The document summarizes key insights from MTM's 2021 seminar on emerging trends influencing societal attitudes and consumer behaviors. It discusses how the pandemic has accelerated shifts to digital platforms for work, education, healthcare, fitness, and social connection. This has increased expectations for technology to support wellbeing through personalized experiences and inclusive communities. The document also examines evolving views around activism, influencers, and entertainment in virtual worlds as social media and digital content take on greater social and political roles.

1. 2 0 2 1 S E M I N A R

2. With lockdown shaping much of our experience in 2020 - and
having a continued impact into 2021, the role of digital tools
and platforms has never been more prominent. As a result, our
relationship with technology - how we use it, and how we feel
about it (or perhaps more importantly, how it makes us feel) is
undergoing a transformation. The same digital platforms and
devices we have told ourselves to detox from have become
the only means of keeping in touch with others, providing us
with endless entertainment and offering us community.
As we kick into 2021, we ask how brands can adapt to these
changes, reaching out to displaced, remote consumers and
meeting their expectation of a more positive role of tech.
Introduction

3. HOLLY FRIEND DR ZAHEER HUSSAIN
KEMI ALEMORU LAUREN ROXBOROUGH
experts
experts
To create this report, we’ve gathered
insights and market intelligence from a
wide range of sources, to identify
existing and emerging trends that are
influencing societal attitudes and
consumer behaviours.
Once we had highlighted these trends,
we reached out to a variety of cultural
experts and futurists who could lend an
informed voice to the topics.
Our experts were then invited to form a
panel for the seminar, to bring the
trends to life and to enable us to explore
these topics through the lens of their
different backgrounds and experiences.
About
TREND FORECASTER & FUTURIST CYBER & SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGIST
CULTURE EDITOR, GAL-DEM CHIEF MARKETING EXEC, Y7 STUDIO

4. While modern consumers are no strangers to digital platforms,
lockdown and social distancing measures have augmented a
mass discovery of new ways to engage in self-care digitally.
Over the past few years, digital device usage and content
consumption have been linked to everything from depression
to anxiety and isolation. But now we are starting to imagine a
whole new world of technology that could actually support our
wellbeing and indeed make us feel better, not worse.
reimagined.
Health & wellbeing
01

5. The onset of the pandemic created new opportunities for health and
wellbeing digital practitioners to overcome long-standing barriers to
entry, better cater to the individual needs of their growing audiences,
and serve up super personalised experiences.
From even the most cynical novices turning to digital fitness services like
Melissa Wood Health to test the waters, to seasoned fitness fanatics
creating their own micro-communities within the Peloton network, to
new platforms like Health In Her HUE being created specifically for
women of colour. 2020 seems to have marked the entrant of a fully
inclusive and non-discriminatory self-care, which has something for all.
“It’s much more attainable from not only a
price point or vocational perspective, but
also reducing the intimidation factor.”
Liberate is a daily meditation app
designed for the Black community
Lululemon’s The Mirror aims to recreate
boutique studio experiences at home
Folx is a new healthcare provider
by and for the queer community
Digital platforms facilitate and
promote non-discriminatory care

6. The digital detox will continue to evolve as consumers develop healthier tech
habits and cultivate wellbeing practices in the online realm. Instead of
detoxing or unplugging, “digital nutrition” is all about intentional and intelligent
use of technology devices and the conscious consumption of content.
With more and more of consumers’ daily lives moving online, a string of new
initiatives are emerging to help consumers find balance for their digital selves
and improve their online literacy and wellbeing. Digital health innovator,
AeBeZe Labs, for example, has created a number of tools, including
personalised digital nutrition plans that help consumers better understand the
"nutritional value" of the content they consume, and monitor its impact on their
mood, emotional resilience, and overall welfare.
Michael Phillips Moskowitz developed
Moodrise to feed users digital content that
research says should make them feel better
Digital detox? No way!
It’s all about digital nutrition
“We’re starting to consider the neurological
effects of a balanced digital diet in the same way
we think about eating healthy food or exercising.”

7. As the demand for mindfulness resources rises, providers are now
releasing content that encourages consumers to practice
meditation, mindfulness and self-care. Such programming is
repurposing the role of entertainment platforms - from escapist
outlets for passive consumption to interactive spaces that get
audiences involved and transformed for the better. Calm and
Headspace have been the biggest winners to date, scoring
original TV series on Netflix and HBO respectively.
Mental wellness will continue to remain front and centre on social
media, solidifying its place as the home of entertainment for
contemporary youth audiences. Netflix and Instagram partnered
earlier this year to launch Wanna Talk About It?, a weekly live
series on Instagram, featuring some of Netflix’s most popular
young adult stars, including Noah Centineo, Jerry Harris and Alisha
Boe, coming together to talk about mental health issues and
taking care of yourself in today’s crazy world.
A World of Calm adapts the
meditation app’s vast library of
audio material for the TV screen
@Scarcurtis is a TikTok wellbeing hero
who opens up about her struggles
with anxiety, PTSD and depression
Mental wellness as a
new form of entertainment
“People are turning to
new platforms to practice
their self-care because
they get to interact with
wellness champions -
learn from them and
relate to them.”

