THE TRENDERA FILES
THE FUTURE OF 2020 VOLUME 11, ISSUE 1, WINTER 2020 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
CONTENTS
INTRO 4 STANDOUT MARKETING 44
2019 IN MEMES 6 NOW TRENDING 48 49 Lifestyle
52 Entertainment
54 Streaming 20 TRENDS FOR 2020 9 55 Content
56 Social Media
58 Influence & Celebrity THE FUTURE OF 59 Fashion & Beauty YOUR CONSUMER STATS 20 60 Retail & Shopping
21 Methodology 62 Marketing
22 Your Consumer in 2020 63 Technology
30 Politics 64 Politics
31 Dating 65 Work 32 Entertainment
39 Shopping
40 Technology
43 Good Things Ahead
2 TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHAT’S HOT 67
68 Digital Download
70 Trendera Class of 2020
73 Incoming Class
78 Kids
80 Teens
82 Millennials
KNOW THE SLANG 84
STATISTICS 87
3 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
Here at Trendera, we love the New Year and the sense of hope, optimism, and promise that comes with it. However, this January is even more special because it marks the beginning of a new chapter in the cultural zeitgeist—welcome to the 2020s!
To celebrate this important milestone, we’ve compiled the top 20 trends we feel have the potential to not only define 2020, but remain relevant well into the new decade. We’ve also rounded up the latest on what’s trending across lifestyle, entertainment, technology, and more, as well as standout marketing campaigns and the hottest up-and-coming talent you’ll be seeing much more of very soon.
As with every Trendera Files report, you’ll find current consumer research covering 8-55 year olds’ attitudes and behaviors, with one exciting addition—Gen Alpha! This newest generation is slowly making its way onto the scene, and we’re excited to present you with a first glimpse of their emerging preferences and consumption styles.
With all of the fear and stress that defined the 2010s, we’re crossing our fingers that the next ten years are ones that see healing, grounding, and a fresh direction for consumers as well as the world at large. And of course, we hope the same holds true for you.
Happy reading and happy New Year!
TRENDERA
4 INTRO
5 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
2019 IN MEMES
Top left to right:
JAN: World Record Egg
FEB: Due To Personal Reasons
MAR: Nobody
APR: Daenerys Targaryen Squint
MAY: I Don’t Know Who Needs To Hear This
JUNE: Keanu
JUL: Storm Area 51
AUG: Trying Kombucha For The First Time
SEPT: Ight Imma Head Out
OCT: Joker
NOV: Baby Yoda
DEC: You SOB, I’m In 6 7 20 TRENDS FOR 2020
9 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
1. OK, BOOMER
In one of the most viral TikTok videos of 2019, an older man laments, “The Millennials and Generation Z have the Peter Pan syndrome, they don’t ever want to grow up.” What ensued was thousands of teens responding angrily and popularizing the dismissive slang term “OK, Boomer” to express their frustration with older people in various ways. From the mundane (being out of touch with culture) to the serious (destroying the planet by ignoring climate change), it seems the new mantra is “disrespect your elders.” Indeed, Millennials may have been best friends with their Boomer parents, while Gen Z seems to feel this entire generation may not be worthy of their respect. The viral movement points to a growing movement of antiauthoritarianism as young people further lose faith in authority figures. The seeds of discontent are growing and we expect Gen Z’s anger and rebellion to manifest itself with a rejection of traditional ideals, aspirations, and ideas about who should be in charge.
2. SPACE AGE
Sure, we’ve been exploring space in media and culture for over 40 years, but now it seems space is literally the place to be in 2020. Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic will start offering consumers a trip to space that lasts 90 minutes for a mere $200k. Meanwhile, the band OK Go held a contest last year for students, rewarding the two winners by flying their art projects into space. Their pieces will be in good company: Israel startup Aleph Farms, which creates steaks from animal cells, will be flying up to the International Space Station to make lab-grown meat using a 3D bioprinter under microgravity conditions. Expect more entertainment, products and services that look to make space travel and exploration not just a dream, but a reality.
