With the 2020 winter solstice now safely in our rearview mirror, we are excited at the prospect of lengthening days, universal Covid-19 vaccinations and a return to some degree of normalcy as we look forward to 2021. In reflecting upon the lessons of this surreal year in the agency business, Wilks Communications Group Managing Director Brad Wilks is sharing his predictions for 2021.

The New Normal Will Not Mirror The Old Normal

As with any epoch-shifting event that transforms the world, the scars from COVID-19 will shape consumer mindsets for years to come. Millions of us have grown accustomed to working from home and enjoying the stress-reducing benefits that come from no commute and a pared down, comfortable wardrobe. Zoom is here to stay. We have adjusted to online meetings and learned ways to light our home studio, stage our set and position our cameras for the best views to reduce our chins.

As such, it is unlikely we will see a massive move to return to downtown offices, attend large trade shows, gather in crowded bars and restaurants or go to concerts. Online shopping via Amazon and Instacart will continue to thrive, while do-it-yourself home improvement projects and hobbies such as sewing, pottery, chess, knitting, baking and gardening will remain all the rage. Education will struggle, with lagging academic progress and concerns among parents and educators over poor psycho-social health for the millions of children studying remotely. Interest in traditional four-year on-campus colleges will continue to wane, except for a few elite schools. For agencies, 2021 will represent a bonanza for public health and safety educational campaigns surrounding vaccines, return to work and other post-COVID-19 initiatives.

We also expect to see a renewed focus from brands on helping families solve basic household and life problems and building resilience and self-reliance in the next generation.

Consumers Will Increasingly Demand A Relationship With Brands They Love

With Millennials now America’s largest generation, brands that align with their values will thrive in 2021 by demonstrating attributes such as authenticity, empathy, a commitment to social justice and race equity, and climate change. Brands will be expected to go the extra mile to communicate their commitment to higher purpose initiatives. By contrast, consumers will feel empowered to call out organizations and brands that fail to reflect the diversity of the nation or fall short of desired expectations for organizations they want to do business with.

Podcasts: The Shiny Object In The Marketing Toolbox

While local news and long-form journalism continue their inexorable decline, more of us will be getting news and other information via podcasts in 2021. According to Google, there are now at least 1,884,351 podcasts in the world, with more than 55% of the U.S. population listening to a podcast in 2020 and more than 155 million people listening to a podcast every week.

This year, requests by clients about the use of podcasts are up significantly. The challenge for marketers will be to identify the podcasts that can be best leveraged to tell a brand story, as well as finding the optimal tools to evaluate their reach and value to clients. In more and more cases, companies are launching their own branded podcasts – think #LIPSTORIES (Sephora’s podcast that looks at all thing beauty) or ZipRecruiter’s RISE AND GRIND with Daymond John.

A Hunger For Time-Honored Traditions Will Remain

Following the experience of 2020, consumers are insatiable to regain a sense of normalcy in their lives by focusing on longstanding family traditions such as favorite recipes, games or books. For example, this year, in response to pandemic, sales of live Christmas trees reached the highest in many years and holiday light displays were more spectacular than ever with public displays at gardens, zoos sold out. We expect this trend to continue in 2021.

Consumers Crave Experiences

In 2020, as vaccines take hold, brands that cater to travel and hospitality, retail and food service stand to rebound, but will need to demonstrate tangible evidence of new standards of hygiene, health and safety. In the case of brick-and-mortar retailers, which suffered immensely in 2020, the winners will be distinguished by their emphasis on offering a rich consumer experience, whether it be through in-store downloadable apps or the addition of a coffee bar, nail salon, café or live music, which can help stores differentiate from online shopping.

Nonprofits Are Applying Fundraising Lessons Learned 

Many nonprofit organizations successfully pivoted to online events, fundraising and virtual consumer engagement, although global NGOs that have historically relied on donor trips abroad suffered in 2020. However, the annual fundraising gala of the future will most likely become a hybrid of the traditional black-tie dinner combined with a simultaneous online event. That will extends the organization’s reach to far away supporters and amplify the global impact through on-the-ground watch parties across multiple continents.

We are excited at the opportunities we see abounding in the new year, and are confident that 2021 will mark a new era for marketers as the economy expands and new ways of business emerge. After 30 years in business, we have learned never to underestimate the resiliency of the human spirit, the power of entrepreneurialism, and the growing passion among younger generations to support brands and ideas geared toward building a better society and world.

To learn more about how WCG is innovating in 2021, please contact us at hello@wilksgrp.com.