GfK’s research shows a continuing polarization in US consumers, with some saying that they have already returned to their pre-pandemic lifestyle, while others report that they will be cautious for a long time to come – perhaps never returning to the life they led before.
Recent GfK research shows that 57% of Americans plan to be cautious about resuming a more familiar, social way of life – while 21% report that they “can’t wait” to do the things they used to. Yet US consumers are almost evenly split on how they are actually living right now, with 53% saying they are “living normally as they did before,” but 47% reporting that “life has been very different.”
But the disruptions and difficulties of the past year (and then some) have also given many consumers new confidence and an appetite for experimentation. Things like click-and-collect or contactless payments have become second nature. For brands, this can be a double-edged sword – an opportunity to gain ground or lose it.
"During times of crisis, consumers adapt mindsets, adapt expectations from brands – but they're doing it at different paces. Brands need to stay in tune with target groups, to understand where they are on that trajectory. What are they comfortable with? What new levels of innovation are they seeking?" – Eric Wagatha, GfK Consumer Life
"So many consumers have had to change behaviors over the past year – and that really puts them in a mindset, I believe, of heightened receptivity. People are more willing to try different things and have different experiences, because they've had to over the past year. And in many cases, it's been positive – being served by a brand perhaps in a way that they didn't think was possible." – Natasha Stevens, Strategy and Product Innovation, GfK
"We're in an environment where anything is possible. We've had a huge disruption that has opened the door for a lot of innovative thinking – the ability to create, to evolve your product offerings, to think about how you can potentially message even a little differently to different audiences." – Amy Wills, Marketing Effectiveness, GfK
"Let's not look for a new status quo. I think what we've learned from all of this is that brands need to continue innovating, need to continue to risk it. If the discussion is, “How do we get back to normal?” I think you're missing the point. What we learned from the pandemic is that we need to preempt situations like these by keeping the innovation channel open at all times." – Eric Wagatha
