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- US Trendsetters and Early Adopters Market Report 2022
This report provides comprehensive and current information and analysis of the Trendsetters and Early Adopters market including Trendsetters and Early Adopters market size, anticipated market forecast, relevant market segmentation, and industry trends for the Trendsetters and Early Adopters market in the US.
Current market landscape
In an increasingly crowded landscape, personal recommendations matter more in cutting through the clutter. For brands, this makes it a crucial time to connect with Trendsetters and Early Adopters. By definition, these consumers are typically the first to get their hands on a product and are they are vocal. As such, their opinions can drastically impact the conversation around the adoption of the brands and products that they review.
Future market trends in Trendsetters and Early Adopters
To resonate with Trendsetters and Early Adopters, brands must make an effort to understand what sets them apart from other consumer segments. Some of these traits include a stronger desire to be seen as unique, a heavier reliance on multiple sources for trend and product discovery, and greater urge to share these discoveries.
Read on to discover more about the Trendsetters and Early Adopters consumer market, read our US Internet Influencers Market Report 2020, or take a look at our other Internet research reports.
Quickly understand
- The demographic makeup of Trendsetters and Early Adopters.
- How Trendsetters and Early Adopters perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others.
- The most important qualities to Trendsetters and Early Adopters.
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters desire to share their experiences.
- Sources used by Trendsetters and Early Adopters for product discovery.
- Attitudes held by Trendsetters and Early Adopters on ads and product recommendations.
Covered in this trendssetters’ consumer report
Brands include: Starbucks, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Overstock, CVS Health, Coach, Apple, Wired It Girls, Sandals Fjallraven, Heinz, Campbell’s Canada, Clove, Patagonia, Off Menu, Yard Sale Pizza, Hims, Mischief USA, EOS, TikTok, Banco Do Brasil, Wired, Nike, Thinx, Sumo Citrus, Lone Fox, Starface, Apothekary, Louis Vuitton.
Expert analysis from a specialist in the field
This report, written by Klaudia Kondakciu, a leading analyst in the Consumers and Cultures sector, delivers in-depth commentary and analysis on early adopters market research to highlight current trends and add expert context to the numbers.
Trendsetters and Early Adopters are keen to stay ahead of the curve. To connect with these segments, brands must make sure to maintain and enhance this feeling. As these consumers are inherently drawn to being first, incorporating “insider” programs, limited releases and exclusive pre-release events into campaigns would catch their attention. Once products are in the hands of Trendsetters and Early Adopters, leveraging the power in word-of-mouth recommendations – the most trusted source for all consumers – is key. This means that great consideration needs to be given to incentivizing these consumers to share their experiences. By taking the time to properly understand the behaviors and attitudes of Trendsetters and Early Adopters, brands can better appeal to these consumer segments and benefit from their eagerness to spread the word about the brands and products that resonate with them.
Klaudia Kondakciu
Consumers and Cultures Analyst
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Overview
- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definitions
- Market context: COVID-19
- Economic and other assumptions
- What you need to know
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Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Opportunities
- Allow Trendsetters and Early Adopters to be educators
- Figure 1: Top three words that describe you (any rank), 2021
- There’s value in novelty, making it an avenue to consider for offsetting higher prices
- Figure 2: Features that make a product most attractive, 2021
- Encourage Trendsetters and Early Adopters to keep sharing their discoveries
- Figure 3: Sharing behavior, 2021
- Challenges
- Forgoing practicality may mean losing Trendsetter women
- Figure 4: Top three words that describe you (any rank) – Practical, by gender, 2021
- Relying on celebrities and influencers is not relatable
- Figure 5: Select consumer perceptions toward ads and product recommendations – Relatable, 2021
- Key consumer insights
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters each represent a fifth of the overall population
- Figure 6: Product adoption curve, 2022
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters see themselves as creative, unique and motivated
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters are eager to share their discoveries
- Uniqueness is a value proposition for Trendsetters and Early Adopters
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters are seeking information across a multitude of channels
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Market Factors and Current Opportunities
- Supply chain issues dampen early product delivery to Trendsetters and Early Adopters, and keeping them excited and informed matters more
- Figure 7: Spread the Feeling – Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 2021
- Consider broader avenues to keep the excitement alive and manage expectations in light of delays
- Managing consumer expectations during periods of uncertainty: spotlight on Overstock
- Figure 8: Overstock Instagram post, 2021
- Prices in consumer goods continue to increase, greater emphasis on “value” is needed
- Figure 9: Consumer Price Index change from previous period, 2007-21
- Communicating a more well-rounded sense of value will resonate with Trendsetters and Early Adopters
- Leaning on trust and transparency to increase value: spotlight on CVS
- Figure 10: Tested to Be Trusted | CVS Health, 2019
- Consumers are becoming increasingly vocal
- Providing consumers with a platform to share their ideas: spotlight on Starbucks
- Figure 11: Starbucks Instagram post, 2021
- Sustainability is coming more into focus
- Making old fashion new: spotlight on Coach
- Figure 12: Coach Instagram posts, 2021
- Supply chain issues dampen early product delivery to Trendsetters and Early Adopters, and keeping them excited and informed matters more
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Trendsetters and Early Adopters: Fast Facts
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Target Audience Segmentation
- The Product Adoption Curve
- Figure 13: Product adoption curve, 2022
- Definitions
- Target segment demographics
- Trendsetters (19%)
- Figure 14: Select demographics – Trendsetters Profile, 2022
- Early Adopters (21%)
- Figure 15: Select demographics – Early Adopters Profile, 2022
- The Product Adoption Curve
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Getting to Know Trendsetters and Early Adopters
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters see themselves as creative, unique and motivated