8. M T M
S U G G E S T S
As self-care becomes an essential survival tool,
how can your brand help consumers nourish
their minds and bodies digitally?
Communicate most distinguishing factors of your
health and wellbeing offer, while leveraging
stories of how your brand is helping people get by
Develop products, platforms and content that
facilitate digital selfcare and tap into growing
audience appetite for healthier lives going forward
Think
Say
Do

9. Amid the Black Lives Matter movement, social media platforms
have emerged as a leading channel for people to educate
themselves and make political statements about a variety of
social issues that matter most to them.
With a growing spotlight being placed on the palpable value
public figures can bring to our feeds and our lives, the issue of
how to use social media platforms as a tool to partake in
genuine online activism has never been more relevant.
A new era of
02
social media.

10. When people were forced to stay at home and deal with
very scary realities, following the same old influencers known
for promoting and selling a lavish lifestyle based on
expensive clothes, hotels and restaurants all of a sudden lost
its appeal. Highsnobiety described this moment as “the
clout drought” whereby influencers were no longer seen as
aspirational for portraying enviable, materialistic existences.
Consumers now expect (and often demand) that people
with a platform use it, whenever possible, to define modern
values and shape progressive conversations. The new “it”
crowd consists of “thinkfluencers” who attract followings via
their ability to share knowledge and affect change on
important issues. From Florence Given discussing social
activism to Munroe Bergdorf celebrating Black trans lives to
Pranjal Jain building an entire global online community for
women’s empowerment - future influencers are going to
offer our lives and feeds much more than just a pretty face.
Non-binary writer, Jamie Windust
highlights the importance of having
the freedom to express their
identity through the way they look
Ibram X. Kendi is America’s
leading racism scholar and a go-
to for education about racism and
the Black experience in the US
The rise of thinkfluencers
and post-aspiration media
“Influencers who only
existed to sell you
things fell a bit flat
and just seemed
useless because you
know, what use are
they in a pandemic?”

11. Ta-Nehisi Coates guest- edited the
September issue of Vanity Fair with
a focus on activism, art, and power
With celebrities, brands and digital influencers increasingly being called
out for piggybacking off important issues to appear #woke and gain
social currency, it comes as no surprise that the expression “performative
activism” has been dominating contemporary conversations. Concerns
with superficial activism are growing as many engagements with political
matters online continue to be driven by personal gain and social capital,
rather than actually helping the causes they’re supposed to stand for.
#BlackoutTuesday and the “safety pin movement” embody this type of
activism, which does more to promote an individual’s own virtuous morals
and prove they’re on the woke side of history, while often unintentionally
silencing those actually supporting the movement and its demands.
Regardless of this performative, trends-driven character of social media,
these platforms have proved to be invaluable tools when it comes to
spreading awareness and driving engagement with today’s causes. The
events of 2020 have underlined the importance of effective allyship, which
is not only about what you do and say, but how and why you do it.
“The problem with wokeness is that it doesn’t
inspire action; it freezes it. To be woke is first
and foremost to put yourself on display.”
Allyship: an effective antidote to
performative digital activism
56%
of people say that too
many brands use societal
issues as a marketing ploy
to sell more of their product
Edelman
Ben & Jerry’s promotes allyship
with a podcast that educates
listeners on White supremacy

12. FaZe Academy’s first ever freshman
class programme is split into 4 stages -
Scouting, Bootcamp, Apprenticeship
and Acceptance - titled ‘The Journey’
The events of 2020 have changed what is expected from those in the
spotlight, people now want to see the people they look up to use their
exposure for good. A new breed of ‘conscious’ talent is coming to the
fore who have an entirely new range of qualifications, experiences,
skills, and competencies than previous influencers, but continue to exist
within the same, often exploitative and unregulated industry. Protection
groups like The Creator Union are coming out to represent and defend
the rights of influencers as brands seek to capitalise on their positive
contributions and increasingly rely on them for content.
With public figures becoming growingly aware of the responsibilities
associated with having a massive following, a series of organisations
have emerged to educate influencers on how to use their platform and
status as a force for good. NOW! and the American Influencer Council
for example, both set out to empower social media personalities to
infiltrate political systems in hopes of shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
“New groups are coming in to help educate
influencers and give them guidance on how to
use their power and platform in a positive way.”
The concept of ‘influence’
as a renewed force for good

13. M T M
S U G G E S T S
How can your brand stay relevant on social
media as people continue to diversify the ways
in which they engage with these platforms?
Provide full transparency when communicating your
intentions, internal progress and long-term plans for
your brand’s commitment to changing the future
Harness expert voices to address important issues,
while doing due diligence when it comes to who you
work with across the social and political spectrum
Think
Say
Do

14. The pandemic, having put a halt on in-person events, is
accelerating the timeline of virtual worlds becoming
mainstream hangout spots - for friends to stay in touch, create
their own worlds and partake in collective events.
As the digital world permeates every area of our daily lives,
people are increasingly turning to online spaces as an outlet for
socialising and escapism. Audiences are no longer satisfied with
just passive experiences, but want to co-create and interact
with their media.
Evolution of
03
entertainment
.

