IPSOS GLOBAL TRENDS

Global Trends 2024

• Ipsos Global Trends study, launched in 2014, provides a comprehensive view of global public attitudes and values.
• The 2024 edition, "In Search of a New Consensus: From Tension to Intention," presents nine Global Trends based on over 50,000 interviews across 50 markets.
• Three key tensions are more prevalent, with three key constants underpinning global perspectives.
• Understanding these tensions and intentions is crucial for mapping future possibilities and opportunities for brands and policymakers.
• More than 8 in 10 global citizens feel the world is moving too quickly.
• Overall, global pessimism and private optimism co-exist. People feel overwhelmed by the world's current state yet simultaneously feel personally optimistic about their circumstances.

Contents

• The report has an introduction, macro context background, trends and frameworks, technical information and summary.

Executive Summary

• Global citizens are experiencing a "loss of the future" where they believe their personal future may not be as promising as what their parents experienced.
• Most believe governments will not help, causing a reliance on brands and a need for increased protection from "outsiders".
• The end of the post-World War II era is causing societal tension, particularly with economic pressures that are exposing inequalities.

Ipsos Global Trends at a Glance

• Globalisation Fractures: Shows a world increasingly divided even as it is interconnected. Global cooperation is waning.
• Splintered Societies: Highlighted by rising inequalities in wealth. Growing conflict among citizens with different values.
• Climate Convergence: Growing consensus that drastic action is needed, but differences on which actions should be taken.
• Technowonder: People are both intrigued and anxious about how technology will continuously change their lives.
• Conscientious Health: People are expressing a stronger desire for holistic wellness and greater control over their health.
• Retreat to Old Systems: A nostalgia for the past, traditional values, and traditional power structures is seen in some areas.
• Nouveau Nihilism: A generation is feeling lost, uncertain of the future and prioritizing living for the present.
• The Power of Trust: Increase in distrust in institutions and a desire for authenticity and trustworthiness from brands.
• Escape to Individualism: People are prioritizing autonomy and personal goals, seeking a sense of control over their lives and self-reliance.

Macro Context: Geopolitical and Demographic Instability

• Increased political fragmentation and populist tendencies worldwide.
• Shifting demographics are impacting global economies in many regions.
• The global fertility rate is below the replacement rate, leading to potentially shrinking populations in some areas.
• Aging populations in many developed countries create pressures on social welfare systems, and economic growth.

Macro Context: Climate Change and Diversity

• The tangible effects of climate change and loss of biodiversity are motivating significant investment in climate resilience and mitigation.
• Growing social, ethnic and religious diversity, increased wealth inequality and income disparity are challenging fundamental assumptions in developed societies and causing high levels of tension.

Macro Context: Technology, Trust and Future

• Increased reliance on technology is raising new concerns around data privacy, misinformation and job displacement.
• An era of high uncertainty and tension worldwide, which motivates a turn inward, towards personal control over life choices.

Ipsos' Macro Forces

• Societies in flux
• Tech-celeration
• Economic disparities
• Environmental emergencies
• Political splintering
• Wellness revolution

Our Trend Framework

• Nine trends are presented with 23 underlying values to show the complexities of being human in the modern world.

The Contradictory World of Human Opinions

• Contradictory human viewpoints and motivations exist, highlighting complexities in global beliefs.
• There is tension around whether individuals prefer local or global brands.
• Half of all respondents say they don't care about ethical consumerism if the product is good.

Understanding Human Values

• 23 Values presented on a map show the core beliefs of individuals in 50 markets around the globe and how interconnected they are.

Globalisation Fractures

• Geopolitical conflicts are causing a shift away from globalisation to a focus on local solutions.
• Citizens desire solutions that take local needs into account.

Beyond Peak Globalisation

• There are concerns about wealth distribution among different socioeconomic groups.

Ten-Year Trend: Globalisation Fractures

• Percentage of people who view globalization as good for their country has risen globally in the past ten years.

Globalisation: Good For Me vs. Good For My Country

• Globalisation is more positively perceived personally than for national benefit, aside from regions such as China, Africa and Indonesia.

