This unprecedented time forces us to reexamine our relationships with our elderly as well as our children, and a renewed appreciation of family will continue to be a priority for consumers. Once it becomes safe and acceptable to travel on vacation again, it won’t be to escape the monotony of everyday life anymore, it will be to purposefully reconnect with family in far away places and strengthen bonds. A global health crisis, unprecedented economic challenges, and rapid culture shifts allow consumers to reexamine what is most important to them.

Brand Takeaway: Messages around family, community, time and quality will have more meaning post Covid-19 vs those that focus on status and luxury. Take a step back and reexamine the basics of your brand. With much less disposable income, most consumers want to make a purchase feeling that it is going to better themselves or their family’s lives, not that it was unnecessary.

Work / Life balance
We’ve turned our homes into more than just our living spaces – they’re now our offices as well. There are much more distractions around us, and it has changed our perspective on what it means to be productive. Some people struggle with the relaxed way of working, but some people thrive in the flexibility it provides. While we don’t know when the Coronavirus will disappear, safety precautions like working from home and digital communication between team members will most likely be the norm for years to come.

“I believe my life will be changed by social interaction. I won’t be physically speaking to people as much as before Covid-19. I think I’ll be speaking to them more digitally, so more video calling and texting.”

Bulbshare user, 30 🇺🇸

"I'd like to keep working from home. Sadly that probably won't be the reality, but I actually liked it."

Bulbshare user, 32 🇦🇺

In fact, big corporations like Twitter have already put policies into place allowing employees to choose to work from home indefinitely. They will not open their offices until September, and even then, employees won’t ever have to come in at all if they feel their health is at risk. With the skyrocketing success of video platforms like Zoom and Google Hangout, there’s no need to fit twenty people into a crowded boardroom, and many more companies will follow in Twitter’s footsteps because of this. We’ve been living in the age of the digital revolution for years, but implementing completely digital workspaces into our daily lives drastically speeds it up. Many people are having to quickly learn new technologies and our practice with them everyday is developing new virtual routines that will live on, such as no more long commutes to an office building, no more 9 to 5 workdays, and juggling productivity with things like childcare and maintaining healthy sleeping and eating habits. 

Brand Takeaway: There’s no more avoiding the digital revolution. Brands should target consumers who can benefit from online accessibility. With this, a flawless user experience is key, as employees who are learning  to navigate recent technology will need products that help them, rather than frustrate them. Even though working from home means less face to face interaction, it’s still important to emphasize that a company is still a community made up of strong connections.

Meaningful trips and virtual vacations
Even though lockdown restrictions are cautiously being lifted, we won’t return to normal life for quite some time. Vacations, cruises, business trips, and more have all been postponed indefinitely, and people are itching to leave their homes. We asked our digital research community what will be on the top of their to-do list as we emerge on the other side of Covid-19, and many mentioned planning for a much-needed vacation.

“I will definitely go with my family on a trip to finally get out of the house probably will be visiting interesting places.”

Bulbshare user, 31 🇵🇱

“The first thing that I will do after all of these things is I want to set a date to go for a vacation. It is not that I have never gone on a vacation but due to the coronavirus, we know that a lot of people may suffer from depression due to many reasons. One of them is because they are being apart with family… So, I would like to go for a vacation to release my stress and to ensure that my emotion is going well after this.”

Bulbshare user, 32 🇲🇾

However, what’s different about these future vacations is that consumers will take on a whole new mindset when planning their travels. It’s not just a vacation for the sake of it anymore, it’s for a specific purpose that Covid-19 has brought forward, like making the effort to see family, or traveling to better their mental health and enrich themselves, because people realise that time is precious. Sadly, regular travel seems like it is still a ways away. In the meantime, destinations all over the world have been utilising technology to provide a virtual cure for wanderlust. Immersive VR experiences such as  getting a 360 degree view of iconic wonders of the world like the Taj Mahal, Sphinx, and Stonehenge or perusing through famous museums like the Louvre from your home are alternatives for consumers still being very cautious about the risks travel poses to their health.

Brand Takeaway: The coronavirus pandemic has reminded consumers of the importance of having strong family bonds, so the term ‘family vacation’ takes on a deeper meaning than before, and is an opportunity for brands to emphasize the benefits of travelling and having once in a lifetime experiences with loved ones. In addition, the virus has also shifted consumer’s focus onto their own mental health, so brands can utilise travel or other forms of vacation as ways of grounding oneself in stressful times.

Home dining and healthy living
One of the prominent themes we see emerging in the post Covid-19 world is the need for self-improvement- mentally, emotionally, and physically. This elusive virus that seems to affect people of all ages and lifestyles can pose as a dose of reality for consumers, and allows them to realise how fragile life really is, therefore it is vital we take care of ourselves.

With restaurants no longer open to dine in, and consumers being very careful with their spending, many are getting into the healthy habit of cooking meals for themselves at home, learning what comprises a healthy meal and even getting creative with recipes. Home exercises are also rising to popularity, along with no-equipment workouts like running and walking that also function as an excuse to get some fresh air. These lifestyle changes won’t go away anytime soon, and while some are eager for gym facilities to open, many are still concerned with the germs that can easily spread and will choose to stick to their home routines for a while. In terms of mental health, it’s no shock that the current state of the world and being isolated indoors has caused many to feel anxious and depressed. The positive side is, consumers are actively looking to help themselves in this aspect whether it be through online therapy, meditation courses, or enjoying hobbies with their newfound free time. Our global community has stated many different ways they’ll be taking charge of their wellbeing after this.

“I'm gonna spend time with my friends. Also I'm gonna go back to work (finally). I want to go for a walk, ride a bike. And really care for myself and my mental health- go for a psychologist and psychiatrist appointment. I want to start to volunteer in a local shelter.”

Bulbshare user, 23 🇵🇱

“I don’t really take time for myself, so I think one thing I will start doing is taking more care of my health. So exercising more on a regular basis and really making that impact on my lifestyle to stay healthy.”

Bulbshare user, 28 🇬🇧

Brand Takeaway: We are seeing a lot of messaging around people having no excuse for a lack of productivity during lockdown. But, it’s a good idea to remind consumers that it’s okay to have days where they don’t feel like doing anything. It’s a powerful mental wellbeing check for people to hear from a brand that there’s no right way to process a global health crisis. Brands that emphasise that everyone has an individual experience while promoting the benefits of nutrition, exercise and counselling will stand out from the crowd by being understanding yet transparent.

To find out how Bulbshare could benefit your organisation, please contact Michael Wylie-Harris on michael@bulbshare.com

Elizabeth Johnson
In Brands, Bulbshare blog, Digital Trends, Media

Your 10 step guide to creating content with cut-through…

In a world where we are bombarded with advertisements and sponsored content all day long, it can be difficult for brands to find their way of standing out. Millennials, and now Gen Z, are more demanding in what they expect from brands. They won’t just spend their money anywhere, it has to align with their views, values, and appeal to the eye. 

