Self-expression remains a critical aspect of consumers’ personal identity, self-esteem and mental wellbeing. Authentic expression helps consumers feel seen and accepted through all stages of their personal growth and self-discovery.
Despite the importance of self-expression and having a strong sense of self, these can often be challenging for consumers to achieve. They continue to seek more modes of expression and brands that authentically align with their multifaceted personality. To help with consumers’ personal journey to an empowered sense of self, brands can offer personalized inspiration, community connections and alternative outlets for authentic expression.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Overview of key Mintel Global Consumer Trends and the way they demonstrate consumers’ evolving identity and self-expression
- Definition and profile of Mintel’s Self-Expressive consumer target
- Segmenting consumers based on their attitudes and experiences with self-expression
- Consumers’ overall outlook on personal identity and authentic self-expression
- Key influences on consumers’ identity and sense of self
- Analysis of consumers’ aspirational sense of self and goals of self-expression
- Role that social circles and community play in consumers’ self-expression
- Opportunities for brands to appeal to consumers’ need for self-expression and unique personalization
Brands can create a deep, emotional connection with consumers by supporting and empowering their personal growth and authentic self-expression.
Lisa Dubina, Associate Director, Culture & Identity
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- What consumers want & why
- Market predictions: the evolving role of self-expression
- Opportunities
- Opportunities and white space for brands to explore
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- The US is expected to have grown by 2.3% in Q4 2024
- Graph 1: quarterly real GDP growth, 2021-24
- Annual core inflation held relatively steady for the second half of 2024 at 3.2-3.3%
- Graph 2: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-24
- Consumer sentiment fell in January, after slow, steady increases during the latter part of 2024
- Graph 3: consumer sentiment index, 2022-25
- Households’ outlooks on their personal finances remains bullish
- Graph 4: opinions on financial future, 2023-24
- Graph 5: income growth in the past 12 months, by financial outlook, 2024
- Global Trends in action
- Consumers’ evolving sense of home demonstrates the importance of self-expression and authenticity
- As consumers navigate feelings of loneliness, the concept of community is evolving to offer greater sense of stability and belonging
- Community and social connections are inextricably tied to consumers’ sense of self and self-expression
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TARGET AUDIENCE
- Self-Expression Consumers
- The share of consumers who prioritize self-expression has remained stable over the past year
- Graph 6: importance of expressing oneself to the world around, 2024 vs 2023
- Graph 7: importance of outer appearance in self-expression, 2024 vs 2023
- Mintel’s Self-Expressive Target group makes up nearly two thirds of the population
- The Self-Expressive Target segments skews young and multicultural
- Graph 8: self-expressive and use outward appearance – by select demos, 2024
- Consumer Segments
- Segmenting consumers based on their attitudes and experiences with self-expression
- Graph 9: self-expression consumer segments, 2024
- Self-Expressive but Struggling consumers seek more ways to express their identity authentically to the world around them
- Brands can help Self-Expressive but Struggling consumers feel more seen, represented and empowered to express themselves
- Easily Self-Expressive consumers prioritize expressing themselves and are able to do so with little challenges
- Although Easily Self-Expressive consumers do not struggle to express themselves, brands can still appeal to their strong sense of self
- The Prioritize Inner Self-Awareness segment is more interested in knowing and feeling comfortable with their identity rather than expressing it
- Brands that represent consistency and stability in values and identity are more likely to resonate with this practical and introspective segment
- The Neutral/Uninterested segment is indifferent towards identity and expression; it’s not a worthwhile audience for expression-based brands
- Self-Expressive but Struggling and Easily Self-Expressive consumers are most likely to align with Mintel’s Self-Expressive Target audience
- Graph 10: self-expressive and use outward appearance – by self-expression consumer segments, 2024
- Within the Self-Expressive Target, Expressive but Struggling consumers skew male, Easily Expressive consumers skew female
- Graph 11: self-expressive target consumers – by self-expression consumer segments, 2024
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Consumer fast facts (cont.)
