Create Tomorrow, The WGSN Podcast

This week WGSN CEO Carla Buzasi is joined by Director of Beauty Jenni Middleton. The pair discuss the immediate impact that the beauty industry has seen from the pandemic, from the impact of masks on makeup to at home salon treatments and much more.

The global shutdowns earlier this year and continued restrictions on movement have plunged much of the world into recession. As we operate through a difficult landscape for businesses, consumer behaviour is changing rapidly. Even for those that remain financially stable, the broader economic environment is making people feel more concerned about their financial circumstances. In this episode we explore what this will mean for brands and businesses moving through this period.

This week, WGSN MD Carla Buzasi is joined by Director of WGSN Food and Drink Kara Nielsen. The pair discuss how the global pandemic has influenced not only what we eat, but how we think about food and drink as well. Carla and Kara also divulge some of their lockdown discoveries.

Prior to the pandemic, we were facing an intimacy recession. Coronavirus has accelerated this shift even further, with lockdowns putting physical distance between us, and as people start to come back out into the world, there is a fear of contamination or transmission. In this episode, we explore what the fear of touch looks like for consumers, and what it will mean for the beauty and retail industries. How can we remain safely apart while also finding ways of maintaining an emotional connection?

This week, WGSN MD Carla Buzasi is joined by Director of Lifestyle and Interiors and leader of the Creative Forecast team, Lisa White. The pair discuss the acceleration of consumer trends for the interiors category, such as buying less but better, the importance of combining eCommerce with bricks and mortar showrooms, plant power, and the restorative effects of colour in your home.

Localism was emerging as a key trend before the pandemic, featuring in the Future Consumer 2022 Forecast, the Retail Forecast and the Shopper Forecast as well. It's a shift which has only accelerated through the pandemic period as lockdowns meant that we got to know our neighbours and shop from local stores as we weren't as able to travel. This episode we explore how the localism trend is emerging around the world and how different markets are at different stages of recovery from the lockdown.

WGSN Managing Director Carla Buzasi is joined by Amiyra Perkins who as well as being one of the directors of WGSN's Mindset consulting business, also leads the Equality Vision team within the business. In an honest and personal exchange the pair speak about the Black Lives Matter movement and why, in the year of the pandemic, it is forcing us all to reassess how we think about diversity and inclusion and more importantly, what we're going to do about it.

The events of the past six months have created a tremendous amount of anxiety, however, we are now seeing an opportunity to refocus on the positive experiences that we have had during lockdown and can continue to do so when we emerge from this crisis. While this is not to make light of the devastating and tragic losses that many of us are experiencing right now, this break from life as normal is providing an opportunity for us to create a better, more optimistic future for our businesses and consumers.

In light of the protests and demonstrations against police brutality and social injustice that we have seen across America and around the world this week, we are taking the opportunity to highlight an episode of a podcast published by our sister brand Cannes Lions. Last week their host Simon Cook had a frank and open conversation with Endeavor CMO Bozoma Saint John, which had such a clear and powerful message about racial inclusion and diversity, that we wanted to share that with you today.

How we eat has changed tremendously over the first half of this year, as enforced lockdowns have led to increased food stockpiling and most of the world eating all of their meals at home. This is leading to new attitudes towards food. Today we explore the shifts that are taking place in the food & drink sector and and what will be the winning strategies for success in a post-coronavirus world.