TREND - Mood to Order
Trend Overview
Mood is king
Scientists and psychologists alike have long promoted the link between diet and behavior or emotional state, hence the expression ‘you are what you eat’. For some that’s meant popping a pill (if not turning to drugs and alcohol, never mind the next-day hangover) but more recently, emerging science, coupled with some pretty intrepid product innovations, has pointed us in a new direction. We've seen mood enhancing properties brought to the fore when it comes to new product development across a variety of sectors, not just food and drink.
Anywhere and everywhere
Today, research into the mood-manipulating qualities of certain ingredients, scents, sounds and even lighting levels is getting deeply scientific – and widely adopted. The beauty industry is reaching beyond aromatherapy into the realms of psychology and neurology, while schools and adolescent psychologists alike are exploring ways to improve youths’ dispositions via scented classrooms and ‘brain food’-heavy diets.
Practical benefits
Meanwhile, we’ve seen more services that use an individual’s mood as a tool for making the right product selection – a concept that's becoming increasingly important as the wealth of options open to modern-day consumers continues to expand.
Key Action Items
The concept of 'added functionality' is expanding beyond nutrition to include emotion.
The impact of products on emotional and mental health are becoming key issues.
Combat consumer skepticism by backing up claims with scientific research and proof of efficacy.
What Mood to Order means for Beauty.
The field of neurocosmetics is providing a significant opportunity for beauty brands to explore new ways to connect their products with emotional and psychological—not just physical—benefits. It’s traditional for beauty brands to connect aromatherapy with mood boosting (think rejuvenating mint hair mask, relaxing lavender facial oil). The next frontier is to explore the effects newer plant extracts have on our neurotransmitters and hormones.
What Mood to Order means for Personal Care.
In an increasingly harried world consumers are looking to personal care products to inspire mood and relaxation. Brands can look to provide products that offer some escapism from real life, or that help consumers maintain good mindfulness. Personal care products have the ability to make consumers feel good within themselves, and brands can further explore these mood-affecting attributes to enhance this experience.
Implications
Feeling good
We are in an era of functional indulgence, where what we eat, apply or interact with must raise our spirits, improve our mood or at the very least convince us that we’re having a good time. Much of this will come down to branding and labelling messages. For instance, in restaurants, menu descriptions have evolved from simple ingredient lists into provenance, storytelling and descriptions that promise escapism over ‘high’ or ‘low’ health content.
