Mintel Little Conversation

In this episode of Mintel Little Conversation, host Andrew Davidson sits down with entrepreneur and investor Ankur Jain to discuss his latest project—an innovative, new loyalty program and co-branded credit card called Bilt Rewards, aimed at renters. Through parent company Kairos HQ, one of Ankur's goals is to use technology to make everyday expenses more affordable, specifically for Millennial an...

In this episode of Mintel Little Conversation, host Andrew Davidson is joined by some of Mintel's best and brightest—three of the authors of Mintel's 2021 Trends spanning the global consumer, food and drink, and beauty and personal care categories. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Mintel analysts sat down to predict future consumer behaviour and its impact on business strategy. Hear their ta...

In this episode of Mintel Little Conversation, host Andrew McDougall dives into the world of challenger brands—what drives them, what makes them successful, why we need them, and what more established brands can learn from them. They provide disruption beyond new product innovation and use storytelling to create communities around an untapped consumer need, from ingredients and packaging to brand...

Following the recent release of the Mintel Sustainability Barometer 2021, host Samantha Dover sits down with consumer lifestyle experts, trend spotters, and futurists to discuss the current state of global consumers' sustainability behaviours, preferences, and purchases. The question of whether or not the average consumer really cares about sustainability is an important one, but equally important...

There are roughly 44 million active patents globally. While well-known to those in the legal field, patents can serve as a massive library of scientific information and product innovation for brands and marketers. But what exactly is a patent and why/how should marketers pay more attention to them? In today's episode, host Edward Bergen welcomes two patent experts to discuss the insights brands ca...

As consumers globally slowly emerge from the pandemic, will they be eager to spend on discounted electronics, appliances, and streaming subscriptions or has the luster of Amazon Prime Day’s 48-hour sale (June 21-22) faded due to a damaged company image and increased competition? Mintel retail, consumer, and competitive marketing experts discuss the significance of Prime Day, its impact on the evol...

Data privacy is appearing in the headlines more and more as ransomware attacks have exposed how vulnerable governments, institutions, and companies can be to security breaches. Mintel experts from around the globe sit down to discuss the state of data privacy, specifically consumers' privacy expectations, their expectations of brands, and the risk/reward for sharing their data. What steps are cons...

The pandemic has altered a lot about how people live, but also where they live. Lockdowns, restrictions, and indefinite work-from-home policies are forcing consumers to change their behaviours which is accelerating timelines and expanding the realm of possibility of where home is. When it comes to cities and how they are used, the consumer mindset is changing. In this week's episode, futurists and...

Last autumn, we gathered a few of our consumer experts for a discussion on vices. At the time of the original air date, we were in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic and many of us were months into indulging our vices in order to make it through. Today, we're revisiting that conversation. With some economies opening up and regaining a bit of normalcy, meanwhile, others are experiencing devastating...

When is the last time you evaluated your social media strategy? With the recent developments, new features, and entirely new platforms, host Andrew Davidson sits down with Mintel social media experts to discuss the trends driving the ever-evolving social media landscape, how brands are responding to changing consumer behaviours, and what marketers must do to stay competitive in the next 12 months....

Mental health awareness, impact, and support have become key concerns in recent years and have been accelerated by the pandemic. In this episode, host Edward Bergen sits down with consumer and industry experts in the health and wellness, food and drink, and beauty and personal care spaces to discuss the dynamic landscape of mental health awareness and action from the consumer perspective. With the...

On this episode, host Andrew McDougall chats with category and consumer experts about the trends shaping, shifting, and accelerating markets this year. They cover trends in food, drink, foodservice, beauty, personal care, and household care, as well as the overarching themes that are driving global consumer behaviour, like experiences, rights, wellbeing and technology. They share some of the behin...