We asked our online global customer community about what content they want to see and examples of brands that are inspiring them. With our community’s insight, we put together a 10-step toolkit to creating content that resonates with modern audiences.

1. Be transparent
With ethical consumption on the rise, consumers are learning how to read nutrition labels and ingredients lists and know what scary-sounding chemicals or additives to avoid. When speaking about what makes up your product, it’s important to make it short and use understandable language. Consumers are increasingly researching a company’s practices before buying, so being transparent about testing, sourcing, and processing is essential.

“I would like to have a brand with sincerity. Many brands are hiding the truth of substances and materials used in their products, especially food products. please don't do this.”

Bulbshare user, 42 🇲🇾

"I love when brands talk about all their brand is about and the ingredients and what it’s made of, like Nestle Milo and Toby's oats did.”

Bulbshare user, 35 🇦🇺

2. Keep it relevant
Whether brands are late to trends, ignore what’s going on in the world, or are cryptic in their responses, it can be a bit off-putting when content isn’t relevant or up-to-date. Using the Coronavirus pandemic as an obvious example, brands need to be proactive in their content strategies to be empathetic to the situation, and informative to their customers. It would seem a bit tone-deaf for, say, a travel company to be advertising an international getaway. Relevancy goes along with being transparent, in that consumers want to know what brands are doing to keep their customers and employees safe.

“I think I want to see content that it's adapted to the new normal that doesn't just pretend that everything is back to the way it was before the pandemic and it needs to be sensitive.”

Bulbshare user, 36 🇲🇽

“At the moment I want to see content about more cleaning and social distancing with the public, also looking after their staff and customers.”

Bulbshare user, 41 🇬🇧

3. Show your support
As mentioned in our Social Purpose toolkit, having your brand be linked to a clear social purpose can be key in generating a loyal customer base. Brands that actively align themselves with a moral purpose or social mission by promoting it in their content and products show that they are committed to providing for their community and the world at large. Using their platforms to highlight issues, or donating a portion of profits engages with the socially-conscious consumer and establishes them as a brand that cares about more than just sales. 

“I want to see the initiatives that the big brands are doing to improve society. How they are using their resources to improve life on the planet. I also want to see how they use their profits to help the interaction between man and the environment evolve. I also want to see how they are using their resources to improve information. And I would like to see real videos of the communities that have benefited from the initiatives.”

Bulbshare user, 36 🇧🇷

“I want to see content which shows that the brand acts responsibly. This can be in the form of ads showing the company’s commitment to excellence.”

Bulbshare user, 68 🇺🇸

4. Go green
In conjunction with having a social purpose, consumers are overwhelmingly demanding more sustainable products and services in every market. Companies like Patagonia have cultivated a massive following over the years because of their commitment to helping the environment, and using their content to educate their audiences about their recycled materials, conservation initiatives, and more. However, promoting your eco-friendliness includes being completely transparent in your brand’s practices and processes. 

“I would like to see more content regarding waste reduction, social security and environment issues.”

Bulbshare user, 42 🇲🇾

“I want to see how they are manufacturing their products and whether they are taking care for sustainability or not. I want to know how they behave with employees and what they are doing for their employees.”

Bulbshare user, 44 🇮🇳

“I would like to see content that's more about preserving the environment and living a healthy and a balanced lifestyle.”

Bulbshare user, 35 🇬🇧

5. Paint a picture
While the messages that a brand communicates with its content and marketing is very important, what really does the work of reeling audiences in is the visual. Social media is primarily about consuming images and videos, so an appealing aesthetic that stands out from the crowd is imperative. Your brand’s visual content sets the tone of the message, portrays the persona of the company, and leaves a lasting impression. For example, it’s pretty easy to guess that this is a Nike commercial before you even knew what brand it was for, simply because they’ve established such a strong and distinctive brand identity through their visual content.

“I'd like to see videos, because it's the most intuitive and direct way to talk to consumers.”

Bulbshare user, 33 🇮🇹

“Content that touches our heart, and emotional. Besides the content must be crystal clear and straight forward its message.”

Bulbshare user, 24 🇲🇾

“I really like aesthetically pleasing photos and videos of the product being used.”

Bulbshare user, 18 🇬🇧

6. Get creative
Fresh and original content from brands in today’s digital landscape is like a breath of fresh air. Some of the best social media marketing to come out of the last 10 years has been so successful because it is ahead of the trend curve, quirky, or just bizarre. Consumers want to see more out-of-the-box thinking from brands, because it shows their intelligence of their modern audiences and a commitment to standing out. Many brands like Denny’s Diner and Netflix capitalized on the edgy, witty Twitter atmosphere to garner many viral tweets and engage with their followers.

“A wildly different advertisement that made use of memes and other pop culture references - that made the brand and the product seem extraordinary and appealed to me a lot. Us digital generations would always be enthusiastic about brands that we find relatable, and make clever and witty usage of the latest trends.”

Bulbshare user, 25 🇬🇧

“Brands that adapt quickly to the new trends apps and channels. Brands that sponsor influencers that actually deserve and not just the “main” ones.”

Bulbshare user, 24 🇧🇷

“I like content that really makes their products stand out from other brands. I need to know why I should use your brand.”

Bulbshare user, 33 🇺🇸

7. Representation matters
As mentioned in our Brand Activism toolkit, we asked our global community how brands can back up their recent social activism, and a majority said being inclusive of all races, genders, ages, and bodies in their advertisements and marketing content. Diversifying your brand’s content can greatly increase positive views, because modern audiences want to feel represented and advocated for by the company they are buying from. It strengthens a brand’s reputation and opens the door to working with more influencers, partnerships, and creatives.

“Content representation of all walks of life regardless of race, sex or age.”

Bulbshare user, 41 🇦🇺

“I want to see some good information about self-love, mental health, see content that would include all of us without exception.”

Bulbshare user, 23 🇩🇴

“Estée Lauder [is an example] because they don’t encourage discrimination against black people and the use of black models in their advertisements.”

Bulbshare user, 36 🇸🇬

8. Tutorials and testimonials
It’s great to include all types of real people in a brand’s content, but it’s even better to show real people using the product or service for an accurate display, persuading those who were maybe not convinced. Using the brand’s platform to share tutorial videos or tips and tricks helps with transparency and allows consumers to have a better understanding of the product and the brand as a whole. Testimonials from real customers or influencers are likely to encourage consumers to trust your brand and its ability to deliver.

“I want information relevant to the products they offer. I want to see new and upcoming products. I want to see the benefits of their existing products. I would also like to see tutorials on how their products work as well as videos of their products in action.”

