Branding

As anyone who has tried to keep a New Year’s resolution knows, it can be very difficult to last all year without breaking it. In fact, according to Forbes, approximately 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail! In light of this, many people are recognizing that long-term plans might not be the best strategy. Rather, short-term positive changes are a lot more manageable and can still make a big difference in the consumer’s life. This shift in thinking has led to resolutions that are meant to last just for the 31 days of January, similar to the “No-Shave November” trend that has become so popular in recent years. With more consumers taking on short-term resolutions this year, CPG brands need to be aware of how this might affect shopper behavior.

“Veganuary”

According to the movement’s website, over 440,000 people have pledged to practice veganism for the entire month of January – surpassing last year’s pledged participants by 40,000. This trend happens to coincide with the massive new interest in alternative meat products that has developed over the past few years, meaning that vegan lifestyles are more accessible than ever.

However, it’s important to keep in mind that food brands are not the only category that could be affected by a wave of temporarily vegan consumers. Many cosmetics brands also use animal products, including honey, beeswax, and collagen.

There are many reasons why consumers may be interested in veganism. While the treatment of animals can be a big part of it for some shoppers, many others are focused on factors like sustainability and environmentalism. As such, brands in both the food and cosmetics industries might find that they would benefit from including callouts that speak to these issues in their packaging and marketing materials. Glossy reports that even though package design for vegan products used to have an “earthy” and bohemian look, the category has steadily become more premium and “chic” as these concerns have grown more mainstream.

“Dry January”

After weeks of sweet holiday cocktails, more consumers than ever are ready to put away their alcohol for the month of January. The new year is seen as a time for change and self-reflection, and shoppers are using this as an opportunity to reexamine their choices around drinking. An estimated 6.5 million people are expected to participate in Dry January this year, which is nearly 3 million more than in January 2020. Part of the reason for this growth is that many people’s drinking habits changed in the pandemic, with many consumers reporting that drank earlier and more often in 2020 than in previous years.

Alcohol brands should support their customers building healthier relationships with their products, and brand leaders can use this time as an opportunity to offer resources to consumers that might be struggling. Additionally, brands can get creative with their marketing to offer alternative uses for their products. From rum cakes to red wine braises, there are many recipes that can be made with alcohol that don’t involve actually drinking it. By expanding their catalogue of recipes into cooking, alcohol brands can be more inclusive of consumers that want to cut back on drinking as well as take advantage of the huge pandemic baking trend.

Many shoppers are looking to make positive life changes in the month of January, and brands have an opportunity to be a resource for them as they practice new habits. By being aware of how consumer behavior might change for the first few weeks of the year, brands can make sure that they start off on the right foot and demonstrate to shoppers that they understand their changing needs.