This week on Little Conversation, host Samantha Dover sits down with retail experts covering Europe and North America to discuss the future of e-commerce. The industry has grown steadily in recent years but consumer interest and adoption skyrocketed during the pandemic. So, what's next for the oversaturated market? Our experts discuss the challenges for new entrants to the direct-to-consumer (DTC)...

In honour of International Women’s Day (8 March), host Alexis DeSalva Kahler leads a discussion about how the women's rights movement has influenced female purchase power, what female consumer buying behaviour looks like today, the role brands play in supporting, encouraging, and empowering female consumers through language and imagery, and the impact of social media. What brands top the list for...

In the official first episode of season three, host Matthew Crabbe welcomes analysts from across Asia-Pacific to discuss what's trending in the run-up to Chinese New Year - from innovative products and services to new marketing campaigns. While the essence of New Year celebrations and traditions will endure, there will be changes - big and small, temporary and long-lasting - that impact consumer b...

With Super Bowl LV less than a week away, Mintel experts anticipate the cultural impact of the most-watched US TV broadcast event in the context of a divided nation, an economic crisis, and a global pandemic. They explore the challenges facing advertisers as they struggle to find the right tone and grab attention. With some big names and veteran Super Bowl brands dropping out of the ad lineup, wha...

Ahead of the start of season three, we have a special episode today with a discussion on the popularity of Veganuary - the annual challenge of following a vegan lifestyle for the month - and the future of plant-based foods. With January already a time when many consumers make new year's resolutions often for better health and wellness, Mintel global food and drink experts and Veganuary CEO, Ria Re...

In our Season Two Holiday Bonus episode, the Little Conversation hosts discuss the year ahead and share their predictions for how consumer spending, demand, and optimism (or lack thereof) will impact markets worldwide. We saw some trends, like the rise in ecommerce, accelerate in 2020. Others experienced fundamental shifts, like the focus on local business. What is the trajectory of these changes...

In the season two finale, Mintel retail experts look ahead to the winter holidays. We know there is a willingness from consumers to have a good holiday season, given the events of the last year, but what barriers could stand in their way? How important are cleanliness, safety, and convenience? With discounting now expected, how else can retailers show value? Experiences were a popular gift in 2019...

Most consumers have them; many have grown during the global pandemic. From indulgent food and drink to enticing gaming and gambling, vices have been a part of human history from the very start. In this episode, Mintel analysts discuss what makes a vice so 'bad', its impact on cultures and mental health, its role in entertainment and emotional release, as well as what brands must do to help consume...

Given the advancements in modern medicine and a keen focus on health and wellness, global populations are expected to grow significantly older over the next half-century, giving new meaning and new life to the concept of healthy ageing. Meanwhile, the working population is expected to shrink, which could have a negative effect on how seniors are cared for in their later years. Mintel's expert anal...

In this episode, Mintel beauty experts discuss how COVID-19 accelerated the trends they predicted for 2030 such as 'The Panorama of Humanity,' the push and pull between science and nature, and 'Identity Traders,' toggling between connection and disconnection as consumers seek out their tribe with brands serving as the facilitator. They also discuss the importance of trust and transparency and how...

In this episode, Mintel analysts discuss what the outlook for movie theatres and streaming platforms will be post-pandemic. With local lockdowns forcing movie theatres to close, brands had to make temporary adjustments like drive-in movie theatres and releasing movies straight to streaming services to help consumers get their movie fix. Do consumers want to go back to movie theatres? What are movi...

With the travel industry severely impacted by COVID-19, Mintel analysts in the US and Canada discuss the current state of the travel industry and what’s to come for travel loyalty programs. They also provided insight into how loyalty programs have pivoted and what type of innovation is needed to help build the industry back up and convince consumers these types of programs are still relevant even...

In this episode, Mintel beauty experts from around the globe discuss the impact that COVID-19 is having on the fragrance industry. They discuss what is currently happening in the industry and how consumers are rethinking the way they use fragrance products. They also give recommendations for how brands should appeal to consumers in the current environment and share innovations in the fragrance ind...