The holidays are over (and so is the inauguration). It’s time to get back to work.
But marketers have to wonder: What’s next?
Here are five likely trends as forecast by Resonate in a paper titled “Trust, Technology & Tranquility.”
1. Consumers will seek a break from economic stress — Brand loyalty has fallen by 28%, largely due to the desire by shoppers for lower prices. The study notes that consumers “made changes to their shopping habits, postponed big purchases, and gone without non-essential items, and they feel that those measures worked.”
2. Brand loyalty program participation will increase. That sounds like a contradiction, given the fact that loyalty has fallen? While it is true that consumers less brand loyalty in their shopping behaviors, started showing “less brand loyalty in their shopping behaviors, instead looking for cheaper alternatives," the study says. And now? Consumers who “do take part in brand loyalty programs will increase their participation levels,” it adds. Those who stayed with brands "felt they were getting something of value from the relationship.”
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3. Social media usage will increase—Social platforms received a spate of negative publicity in 2024. But social usage is grow by 10% in 2025, and the channels will grow into entertainment and shopping hubs. “Along with this shift, consumers will continue to seamlessly blend online and offline experiences. Social media—along with streaming and gaming—will continue to play a significant role in shaping purchasing decisions and brand interactions.”
4. Consumers will expect personalization and privacy protection—People want it all. “In the age of AI,, the tension between wanting personalized experiences and wanting to protect their privacy will influence US consumers’ interactions with brands and their use of technology,” the study continues.
5. Consumer activation will continue to decline—Social media allows “some celebrities’ and inf1uencers’ careers to be stuffed out in a matter of hours and others to have their popularity resurrected seemingly arbitrarily and just as fast," the study reports. Consumers have begun to find this cycle exhausting. This is another part of modern life they want a break from: 60% are expected to tune out.”
Meanwhile, brands should be focusing on three audiences: always-on gamers, wellness-focused consumers and the privacy-focused person, the study notes. And they should be carefully targeting email recipients.
“With your first-party data enriched in your CRM, you are ready to launch a high-performing email campaign that ignites loyalty,” the study concludes.