Bulbshare user, 40 🇺🇸

“I am in the home improvement business, so if a company has a new product, or one that I need for a project, I want to see videos of how the product works. Many companies now provide this. I don't have any that I can think of off the top of my head, but that is what I look for. “

Bulbshare user, 40 🇺🇸

9. Be innovative
Consumers look to a brand’s digital content to inform them of what’s new and exciting. An innovative brand takes into consideration all the steps before this, as well as the basic needs of their target audiences. Maybe it’s the new, most eco-friendly product, or the most size-inclusive clothing line, or maybe just the brand that is the most relatable and knows their consumer on a personal level. However your brand can be innovative, use your platform to keep your loyal customers engaged, yet refreshing enough to gain new customers.

“I want to see new releases, collaborations with other brands/ celebrities and campaigns supporting relevant causes in society.”

Bulbshare user, 28 🇨🇦

“I like to see new products and innovation in the flavors, ingredients and packaging, in advertisements also.”

Bulbshare user, 38 🇲🇽

“I want to see new products and services that are available for us and coming from brands. there's so many things that can market for the home and would like to see what they are.”

Bulbshare user, 39 🇨🇦

10. Co-creation is key
When it comes down to it, what sets brands apart from one another is the customer’s experience. To give consumers a better experience the brand has to put themselves in the shoes of their customers, and listen to what they have to say. What better way to satisfy both the brand and the consumer than through customer collaboration? Co-created content allows consumers to give their honest insights while you, the brand, get a better idea of what your audience wants to see and can put it into effect. They feel as though they are helping to make changes in a product they love, and you get content ideas and a deeper connection with your customers. It’s a rewarding experience for both parties involved. What’s better than user-generated content?

“Selecta bread… I loved their content when they gave free bread to the community by just asking some questions concerning the brand, which was a brilliant idea because it's a way of feeding the community and also a marketing strategy."

Bulbshare user, 28 🇰🇪

“Brand content should connect with the audience they intend to serve.”

Bulbshare user, 28 🇲🇾

“For example, capture and win. Using smartphones to capture a photo based on a theme and share it on social media to stand a chance to win their latest smartphone.”

Bulbshare user, 27 🇰🇪

To find out how Bulbshare could benefit your organisation, please contact Michael Wylie-Harris on michael@bulbshare.com

Elizabeth Johnson
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Brand activism: Five examples of social activism that resonate with Gen Z

Being part of social justice activism is a risk that a lot of brands weren’t willing to take until now. But with recent events around the death of George Floyd in the US and the consequent focus on the Black Lives Matter movement, many have decided to change their stance. As a new generation of young consumers becomes increasingly politically active, brands have realised they have the power, influence and responsibility to get involved too.

While this has been a contentious topic in the past, with many believing politics wasn’t the place of brands – and even boycotting them for having a voiced opinion – the rise of gen Z tells us that in 2020, brands are expected to have an active stance on social and political issues. A 2018 Edelman Earned Brand study revealed that 64% of consumers around the world would buy from brands that are vocal about their beliefs and principles – and the concept of ‘voting with your wallet’ is becoming more widespread, where consumers show allegiance to brands that are aligned to their own values.

So, what exactly do consumers expect of the brands that are pledging their support for the Black Lives Matter movement? What should brands be doing and saying in this politically charged environment, and which are the brands that are leading the way? We asked our global customer community to share their thoughts on the best ways for brands to be socially and politically active, and from what they told us, we’ve put together a five step guide to getting it right…

Social Media Activism
Support for Black Lives Matter has taken social media by storm, with information and resources being shared everyday. Companies have taken to their social media platforms to publicise their statements, saying they stand in solidarity with victims of violence and racial inequality, and most make a pledge to do better in their executive actions. While these posts are usually kept short and simple, it’s still impactful for brands to be clear in their stance and broadcast it to as many consumers as possible, and social media is one of the most effective ways to reach them, interrupting their usual content feed. 

“Speak out instead of staying silent for weeks and then say they’ve been reading and listening, use their platform to support the BLM movement.”

Bulbshare user, 18 🇬🇧

“Make a statement about how black lives matter and how they are supporting the movement. Krispy Kreme wrote a very heartfelt and honest statement to show their support. It was the most upfront I have ever seen a brand be.”

Bulbshare user, 25 🇬🇧

“I think they should use their platform to gain views and eyes for what is happening.”

Bulbshare user, 20 🇺🇸

Put your money where your mouth is
While publicly stating their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and racial equality initiatives, a social media post is just the first step for a brand to put their beliefs into effect. Many companies are being criticised for using the default aesthetic of white letters on a plain black background with what sounds like empty promises. Gen Z are particularly sceptical of a company that doesn’t show the same enthusiasm for changing their own course of actions as they do for using hashtags or changing colour schemes. In order to gain the trust of belief-driven consumers, brands have to follow up their statements with substantial action such as donating to charities, promoting Black organisations, or sharing resources for their audiences to learn from. 

“I think strong social media campaigns are a good start, show that they are going to stand with us and demand change. Offer products with partial proceeds going to black lives matters and other black charities. They could also design product packaging with a message just letting people know that they are with them and want a change too.”

Bulbshare user, 35 🇺🇸

“I’ve seen a lot of comments on social media that just making a statement is not enough. Donations to causes that will help with legal fees, outreach, etc. will have the biggest impact on showing that a company is serious about the cause.”

Bulbshare user, 40 🇺🇸

“Particularly when I go to buy something I research about the company and how much it is involved in social causes.”

Bulbshare user, 41 🇧🇷

Our market research tool found that many users cited Ben & Jerry’s as a brand they think is going above and beyond in their activism. With a more straightforward-than-average declaration of “We must dismantle white supremacy,” Ben & Jerry’s has published many different statements, infographics, and business initiatives that illustrate the legislation and political upheaval they deem necessary for racial equality. Founders Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield have even been attending protests themselves.

Building from the bottom
Even still, once our news feeds slowly return to normal, consumers will be looking to brands to practice what they preach. With the rise of popularity in ethical consumption, buyers actively research a brand’s leadership and policies before making a purchase. If a company’s internal practices like hiring and sourcing match their external activism, it strengthens their overall brand image and greatly enhances consumer trust. Overwhelmingly, many consumers from our global community expressed how they want brands to hold themselves accountable for practicing equality and diversity in all levels of their employment.

“In my opinion it starts with employment & decision making within the company. When the company is diverse within its employees it should filter down into the brands concept and the ways in which the brand is marketed. For example during a brainstorming session the idea generation will be coming from different perspectives & walks of life. Rather than having 15 people brainstorming who are all from the same background, of a similar age & of a similar demographic. Therefore they are likely to have similar ideas and perspectives."

Bulbshare user, 36 🇬🇧

“I think that they need to publicly state their support for the movement and then follow it up with action plans. I think they need to speak to their employees at all levels (not just send an email) and perhaps collectively discuss it in teams and come up with ideas. too often I've seen companies state their support with an email and not do anything further, whilst others are ignoring the movement or criticising it.”

Bulbshare user, 28

“First and foremost brands need to have equally employed individuals from all sorts of backgrounds. Brands/ companies need to ensure pay is equal and everyone gets a fair go. I also believe brands/ companies need to have policies in place for racism.”

