We live in a day and age where consumers have the power to shop anywhere, anytime and to a certain extent, any way they want. Today’s consumer is not only looking for products they need – they are holding brands accountable, looking to support brands they identify with, and those who align with their personal values.
During this week’s IAB Canada Community Uninterrupted webinar, we were joined by Michelle Slater, Head of Business Marketing at Twitter Canada who took us on a deep dive into the topic trends happening within the Twittersphere, highlighting important conversations that brands need to consider to stay relevant. According to Twitter’s 2019 Impact of Culture study, when purchasing a product, 24% of a consumer’s decision is influenced by cultural relevance. Furthermore, according to their 2020 Cultural Relevance study, they also found that there is a 96% correlation between a brand’s cultural relevance and purchase intent, and a 95% correlation between a brand’s cultural relevance and its likelihood to be recommended.
When people care about something – they talk about it, and over that last 2 years, Twitter analyzed billions of tweets to detect cultural trends from everyday conversations, breaking them down into six categories:
Wellness – Mind Matters, Whole-Body Health & Communities of Care
- 65% growth in conversations specific to wellbeing with the onset of the pandemic, and a notable 24% increase in the mention of self-care.
- Trending conversations include: exercise being medicine, medicinal cannabis, plant-based diets, health heroes, health tech and telehealth.
Creator Culture – Career Creators, Aspiring Makers, Conversational Entertainment
- 34% growth in creator culture, as creators and everyday makers are talking, sharing, and promoting, driving an increase in conversation.
- Discussions within this space include: digital art & design, photography & videography, gardening, home fatigue, cozy simple living, immersive experiences, and gaming ecosystems.
Everyday Wonder – DIY Spirituality, Imaginative Escapism, and Infinite Horizons
- 22% growth in conversations about the cosmos, spirituality, fantasy-fiction, and this category continues to increase.
- Topics driving the conversation include: astrology, energy and karma, cosplay & role playing and nostalgic experiences.
Tech Life – Smarter Living, Tech for Good and Tech Angst
- 40% growth has been noted here with the pandemic pushing these conversations forward, as people react to the new realities and priorities with a 47% increase on conversations around screen-time.
- Topics driving the conversation include: smart home devises, coding and STEM, cyber security at home, medical tech, virtual arts, tech for social needs, personal data, dark web, cyberbullying and business automation.
One Planet – Sustainable Self, Clean Corporations and Next to Nature
- Conversations around climate change saw a slight decline at the onset of the pandemic, but has since rebounded with a 24% growth and 60% increase in conversations around NetZero emissions.
- Tending conversations include: shopping local, green beauty, eco-tech at home, electric vehicles, youth activism, plastic pledging, protection, extreme weather, domestic adventures in nature, air qualify, cold fronts.
My Identity – Fan Power, Representing me and Ethics in Action
- 54% growth in conversations around identity at the time of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has created lasting change with a 22% growth in conversations about wanting to feel represented.
- Trending conversations around identity include: fan armies, fan fiction/art, cancel culture, BIPOC twitter, body positivity, racism & discrimination, women in work, human rights, social responsibility, climate activation and economic equality.
The world is moving quickly, and now more than ever it is very important to understand how these conversations and insights affect your brand.
In case you missed this discussion you can listen to the webinar recording in the IAB Canada Knowledge Centre.