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The Trendera Files: Diversity & Entertainment T H E TRENDERA FILES DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT Volume 8, Issue 4, Fall 2017 THE TRENDERA FILES: DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT CONTENTS INTRO 4 BY THE NUMBERS 30 31 Research Review 32 Key Findings 33 Lifestyle MACRO TRENDS 45 Entertainment 7 8 Multicultural Cool 10 Diversifed Storytelling NOW TRENDING 12 Fear Factor 82 83 Entertainment 86 Lifestyle CONSUMER PROFILES 88 Fashion / Retail / Shopping 14 91 Digital + Tech 18 Makena 19 Bruno 20 Seisa MARKETING BUZZ 21 Ady 94 22 Tamra 23 Sam 24 Generational Comparison 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS WHAT’S HOT 99 100 Gen Z Kids 102 Gen Z Teens 104 Millennials 106 What’s Hot: Apps 108 Who’s Hot: Actors & Actresses 110 Who’s Hot: Online Infuencers KNOW THE SLANG 114 STATISTICS 117 3 THE TRENDERA FILES: DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT You know that saying, we’re all more alike than we are different? It certainly hasn’t felt that way lately. Everywhere we turn, there sadly seems to be an undercurrent of confict, hatred, and divisiveness running through American culture. It seems you’ve noticed it too. Since the Presidential election, we have received an incredible infux of inquiries on how consumers of various ethnicities are thinking, feeling, and behaving right now. We hear you and have been wondering the same things ourselves, so we have devoted our newest report to diversity and entertainment, two topics that have become intimately related in our media-saturated world. Before diving in, a disclaimer: a topic as complex and multifaceted as diversity in America could (and should) take a lifetime of research to fully understand, so with this initial issue we admit that we are merely scratching the surface. With this report, our intention is to provide an actionable snapshot into some key trends we’re seeing as well as advise on how to navigate these tricky times— ways to authentically and sensitively celebrate your consumers’ ethnic heritages without exploiting them. In this issue, you’ll read societal shifts on how multiculturalism is becoming a status symbol, consumers’ fear-based shift toward tribalism, and the ways in which brands are handing over their microphones to let people speak on behalf of their own communities. In addition to the marketing, trends, and hot lists you’ll fnd in every report, we’re also featuring profles on consumers of various ethnicities from each generation and have broken out statistics by both generation and ethnicity as well. In just a few more years, the United States will be a multicultural majority! So, while we agree that it’s vitally important to honor and understand each other’s differences right now, we’re also excited to highlight some of the signifcant things that will unite us going forward. We hope you enjoy and look forward to keeping this important conversation going. TRENDERA 4 MACRO TRENDS 7 THE TRENDERA FILES: DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT DIVERSIFIED storytelling white culture and big brands to lend them a voice, the democratization In appealing to Gen Zs and of social media has now given these Millennials, marketers and content groups the platform to speak for creators are dealing with two of themselves. That’s not to say outside the most “woke” generations of all support isn’t appreciated, but there time. Not only do these groups fght are new expectations being defned: for their personal rights, they are It’s not enough to make a diverse also passionate warriors and allies and factual flm about the feminist when others are being persecuted movement; audiences want it to be or marginalized—these days, it’s told by a woman with a track record not surprising to see consumers of feminism—same goes for race, boycotting a company with anti-gay sexuality, gender, or anything else. leadership even if they’re straight, attending a Black Lives Matter rally Navigating this tricky territory has even if they’re a 32-year-old white resulted in swift backlash when woman, and sporting a feminist seemingly well-intentioned celebrities t-shirt even if they’re a traditional try—and fail—to practice “wokeness.” “manly” man. Yet all this cause Case in point: Katy Perry. A staunch championing has given rise to Hillary Clinton supporter, Perry felt important questions surrounding that, after everything she’d learned wokeness: Who has the right to during her time with Clinton’s be a leader of a movement? What campaign, she needed to channel it experiences allow someone to into her music and thereby birthed participate in a movement and speak a subgenre, “Purposeful Pop.” The on behalf of it? Furthermore, whose result is an album that’s been criticized stories and perspectives should as misguided, misinformed, and an be spotlighted? As marginalized ultimately unsuccessful attempt at communities take the power back making a statement about