Bulbshare user, 26 🇦🇺

Diversity in advertising
Another way for brands to back up their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and other social justice issues, is to advertise their products with diverse and inclusive models, in the beauty and fashion industries especially. We as consumers are incredibly diverse, coming from different cultures, identities, abilities, and body shapes, and it’s becoming more important than ever to feel represented in advertising from brands that want to get us to buy their products. In a 2019 survey by Adobe 62% of respondents said that a brand’s diversity (or lack thereof) impacts their perception of the company as a whole. 34% said they have even stopped shopping with certain brands because of their lack of representation. Dove was mentioned numerous times by our community of consumers as a brand they believe is getting their advertisement campaigns right. One of the first brands to ever pledge to show ‘real beauty,’ since 2004 they have been using women of all races and body types in their campaigns.

“Simple one start using more diverse models and photographers and people who work behind the scenes.”

Bulbshare user, 41 🇬🇧

"Makeup products should cater for all skin tones. clothes brands should hire diverse models. Obviously Fenty Beauty [is an example]. The company caters for all skin tones and even skin types. because of this, they hire models of various skin tones to promote their products.”

Bulbshare user, 20 🇲🇾

“I’m not sure exactly how they can respond to this Black lives matters but they can promote racial equality but using more diverse people in advertising and within their communications and social media."

Bulbshare user, 45 🇦🇺

"I think all the sports brands like Nike, Under Armour but also brands like Dove and L'oréal are getting it right by having a diversity of men and women of all races, shapes and age in their ads."

Bulbshare user, 37 🇺🇸

The right partnerships
Some brands have even raised the standard by sharing their platform and resources with organizations that are working toward racial equality. Netflix has partnered with the Marsha P. Johnson Institute ahead of their virtual Pride event, Ben & Jerry’s is working with organizations Color of Change and Advancement Project, even sports teams like Manchester United have taken the initiative to support anti-racism organization Kick It Out, donating all the proceeds of their ‘Black Lives Matter’ shirts. Brands that publicly pledge their allegiance to the cause by partnering with charities or foundations are not only giving back to communities, but giving those organizations exposure and actively aligning themselves with progress toward social justice.

“Brands can help get this right as they bring people together forming a community so exchanging culture, foods and diversity so brands could help do this.”

Bulbshare user, 44 🇬🇧

“Donate money to or partner with a foundation which aims to invest in education, economic equality and criminal justice reform with a goal of increasing opportunities for people of color.”

Bulbshare user, 37 🇲🇾

“Brands can promote racial equality and support the black lives matter movement by donating or organising fundraisers for communities that have been victims all this while. Examples such as Levi's are among heavyweight supporters of Black Lives Matter by donating and pledging for a change.”

Bulbshare user, 39 🇲🇾

While consumers certainly have a right to believe that brands don’t have a place in social justice, it’s increasingly harder for brands to avoid taking a stance in the age of social media and ethical shopping. As long as a brand’s statement is followed up by a concrete action plan, our digital consumer communities largely responded positively and are willing to support that company even more.

To find out how Bulbshare could benefit your organisation, please contact Michael Wylie-Harris on michael@bulbshare.com

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid-19 Tracker Week Eight: As lockdown eases we see the emergence a new, more considered consumer

Our Covid-19 Tracker charts the changing daily attitudes and behaviours of 1000s of global consumers – capturing real customer voice and forecasting future consumer trends. As Government restrictions ease, our week eight report takes a detailed look at the changing face of the Post Covid-19 consumer.

Click below to download our full report, tracking the thoughts, feedback and opinions of our global community from the onset of the crisis.


Mental Health 

  • Anxiety levels have levelled off over the last two weeks with the overall average reducing marginally from 62% to 60%.
  • Negative sentiment continues to dominate the minds of our community members – especially in the UK and Brazil.
  • Concerns about family members catching the virus remain the biggest worry. Financial worries and boredom are on the rise, especially in the US and UK.


Shopping 

  • Users continue to move to online shopping across the majority of our communities – as social distancing guidelines remain in place. However, the declining trend in the UK and Brazil continues with around 15% in Brazil and 4% in the UK now shopping online.
  • With the easing of lockdown, the trend of stockpiling is settling down in France and Italy. Across other communities, however, this remains unstable with spikes being observed in the US, UK and Brazil.


‘New Normal’ 

  • Key positives emerging from Covid-19 are a bigger focus on health, fitness, nutrition and hygiene. Lockdown has also encouraged people to address their work/life balance and spend more quality time with family.
  • COVID-19 has brought about a number of learnings which will bring change to our users’ day-to-day attitudes and behaviours, including being ‘pandemic-ready’ and recognising the importance of their healthcare systems and infrastructures.


Work 

  • Unemployment continues to rise – particularly in the US and Brazil.
  • We are also observing an increase in those working less than they did before, meaning those still working are having hours and shifts cut.
  • Working from home has declined in Italy and France with governments encouraging people to return to work. However, it continues to rise in other countries.


Satisfaction with Government varies across countries 

  • Satisfaction with Government response and actions has improved in the US, while it remains moderate in Italy and the UK, and low in France and Brazil. While people feel that the government is taking initiatives to support them in the US, the easing of lockdown is not being supported in the UK,
  • The dissatisfaction in France and Brazil stems from the perception of delayed response, lack of enough PPE and financial benefits not reaching the people.


Response on press coverage

  • Opinions stand divided on press coverage and behaviour; while most find it informative, accurate and helpful, others find it to be a source of overly negative and depressing information.
  • Low perception of news being positive, rather perceived to be extremely negative in France with low objectivity.

Click below for a full report on changing shopping behaviours around Covid-19.

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid-19 Tracker Week Six: Why 85% of employees won’t return to work without social distancing…

Our Covid-19 Tracker charts the changing daily attitudes and behaviours of 1000s of global consumers – capturing real customer voice and forecasting future consumer trends. As lockdown eases, our week six report begins to explore the post Covid-19 consumer.

Click below to download our full report, tracking the thoughts, feedback and opinions of our global community from the onset of the crisis.


Mental Health 
•  With lockdown beginning to ease, we are starting to see a decline in levels of anxiety – with those who ‘feel anxious about the situation’ falling from 70% to 62% over the last three weeks.
•  Negative sentiment continues to dominate the minds of our community members – especially in the US and Italy.
•  Concerns about family members catching the virus remain the biggest worry. Financial worries are also on the rise.


Shopping 
•  Users continue to move to online shopping across the majority of our communities – as social distancing guidelines remain in place. However, we have seen a decline of around 10% in the UK and around 19% in France over the last week.
•  Numbers of users stockpiling continues to go up and down, with no clear pattern emerging. This week we have observed a spike in Italy and the US, but seen a sharp decline in the UK, France and Brazil.