- Outlook on self-expression
- Self-expression is not only important but also influential on mental wellbeing
- Self-Expressive Target consumers are key supporters of having a strong sense of self
- Graph 12: importance of self-expression and wellbeing – any agree, by Self-Expressive Target segments, 2024
- Baby Boomers are more likely to see the importance of having a strong sense of self, but they are less likely to connect it to mental wellbeing
- Graph 13: importance of self-expression and wellbeing – any agree, by select demos, 2024
- Graph 14: importance of self-expression and wellbeing – any agree, by generation, 2024
- The majority of consumers view personal identity as an evolving work-in-progress
- Graph 15: attitudes about the evolution of identity, 2024
- Viewing identity as fluid and evolving sets Self-Expressive but Struggling consumers apart from other Self-Expressive Target consumers
- Graph 16: attitudes towards the evolution of identity – any agree, by Self-Expressive Target segments, 2024
- Older consumers and those who have experienced major life changes like marriage or parenthood are more likely to view identity as adaptable
- Graph 17: attitudes towards the evolution of identity – any agree, by select demos, 2024
- Graph 18: attitudes towards the evolution of identity – any agree, by generation, 2024
- Rascal’s Diapers “gets it”
- Influences on identity
- Consumers’ social circles have the greatest influence on their own personal style and outer appearance
- Graph 19: regular influences on personal style/outer appearance, 2024
- Self-Expressive but Struggling consumers are overly influenced by social media, while Easily Expressive notably cite their cultural heritage
- Graph 20: regular influences on personal style/outer appearance, by Self-Expressive Target segments, 2024
- Multicultural consumers are more likely to cite media as a regular influence, but they’re also more likely to indicate their family and culture
- Graph 21: regular influences on personal style/outer appearance, by generation, 2024
- Graph 22: regular influences on personal style/outer appearance, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Among social media users, Instagram is the most likely to influence users’ personal style and self-expression
- Graph 23: top three social media platforms that influence personal style – any rank, 2024
- Style influences from social media vary across generations, as well as by race/ethnicity
- Graph 24: top three social media platforms that influence personal style, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Graph 25: top three social media platforms that influence personal style – any rank, by generation, 2024
- Although there’s no shortage of personal style inspiration, many consumers still seek guidance from brands on how to adapt styles and trends
- Graph 26: outlook on personal style inspiration, 2024
- Black and Hispanic consumers are more likely to wish for personalized inspiration, indicating they may feel less represented by popular trends
- Graph 27: outlook on personal style inspiration – any agree, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Graph 28: outlook on personal style inspiration – any agree, by generation, 2024
- Chase for Business highlights KIN Apparel which offers solutions for style needs unique to people with textured hair
- Communicating via self-expression
- Personal values and skills are the top aspects consumers are trying to communicate through their outer appearance
- Graph 29: aspects being communicated via personal style, 2024
- Self-Expressive but Struggling consumers seek to relay the most through their personal style, which may add to their self-expression struggles
- Graph 30: count of aspects being communicated via personal style, by Self Expressive Target segments, 2024
- Brands can offer consumers alternative modes of self-expression beyond outer appearance
- Both Gen Z and Millennials aim to communicate their skills/talents via personal style, but Millennials’ identity efforts are more nuanced overall
- Graph 31: aspects being communicated via personal style, by generation, 2024
- Culture and heritage are the foundation of identity for multicultural consumers
- Graph 32: aspects being communicated via personal style, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- The top traits consumers hope to convey via self-expression are evenly divided across personal-focused and more socially-focused aspirations
- Graph 33: top three personality traits consumers want to be attributed with – any rank, 2024
- Some of the most distinct differences in self-expression aspirations are across gender and LGBTQ+ identity
- Graph 34: top three personality traits consumers want to be attributed with – any rank, by gender and LGBTQ+ identity, 2024
- Consumers’ aspirations for self-expression also evolves with age and stage of life
- Graph 35: top three personality traits consumers want to be attributed with – any rank, by age, 2024
- The majority of consumers support altering one’s appearance for the sake of self-confidence and comfort
- Graph 36: aspirational self-expression, 2024
- Brands should remember these paths are not dichotomous; consumers can embrace both aesthetic adjustments and natural beauty
- Graph 37: aspirational self-expression – any agree, by generation, 2024
- Noom emphasizes there’s no shame in needing extra help from GLP-1 solutions in the weight-loss journey
- Community experiences
- For many consumers, community is key to their own self-expression
- Graph 38: influence of social circles on self-expression, 2024
- Despite the important role of community in self-expression, more than a third of consumers tend to feel like an outsider
- Graph 39: challenges in connecting and expressing oneself, 2024
- Brands can empower consumers to be community builders by providing points of connection and engaging activations
- Graph 40: challenges in connecting and expressing oneself – any agree, by Self-Expressive Target segments, 2024
- Beer brand Tecate is fostering social connections with its new Momentitos app
- New experiences and community events offer opportunities for further personal growth
- Across age and demographics, consumers are eager for new experiences and opportunities to grow
- Graph 41: importance of new experiences and community – any agree, by race/ethnicity, 2024
- Graph 42: importance of new experiences and community – any agree, by generation, 2024
- Les Mills and adidas collaborate to host unique fitness rave in Berlin
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MARKETING STRATEGIES AND OPPORTUNITIES
- Facilitate opportunities for self-expression for those who feel unrepresented
- Graph 43: challenges to self-expression, 2024
- Across demographics, consumers are eager for new modes of self-expression and brands they can identify with
- Graph 44: challenges to self-expression – any agree, by select demos, 2024
- Meal kits personalized for specific health goals and concerns
- Versed rebrands to focus on the unique needs of maturing skincare consumers
- Look beyond physical/outer appearance for self-expression opportunities
- Graph 45: agreement “My home décor does a better job of representing all facets of my identity than my personal style/appearance (eg clothing, jewelry),” by select demos, 2024
- Dining recommendations personalized to consumers’ taste in music
- Real Chemistry and the American Red Cross appeal to consumers’ desire to know and express themselves
- While some consumers support adapting to mainstream fashion trends, others want to feel empowered for going their own way
- Graph 46: brand opportunities for inspiration and empowerment, 2024
- Graph 47: outlook on comfort and confidence in one’s apperance, 2024
- Young and multicultural consumers are most likely to look to brands for a boost of confidence or self-esteem
- Graph 48: brand opportunities for inspiration and empowerment – any agree, by select demos, 2024
- Primark relaunches and expands performance line the “Unstoppable You”
- Sephora produces docu-series celebrating the bold personal styles of musical artists
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
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