social issues into their own hands, they are rightly in America. PSA: People are very demanding that they be the ones to sensitive about who they want to hear champion their causes going forward. these types of messages from, and a mega-rich white pop star with a track Unlike the past, when marginalized record of cultural appropriation is at groups depended on a mainstream the bottom of that list. 10 MACRO TRENDS We expect that as people become increasingly sensitive to both the stories that are being told and who is telling them, we will see platform-lending become more commonplace. Regardless of your brand’s stance, respectfully giving underserved communities a voice is undoubtedly one of the strongest ways to appeal to and resonate with consumers today. BOTTOM LINE: As hot-button issues such as race, politics, gender, and sexuality increasingly dominate the cultural conversation, consumers will be policing brands and content creators with a simple yet hard-hitting question: “What right do you have to tell this story?” followed by a challenge: “Prove it.” 11 THE TRENDERA FILES: DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT CONSUMER profiles 14 THE TRENDERA FILES: DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT GENERATIONAL comparison GEN Y WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES LIKE RACE, ACTIVISM, POLITICS, AND EQUAL RIGHTS, SEISA: People in my generation may easily change their Facebook profle to have, IS YOUR GENERATION DOING for example, the French fag but they are not THINGS DIFFERENTLY? really socially engaged in what is happening. IF SO, IN WHAT WAYS? Rather, they are engaged only in the tragedy or even worse on a superfcial level. ADY: Ttechnologies like various social GEN Z media help with outreach at a greater length. MAKENA: At my school, there are GEN X countless leadership clubs and campaigning/ protesting groups with positive intentions. Most are successful in empathizing their beliefs, as some of the clubs are to thank for TAMRA: In some ways, my generation our new gender neutral bathrooms...With the (Generation X) was spared having to fght a severity of the recent presidential election, lot of these BIG BATTLES that our parents and my generation has been more involved than grandparents had fought and in some cases others even though we were unable to vote... died for...I think our generation really took Racism is almost non-existent in my peers, the for granted that race relations and women’s only contradiction being occasional jokes that rights issues had been “solved” and we were have gone past comfortableness... I’m proud free to just be ourselves and let others be of my generation and all we hope to achieve. themselves as well. Current events prove that those issues are still unresolved and divisive. BRUNO: I think that being the youngest generation, we are the most open-minded and SAM: The younger generation needs to accepting. I know of more people in my age realize that not as much cultural diversity range who are fghting to make a difference was available to us growing up and that it was with the injustices of our country than all our efforts that made this diversity available other age groups combined. to our children when they grew up. 24 THE TRENDERA FILES: DIVERSITY & ENTERTAINMENT IS IT IMPORTANT FOR BRANDS TO TAKE A STANCE ON POLITICAL ISSUES? GEN Z GEN X MAKENA: Brands are extremely TAMRA: I don’t know if it’s important, infuential to voters and young minds, but I do respect it. Regardless of whether making it important for brands to take I agree or not, I like to know what brands a stance on political issues. I am curious stand for or what ideology they espouse. I about celebrities’ stances and I’m probably think knowing that corporate entities have a unknowingly infuenced by their opinions. I conscience and not just a thirst for proft is a think celebrities should continue expressing good thing. I’d like people with infuence to their opinions as long as they have positive use their platform for good causes, but I don’t intentions. really care what celebrities do. BRUNO: It is important to me that SAM: It is important for brands to take a celebrities and brands use their enormous stand on issues related to their business...but infuence to create positive change in the I do not believe companies or brands should world. These famous people and brands bring take a stand on an issue where they have no a voice to issues that are ongoing and really particular expertise. For example, I would make a difference in our world. rather hear the CEO of a technology company talk about the need for the freedom to hire the best skilled workers from anywhere in the world rather than hear their opinion on the ethics of repatriating dreamers. Not that I GEN Y wouldn’t agree with them. SEISA: I think presidents and CEO’s of these companies can have a stance on political issues, but it should be separate from their business.
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