Ford’s futurist on consumer trends to watch in 2022 – AdAge.com

A less tolerant world

Despite the proliferation of strong and loud opinions on social platforms, 42% of people say they wont speak up about their beliefs if they think others will disagree with themand that number was even higher among Gen Z respondents. Worldwide, 64% of adults agree that In the future, people will be less tolerant of opposing viewpoints than they are today.

When asked last year, mid-pandemic, when life would return to normal, 8% of respondents said never. What got Connellys attention: This year the number is even higher, with 13% of people saying that life will never return to normal. Work is the most likely element of life influencing that number, but its more than that. Some 12% of respondents said travel will never return to normal, and 11% said the same about retail, she said.

Across the globe, 81% of respondents say climate change makes them worried about the future. Even more startling, a large percentage of womenmore than 40% in Canada, and more than 30% in France and Indiasay they dont want to have children in a world whose future is jeopardized by climate change.

At the same time, 70% of people say they are changing their behaviors to fight climate change. But when we dug deeper, we found that people might say, Sure, Ill give up my plastic straw or Ill carry my own bags to the grocery store, but theyre not willing to make any sacrifice thats inconvenient to them, Connelly says. In terms of electric vehicles, she and Ford hope that consumers lukewarm interest will heat up with a broader and more affordable portfolio of EVs. The all-electric Ford Mustang Mach-E crossover, for instance, tells car buyers they can have beautiful design with zero emissions, she says. Its how we can meet consumers where they are.

The future of transportation, of course, is of prime interest to Ford. In looking at private ownership of cars, Connelly says, When we think about the future, there are signals to suggest that people are becoming less dependent on it. For instance, she says, 31% of Gen Z and millennial respondents say todays kids will not need to learn how to drive. And when asked about owning or sharing a vehicle, one in four among that age group said theyd rather use some sort of car-sharing option in the future, instead of owning a carassuming cost neutrality.

People love cars. Were enchanted by this romantic vision of putting the pedal to the metal. But the reality is that the average speed traveled around the world is about 30 miles per hour. When youre stuck in traffic, it comes down to thinking: Ive got better things to do with my time, Connelly says. And although the industry has suffered from bad publicity connected to self-driving technology, consumers acknowledge the fact that human error is the biggest factor in traffic accidents. Some 45% of consumers say they think theyll feel safer in a self-driving vehicle, and two-thirds of parents say theyd rather have their children driven in a self-driving vehicle than by a stranger.

Respondents expect more changes in their personal lives. Some 52% of Gen Zers and millennials believe that gender assignments will be gone within their lifetimeand 46% of that group say marriage will become an outdated concept by 2035. Among Gen Zers and millennials who dont yet have children, 27% say they dont want to have children, with 61% saying theyre just not interested in being a parent.

One final headline for marketers looking ahead to 2022: Connelly says brand values and purpose matter for consumers. Our relationships with brands can be really important when this chaos exists around us, she says. Brands can be a lighthouse in the storm. She goes on to say to marketers, The values of your brand and your organization are going to be increasingly important in terms of who wants to work for you, buy from you, be part of your supplier network. They need to know where you stand. For decades, people thought it was safe to stay on the sidelines during contentious political or religious or social debates. But today, people want to know your values. And when you find yourself caught in the crosshairs, brands dont have time to figure it out.

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Ford's futurist on consumer trends to watch in 2022 - AdAge.com