As the glimpse of a Covid-free future begins to appear on the horizon there are indelible marks left on us reshaping our priorities and leading to a reevaluation of consumer choices. After multiple lock-downs and moments of isolation, there has been an increase in the adoption of unhealthy habits for physical health but also a large increase in the incidence of mental health issues.

As we emerge from the long and hard winter, and vaccinations pick up, it is a moment of hope and a moment of reckoning for many who are beginning to take actions to overcome these issues.

Source: Kantar National Health & Wellness Study

Taking a few of these actions, here are a few examples of how brands are building on these to serve the consumer based on these needs. 

Meditation/Mindfulness

Apps like Headspace or Calm have seen surges in usage over the past year. To date, one of Calm’s most popular pieces of content is a 39-minute bedtime story called “Dream With Me,” read in a sensual, drowsy voice by the British pop star Harry Styles. Released in early July, it immediately crashed the app because people were so eager to listen to it.

Alexander Will, the chief strategy officer at Calm, said that the company’s corporate partnerships saw “100 percent growth in the last year,” giving access to 10 million new people. The hype around the company secured an additional $75 million in investment from venture capitalists, pushing the company’s valuation above $2 billion.

Avoiding Alcohol

Trends show that many millennials are abandoning alcohol or, at least, binge-drinking culture. And as part of that trend, Americans have been turning to aperitifs to enjoy the culture of drinking without the hangover and negative effects. To capitalize on those trends, Helena Price Hambrecht and Woody Hambrecht created Haus, a low-alcohol direct-to-consumer aperitif that they’re determined to make the drink of the summer. The duo launched the brand Haus – an all-natural aperitif to target the changing drinking habits of Americans.

More effort to connect with others

The lack of real connection with each other has further propelled the desire for brands to be authentic and ‘real’ in its dialogue with consumers. People want to see others like them, they don’t just want to be ‘seen’, the want to see and be connected with others like them. The skin care brand Tula has drawn on this to launch their new brand initiative, #EmbraceYourSkin, focused on inspiring confidence among their consumers, after finding that 70% of customers feel beauty industry ads degrade their self-confidence.

It remains to be seen what exact trends will stick in the ‘post-Covid’ world. One thing is for sure in the short term is that people are focused on their health, and this includes their mental health and well-being. Brands that understand this and flex how they can help consumers through this time will be rewarded in the long road to recovery for everyone.