‘New Normal’ 
•  Key positives emerging from Covid-19 are a bigger focus on health, fitness, nutrition and hygiene. Lockdown has also encouraged people to address their work/life balance and spend more quality time with family.
•  Covid-19 has brought about a number of learnings which will bring change to our users’ day-to-day attitudes and behaviours. These include being ‘pandemic-ready’, planning food resources better and having more appreciation of family time. 


Work 
•  Unemployment continues to rise – particularly in the US and Italy.
•  We are also observing a rise in those working less than they did before, meaning those still working are having hours and shifts cut.
•  Working from home continues to rise. We anticipate seeing a slow decline here as governments across our communities begin to encourage those who can do so to return to work.


Satisfaction with Government varies across countries 
•  High satisfaction with Government response and actions in Italy, moderate in US and UK, and low in France and Brazil. The dissatisfaction stems from the perception of delayed response, lack of enough PPE and financial benefits not reaching the people.
•  Users generally feel that governments have taken the right decisions on social distancing, lockdown and isolation.


Response on press coverage
•  Opinions stand divided on press coverage and behaviour; while most find it informative, accurate and helpful, others find it to be a source of overly negative and depressing information.
•  Low perception of news being positive, rather perceived to be extremely negative in the UK and Italy with low objectivity.

Click below for a full report on changing shopping behaviours around Covid-19.

Elizabeth Johnson
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

BRAND HEROES: FIVE brands doing all the right things in the midst of Covid-19

In the last six weeks, the outbreak of Covid-19 has irreversibly transformed our lives. Our homes are no longer just homes, they are offices, classrooms, and gyms. We are cut off from friends and family, and socialising via screens. We are living, shopping, working differently.

Across the globe, thousands have lost their lives, and millions have lost their livelihoods. Governments are taking drastic, unprecedented measures to support their economies, their health systems and their people, while individuals are doing what they can to raise money and moral.

Amidst the turmoil have been beacons of light. In a time of isolation, the idea of community has never been more important. We’ve seen waves of clapping, live music from balconies, army captains raising millions. We’ve seen businesses stepping in to donate ventilators, and industry turning its hand to new innovations.

Global brands have also been going above and beyond to help out in this time of need – with everything from simple donations to far-reaching support initiatives. With that in mind, we asked our global insights community to tell us who their brand heroes have been during the epidemic. Here’s a list of their top five. It’s as surprising as it is inspiring…

DoorDash
Food delivery services like DoorDash and UberEats have become game-changers in a world where going out to eat is prohibited, providing meals to families every day, while promoting health, safety and social distancing. Both DoorDash and UberEats are providing free protective equipment to their employees. DoorDash has also rolled out a commission relief and marketing support programme for independently owned restaurants that could be hurt by lack of customers. They have added more than 100,000 small businesses to their app, offering no commission fees, $0 delivery fees, and over $20 million in marketing efforts to generate revenue for independent restaurants already on the app.

"DoorDash has been a lifeline of breaking the monotony while I have been quarantined at home. My wife and I can broaden our palate with foods that we cannot, or do not want to cook at home! Thank you DoorDash Hero!"

(Bulbshare user, 34 🇺🇸)

"During this coronavirus pandemic, Uber Eats is being a hero bringing quality food to our homes when we request it."

(Bulbshare user, 33 🇧🇷)

Google 
Google is supporting people in more ways than one. They are making it easier to stay connected with loved ones, co-workers, and students when virtual communication is the only option, by making premium features of their Google Hangout technology free to everyone. In addition, Google has led the way with unique relief efforts, such as giving $25 million worth of advertising credit to the World Health Organization (WHO) and donating over $1 million to purchase medical supplies and provisions for frontline workers. Google technology is also being used in the research of the virus’s structure.

"Google has launched free access to the premium features of Hangouts Meet, its video conferencing platform, until July 1, 2020. Resources that were previously only available in the Enterprise version are now accessible to all users of the platform."

(Bulbshare user, 43 🇲🇽)

"Google will give out $1,000 to families affected by coronavirus. The Google Foundation, together with partners, launched a campaign in San Francisco to support families affected by coronavirus. The action involves the assistance of about 5,000 families."

(Bulbshare user, 30 🇷🇺)

Verizon
With our work, education, and social lives now being entirely online, having access to wireless data is essential. Verizon, along with many other phone service providers like AT&T, Vodafone and Telstra are making sure their customers can still afford to stay connected on their devices. Verizon is waiving all late, international, activation, and upgrade fees, and offering free extra data plans up to 15GB. And, they have a variety of free calling packages and learning tools available for healthcare workers and teachers.

"Since the lockdown, they (Vodafone) have given customers unlimited mobile minutes, so they can keep in touch with friends and family, plus a 10GB data boost so you can enjoy being online whilst isolating - very generous!"

(Bulbshare user, 47 🇬🇧)

"Probably Telstra. They have given us unlimited data on our internet plan until the end of the month to help with the extra load of home schooling and working from home."

(Bulbshare user, 37 🇦🇺)

Alcohol Distilleries
Hundreds of gin, vodka, whiskey, and beer distilleries and breweries all over the globe are halting their alcohol production and switching to making hand sanitiser in an effort to keep up with demand while keeping it at affordable prices – AND keeping their employees on the payroll. Popular brand names in the UK like BrewDog have donated sanitiser to local charities and care facilities. 58 Gin has even created personalised bottles of hand sanitiser, where you can pick your own scent, colour, and label. Our online focus groups reacted well to examples of brand compassion such as this.

"Seems like many companies have shifted their capabilities to do something to help. We have a local brewery MKT Distillery that is making sanitiser for the local area. That's pretty awesome to me."

(Bulbshare user, 37 🇬🇧)

"There is a local vodka brewing company that changed their whole operation to make hand sanitisers for our local community in New York state. They are selling them at affordable rates and truly stepped up to the plate. Kudos to Uncle Jumbos!"

(Bulbshare user, 39 🇺🇸)

The Body Shop
While cosmetics brands may not come to mind right away in the fight against Covid-19, The Body Shop is setting an excellent example of tackling issues that are a direct result of the virus. In addition to keeping all of its employees on their payroll and donating over 30,000 soap products to vulnerable communities and hospitals, they have teamed up with NO MORE to support and provide resources to those trapped in domestic abuse situations due to stay at home mandates.

"The Body Shop has partnered with NO MORE, an organisation dedicated to ending domestic violence and sexual assault globally. Together, they formed the Isolated Not Alone campaign, which hopes to raise awareness of the hidden dangers of enforced lockdown through sharing vital information for survivors and by calling on governments to prioritise the issue and provide additional funding to support domestic abuse services."

(Bulbshare user, 39 🇬🇧)

The real heroes – the front-line health workers
And of course, our global research community is thankful for all the health care providers facing the coronavirus head on every day – the real heroes risking their lives to protect and care for those affected.

"For me the best heroes are all the doctors and nurses. They help us as they can."

