The ease of access and speed of the internet brings, increasingly, new forms of human interaction in the digital environment. The unprecedented study “Connection of the Future 2030 Socialization Trends”, conducted by Sensorama Design, focuses exactly on understanding these socialization trends in Brazil that are already on the way to becoming a reality by the year 2030 and how they can impact the economy, companies and businesses. It begins by pointing out the fatigue in the face of excess stimuli and demands and focuses the future on three major phenomena.
Sharing experiences takes on new meaning
Much is said about the “experiences”, a concept that in the world of marketing and love brands has become a mantra. And sharing them, at least for now, has the meaning of living them in company, valuing moments with those who really matter. But how will this be possible in an increasingly individualistic and accelerated world?
In the study, 58% of the interviewees stated that they relate to friends and relatives more in the digital environment than in person, especially the activities mentioned for leisure without verbalizing, at any time, the need for a company, whether to see series, travel or go to shows and restaurants.
Thus, sharing experiences gains a new meaning, which is to use digital media to share what we live with other people. Sharing information with someone gains a position as important as having that someone around.
Genuine 100% and 100% digital friendships
Not meeting someone personally loses its importance every day in building genuine and solid relationships, perhaps a transformation that moves at a pace a little slower than the change in the concept of sharing experiences. After all, 65% of respondents still believe that face-to-face meeting is a condition for a friendship to solidify.
A highlight in this behavior trend pointed out by the study is that among respondents who identify as gamers, 60% state that during online matches, even with strangers, they talk about other topics and personal issues unrelated to the game. A new generation of young people and children who already consider it normal to create friendships in the digital environment is coming and occupying their space, even if this space is in the metaverse.
Expression of different identities
The digital medium of the future, as we saw above, enabling a much wider range of possible experiences and possible new friends, also opens a door for people to express different identities. The “modas” and “tendencias” will be increasingly fast and diverse and, having the opportunity to be several “eus”, they can all be experienced in some way. It will be like a great video game in which, every day, we can choose different skins and different avatars.
Expressing different identities and living with people who make them may seem complex, however, in the future, it is likely that this process will normalize due to the increasing offer of highly immersive experiences. Among the people interviewed, 26,1% stated that their greatest interest in experiencing the metaverse is to immerse themselves in virtual environments, while for 24,2% what stands out most is the possibility of creating another reality for themselves.
A sign in which we have already noticed this is the speed with which the new generation changes jobs and tries different areas and sectors. This phenomenon enables a reinvention of one's own identity and start new relationships without confronting the past. With each new social circle, it is possible to start from scratch without this being problematic.
Companies should prepare for these transformations
From a business point of view, understanding how people will form bonds and interact from today and in the future is fundamental to understanding the directions that consumption should take. It is essential to prepare for behavioral changes in the public and thus offer products and services that meet new demands and needs.
The study outlined examples of opportunities that these behavioral changes provide (and can be useful) to business, including:
- Creation of communities around products and services of companies, which promotes consumption.
- Promotion of interaction spaces that provide immersion (experiences) where people come into contact with the brand, service or product, either individually or in groups.
- Use virtual environments (such as online games) to test new initiatives and identify new business and opportunities.
“The goal of the studies of Sensorama is always to find possible opportunities for companies. As we are in constant contact with different markets, we can draw parallels between them, seeing opportunities for innovation in the services and products that they propose”, says Luisa Nogueira, partner of Sensorama.
Methodology
The methodology for the study focused on three topics:
- Analysis of trend reports, news portals, behavioral analysis, social media profiles and content related to innovation and technology.The goal was to capture signs of social changes that could impact socialization processes.
- In-depth interviews with 25 individuals representing extreme profiles to explore the issues observed during documentary research to understand how these profiles currently socialize, the role of technology in this process and to generate hypotheses based on identified patterns.The interviews included young people up to 24 years old, elderly, parents of school-age children, gamers, digital nomads and individuals with high and low levels of socialization.
- The questionnaire was designed to validate some of the hypotheses and quantify patterns identified during in-depth interviews and documentary research. The questionnaire was composed of 31 questions covering personal connections, use of technology and social media, work, social and digital behavior of children, interaction in games, pandemic, metaverse and future perspectives. It was distributed organically through social media platforms and promoted specifically on Instagram. 676 responses were obtained, proportionally covering the profiles mentioned above.
The research examined the behavior of Brazilians living and non-resident in the country and secondary data were collected from brazilian and international sources to capture a wider range of signals and references.