10 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
THE FUTURE OF your consumer
20 THE FUTURE OF YOUR CONSUMER
METHODOLOGY
Trendera surveyed 1231 consumers in December 2019. The survey was distributed online and via mobile phone. The respondent breakdown was as follows:
National Sample:
N= 1231 nationally representative consumers
8-55 YRS OLD
105 GEN ALPHA (8-9)* children and parents of children 8-9, due to legal restrictions
412 GEN Z (10-24)
407 MILLENNIALS (25-40)
412 GEN X (41-55) Male/female split for each generation
Note: Unless specified otherwise, statistics refer to Gen X, Y, and Z.
21 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
YOUR CONSUMER in 2020
AT A GLANCE
Their general outlook:
GEN Z 46% 38% 37%
Happy Hopeful Smart
GEN Y 38% 37% 37%
Hopeful Happy Open-minded
GEN X 35% 33% 31%
Happy Open-minded Healthy
22 THE FUTURE OF YOUR CONSUMER
YOUR CONSUMER in 2020
STILL ANXIOUS
What causes them the most anxiety:
GEN Z 36% 30% 29%
Not having How much I have How my friends enough money to do every day feel about me
GEN Y 45% 32% 29%
Not having My weight My family / The level enough money of my anxiety
GEN X 51% 29% 25%
Not having My weight That I will get sick / enough money How much I have to do every day 23 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
STANDOUT MARKETING
44 STANDOUT MARKETING
THINX:
Known for its period underwear, women’s apparel brand Thinx released “MENstruation,” a campaign exploring what a world would look like if everyone had a period. Showcasing a boy confiding in his dad for the first time about his period and another rolling over in bed to reveal a blood stain, the ad ends with the message, “if we all had them, maybe we’d be more comfortable with them.” The first-ever national television commercial to be launched by a period underwear company, the spot attempts to tackle one of the few remaining taboos in mass media.
KITKAT:
Having committed to using 100% recyclable and reusable packaging by 2025, Nestlé Japan has altered their packaging from plastic to paper for large bags of KitKats. On the new packaging , a folded paper crane is depicted to encourage chocolate lovers to create origami with their used wrappers. The innovative design demonstrates that Nestlé understands consumers’ concerns over sustainability and climate change and makes participating in sustainability measures fun for everyone.
DIRTIEST PORN EVER:
One of Pornhub’s best campaigns to date proved that there is nothing sexy about a polluted planet. “Dirtiest Porn Ever” is a porno featuring some of the adult media brand’s most popular actors performing on a set filled with trash. As the actors did their thing, a Pornhub-branded cleaning crew attempted to clean up the litter, ruining the vibe, if you will. For each video view, a donation was made to Ocean Polymers, a non-profit that removes existing litter from the ocean. Pornhub’s cheeky play was a great way to engage its target audience while doing good for the world.
45 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
NOW TRENDING
48 NOW TRENDING
LIFESTYLE
SINGLE, TOGETHER:
Just as they’ve done with everything else, Millennials are now rebranding and reclaiming the single life — even when in relationships. Emma Watson made global headlines (and countless memes) after describing her relationship status as “self-partnered” rather than single. Meanwhile, a growing number of young couples are embracing separateness, as evidenced by Linda Breault’s Living Apart Together–A new Possibility for Loving Couples. The new book explores how more Millennials are partnering later in life and placing greater emphasis on their careers, resulting in relationships where partners live apart, even in different states or countries.
CANCEL CULTURE:
Cancel culture still remains strong in 2020, but consumers are continually redefining what they consider taboo, making it difficult for companies who must choose to forge ahead or readjust when they receive backlash from the collective majority. For example, Netflix surprisingly edited and censored the controversial suicide scene in 13 Reasons Why two years after it first aired — an eternity by today’s media standards! Alternatively, Kim Kardashian immediately changed the branding of her new shapewear brand from “Kimono,” a tone-deaf reference to the ancient Japanese garb, to SKIMS after receiving heavy criticism upon launch. In 2020, expect consumers to assume even more power in dictating who and what is “cancelled.”
