Be prepared for 2024 – making the right decisions as the polycrisis continues
Our Ipsos Global Trends programme, which has been running since 2013, provides the evidence and data needed to inform decisions across a range of plausible future scenarios. In this short update, we review the latest changes we see in our Global Trends framework. We have found that attitudes towards purpose are declining for the first time in a decade. People are focusing more inwardly on themselves and their world, rather than the broader problems surrounding them. The polycrisis has arguably worsened, leading to a lower priority on environmental concerns and brand/value alignment among citizens in many countries.
What companies and institutions can learn from the past year
This study, based on 24,220 interviews across 31 markets, is part of our annual global trends report, last published in February 2023. However, as 2023 draws to a close and the polycrisis grinds on, we have recently launched a short update ahead of COP28. We highlight five stories to monitor and prepare for:
Story 1: The polycrisis wears on
The year 2023 has been challenging and marked by multiple global crises. This has led to a decline in optimism about the future, with only one-third of preople across 31 countries believing their quality of life will improve significantly in the next five years. Furthermore, there is a wide country-level variation reflecting the very different realities worldwide.
Story 2: Climate action collides with reality
The green transition is under way, with countries legislating their commitments to net zero. Tackling climate change is still important for a large majority around the world. However, people are becoming more cautious in their attitudes towards climate change as they are also facing rising cost-of-living pressures.
Story 3: Brand values lose ground to value brands
The continued rise of brand/value alignment is another casualty of tougher economic times. Consumers are becoming more cautious with their spending and are less likely to buy brands that reflect their personal values. This trend is more pronounced in developed markets and among lower-income and less-educated consumers.
Story 4: Science faces headwinds
Science and scientific professions remain highly trusted in countries around the world, but sentiment is flat or declining rather than increasing despite the many significant discoveries that science continues to make. In every region, the trend for optimism about science is on the decline.
Story 5: Globalisation: a local story
The improved standing of globalisation has been one of the key stories throughout the ten years of Ipsos Global Trends. This year, as globalisation comes under increasing strain, we see this value holding steady – but showing localised signs of tension that point to further change in the years ahead.
'Preparing for one singular issue is no longer enough. Be mindful of how the cost-of-living crisis is impacting attitudes towards brands and the climate, and at the macro level, thinking ahead and planning for compounding factors is crucial. As the polycrisis grinds on, it will take systematic thinking, collaboration and foresight to prepare for both opportunities and threats,'
says Billie Ing, Global Head of Trends and Foresight at Ipsos Strategy3.
Please stay tuned for a major release next year, where Ipsos will be celebrating 10 years since the launch of this flagship programme.
In the meantime, contact our Global Trends expert Inga Havemann to discover key data and trends for different sectors: [email protected]
INGA HAVEMANN: SENIOR DIRECTOR MARKETING & COMMUNICATION RESEARCH
With nearly a quarter-century of industry experience, Inga Havemann possesses a vast range of expertise, particularly in strategic areas such as foundational and brand studies, which include segmentation, U&A and brand equity. Presently, she is accountable for four brand and strategic research divisions at Ipsos in addition to being a valued member of the management team in Germany.
Welcome to the Ipsos Almanac
Don't miss our annual global review looking at how the events and trends of the last 12 months will shape what happens next. Read our experts’ reflections on some of the big questions facing organisations around the world as they adapt to today’s uncertain environment and make plans for the future. Explore 2023 month by month through the events that shaped the year, from ChatGPT to Barbiecore. Get our teams’ perspectives on the past year from more than 40 countries and look ahead to what those events can tell us about 2024.
