Yes, this is a blog about Covid-19. Sorry about that. I know we were all hoping that we were coming out of it, but as I type this today the government are announcing new measures that might be in place for the next 6 months, including advising that we work from home again ‘if we can’.
I’m not going to dwell on what has happened and what might have been, instead I want to think positively. Who is going to do well in the last 3 months of this year? So here are our predictions for the next few months, focusing solely on good news:
Winter Clothing:
o Sales of winter coats, gloves and scarves will be record breaking. It’s going to be tougher if we have to stay at home more again now that the warm weather is going. Instead, we are going to need to embrace the joy of winter.
o Warmer exercise clothing, e.g. tights rather than shorts, will be in demand from who are still trying to keep their healthy habits from the summer.
o Jumper sales will increase as we realise that our heating bills are astronomical because people are sat at our desks/kitchen tables working from home and not generating heat!
In the Kitchen:
o Hearty foods are our key to success. We already know that indulgent foods have done well during lockdown, but now we have the pleasure of winter stews and soups to fill us up and hug us from the inside. This has the added benefit of being suitable for cheaper cuts of meat, helping us to tighten our belts again. In addition, home cooking might be a way of trying to get as much wholesome goodness as possible to keep the germs at bay.
o Halloween is the new Easter! Trick or Treating will be a no go, so instead Halloween will be brought in home, with people buying their children sweets instead. Pumpkin carving will still be huge, as people share a community spirit by having a lit pumpkin outside of their homes.
o We have already seen from recent research that kitchen aids are a category that more and more people are investing in. Blenders, blitzers, coffee machines, etc. will become even more worth investing in as we are at home more.
o Winter Health. Vitamins and supplements sales will go up as people try to stave off the winter bugs (more so than ever!) ‘Functional’ food, i.e. those that make specific health claims, will see a rise in popularity.
There’s No Place Like Home:
o Cooler weather will mean more time indoors, which means more scrutinising of the existing décor. We’ve seen this already, but I think we will see a bigger boom as nights drawn in and people can’t spend as much time outdoors. Redecorating and refurnishing are likely to remain big.
o Home entertainment will continue to be important as the nights draw in. sales of TVs and games consoles will be strong, as will TV subscription and on demand services.
o Pet paraphernalia. There has been big demand for pets during the previous lockdown. We now expect a boom in sales of pet paraphernalia as we look to spoil the new family members!
o Pampering. Socialising in person is likely to be lower, partly due to restrictions and partly due to the weather. This will mean that taking care of ourselves and our mental health will be a higher priority. Bath products, face masks, etc. are likely to see increased sales.
Services
o Companies offering direct to consumer services will continue to weather the storm. Supermarkets will need to invest again in their delivery services and even more companies will pivot to maximise their customer base.
o Market research will thrive! Consumers will be even more willing to take part in research as they are at home even more than they were in the summer. Agencies have fully mastered the technical aspects of digital research. Clients have seen what incredible value, coupled with depth of insight, these approaches can deliver. Ok, maybe I’m being optimistic on this one… but don’t forget that we are here to support you in the challenges ahead!
We’ll be updating the blog soon with more detailed predictions for what Christmas will look like in the time of Covid.
In the meantime stay safe,
Sam