STRAIGHT CULTURE:
In a time when alternative lifestyles and cultures are showcased in mainstream media more than ever before, Dazed Digital asks, “what is straight culture, really? What are the emblems, the heroes, the defining traits? If queer people have Stonewall, drag and disco, do straight people have Maroon 5, Fiat 500s and gender reveal parties?” A bit of an existential crisis for hete ronormative culture, we expect a countertrend to emerge of reclaiming — and even celebrating — the “basicness” of being straight.
49 THE HOT LISTS
67 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
DIGITAL DOWNLOAD
LOOSID:
New app Loosid is a sober social media platform built for those looking to abstain from alcohol. For general consumers as well as those in recovery, the app offers sobriety tools as well as groups where people can chat, coordinate meet ups, and IRL events, such as CrossFit or concerts, sans alcohol. In addition, the app operates as a dating service so that users don’t have to deal with the pressure of grabbing drinks as a first date. As more Millennials find value in sober lifestyles and enjoying a mocktail or two, Loosid is a great app for connecting like-minded individuals.
ROO:
Only 24 states mandate sexual education currently in the United States, and of those, only 13 require that the information taught be medically accurate. To combat this, Planned Parenthood launched Roo, an online chatbot designed for teens. Providing them with accurate answers about their bodies, sex, relationships, and more, the chatbot answers questions like “what’s the right age to have sex for the first time?” or “when are you no longer a virgin?” Quick to respond and mobile friendly, Roo is a great digital resource for teens in the United States looking for non- judgmental advice about their sexual health.
RAAAGO:
With a mission to promote serendipity, Raaago is an independent mobile website that makes finding places easy. Rather than needing to plan everything in advance or consulting Yelp for reviews and ratings, travelers using Raaago receive a tip on where they should go. A user simply needs to select their location and then choose from categories such as eating, drinking, or escaping. For example, if a person selects they are looking to eat and drink in Menorca, the app would propose lunch at Nuru, a modern sushi spot. Available in Berlin, Ljubljana, Munich, Tel Aviv, Zurich, and Mallorca, the app is sure appeal to curation-loving Millennials bitten by the travel bug.
68 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
TRENDERA CLASS OF 2020 — CULTURAL ICONS
VIRGIL ABLOH HAILEY BALDWIN MILLIE BOBBY BROWN
QUINTA BRUNSON EMMA CHAMBERLAIN NOAH CYRUS
70 THE HOT LISTS
INCOMING CLASS
SYDNEY SWEENEY
22-year-old Sydney Sweeney has had notable acting roles in Sharp Objects (2018) alongside Amy Adams as well as in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time In Hollywood (2019). However, her breakout role occurred this year thanks to her performance as Cassie Howard in Gen Z favorite HBO show Euphoria. Next up, Sweeney will be playing the lead in The Voyeurs (2020) alongside Ben Hard.
JHARREL JEROME
Jharrel Jerome’s first major role was inMoonlight (2016) playing the teen crush of protagonist Chiron. Since then, the Bronx-born actor received an Emmy nomination for his role as Korey Wise in Ava Duvernay’s When They See Us (2019) on Netflix. This year, Jerome will be acting in the third season of the series Mr. Mercedes, which is based on the Stephen King thriller, and in the feature filmConcrete Cowboys alongside Idris Elba.
JABOUKIE YOUNG WHITE
In addition making over 460k Twitter followers laugh daily, 25-year-old comedian Jaboukie Young White has already made a name for himself in TV, writing for shows like Big Mouth, American Vandal, and The Daily Show. Keep an eye out for White who will be acting alongside Jerry Ferrara in Dating in New York (2020) and an untitled Bo Burnham project that is currently in pre-production.
73 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
WHAT’S HOT kids
1. 2.
4. 3. 5.
1. Sphero Specdrums 2. Dreamworks Dragon 3. WowWee Fingerlings Narwhal 4. Coding Critters 5. Candylocks Surprise Doll
78 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
WHAT’S HOT teens
1. 2.
4. 3. 5.
1. Blume 2. Cloud Eye Makeup 3. Emma Chamberlain x Crap Eyewear 4. Face Framing Hair Streak 5. Freckle Elf Face Filter
80 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
WHAT’S HOT millennials
1. 2.
