Brands Must Prioritize Mental Wellness in Marketing Strategies as Consumer Expectations Shift
Listen to the research (7min 24sec).
Momentum Worldwide’s We Know Experiences: Connected Consumers global research study has tracked consumer sentiment in regard to both physical and mental health, the state of happiness and well-being over the course of three waves over 10 years. With the previous wave completed in the fall of 2019, our latest research uncovered a seismic shift in the perception, acknowledgement and acceptance of mental well-being.
What, you might ask, has driven this shift?
From COVID to AI, political unrest, climate change and more, the last five years have seen more history than history. The increase in public acceptance, celebrity advocacy and generational shifts have also empowered consumers to speak up and speak out.
The world has changed. People have changed.
1. Wellness Gets Redefined
Over the last 13+ years we’ve watched the wellness definition grow and change. Physical wellness, once the top search on Google, has since been replaced with searches for mental wellness.
From 2010 to 2023, interest in a broader wellness landscape grew dramatically.
That sentiment has also been applied to the definition for being “healthy,” transforming from a primary focus on diet and exercise to opening the door to include mental wellness in the equation, with less stigma attached.
Fitness and healthy habits remain a priority, but taking care of one’s mental and emotional needs is of equal importance:
Yes, mental wellness is finally stepping out of the shadows. People are talking about it. It’s being included in the conversation. But it’s not without its obstacles.
With this new acknowledgment and respect comes worry. As we educate ourselves more and look inward, we’ve also become more self-aware of the negative toll too much technology might be having on both our physical and mental health.
The result? We’re pushing back ever so slightly, trying to balance the human side with tech, with 70% admitting they’re not adopting the latest tech the moment it’s released.
Our mental wellness awakening has taught us control.
2. The 3 Cs of Mental Wellness: Connection, Community, Care
Despite closer attention to mental health there are other external factors at play. Over six in 10 global consumers are finding it harder than it was five years ago to make connections with others and that finding community—something that is a positive contributor to mental well-being—takes more effort today.
With community and connection becoming so difficult, we’re taking a long, hard look at how, in the past, we may have taken friendships, meet-ups, events and experiences for granted. Two-thirds have come to the realization that fostering connection is the most important habit or activity for a happy and healthy life and that it contributes to overall well-being.
And these connection reinforcements or reconnections have been transformative, leading eight in 10 consumers to see themselves as a better person than they were five years ago.
With this newfound clarity, the door is open for brands to engage. In fact, more than eight in 10 appreciate a brand that fosters connections among its community and two-thirds would invite a brand to help them in their wellness journey.
3. A Brand’s Role
This leads us to the how brands can join consumers on the mental wellness journey.
Momentum’s WE KNOW Experiences global research has tracked the consumer “want” from a brand over three waves. In our initial 2014 research, it was uncovered that only 23% of consumers believed a brand could alter their mood. Ten years later, that number has increased by four times.
91% believe it is important that a brand lifts their mood and makes them feel better.
Over the last five years, the demand for brands to deliver happiness and connection has steadily increased, while the emphasis on utility has diminished.
Utility hasn’t lost its importance but has instead become the baseline expectation for brands. When it comes to generating brand loyalty and love, consumers are looking for brands to play a more significant role in their lives—one that’s more emotional and inspirational and leans in and supports their mental well-being. They want a brand connection that goes beyond mere functionality.
And, with that, experiences have become even more important over these last few years. Bringing joy, comfort and a foundation to keep us all just a little steadier.
As we people of the world have tried to dust ourselves off, for better or for worse, the recipe for how a brand should be connecting, communicating and creating for consumers has changed.
We’ve already seen brands be outspoken advocates for mental wellness with success. Selena Gomez and her Rare Beauty brand celebrate uniqueness. She created the brand as “a safe, welcoming space in beauty” and is dedicated to reducing the stigma associated with mental health and giving people access to the resources they need to support their mental well-being.
And, after losing their founder, Kate Spade, to depression in 2018, the company doubled down on their commitment to mental wellness by investing $5m in women’s empowerment and mental health globally this year, among other initiatives.
Over the last decade we’ve seen an intersection of consumer expectations that pertain not just to brands but to themselves. As we place greater emphasis on our well-being and encourage ourselves to do better, we are also asking brands to do the same.
How can brands strive to be sources of happiness, connection facilitators and supporters of mental well-being? Brands find themselves with a unique opportunity and responsibility to create experiences that are authentic and supportive, creating joyful moments that contribute to mental well-being. Those that rise to this challenge will find themselves rewarded with deeper consumer connections and a deeper understanding and knowledge of society overall today.
Top “Key Three” Takeaways
- Mental wellness is now a central focus in overall health. It has surpassed physical wellness in importance and focus. Brands need to educate themselves on this topic and develop a strategy for how to be both accepting and an advocate.
2. Consumers desire connection but are finding it to be a challenge. Connection is a key steppingstone to building community, an essential element for experiences. Experiences are, more than ever, important elements in fostering connections with others. Brands can be the bridge to helping develop these relationships and bring like-minded individuals together.
3. With 91% of consumers now believing it’s important for brands to lift their mood and make them feel better, the time is now for brands to step up and support mental well-being.
(Source: Momentum Worldwide’s Proprietary Research)