In times of multiple crises, consumers are faced with many challenges that negatively affect their emotions.  From economy to environment and social issues, there's a lot going on. With the increasing uncertainty, especially among the youth, we have observed a shift in focus in marketing strategy towards small moments of joy and romanticization.

This trend has led to the emergence of a new concept: Metamodernism 2024, which will significantly influence how brands communicate with their customers.

What is it?

Defined as a "complex worldview of the age of complexity," metamodernism lies between modernism, known for its great confidence and intense belief in universal truths, and postmodernism, characterized by irony, sarcasm, and disbelief in many truths.

Metamodernism takes the best of both worlds and seeks to find solutions to our current problems. It values honesty and optimism, which can significantly help brands better connect with consumers.

Driving Forces of Metamodernism

Humor:
Humor has become a coping mechanism for dealing with poly-crises. Globally, 91% of people prefer funny brands, and there's a higher chance (90%) of remembering funny ads. However, the definition of humor is rapidly changing for young digital natives. For example, Gen Z defines humor with chaos, bad taste, memes, and "embarrassing" humor, especially those referring to other memes.

Search for Happiness:
Consumers crave happiness. However, globally, 45% of people haven't felt real happiness for more than two years, and 25% don't know or have forgotten what it means to be happy. The viral rise of the gloomy #Corecore aesthetic reflects this general gloomy and purposeless mood. Now, a new TikTok trend has emerged as an optimistic counterpoint: the #Hopecore aesthetic; with already 2.7 billion TikTok views, it demonstrates the search for positivity. Nearly 90% of consumers actively seek new experiences that make them happy. They find joy in simple things and look hopefully towards the future.

Target Audience of Metamodernism:
Metamodernism has the potential to redefine our current digital culture. This new way of thinking will deeply impact young people from Generation Z and Generation Alpha, who are digital natives and are particularly open to this narrative.

Marketing Strategies for 2024

Show that your brand embraces a metamodern mindset by focusing on joyful and inspiring content that conveys romantic ideals (spontaneity, real emotion, freedom, and nature).TikTok's #RomanticiseYourLife hashtag has 1.7 billion views. Videos showcase finding beauty in simple things like a morning cup of tea; creating product or campaigns that focus on enjoyable moments can be an approach brands can adopt. In a recent campaign by McDonald's Colombia, photos of real customers who received their orders were shared, positioning the brand as a source of joy.

Source: WGSN