4. 3. 5.
1. Bakuchiol 2. Ricardi Studios 3. Renaissancecore 4. Palo Santo Infused Cocktails 5. Plant Based Eggs
82 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020
KNOW THE slang
8484 KNOW THE SLANG
P NO CAP (adj.) - pretty; the new v or very (phrase) - no lie
SADFISHING TFW (v.) - sharing personal problems on (acronym) - that feeling when; used to social media for sympathy describe an emotional experience
VSCO GIRL SOFT GIRL (n.) - a girl who wears scrunchies, pukka (n.) - (origin: TikTok) a sweet girl who is shells, and posts trendy photos of herself sensitive and wears girly pastel clothing edited on the VSCO app; the new Tumblr girl of and blush 2019
E-GIRL/BOY DINK (n.) - (origin: TikTok) a modern-day emo or (acronym) - double income no kids “scene girl”
TOURIST THIRST TRAP HOT GIRL SUMMER (n.) - a social media post taken at a tourist (n.) - (origin: Megan Thee Stallion) being destination intended to receive likes, unapologetically confident and bold comments, and appreciation
PAPERCLIPPING OTP (v.) - popping up for no reason at all, just like (acronym) - one true pairing; used for the paperclip animation on Microsoft Word favorite fictional couples
OK BOOMER KNOW THE (phrase) - used in response to a member of an older generation saying or behaving out of slang touch
85 STATISTICS nationally-representative
87 THE TRENDERA FILES: THE FUTURE OF 2020 STAT CONTENTS
GEN X, Y & Z STATS: 90
91 Methodology 138 Genres They Crave 92 How They Describe Themselves 139 TV Is Best To 93 What They’re Working On 140 Streaming Is Best To 94 Their Definition Of Success 141 Online Video Is Best To 95 What They Consider Acceptable 142 Social Media Is Best To 97 What They Consider Unacceptable 143 How They View Actors 99 What They Consider Popular Right Now 144 How They View Athletes 101 How They Self-Identify 145 How They View Gamers 102 Their Sexual Orientation 146 How They View YouTubers 103 Statements On Sexuality 147 How They View Instagrammers 104 Statements On Relationships 148 How They View TikTok Creators 105 Their Anxiety Triggers 149 Video Games They Play 106 How They Relax 150 Statements On Gaming 108 Issues They Care About 151 Statements On Instagram 109 Their Important Culture Moments 152 Statements On Snapchat 110 Statements On Politics 153 Statements On Facebook 111 The Worst Things To Be 154 Statements On YouTube 112 Where They Purchase 155 Statements On Twitter 113 Favorite Places To Shop Online 156 Statements On TikTok 114 Favorite Places To Shop In-Store 157 Their Go-To Social Media Platform 115 How Much They’re Saving Monthly 158 Their Least Favorite Social Media Platform 116 Statements On Technology 159 Their Favorite Social Media Platform 117 Digital Detoxes 160 Their Most Used Social Media Platform 118 Time Spent Away From Their Phones 161 Their Most Authentic Social Media Platform 119 Tech They’re Excited About 162 Where They Post The Most On Social Media 120 Tech They’re Scared Of 163 Where They View The Most Content On Social Media 121 Tech They Think Will Change The World 164 Social Platform That Makes Them The Happiest 122 Tech They Don’t Care About 165 Platform They Think Is Most Likely To Die 123 Their Favorite Entertainment 166 Their Most Relevant Social Media Platform 124 Online Videos They Watch 167 Their Least Relevant Social Media Platform 125 Their Number Of Devices 168 Statements On Social Media 126 Hours They Spend Watching Video 169 The Medium That Best Describes Their Generation 127 Devices They Watch The Most Content On 170 Their Favorite Video Content On Social Media 128 Their Preferred Viewing Device 171 Their Thoughts On Snapchat 129 Their Paid Subscriptions 172 Their Thoughts On Instagram 130 Platforms They Watch The Most Content On 173 Their Thoughts On Facebook 131 Statements On Entertainment 174 Their Thoughts On YouTube 132 Why They Watch Live TV 175 Their Thoughts On TikTok 133 Why They Go To The Movies 176 Their Outlook On The Future 134 Why They Stream Content 177 How Their Generation Is Different 135 How They Feel About World News 178 Would You Rather... 136 Where They Get Their News 137 Entertainment They Crave