(Bulbshare user, 34 🇵🇱)

"The medical practitioners helping to handle the spread of this coronavirus. I know this isn't a brand but they're covid-19 heroes."

(Bulbshare user, 38 🇺🇸)

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid-19 Tracker Week Four: 40% of shoppers continue to shop online as lockdown persists

Our Covid-19 Tracker charts the changing daily attitudes and behaviours of 1000s of global consumers – capturing real customer voice and forecasting future consumer trends. Click below to download our full week four report, tracking the thoughts, feedback and opinions of our global community from the onset of the crisis.


Mental Health 
•  As the lockdown continues, the levels of anxiety remain high – with 74% of respondents feeling anxious. Of all our communities, the most significant spikes in anxiety levels during week four can be observed in Italy. 
•  Despite a slight improvement vs week three, negative sentiment towards the current reality continues to dominate the minds of our community members.
•  Concern about family members catching the virus remains high week-on-week . However, fears around financial worries/job security continues to increase – being most prevalent in the US.


Shopping 
•  Moving to online shopping remains high across most of our global communities – as lockdown and social distancing persists. However, for some communities this has actually fallen during week four, notably Italy and the US.
•  Stockpiling continues to increase in the UK, France and Brazil, but has declined in Italy and the US.
•  Long-life products and essentials remain the most common items in the basket. Users are continuing to shop for different brands and have started buying more non-food items.


Physical Health 
•  We are seeing an increase from 39% to 41% of community members reporting that they are exercising less during lockdown.
•  The number of people exercising less has increased across all our communities – with the biggest decrease in exercise coming in Italy.
•  While many are exercising less, there are also those exercising more during lockdown, with many moving to online fitness classes. 


Social Distancing and Isolation 
•  Social distancing is becoming harder as people miss their families and friends. In week four, the pressure and fatigue of lockdown is increasing significantly. 
•  Despite this, we continue to observe a number of positives – spending more time with family being the top of the list.
•  Feelings of being trapped, isolated and bored are most common across all of our global communities. 


‘New Normal’ 
•  We are seeing more people trying a new diet or simply exploring new meals or recipes at home.
• Leveraging technology (video calls, PC, online streaming) remains high across all our communities – especially for
connecting with family and friends.
• We have seen an increase in users engaging in new pastimes – reading and audiobooks have been particularly prevalent, especially in the US, UK, Italy and France.
•  Online fitness classes have been gaining more traction too , in particular in the UK, US, Brazil and France.


Work 
•  Concerns about unemployment and financial instability are rising. The level of people not working is still increasing in most of our global communities (only Brazil and France have experienced a decline).
• We have observed a very high incline in users ‘working less than before’ in Italy – from 22% up to 50%.
•  Working from home remains a constant theme, though we have now seen some variation: 
– In Italy, people are now working less from home (this could be linked to a rise in those not working) – moving from 39% to 13%.
– In Brazil, France and US the numbers of those working from home continues to rise 

Click below for a full report on changing shopping behaviours around Covid-19.

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid-19 Tracker Week Three: Panic buying decreases but anxiety is still on the rise

Our Covid-19 Tracker charts the changing daily attitudes and behaviours of 1000s of global consumers – capturing real customer voice and forecasting future consumer trends.


Mental Health 
•  Anxiety remains high – at an average of 73% across our communities. This can be worst felt in Brazil where infection and death rates continue to rise. 
•  We have observed a marginal drop in negative sentiment on anecdotal responses for the first time, as people begin to see a light at the end of the tunnel and the easing of lockdown is beginning to be discussed across some communities. 
•  Concerns about family members catching the virus remains the most significant fear. However, financial worries and job insecurity is also on the rise. 


Shopping 
•  Online shopping continues across the majority of our communities. 
•  Stockpiling continues to decline.
•  Long-life products, canned good and everyday essentials remain the most common items in the basket – with people continuing to shop for alternative brands where their staple purchases are not available.  


Physical Health 
•  People continue to exercise less – with an average 41% of users reporting a reduction in their exercise routine. 
•  Despite this, anecdotal responses have reported many users finding new ways to adapt exercise to the lockdown measures – with online workouts being widely used. 


Work 
•  Those not working remains high – with a significant increase observed this week in Brazil. 
•  Users working from home also continues to be significant, with many reporting the benefits of remote working solutions and not having to visit the office. 


‘New Normal’ 
•  Behaviour changes remain largely inline with previous weeks:
• Leveraging technology (video calls, PC, online streaming) remains significant across all our communities.
• Engaging in other, more traditional pastimes such as cooking, reading and crafting is also on the rise. 
• We have observed an increase in users subscribing to online education platforms – particularly in the UK and Italy.
• The use of online food delivery companies has also experienced spikes across our UK, Brazilian and French communities. 


Social Distancing and Isolation 
•  We are beginning to observe increased feelings of pressure around lockdown, with isolation fatigue setting in and much negative sentiment being reported around not seeing an end to the crisis. 
•  Despite this, we continue to observe a number of positives – with spending more time with family continuing to be at the top of the list of good things to come out of lockdown.

Click below for a full report on changing shopping behaviours around Covid-19.

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid-19 Tracker Week Two: Up to 60% of people leverage new tech as isolation becomes the ‘new norm’

Our Covid-19 Tracker charts the changing daily attitudes and behaviours of 1000s of global consumers – capturing real customer voice and forecasting future consumer trends.


Mental Health 
•  Another week of fear and sadness – anxiety levels average at over 70%. The UK, US and France experience the worst levels of anxiety as infection rates soar. 
•  Negativity continues to dominate feelings. Sentiment towards the new Covid-19 world is negative in anecdotal responses – ranging from 50% to 83% across communities. 
•  Worries about family members catching the virus continues to be the number one concern.
•  Financial worries are becoming more prevalent in Brazil and Italy.


Shopping 
•  Online Shopping continues to increase across the majority of our communities. 
•  Stockpiling begins to stagnate or decline across all our European communities. This is not the case in the US, however, where over 70% of our community members have stockpiled this week (an increase of 28% week-on-week).
•  Long-life products and essentials remain most common items in the basket.


Physical Health 
•  People continue to exercise less – but situation week-on-week has improved.
•  UK, France, Italy and Brazil have seen an increase in community members exercising more – possibly adapting to the new ‘reality’.


Work 
•  Unemployment and financial stability is becoming increasingly prevalent. The number of people not working is growing – ranging from 14% in Brazil to 42% in Italy.
•  We have also observed an increase in people moving to permanent home working – particularly in the UK, US, Italy and France.


‘New Normal’ 
•  Facing this ‘new normal’ continues to drive significant changes in day-to-day behaviour.
•  Leveraging technology (video calls, PC, online streaming) his on the rise across all our communities. 
•  Users across all communities report spending more time with family, exploring more new brands, and appreciating the little things in life more as their goals for a post Covid-19 world. 


