The Age of Re-enchantment

Theageof tchamntnerene- Emergingtrendsandopportunities AREPORTBYWUNDERMANTHOMPSONINTELLIGENCE Theageofre-enchantment IntroductionWelcome2 Welcometotheageofre-enchantment It’stimetoremaketheworldthroughthelensofre-enchantment,wherethenewbrandmetricsarejawdrops,heartswells,andgoosebumps.Brandscanhelppeopletranscendtoughtimesandjoltthemfromlong-standingmalaisebycelebratingthethrilling,theuplifting,theawe-inspiring,andthemagical. Whethernumbedbypandemicisolation,burnedoutbygrindculture,orshockedbythe21st-centuryhorrorsofpolitics,war,andclimatecrisis,peoplearefeelingasenseofabsencethatishardtoneatlydefine.Morethanthree-quartersofpeoplenowsaythey“justwanttofeelsomething,tofeelalive”and74%saytheyfeelliketheyarewaitingforsomethinggoodtohappen. Uncertaintimesmightimplyashifttoamorepracticalattitude,butinsteadpeopleareyearningforemotion-inducingexperiencesthatdeliverfeelingsofjoyandwonder,cravingthespectacular,thesurreal,andtheotherworldly.Evendarkerthrillsareinspiringtosome:thefear-inducing,theuncanny,thedystopian. Wesawthefirstshootsofthismovementinthisyear’s“Future100”:intheappetiteforadventureandthrillsinRemoteDining,inthecravingforamazementinMultiversalDesign,andintheburgeoningjoyconomyexpressedinAgelessPlay. Peoplehavealwaysenjoyedbeingtransported,butcrucially,thereisnowanappetiteforbrandstodeliverthis:65%ofpeoplewouldlikebrandstowowthemwithspectacularadvertisingandmarketing,and61%wantbrandstohelpthemfeelintenseemotions.Infact,almosttwiceasmanypeoplesaytheyarelikelytobuyfrombrandsthatbringthemasenseofjoy(49%),orthosethatsurpriseanddelightthem(45%),thanfrombrandsthatjustdowhattheysaytheywill(26%). Yetfewbrandsaretappingintothisdesire:70%ofpeoplesaytheycan’trememberthelasttimeabranddidanythingthatexcitedthem. Thetrendsthatfollowexploretheyearningforre-enchantment.Ourhypothesismapsthemtothreeoverlappingneeds:first,aquestforreawakeningandsense-makinginachaoticandconfusingworld;second,adesiretotranscendtheeverydayandfeelpartofsomethingbiggerthanourselves;andfinally,anoptimisticimpulsetoactivelyusherinakinder,morehopefulfuture.Attheirheart,thesetrendsareaboutbetterment—bothpersonalandcollective. Via18originaltrendsbackedbyproprietarysurveydata,andinterviewswith20thoughtleadersinthespace,thisreportsetsoutapathforbrandstoreflectthenewmindset—andre-enchanttheworld! MarieStafford GlobalDirector,WundermanThompsonIntelligence Theageofre-enchantmentContents3 Introduction4 Bythenumbers16 Trends25 Awakening26 tDarkcomforts28 Con ents Mortalbranding33 Full-spectrumfeels36 Generativeawe40 Absurdistretail46 Sellingserendipity50 Transcending54 Transcendentwellness56 Naturalupskilling60 Intrepiddining64 Monumentalwonders67 Multiversalluxe72 Sensorytechtopias75 Reimagining80 Newspiritualrebels82 Fearforgood87 Next-genluddites91 Designuntamed95 Radicalreconnection99 Unleashingthejoyconomy104 Brandtakeaways110 Methodology115 Acknowledgements116 Aboutus118 Theageofre-enchantmentIntroduction4 Introduction Theageofre-enchantmentIntroductionRe-enchantmentdefined5 Re-enchantmentdefined Wedefinere-enchantmentasfulfillingacravingforfeelingsofwonderandawe,anappetiteforjoyandfun,andanopennesstothrillsandadventure.Italsoincludesmorethanahintofmysteryandthewillingnesstoexperienceafewgoosebumps.Weyearntofeelsomething,whetherit’sdelight,awe,surpriseorexhilaration. Inpart,theneedforre-enchantmentislinkedtothedullfateofbecomingadults:weloseoursenseofchildlikewonderovertimeandtheworldbecomeslessmagical.Butit’salsoamuch-neededcountertothetimeswelivein.Aswewilloutline,weliveinarational,explainedworld,andoneinwhichweareharriedandanxious,withlittletimetopauseandpursuethesesensations.Thishasbeencompoundedbythepandemicexperience:“theleastfunyearsanyofuswillcollectivelyexperience,”accordingtopsychologistMikeRucker. Inmorewaysthanone,somethinghasbeenlost.Thereisanabsence,avacuumtobefilled.Thatiswhywecallitre-enchantment. Asourtrendswillshow,theemotionsofre-enchantmentarepowerful;theycanhelpusmakesenseofacomplexworld,theymakeusfeelpartofsomethingmeaningfulthatisbiggerthanourselves;andtheycaninstilloptimism,openingoureyestofuturepossibilities. Whilethetrendsthatfollowresonatewidelyacrossmarketsandcohorts,wediveddeeperintotheviewsofgenerationZwhererelevanttogainsomepointersonhowthetrendsmightevolve.Butoverthenextfewpages,ourDriverssetoutwhythisishappeningnow. ipitrs Theageofre-enchantmentIntroductionRe-enchantmentdefined6 “Iftherewerea ofthisage, itwouldlookalotlikefear. Foryearsnowwe’vebeenrunninglikerabbits.” /KatherineMay, Enchantment:ReawakeningWonderinanExhaustedAge,2023 ForcesofNaturebyBompas&Parr,partoftheAlUlaMomentsfestivalseasoninSaudiArabia Theageofre-enchantment Drivers Thedesireforexperiencesthatcanuplift,inspire,andenthralliseternal,butitisbecomingmoreintenseinanagethatis,andhasbeen,plaguedbyunease.Crucially,thedesireforbrandstodelivermoreemotionalintensityacrosstouchpointsfeelsheightened.Inourinterviewswithglobalthoughtleaders,weaskedwhythedemandforre-enchantmentisontherise,whichhelpedustoidentifythefollowingprimarydriversofourtrends.