Health Consumer Insights

Trend - Apps and virtual care that are specifically designed for people with gastrointestinal diseases are on the rise--addressing illnesses like IBS and GERD. These apps both educate and help users track symptoms--allowing them to identify and avoid triggers, and create plans to optimize wellbeing.

Insight - The growth of virtual care and wellness industries has allowed individuals to find community and get ahead of their health, particularly those who have illnesses that are stigmatized. Combining this sense of community with predictive monitoring allows for a personalized approach to healthcare--which isn't always possible in traditional medical settings. Targeted virtual care makes individual lifestyles and needs a priority, while reducing costs for patients.

Trend - Graphene is becoming a notable material in active and outerwear, and brands that offer bedding are now exploring its benefits. Graphene's strength, combined with its antibacterial and thermoregulating benefits, make it especially useful for frequently used items like pillows and bedsheets.

Insight - The market for sleep health/wellness is growing, and bedding is an important aspect of adequate sleep for many consumers. With concerns like allergens, bacteria, and frequent use--people searching for bedding are looking to brands that offer materials that address these issues. Durability, hypoallergenic materials and thermoregulation are all key priorities, and brands that are investing in innovative solutions at mid-range prices are making the industry more competitive.

Trend - As telehealth services make healthcare more accessible, some virtual care brands are targeting niche needs and underserved communities with prescription deliveries. These convenient services provide help those who face barriers to healthcare due to cultural and/or mobility limitations.

Insight - North American healthcare services are currently ineffective in providing all demographics with equal and adequate access to care. As more people acknowledge these barriers, more are also fighting for accessibility in healthcare--whether that's in transportation, costs, treatment or access. Healthcare brands expanding their virtual offerings help remove some of those barriers and provide more communities with equal access.

Trend - Corporations are launching DEI programs and initiatives designed to support the careers and lives of neurodiverse employees. These programs ensure equality in hiring patterns, resource access, and worker compensation. These benefit businesses by improving employee satisfaction and retention.

Insight - In the post-pandemic working world, employees have many options for workplace culture, such as finding flexible working hours, locations, or compensation. Employees each have preferences, such as wanting more flexibility or a larger wage. However, workers quickly leave jobs where they feel they do not belong, resulting in high turnover for less desirable workplaces. Companies are avoiding this fault by launching new DEI initiatives that, in addition to other protected classes, support neurodivergent workers.

Trend - Virtual health services and care have become commonplace, but many are limited in their capabilities. Now, some businesses in healthcare are offering urgent care through their virtual platforms--with services like at-home medical dispatching and fast turnarounds for necessary prescriptions.

Insight - Virtual medicine has made healthcare more accessible as it saves patients time and transportation costs. It also offers opportunities for businesses and institutions in the healthcare industry--especially in expanding their reach. As hybrid (virtual and in-person) healthcare becomes the norm--particularly as online urgent care becomes more effective and expansive--these platforms have the potential to reduce the issue of overloaded hospitals with long wait times for patients.

Trend - Brands are launching air fryers designed for outdoor patios. These air fryers are weatherproof and serve as replacements to barbecues during gatherings. These air fryers consume less resources and produce healthier foods than traditional barbecues, as they use fewer resources and no oil.

Insight - Home grillers and home chefs continue to pursue tools and appliances that enhance the home cooking experience. These customers desire new smart features, alternative cooking methods, and tools that streamline the cooking process. In recent years, more home chefs have gravitated toward oil-less cooking methods, namely air fryers, for health reasons. However, most air fryers are small and designed for indoors, creating a gap in the industry for users who frequently host outdoor events and desire healthy alternatives to grills.

Trend - Brands in the artificial intelligence space are launching journaling apps backed by generative AI. These services can help journalers identify patterns in their lives while receiving advice from AI. The AI provides insight into emotional states that otherwise may not have been identified.

Insight - The recent influx of generative AI-powered apps and services has led to many customers seeking out AI-powered apps over regular alternatives. AI typically offers value-adds to applications that would otherwise be very difficult to implement at scale. These customers desire AI for its speed, flexibility, customizability, and personalization, as well as its ability to sort through large amounts of data in an instant. Many such customers desire a personalized AI chatbot for more emotional questions, rather than a massive large language model with a factual focus.

Trend - Companies are launching premium air purifiers designed for vehicles. These purifiers either run on battery, USB, or lighter socket power, meaning they are compatible with any car. The purifier helps customers breathe fresh air, even when the car is stored for long periods or is stuffy.

Insight - Recently, major cities around the world have had worsening air quality for a variety of reasons from industrial manufacturing to wildfires and pollution. Consumers in these cities wear masks and run humidifiers and air purifiers at home or in the office to ensure they breathe clean air. However, there are still a number of situations, such as while in a car or at a store, where the air is potentially stuffy and unpurified. As a response, brands are launching new dedicated air filters.

Trend - Brands in the men's health space are launching sexual health products with discreet packaging and branding. These treatments are for conditions such as erectile dysfunction without exposing the consumer. From the shipping packaging to the branding, the products are masked for privacy.

Insight - While research suggests that one in ten men in the United States are faced with erectile dysfunction-related challenges at some point, most men are hesitant to discuss the topic as acknowledging these conditions can make men feel embarrassed. However, these men still desire treatment and solutions, as they don't want to be inhibited by symptoms in the most crucial moments. As a result, these men are gravitating towards discreet products that hide the treatment purpose on the package.

Trend - Premature ejaculation is a relatively common but stigmatized condition, and marketing within this space has been specific to medical industries. New topical and natural products that use modern designs and rituals to give men less intensive and more discrete treatment options are now gaining traction in the wellness space.

Insight - The wellness industry's all-encompassing and "natural" approach to personal care continues to influence consumers who are looking for simple solutions to non-urgent conditions. Health-conscious consumers are increasingly turning to brands that offer these varied approaches to health care--often in conjunction with medical treatment or as alternative approaches when traditional routes aren't as effective.