Cynics, as Oscar Wilde argued, understand the price of everything but the value of nothing. The cost of living crisis has hastened changes sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic, transforming once-deemed temporary reactionary behaviors into profound, enduring societal shifts.

The products, experiences, and services we purchase to sustain us – providing food, cleanliness, safety, warmth, or contentment – now come at a higher cost, affecting everyone, everywhere. Individuals are delaying long-term decisions in the “fog of uncertainty,” making significant trade-offs in their lives (beyond merely trading down), with nearly a quarter reporting feelings of loneliness, disconnection, and isolation.

Consider Toni, a participant in this project and a single mother of twins. Recently, she made the decision to sell her car to allocate additional funds for healthier food options for her kids – and an ice cream treat once a week. She is sacrificing convenience, status, and even freedom for her children’s well-being and long-term health, prioritizing meaningful moments of connection and memories.

VALUE: Relationships Under Duress delves into these shifts in the ‘age of uncertainty’: the tangible human impact and the role brands must play in this new relationship paradigm.

What has often been discussed in quasi ‘benign’ or economic terms – ‘inflation crunch, economic pressures, price increases’ – is, in reality, a perma-crisis that will take years to recover from, already influencing the way people interact with your products and services, your brand, and your category.

INTRODUCING

How could your brand embody:

Five months, half a dozen planes, seven languages, 1,376 curveballs, and a global team from three different continents working tirelessly to explore today’s biggest topic.