- Figure 16: Top three words that describe you (any rank), 2021
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- Figure 17: Trendsetter self-identification, 2021
- Give Early Adopters ways to express their creativity and be educators themselves
- Figure 18: Top three words that describe you (any rank) – Creative, 2021
- Highlighting technology as a tool to express creativity: spotlight on Apple
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- Figure 19: Apple Instagram post, 2021
- Practicality matters more to Trendsetter women
- Figure 20: Top three words that describe you (any rank) – Practical, by gender, 2021
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- Figure 21: Wired It Girls Instagram post, 2021
- Individualizing practical products: spotlight on Fjallraven
- Figure 22: Sandals Fjallraven Instagram post, 2021
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters see themselves as creative, unique and motivated
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Public Perception of Trendsetters – In Their Words
- How consumers define a Trendsetter
- Brands can be Trendsetters too
- Creating trends through social engagement: spotlight on Heinz
- Figure 23: Heinz Instagram post, 2020
- Some feel disconnected to Trendsetters, so brands need to be aspirational yet create resonance
- Making the aspirational attainable: spotlight on Campbell’s Canada
- Figure 24: Campbell Canada Instagram post, 2021
- Consumer thoughts on brands who work with Trendsetters are mixed
- How consumers define a Trendsetter
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Appealing to Trendsetters and Early Adopters
- Unsurprisingly, new and unique is a winning combination
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- Figure 25: Features that make a product most attractive, 2021
- Celebrating individuality: spotlight on Clove
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- Figure 26: Clove Instagram posts, 2021
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters without children care more about quality
- Figure 27: Features that make a product attractive – High quality, 2021
- Building a reputation as a brand that lasts: spotlight on Patagonia
- Figure 28: Patagonia Instagram post, 2021
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters are more attuned to collaborations
- Figure 29: Opinions on partnerships between brands and influencers, 2021
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- Figure 30: Off Menu Instagram post, 2021
- Figure 31: Yard Sale Pizza Instagram post, 2021
- Price is not the top concern, but discounts are appreciated
- Figure 32: Opinions on product prices and discounts, 2021
- Unsurprisingly, new and unique is a winning combination
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Product Engagement
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters are eager to share their discoveries
- Figure 33: Product engagement behavior in the past year, 2021
- Brands can connect with male Trendsetters by asking them to rate their products
- Figure 34: Product engagement behavior in the past year – Rated apps/shows when prompted, 2021
- Introducing men to new product categories: spotlight on Hims
- Figure 35: Hims Instagram posts, 2021
- Tap into Early Adaptors’ desire to share their experience
- Figure 36: Sharing behavior, 2021
- Amplifying consumer voices: spotlight on eos and Mischief @ No Fixed Address
- Figure 37: Mischief USA Instagram post, 2021
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- Figure 38: eos Instagram post, 2021
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters are eager to share their discoveries
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Discovery Channels
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters use multiple sources to stay in the know
- Figure 39: Sources for new product/trend discovery, 2021
- An omni-channel approach is crucial to reaching Trendsetters: spotlight on Banco do Brasil
- Figure 40: Target Banco do Brasil post, 2022
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters find value in online magazines
- Figure 41: Sources for new product/trend discovery – Online magazines, 2021
- Connecting with Superfans – US – 2021Providing insider knowledge on popular products: spotlight on Wired
- Figure 42: Wired Instagram post, 2021
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters use multiple sources to stay in the know
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Attitudes toward Ads and Product Recommendations
- Showcasing real people is as relatable as recommendations from family and friends for all audiences
- Figure 43: Select consumer perceptions toward ads and product recommendations – Relatable, 2021
- Making the shift to relatability by showcasing real people: spotlight on Nike Play New
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- Figure 44: Play New | Nike, 2021
- Highlight real people to relate to Trendsetter and Early Adopter women
- Figure 45: Trendsetter and Early Adopter perceptions toward ads featuring real people – Relatable, by gender, 2021
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- Figure 46: Thinx Instagram post, 2021
- Tap into word-of-mouth recommendations when trying to build trust
- Figure 47: Select consumer perceptions toward ads and product recommendations – Trustworthy, 2021
- Actively encourage sharing: spotlight on Sumo Citrus
- Figure 48: Sumo Citrus Instagram post, 2021
- Trendsetters and Early Adopters view sponsored content more positively
- Figure 49: Perceptions toward sponsored ads/content created by influencers, 2021
- Reaching influencers with influencers: Spotlight on KitchenAid and Lone Fox
- Figure 50: Lone Fox Instagram post, 2021
- Showcasing real people is as relatable as recommendations from family and friends for all audiences
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Future Opportunities and Strategies
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- Meeting the needs of Trendsetters and Early Adopters through the lens of the Identity Trend Driver
- Aesthetics can help consumers express their personal values
- Positioning “flaws” as unique and beautiful: spotlight on Starface
- Figure 51: Starface Instagram post, 2021
- Meeting the needs of Trendsetters and Early Adopters through the lens of the Wellbeing Trend Driver
- Consumers will be keeping a closer eye on their overall wellness
- Creating customizable wellness: spotlight on Apothekary
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- Figure 52: Apothekary Instagram posts, 2021
- Meeting the needs of Trendsetters and Early Adopters through the lens of the Experiences Trend Driver
- Digital experiences can create real-world connections
- Using emerging technology to connect with consumers: spotlight on Louis Vuitton
- Figure 53: Louis Vuitton Instagram post, 2021
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Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
- Data sources
- Consumer survey data
- Consumer qualitative research
- Direct marketing creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Data sources
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