T4 Liquid people T4 Liquid people “Not only are we increasingly expected to make ‘right’ choices about what we buy or do, we are increasingly likely often inherent in this, because what they contribute when they — Fjord Trends 2020 do so is more important. Companies that effectively respond to be criticized if we don’t.” are growing in popularity. Everlane runs a popular Black Friday campaign in which every order prompts a donation to Oceana to help reduce the proliferation of single-use plastics. Last year, in The inclusivity paradox trend, we highlighted the need for organizations to evolve their approach beyond demographic segmentation. Instead, we advocated they focus on meaningful mindsets – an approach that better serves people’s desires in today’s world to be seen and treated appropriately as individuals. Since then, there has been ample evidence of people perceiving and defining their identity and worth in ever more liquid ways. In 2019, gender fluidity went mainstream and by September, Mattel had launched the world’s first gender-neutral doll. Freelance self-employment spiked as people sought the flexibility to make their careers work for their lifestyles. People have always chosen to spend more on certain items In Sweden, peer pressure is driving while spending less on others that we consider to be less air travel down and rail travel up. important. The difference is that now, these trade-offs are becoming more common and visible. For instance, many meat-eaters are happy to forgo meat on weeknights, some sustainable fashion buyers still travel by plane, many global corporate workers run community side projects. Most importantly, we’re open about this. In other words, we’re now looking for a bundle of different values in the things we consume beyond the joy of consumption, status or ownership. The “value add” that marketeers have sought for decades is changing shape rapidly and becoming linked to unpredictable but important forms of self-actualization. Companies are starting to follow this trend, too. Brazilian start-up Beleaf, formerly known as Vegan Já, is one of a number of plant-based food companies around the world to change its name to broaden its appeal to meat-eaters. In the US, around 95 percent of people buying from meat alternative food business Impossible Foods are meat-eaters. Vegan is now the fastest growing food takeaway in the UK, and recent YouGov research suggested a conscious flexitarian diet could soon become the country’s norm. 53 54