Driving Forces of Globalisation Fractures

• Increased geopolitical conflicts
• Rising nationalism and populism
• The rise and fall of middle classes
• Community migration
• Resource depletion
• Pervasive technologies

Navigating a Mosaic of Globalised and Deglobalised Trade

• Local consumer brands in Asia are outperforming global brands, highlighting the increasing relevance of local tastes to product design.

Splintered Societies

• The intensity of social divisions is more noticeable today than in the past decade, with greater importance placed on wealth disparities.

Rising Attention on Our Divisions

• There is greater concern felt about wealth imbalances between different socioeconomic factions.
• Income inequality remains a significant concern, affecting individuals, families and communities.
• Public perception of the economic system as 'rigged' and the desire for wealthier segments of society to pay more tax.

Who Needs Immigration?

• There is a worldwide concern that there are too many immigrants, although this is felt more specifically among older populations.

Immigration Issues

• There is disagreement worldwide on whether immigration is good or bad.

Driving Forces of Splintered Societies

• Population fluctuation
• Increasing geopolitical conflicts
• Greater ethnic and religious diversity
• Systemic health inequality
• Climate change
• Wealth disparity

How To Build and Maintain Mass Appeal in a Centrifugal Era?

• Brands and organizations need to find a balance between expressing values and addressing the concerns of various stakeholders.
• Focusing on generational differences and cultural nuances is essential to connect effectively with audiences in different contexts.

Climate Convergence

• There is a global convergence of views regarding the need for action on climate change.
• There is a difference of opinion around the degree of urgency needed.

Dividing Lines Emerge in the New Climate Consensus

• Global public opinion now overwhelmingly supports urgent action on climate change.
• More diverse opinions on the degree of urgency needed and who should bear the cost of action.

Ten-Year Trend: Climate Convergence

• Increasing consensus about the severity of climate change and need for quick action.
• Wide variation in attitudes and opinions on who should bear the costs of action.

Mixed EV Enthusiasm

• There is a divide in how strongly people feel about the need for electric vehicles, with strong support in some regions and weaker support in others.

Driving Forces of Climate Convergence

• Climate change
• Resource depletion
• Sustainable growth
• Alternative value structures
• Loss of biodiversity
• Community migration

The Public Are Looking for Political and Economic Leadership on Climate

• Public opinion is growing more sceptical about the commitments of leaders, governments and companies.
• A majority sees a need for more clear and consistent action to combat climate change.

Technowonder

• Continued global excitement over technology to solve problems, tempered by anxiety over control and potential downsides.
• Concern for job displacement from AI, privacy from technology and other negative consequences of modern advances.

Global Direction of Travel: Technowonder

• Continued global anxiety around the effects of technology.
• More positive viewpoint on technology in China compared to other markets.

Driving Forces of Technowonder

• Role of AI in job loss
• Pervasive technologies
• The immersive frontier
• AI and automation advances
• Exponential data
• Toll of technology
• Technology's dark side.

In A World With Pervasive Technology, Highlight The Benefits

• Focus on highlighting the positive aspects of technology, rather than the anxieties.
• Providing solutions through technology and emphasising the benefits, rather than the challenges.

Conscientious Health

• People are increasingly aware of the need for holistic physical and mental wellbeing.
• There is a widespread desire for more control over health decisions.

Health in 2024: A Holistic Pursuit of Longevity

• Desire for personalised health care solutions.
• Optimism around longevity in many regions,
• Concern across all markets about the cost and availability of healthcare.

Ten-Year Trend: Conscientious Health

• Significant increase in agreement around the need to handle personal health management responsibilities.

Conscientious Health: Driving Forces

• Systemic health inequality
• The toll of technology
• Integration of health and technology
• Break-through therapies
• The next pandemic
• Population fluctuation

Retreat To Old Systems

• Nostalgia is a strong global value.
• People are seeking familiar structures and values to counter uncertainties in the present.