88 STATISTICS
GEN ALPHA STATS: 188
Genres They Crave 189 How They Describe Themselves 232 Online Video Is Best To TV Is Best To 190 What They’re Working On 233 Social Media Is Best To Streaming Is Best To 191 Their Definition Of Success 234 How They View Actors Online Video Is Best To 192 What They Consider Acceptable 235 How They View Athletes Social Media Is Best To 193 What They Consider Unacceptable 236 How They View Gamers How They View Actors 194 What They’re Into Right Now 237 How They View YouTubers How They View Athletes 195 How They Self-Identify 238 How They View Instagrammers How They View Gamers 196 Their Anxiety Triggers 239 How They View TikTok Creators How They View YouTubers 197 How They Relax 240 Video Games They Play How They View Instagrammers 199 Issues They Care About 241 Statements On Gaming How They View TikTok Creators 200 Their Important Pop Culture Moments 242 Statements On Instagram Video Games They Play 201 Statements On Politics 243 Statements On Snapchat Statements On Gaming 202 The Worst Things To Be 244 Statements On Facebook Statements On Instagram 203 Favorite Places To Shop Online 245 Statements On YouTube Statements On Snapchat 204 Favorite Places To Shop In-Store 246 Statements On Twitter Statements On Facebook 205 How Much They’re Saving Monthly 247 Statements On TikTok Statements On YouTube 206 Statements On Technology 248 Their Go-To Social Media Platform Statements On Twitter 207 Digital Detoxes 249 Their Least Favorite Social Media Platform Statements On TikTok 208 Time Spent Away From Their Phones 250 Their Favorite Social Media Platform Their Go-To Social Media Platform 209 Tech They’re Excited About 251 Their Most Used Social Media Platform Their Least Favorite Social Media Platform 210 Tech They’re Scared Of 252 Their Most Authentic Social Media Platform Their Favorite Social Media Platform 211 Tech They Think Will Change The World 253 Where They Post The Most On Social Media Their Most Used Social Media Platform 212 Tech They Don’t Care About 254 Where They View The Most Content On Social Media Their Most Authentic Social Media Platform 213 Their Favorite Entertainment 255 Social Platform That Makes Them The Happiest Where They Post The Most On Social Media 214 Online Videos They Watch 256 Platform They Think Is Most Likely To Die Where They View The Most Content On Social Media 215 Their Number Of Devices 257 Their Most Relevant Social Media Platform Social Platform That Makes Them The Happiest 216 Hours They Spend Watching Video 258 Their Least Relevant Social Media Platform Platform They Think Is Most Likely To Die 217 Devices They Watch The Most Content On 259 Statements On Social Media Their Most Relevant Social Media Platform 218 Their Preferred Viewing Device 260 The Medium That Best Describes Their Generation Their Least Relevant Social Media Platform 219 Their Paid Subscriptions 261 Their Favorite Video Content On Social Media Statements On Social Media 220 Platforms They Watch The Most Content On 262 Their Thoughts On Snapchat The Medium That Best Describes Their Generation 221 Statements On Entertainment 263 Their Thoughts On Instagram Their Favorite Video Content On Social Media 223 Why They Watch Live TV 264 Their Thoughts On Facebook Their Thoughts On Snapchat 224 Why They Go To The Movies 265 Their Thoughts On YouTube Their Thoughts On Instagram 225 Why They Stream Content 266 Their Thoughts On TikTok Their Thoughts On Facebook 226 How They Feel About World News 267 Their Outlook On The Future Their Thoughts On YouTube 227 Where They Get Their News 268 How Their Generation Is Different Their Thoughts On TikTok 228 Entertainment They Crave 269 Would You Rather... Their Outlook On The Future 229 Genres They Crave How Their Generation Is Different 230 TV Is Best To Would You Rather... 231 Streaming Is Best To
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