With President Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs, uncertainty has roared into view.
Since the turn of the century, uncertainty has been a familiar presence in the marketplace. This moment could be more profound than most. However, the first quarter of the 21st century unfolded as a sharp staccato return of the uncertainty that had largely receded during the so-called Great Moderation at the close of the prior century. For example, the benchmark being used to calibrate this moment is the mid-2020 COVID spike, hardly a distant memory.
The key for brands and retailers is de-risking the moment. Uncertainty is unsettling, but it has not paralyzed consumers. Because consumers are better than ever at controlling their situations, thereby moderating some of their risk exposure. Consumers favor brands that enhance such self-empowerment.
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This reassertion of control is seen across all Kantar research. While worried about inflation, far more consumers than not feel savvy enough with their finances to weather the impact of tariffs, which is part of a wider matrix of market forces and ramifications that Kantar experts have weighed in on as critical to understanding this moment.
Control is also evident in the cultural upsurge of traditional masculinity and in dissatisfaction with being overlooked or unseen by brands. Consumers are using mobile tech to make shopping more rewarding. They are following sports in more time-efficient ways. Across the board, consumers are retaking control.
Resolute brands with a meaningful story and the courage to invest behind a compelling, differentiated value proposition will resonate powerfully as the best choice and the least risk in this moment of resurging uncertainty.
Kantar Insights points to several important developments.
45% of U.S. shoppers are optimistic that tariffs might benefit their households.
Takeaway: Consumer resilience, especially among key demographic groups, may be underestimated.
Brand opportunity: Lean into equity and value-add as brand certainties that offer stability, especially for consumers expressing confidence, and provide a sense of positivity in advertising messages.
73% of Men Worldwide believe that it is important to prioritize mental wellbeing.
Takeaway: More men are grappling emotionally and psychologically with redefining a masculine identity.
Brand opportunity: Embrace all facets of the modern male experience with status-affirming, non-stereotypical, forward-looking portrayals and solutions.
60% of affluent sports fans prefer highlights to full games.
Takeaway: Short-form content is scoring big on attention, especially for sports where the drama generally occurs in compact moments.
Brand opportunity: Focus on giving consumers a “break” and embed more social activations in sports clips than in-game spots to maximize sponsorship ROI.
Canadians with no personal care routine are 2X more likely to feel brands offer nothing for them, especially minorities or men.
Takeaway: Many consumers don’t buy because they feel unseen, not because they have no interest.
Brand opportunity: Think differently about untapped white space for expanded product lines that are more inclusive and welcoming.
74% of Gen Z consumers say their smartphones are important tools for shopping.
Takeaway: Gen Z consumers lean into digital discovery, especially through social media.
Brand opportunity: Get on the leading edge of digitally blended shopping experiences because AI-driven smartphone apps are the next generation of digital tools.
Contributed to Branding Strategy Insider by Walker Smith, Chief Knowledge Officer, Brand & Marketing at Kantar
Branding Strategy Insider is a service of The Blake Project: A strategic brand consultancy specializing in Brand Research, Brand Strategy, Brand Growth and Brand Education
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