15. With IRL socialising still in flux, consumers are turning to digital
platforms with social features to satisfy their yearning for
connection. This is presenting a perfect opportunity to
introduce the Metaverse, a shared virtual space that is always
open, where people seamlessly get together and interact in
millions of virtual collective experiences.
Virtual gaming environments like Fortnite, Animal Crossing and
Roblox hold many characteristics of this, enabling consumers
to play, explore and create with others in open worlds. What
started as a gaming experience has evolved into a go-to
destination for socialising and attending immersive virtual
shows from artists at the top of the music charts, such as Travis
Scott and Marshmello. Over the course of 2021, the Metaverse
will experience widespread use and we will see a rise in
massive, immersive virtual events that bring people together
for meaningful and memorable moments.
New Graduation Celebration world for
Minecraft is a fun way to experience a
truly Minecraftian graduation ceremony
Avatar social platform IMVU fosters
engagement through participation
in three-dimensional virtual worlds
Meeting, hanging out, and
bonding in the Metaverse
“The Metaverse will
be YouTube for social
experiences—a place
where we can meet
and discover new
experiences without
an agenda.”

16. Consumers are increasingly turning to new digital mediums to create
content, virtual worlds and communities that allow them to escape from
the current state of affairs and regain some feeling of control and hope.
Nowhere has this been more true than in the world of gaming. A new
generation of Gen Z and Alpha gamers are bringing their more
environmental, socially-minded and proactive attitudes to the sector,
leading to the rise of utopian gaming. Minecraft players for example, are
rebuilding the world from scratch with Build the Earth, raising questions
about how societal structures can be broken down and improved.
Alternative media platforms are also emerging to provide a place for
modern audiences to express their views away from regulated media and
drive more purposeful storytelling. Activist-tainment channels, including
Pluc TV feature content created by real citizens, enabling creators with
the power of visual storytelling and a network to influence change at a
behavioural and policy level.
“The huge success of Animal Crossing demonstrates
a desire to build pandemic-free worlds and help
people mitigate their sense of helpfulness in real life.”
The strategy game aims to simulate
the real-life, multifaceted approach
required to stop a pandemic
Purpose led audiences are
creating activist-tainment
BlackTransArchive is a video game
designed in collaboration with Black
trans coders and artists as a way to
fight against the erasure of their history
Reporters Without Borders built the
Uncensored Library in Minecraft to offer
global access to uncensored journalism

17. Clubhouse, the invite-only app built around
“drop-in audio chat” has gathered a legion of
high-profile fans and some two million users
New, interactive social+ platforms are emerging which offer interesting ways
for audiences to engage with media and connect with each other. As of late,
it seems that everyone is talking about Clubhouse. The audio platform brings a
unique dynamic to the already booming audio experience by adding social
elements and inviting members to eavesdrop, or join in with live conversations.
The success of this platform seems to be spurring on a ripple effect with reports
of Twitter testing out Spaces, an audio chat room where up to ten people can
talk to an unlimited number of spectators.
Live digital audiences are also coming together around content that not only
keeps them entertained, but allows them to interact with a real-time
experience and community. Facebook and Genvid recently revealed Rival
Peak, an experimental reality TV show in which the viewing audience can vote
to determine each contestant’s actions in real-time. The show has turned into
an overnight hit on Facebook with more than 22 million views of the first six
episodes, highlighting the value of collective audiences and fan communities.
Interactive media is fostering
hyper engagement and community
“The pandemic has made so many of us yearn for
real, live conversations and Clubhouse fulfils that.”

18. M T M
S U G G E S T S
How can your brand capitalise on high
user engagement and new possibilities
enabled in these digital worlds?
Make yourself present, personable and
approachable within popular virtual spaces through
built-in branded items, comms and experiences
Consider moves to new digital platforms, but
be sure to integrate with sensitivity and
awareness of existing culture and community
Say
Do
Think

19. Want to know more?
Get in touch get with our cultural insights team!
MARINA GRAHAM
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
e: marina.graham@wearemtm.com
ALEX GIBSON
SENIOR RESEARCH EXECUTIVE
e: alex.gibson@wearemtm.com