The Comfort of Old Structures and Systems Has Mass Appeal

• People desire a return to traditional values.
• Uncertainty about the future has driven some people to seek comfort by returning to the past.
• Younger people feel nostalgia for their parents' generation more than for a nostalgic time in general,
• 39% of respondents across 49 markets said the main role of women in society was to be good mothers and wives.

Ten-Year Trend: Retreat to Old Systems

• Overall, nostalgia for the past has increased across many markets, particularly in post-industrial societies and amongst younger generations.

The Four Flavours of Nostalgia

• Four varieties of Nostalgia:
• Double nostalgia (seeking a past filled both with national and personal values)
• National nostalgia (a desire to relive their nation's glory days minus past struggles)
• Family nostalgia (seeking a past ideal for family values but acknowledging today's needs)
• Anti-nostalgia (prefer the present to the past for both their country and their families).

Driving Forces of Retreat to Old Systems

• Community migration and displacement
• Rising nationalism and populism
• Wealth disparity
• Greater ethnic and religious diversity
• Identity acceptance
• Pervasive technology.

How Can Organisations Ensure Our Relationship With The Past Stays A Healthy One?

• Strategies that can leverage nostalgic sentiments without seeming to endorse outdated or harmful societal values.
• Importance of understanding nuance in preferences related to the past.

Nouveau Nihilism

• Feeling lost, uncertain about the future, and prioritizing living for the present.
• Increasing generational disconnect on achieving life milestones, particularly owing to economic factors.
• High levels of agreement in valuing living in the moment.

What's New About Nihilism?

• There are a wide range of global issues increasing cynicism and disillusionment from current generations
• Increased awareness of the complexity of global issues.

Ten-Year Trend: Nouveau Nihilism

• There has been a significant increase in agreement that the current world is more complex than in the past.
• There is higher agreement that people should focus on living in the present, rather than striving for an uncertain future.

Driving Forces of Nouveau Nihilism

• Climate change
• Increasing geopolitical conflicts
• Rethinking institutions
• Entrenched inequality
• The next pandemic.

Helping People Navigate Feelings Of Nihilism

• Strategies to help people feel hopeful and engaged, given the overwhelming sense of uncertainty.
• Emphasising the fact that many have been through similar periods of hardship in the past, should also provide some comfort.

The Power Of Trust

• There is a global desire for authenticity and trusting brands.
• Brands need to understand the differences of who they trust and why in order to build trust and long-term relationships.

New Opportunities and Threats for Brand Affinity

• Consumer values are rapidly evolving and aligning with personal values rather than just brand image.
• Increasing customer dissatisfaction with automated customer service.

Ten-Year Trend: The Power of Trust

• Significant rise in the importance of brands reflecting people’s values.

Brands Vs. Value

• Global disagreement about whether spending extra money for a brand with a positive image is a good idea.
• Strong emphasis on personal values, with some countries favouring good image over good products.

Driving Forces Of The Power of Trust

• Regulation driving transparency
• Pervaisive technology
• Rising cost of living
• Technology’s dark side
• AI and automation advances
• Toll of technologY

Heightened Tensions in Brands, Trust and Customer Experience

• The need for brands to understand and respond dynamically to ever-changing consumer values.
• Increased reliance on value-based benefits and a focus on building long-term relationships.

Escape To Individualism

• Individuals value personal autonomy and seeking to control their own destinies in a world that feels uncertain
• Desire for self-improvement and building social status, but also a desire for peace and simplicity.

A "Me First" Mindset Of Controlling What We Can

• Individual's autonomy is the most important priority, but this sometimes leads to a disconnection from societies and collective causes.
• A desire for control over their health, lifestyle and environment, and making choices based on personal needs and values.

Ten-Year Trend: Escape to Individualism

• A rising desire for personal autonomy and control, particularly in individuals in emerging markets.

Fulfillment In Life

• A desire for greater self-reliance and taking control of one's life.

Driving Forces Of Escape To Individualism

• Democratising access to fine goods.
• Influencing stress management
• Encouraging curiosity

Unlocking Opportunity In The Age Of The Individual

• Understanding and tailoring strategies to meet the varying needs of all generations.
• More tailored approach to communication with various generations.