Cultural Trends in 2021 Navigating a New Normal

The 20,000 Foot View:  Behaviours under coronavirus-driven lockdowns accelerated underlying digital consumption trends. Remote working and ongoing restrictions mean streaming behaviour is up across formats and demographics at the same time that some traditional entertainment formats effectively ceased. 2021 will see the rise of creators and services directly able to capitalise on the increased entertainment time now available online. Niche propositions will trend increasingly towards mainstream, causing the digital long tail to expand exponentially. Authenticity of voice and speed of adaptability to content output will be key to content success in 2021. Meanwhile, robust strategic distribution partnerships and ecosystem infrastructure plays through service bundling, will define entertainment business success in the coming year.

Key Insights

• The shift            daily life to the digital            as a result of pandemic-induced            was an escalation of a            slower-moving trend, and now has            into the mainstream 
• Sports was            of the last strong propositions            traditional pay-TV operators, with            of            sports watchers in            2020 having            to pay-TV for three years            more
• As the            of lockdown become embedded and            trend towards digital-first becomes the            gaming is poised to lead            experimental forays into new distribution            and content applications
           of consumers said they would cancel one or more video streaming subscriptions, rising to            of            year olds – up strongly from            in            2020 – and            of 20-24 year olds 
• With higher            penetration for both Spotify and            the younger segments have a            affinity for pure-play propositions than            which plays to the increasing            of fandom in a content-saturated            landscape
• However, Amazon            gaining ground amongst older demographics,            tend to have higher purchasing            – thus making this a            play in the long term,            the emerging recession hits younger            first and harder
• Fandom was            well on its way to            the defining driver of adoption            loyalty, and independent creators were            greater autonomy and creative control;            has exacerbated and solidified these           
• The attention            crunch of saturation went through            reprieve as lockdown opened up            extra            of consumer time, but            competition of content has not            overall 
• In response            lockdowns there will be some            long-term habits, but there will            be kickback when consumers are            to return to what they            to enjoy and have been            to maintain ties to

Companies and brands mentioned in this report:   Amazon, Amazon Prime Video, Amuse, Apex Legends, Apple, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple Music, Apple News, Apple TV+, BBC, BBC Sounds, Coalition for App Fairness, DAZN, Daybreak, Disney, Disney+, EA Games, ESPN+, Eleven Sports, Epic Games, FIFA, Fortnite, Freaks            Gaming, HBO Max, Hi-Rez Studios, Kingdom,            Bank, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Openbank, Orange Is The New Black, Peacock, Spotify, Spotify Fan First, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead, The Witcher, Tiger King, Twitch, Vodaphone, WarnerMedia, iCloud