Trend Hunter Report Examines ‘Authenticity’ in Brand Marketing

June 2, 2020 | TrendHunter.com’s latest free monthly report for Toy Association members explains how, in order to create more authentic connections with consumers, brands are developing more honest digital engagements to create approachability.

“This report highlights how, especially during these times of social distancing, consumers have become more critical of brands’ authenticity,” said Anne McConnell, senior director of market research & data strategy at The Toy Association. “Toy companies can draw inspiration from this latest Trend Hunter report to help form more genuine connections with their audiences.”

This “Authenticity” report covers the following:

• Celebritized Employee – As modern-day influencers are elevated to near-celebrity status and become unrelatable to the average consumer, real-life company employees are stepping into the role of brand ambassadors. This move leverages not only their looks but also their product knowledge such as Barnes & Nobles’ ad campaign which focused on the expertise of its in-store employees over AI-based book recommendations.


• Post-Influencer Authenticity – With Millennials and Gen Z social media users being inundated with influencer marketing, they now view it as just as inauthentic as traditional forms of marketing. Instagram marketing is evolving with subversive, unmanufactured content. Instagram, for example, experimented with a new hidden likes feature for users to take pressure off account owners to have their posts perform well and to encourage users to focus on high-quality content over click-bait.


• Honest Approachability – More products and services are tapping into Gen Z consumers’ preference for brutally honest communication. For example, Nebraska announced a new self-aware state slogan, reading “Honestly, It’s Not for Everyone.”


• Lighthearted Altruism – Brands and organizations looking to signify a commitment to diversity are creating campaigns that take a more casual, sometimes even sarcastic tone. Hanes debuted an inclusive underwear campaign, “the Every Bod,” that featured muscular models, “dad bod” models, and models with disabilities.


• Authentic Interaction – Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the role of the celebrity or influencer is criticized due to the positions of privilege and lifestyles they hold. In response, some have shifted their strategies to create more authentic consumer interactions. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis created a quarantine wine for charity (pictured), while Netflix and Instagram partnered for a ‘Wanna Talk About It?’ series of live chats with actors to support mental health and self-care.


• Culinary Blockchain – Whether giving consumers product information or empowering ecological initiatives, blockchain technology is on the rise in the food industry. Examples range from Bitcoin-inspired coffees targeted to crypto traders to IBM-powered tracking to better ensure food safety.

This report is the latest in a series from Trend Hunter offering in-depth perspectives and trends in various areas related to the toy industry and youth markets to help spark unique ideas. For additional relevant trends, toy companies can click on the report’s consumer insights examples, scroll down, and click the images for further information.

Members are encouraged to send topic suggestions for future trend reports to The Toy Association’s Anne McConnell.

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