Social Distancing and Isolation 
•  Social distancing and staying at home continue to bring positives – with over 80% of our users finding it easy.
•  Spending time with family continues to be top of the list when it comes to positives. 
•  Despite this, people continue to feel trapped and miss contact with other friends and family members.

Click below for a full report on changing shopping behaviours around Covid-19.

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid-19 Tracker Week One: Threats to mental health with those suffering anxiety up to 70%

Our Covid-19 Tracker charts the changing daily attitudes and behaviours of 1000s of global consumers – capturing real customer voice and forecasting future consumer trends.


Mental Health 
•  Fear and sadness occupy the minds of our community – with average anxiety levels at 70%.
•  Negativity dominates feelings – with an average 72% of anecdotal responses reporting negative sentiment towards the virus.
•  Concerns about catching the virus or a family member being infected are top of the mind – followed by financial worries.


Shopping 
•  The growth of online shopping continues. For UK shoppers, this is comparatively low due to large wait times across online services. For markets such as Brazil and Canada these numbers are much higher.
•  Our communities are also stockpiling more and exploring new brands due to the lack of availability of their staple items. 
•  Buying essentials, canned goods and long-life food is also on the rise.


Physical Health 
•  Physical activity has deteriorated. Those taking less exercise is at 22% in the US, 51% in the UK, and 58% in Brazil.
•  Some people adapt to the new reality by longer walks, regular runs, online fitness classes, exercising at home or gardening.


Work 
•  The number of people not working is growing – ranging from 17% in Brazil to 43% in Italy.
•  Working from home is more prevalent, but is often balanced with childcare and home schooling.


‘New Normal’ 
•  Leveraging technology (video calls, PC, online streaming) has been on the rise across the majority of our communities.
•  Other, more traditional activities, such as reading, crafting and cooking are also on the rise. 
•  Covid-19 brings significant learnings, with many members of our community planning to change their focus when the coronavirus pandemic is over (e.g. more time with family, exploring more new brands, appreciating the little things in life more).


Social Distancing and Isolation 
•  Social distancing and staying at home also bring positives to day-to-day lives. Over 80% of people in the across our communities find it relatively easy.
•  We have also observed a number of positives – with spending more time with family being the top of the list.
•  Nevertheless, some people feel trapped and miss contact with other friends and family members.

Click below for a full report on changing shopping behaviours around Covid-19.

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

Covid 19: Why 40% of consumers are moving shopping online

With each passing day, headlines surrounding the coronavirus seem to be getting more and more alarming. In the UK, we’re seeing public health advice about self-isolation, businesses making plans for remote working and the threat of schools and colleges being closed. News channels tell us that global stock markets are reporting record lows, international trade deals are being compromised and certain countries are planning bans on public gatherings. While the outbreak is yet to be confirmed as a pandemic, there’s no doubt that it is affecting the lives of millions across the globe.

One of the most widely publicised phenomena surrounding coronavirus is the panic buying of certain foods and household goods. This weekend, the Guardian reported seeing a 12-pack of handwash bottles (each bottle usually being priced at £1.29) on sale on Amazon for £150, and told us that delivery firm Ocado has asked shoppers to place orders early due to ‘exceptionally high demand’. Elsewhere, we are hearing that hand sanitiser prices on eBay have shot up by twenty times, and Tesco is restricting sales of essential food and household products – with shoppers limited to buying no more than five at a time of things like sanitiser, long-life milk and tinned veg.

With all this in mind, we asked our global community about the kind of impact the coronavirus is having on their day-to-day lives… And how they’re feeling, behaving and reacting to the atmosphere of alarm and nervousness both in the news and in public life.

Pandemic of fear
Seventy-five percent of our community is either worried, or very worried about coronavirus. Contagious and with no vaccine, COVID-19 has created a fear of contact with other people – and it’s left elements of our community with feelings of fear and isolation. When asked directly how coronavirus has made them feel, we saw a prevalence of words like ‘anxiety’, ‘negative’, and ‘worried’ – and a community living in fear of contact with their fellow humans.

“Unfortunately, coronavirus has greatly influenced my way of life and that of others. I have adopted several ways of precaution, the same that have been recommended by the media. Stay at a certain distance from people, avoid physical contact such as kisses, hugs and handshakes, (and) avoid very crowded places. This, however, negatively influences the daily lives of each of us, because in this way we are not free to socialize… It isolates us.” Bulbshare user 🇮🇹

“You have to be patient and have an open and very positive mind because sometimes you get sick from the negativity and everything that they say in the news… You will get sick just thinking about it.” Bulbshare user 🇲🇽

“I have small children and therefore I am very worried while they still do not know the treatment for this disease. There are already so many deaths around the world and this disease continues to progress.” Bulbshare user 🇷🇺

Hygiene focus 
These collective feelings of anxiety and fear are having a very real impact on how our community is behaving. 39% of our respondents plan to avoid large groups of people over the coming weeks, while 34% will avoid public transport, and 25% will postpone or change travel plans.

Unsurprisingly, hygiene is top of our community’s minds. Washing their hands more than ever, avoiding contact with others, wearing plastic gloves when in public and self-isolating at the first sign of illness are all top of the agenda – and hand sanitizer is the product of choice when it comes to shopping.

“Absolutely, this virus has greatly impacted my routine of doing things, starting with reducing the number of business trips I make – plus having to live under tight measures with fear.” Bulbshare user 🇺🇸

“Avoid (busy) places, do not say hello or kiss, bring a mask, wash my hands frequently, if necessary, stay in house.” Bulbshare user 🇲🇽

“I use hand sanitizer every day. I wear (a) face mask each time I go outside. I make sure to not touch surfaces that people often touch.” Bulbshare user 🇲🇾

“I carry out my life regularly, but I try to observe the sanitation rules more closely and I am avoiding going to closed and crowded places if not strictly necessary.” Bulbshare user 🇮🇹

Impact on shopping
Nearly 40% of our respondents say the coronavirus has affected the way they shop – with 36% saying they will be avoiding supermarkets and shopping online and 37% avoiding produce from overseas (the words ‘China’ and imports’ loomed large in our word cloud). 34% of our community will be stocking up on non-perishable products, while 27% will be avoiding meat.

The main things mentioned by our community are cleaning products and non-perishable foods such as canned goods, pasta and rice and frozen vegetables. While motivations behind stockpiling are a mix of fear of supermarket shelves running low on essential items (some report already seeing this), plus concerns around having to stay in isolation for extended periods with no access to shops.

