Close Up with The Future Shopper

Looking back on 2024, there has been one theme central to strategy building - loyalty. How to create it, keep it and build it have been key - as our Future Shopper survey audience confirms. This infographic brings alive the leading themes, presenting VML's top 10 trends and opportunities for brands to create not just purchases but loyal consumers.

Gaming is no longer defined by hardcore enthusiasts; it permeates everyday life through digital engagement across a spectrum of experiences. What's equally fascinating is the phenomenon of digital spaces inhabited by gamers becoming legitimate extensions of their identities, relationships, and shopping behaviors. For brands, we see a great opportunity to level up!

Today's shoppers effortlessly switch between online and offline. While traditional retail strategies push for presence across all touchpoints, a smarter "optichannel" approach is emerging: focus only on the channels that truly matter to customers. For brands ready to evolve, this shift from being everywhere to being everywhere that counts offers a clear path to meaningful customer connections.

Content has evolved from a simple marketing tool to a critical asset that defines a brand's entire digital presence. The challenge for brands isn't just creating more content – it's developing a strategic approach that delivers the right content to the right audience at the right time. By leveraging new tech, forward-thinking brands can deliver the personalized, high-quality content experiences that modern shoppers demand.

While shoppers increasingly care about sustainability, the allure of convenience and instant gratification continues to win at checkout. For brands willing to innovate, this gap between consumer intent and action presents an opportunity. The solution isn't just about offering eco-friendly options – it's about reimagining the entire shopping experience to make sustainable choices easy.

While consumers naturally reach for their phones to browse and buy, they're often met with frustrating experiences that feel stuck in the desktop era. This massive disconnect between how people want to shop and how brands let them shop isn't just costing sales – it's creating an opportunity for companies ready to deliver the seamless mobile experiences customers crave.