2021 was the year of collective readjustment. Accepting the ongoing uncertainty of the COVID-19 world, people tried to reclaim their lives. For some, this meant dramatic changes on a personal or professional level, whilst for others, small tweaks were made along the way. People sought to find a balance between the long term and short term, and it is this duality, the balancing of purpose and pleasure, that we now seek to fulfil to achieve happiness. In 2022, we will all strive to rebound and rebalance.

Whilst this mission – or goal – is universal, human behavior will differ around the world, impacted by cultural norms and societal pressures. To understand these differences, our fieldwork blends qualitative exploration through the Illume Network, our global leading-edge consumer group, with a quantification amongst everyday consumers in 17 markets. The result is a global map of each of the 10 trends identified in this year’s Consumer Trends Report: Rebound + Rebalance as well as a ‘score’ per trend, which denotes positive attitude and/or behavior towards it.

At the other end of the scale, we see the trend Redefining Normal with the lowest global trend score of 64%. It is nascent in all 17 markets, with the lowest score in Indonesia (48%) and the highest in Australia (68%). This trend paints an interesting picture, as it reflects our need to question the things which society presents as ‘normal’. It suggests that consumers want more products and services that represent a truer reality. Despite being a nascent trend, many brands are already tapping into it, from Netflix’s hit show Bombay Begums exploring stigma around menopause amongst women in Mumbai, to Tiffany & Co’s engagement ring collection for men redefining gender norms.