“Stockpiling on non-perishables and household items like toilet paper, cleaning supplies like bleach, as well as soap and hand sanitizer.” Bulbshare user 🇨🇦

“I am stocking up on food and on other consumables, such as cleaning materials and toiletries, that I wouldn’t want to be without. My aim is to be able to get by for a month without having to go shopping – if it becomes necessary for me to stay at home.” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

“When it comes to coronavirus, I try not to panic. However, due to the fact that I noticed that there are significant shortages on store shelves, I also decided to stock up on buying a few kilograms of flour, a few packets of pasta and sauces in a jar, ham and sausages in cans and jars, rice, and a few kilograms of frozen vegetables and fruit. The plans for weekend shopping also include the purchase of several five-litre bottles of water just in case.” Bulbshare user 🇵🇱

‘Don’t panic’ sceptics
While the majority of our community are concerned about the coronavirus and changing their behaviour accordingly, there is a notable contingent who are going about business as usual and feel that many are panicking unnecessarily. These people may be washing their hands more, but are not changing the way they shop, and are certainly not stockpiling. And there are some who feel that over-reporting of the virus has led to feelings of unneeded nervousness and overly drastic behaviour.

“I have not done anything different. I think we are at a very low risk as we usually stay in our local area, have not been in contact with overseas travellers, and (I) definitely will not indulge in panic buying.” Bulbshare user 🇵🇱

“Nope, carry on living. The only difference is that I have to work around people who are panicking.” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

“I haven’t done anything differently since finding out about coronavirus. I think a lot of people are over panicking… The media need to stop scaremongering.” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

Stay in touch with Bulbshare for continued reports around global reactions to the coronavirus over the coming weeks.

To find out how Bulbshare could benefit your organisation, please contact Michael Wylie-Harris on michael@bulbshare.com

Michael Wylie-Harris
In Brands, Bulbshare blog

10 simple steps to guaranteeing consumer trust

Edelmen published its 2020 Trust Barometer earlier this year and to put it bluntly, the results weren’t good. The news is that consumer trust is still super low; and that continued economic uncertainty has meant a growing mistrust of institutions such as governments, media, global companies and brands.

The research consultancy reported that both job insecurity and wealth inequality continue to grow – meaning widespread and ‘deep-seated fears about the future’ among global consumers. Factors such as the continued threat of another global recession, the onset of climate change and the rise of far-right politicians have meant heightened scepticism around everything from party politics to brand marketing campaigns. In short, gaining trust has never been more difficult.

Edelmen’s advice is to embrace a whole new strategy for building trust: ‘balancing competence with ethical behaviour’. With this in mind, we asked our global community what they believe brands can do to buck the trend, and become a trusted friend to their legions of potential customers…

As ever, our global community answered emphatically and from their list of responses, we’ve compiled a ten-step toolkit to building consumer trust…

1. Show your workings
Our community trust brands that are open, honest and transparent about everything they do. In the light of some major global brands being exposed for ‘greenwashing’ (making misleading claims about their own sustainable credentials), it’s more important than ever that marketing messages are rooted in genuine actions.

“Be real about the supply chain and products used. Lying about bring ‘sustainable’ is more damaging to their reputation than using the (wrong) products in the first place…” Bulbshare user 🇦🇺

“For sure they could give tangible proof of what they do… It is not enough for me to hear their statements, I would appreciate having the instruments to see proof of what they say they are doing. If a company says that they will plant a tree for every 100 t-shirts sold, I would love a kind of Google Earth of the zone where they are doing it in order to see if the green area grows or not…” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

2. Quality, heritage, tradition  
The word ‘quality’ cropped up time and time again in our survey, with our community telling us that products and services rooted in tradition, heritage and provenance are key to building a brand’s reputation.

“I trust the brands that produce quality products. I could mention Italian food brands such as La Molisana or Rummo Pasta… In fact, there are many Italian food brands that present artisan products that reflect the authenticity of the territory.” Bulbshare user 🇮🇹

3. Be ethical
Ethics is still key, with both younger and older consumers continuing to place massive importance on genuine moral and social purpose. Check out our community’s Purpose Power report for ten brands admired by our community for their ethical stance and actions. 

“The brand I really trust is Toyota. This company really cares about the environment and the future of our planet. It is no coincidence that this company leads the rankings of the most ethical companies in the world. I feel proud that I own a car of this brand.” Bulbshare user 🇷🇺

4. Listen to your customers, collaborate and co-create
A recent report from research firm Iris identified ‘participation brands’ as those that involve their consumers in their creative and marketing processes, saying that these brands ‘outperform the market, drive advocacy and command a premium’. Our community couldn’t agree more, consistently telling us how ‘being involved’ is the most powerful way to build trust. Check out our toolkit on How to Become a Participation Brand for a step-by-step guide to putting customer voice into the heart of your operations. 

5. CX is king
Believe it or not, brands are STILL getting customer experience very wrong. And bad CX was mentioned time and time again in our survey. Read our report on Co-creating your Customer Experience for everything you need to know about putting customers in the driving seat when it comes to CX.

6. Be local
As reported in our Active Altruism piece, our community values brands that support their local communities. If you want to build trust, looking after your own is a simple way to get there. Invest in local community projects, source locally and partner with other local businesses.

“Co-op is trustworthy. It does so much for the local community… British products and local suppliers are great for our economy.” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

7. Choose a cause
Our community gets behind brands that are vocal about the causes they support. Our Moral Brands report shows how our community trusts organisations that put causes at the heart of their messaging and publish the real-life work that they are doing.

“The brand that I trust is Lucozade as in the summer of 2019 to get the nation behind England’s Women’s team, Lucozade Sport rewrote the unofficial anthem of the World Cup ‘Three Lions’ as a powerful testament that expresses the trials and tribulations of overcoming prejudices against women in sport.” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

8. Honesty is the best policy
It sounds obvious, but our community doesn’t trust brands that lie. If you’re going to make big claims about your moral and social integrity, make sure they’re impervious to scrutiny. Modern consumers are savvy and will spot a half-truth a mile off. Honesty is paramount for our consumers.

“They must be honest first of all! If they write that there is no sugar, then I want no sugar. A customer must know what they are really buying.” Bulbshare user 🇵🇱

“Be honest and truly do what they say, instead of showing fake facts to prove they are good when they are not.” Bulbshare user 🇮🇹

9. Be consistent
Consistency is key. Our community has told us how scattergun campaigns supporting multiple causes are confusing and don’t feel authentic. To build trust, brands need to pick one cause and champion it consistently throughout everything they do.

“Be consistent and have a strong message that they follow and inspire others to as well…” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

10. Save the world
It goes without saying that modern brands are expected to be morally and socially responsible. But in an era when governments are widely considered to be falling short on tackling global problems such as wealth inequality and climate change, it falls to brands to help save the world.

“(I trust) companies looking for the best solutions to overcome the problems that grip the planet and its delicate life cycle and struggles.” Bulbshare user 🇮🇹

“Brands should organise the recycling of garbage that remains after using their products, as well as directly offering their customers the opportunity to bring garbage for recycling. This responsibility to people and nature is worthy of respect and determines the authenticity of the brand.” Bulbshare user 🇬🇧

To find out how Bulbshare could benefit your organisation, please contact Michael Wylie-Harris on michael@bulbshare.com

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