Note 5: 2023 Trend Forecasts
Community, mixed media, raves and more... what the apps are predicting for 2023
Happy New Year 🎆 ! Don’t adjust your screens, after a short break to binge-watch Criminal Minds, we’re back with the first note of the year (which was meant to be the last of 2022)
- Outline of this week’s newsletter -
A quick note on - What’s coming out in January 2023
The main event - Instagram and Pinterest, released their predictions for 2023. I’ve read them so you don’t have to and highlighted the standouts plus a few unsolicited ones of my own.
From the Financial Renaissance to the Return of the Rave…what’s on the cards for 2023
Hot on the horizon - Jan
🎧 Music (in detail)
Biig Piig ‘BUBBLEGUM’ (EP) | Måneskin ‘RUSH!’ (Album) | Sam Smith ‘Gloria’(Album) | Kimbra ‘A reckoning’ (Album) | You Me At Six ‘TRUTH DECAY’ (Album) - 27th Jan
More Film & TV for January 🍿- courtesy of Buzzfeed
Happening Now (well it was 2 weeks ago): Rihanna shared a video of her baby boy on TikTok 🥺 | Billie Ellish turned 21 and every pop star was in attendance | SZA dropped SOS which needs no further explanation… | Emily In Paris S3 was released and we’re all in love with Lucien Laviscount | Glass Onion, Glass Onion!
2023 Trend Forecasts
Love or loathe them Pinterest and Instagram, released their 2023 predictions last month. Using a mix of surveys and tracking users’ searches they’ve shared what’s on the up for 2023.
Whilst Pinterest’s report spans broader audiences, and its findings mostly relate to design and fashion and Instagram’s focuses on Gen Z and culture they both share overarching similarities.
Below are three standout trends and potential action points:
Financial Renaissance - Young people are rethinking how they interact with money and careers. They’re prioritising autonomy and financial literacy and bringing fun and accessibility to a topic that’s long been gatekept.
They want to turn their online communities, skills and interests into side hustles and depend less on traditional ways of working.
Action points: Get these enterprising young people on board with campaigns as Ambassadors and UGC creators. | If your industry is Finance or a similarly misunderstood industry, work on ways to create understandable and engaging copy, helpful initiatives and content.
On and Offline Communities - Years spent alone and apart, have led to two things. 1. Social media users have found niche online communities where they feel seen, and 2. nurturing real-life communities and meeting offline is even more rewarding than before.
‘Nearly a third of Gen Z users look forward to in-person experiences—like meet and greets’ - Instagram Trend Report
Action points: More offline activations in campaigns - for example, Stormzy's ‘This Is What I Mean’ campaign (yes, again)
Mixed Media - Both creators are increasingly crossing media forms (video, photo, audio +), creating empires of their own and their audiences approve. An example of a creator who has successfully done this is Brittany Broski. Britanny went from TikTok notoriety to YouTube, to her joint podcast ‘Violating Community Guidelines’ with Sarah Schauer which toured the US last year.
‘40% of Gen Z audiences would love to see their favourite creators start podcasts’ (IG Report).
Action points: Explore every media and determine the right fit for your purpose and audience. | Translate mixed media to also mean multi-sensory. Stimulate as many senses as possible and add dimensions.
Be it accompanying visuals, textured packaging, tailored menus, signature drinks… scratch and sniff stickers??
Now for bits that have caught my eye - less so trends/predictions more so I just want to chat :
The resurgence of Long Form - TikTok’s video length has been steadily increasing since 2016, reaching 10 minutes in July of this year (coincidentally the optimum length for YouTube videos) for some creators. This goes against everything we’ve been told about reduced attention spans and every app moving to include short-form video.
Trend forecasters have been predicting more interest in longer-form video and creators and audiences moving to the OG YouTube.
Remix, Reuse, Recycle - Fast versions, slow versions, just the last verse... Not only have we been expanding what media we consume but remixing and editing how we do it too. Musicians like RAYE and Paloma Faith saw success online and in the charts last year by releasing altered versions of tracks. RAYE’s Escapism (Fast) might be the song of 2022 Winter. We saw this with Billie Eilish’s ‘Happier Than Ever - Edit’ in 2021, and I’m hoping it stays.
Elevated Everyday - I was going to try and capture this in words but I can’t. Instead, behold the videos that summarise it.
Exhibit A: Thoren Bradley - a.k.a The Lumberjack 🪵
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Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserExhibits B & C: Tara Raani & Shiadanni - a.k.a The Chefs🔪
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Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserAt their root - tree pun - these videos are mundane, they’re chopping wood and cooking. However, there is nothing dull about them, and with a combined 54M+ views I’m not the only one who thinks so.
Content of late has been more playful and staged, turning something we’re used to seeing/doing into something that little bit more engaging.
Artists like Måneskin and songs like Sam Smith’s ‘Unholy’ embody this energy in real life.
I hope the subtext is clear…I will not be taking further questions at this time.
