Why moderate is the new cool

Report
- Why moderate is the new cool
- 12/09/2012
- Sam Shaw


Self-improvement is something we can measure Chris Bodine, Creative Commons (2012) ©

Scope
Individual freedoms are at the heart of Western society, but with economies reeling from greedy bankers, healthcare costs bulging from bad lifestyle decisions, environments strained under rampant capitalism and citizens outraged over runaway media ethics, a new aspiration of control and responsibility has emerged.

People are knuckling down at work, gym membership is up, healthy eating is back on the menu once again, cool thirty-something men are swapping session lagers for half pints, while twenty-something women are shifting their role-models from Lindsay Lohan to Kate Middleton. In the US, cocaine consumption is down year on year and Spring Break is reportedly tamer than ever, while hybrid electric cars are rapidly replacing gas-guzzling monster trucks. Even the Scottish stereotype of heavy drinking is disintegrating – Scots are drinking less booze year-on-year. [1]

These are all signs of a new ‘composure class’ regaining control of the world. [2] Without Big Brother’s forceful guidance, willing individuals are making the change themselves, and savvy brands are seizing the opportunity with a new emphasis on support and guidance. The thinking behind this is that if excessive, ostentatious, carefree living brought us here, moderate, controlled and responsible behaviour will get us out. Will it?

Read full article

Industry	Branding Behaviour Demographics Psychology Social networking Eco Alcoholic beverages
Location	Global
Keywords	Being+ Brand Me Collaborative Living Hyperawareness of Health Rising Social Conscience Civic Brands Moderation

Read more about 'Why moderate is the new cool' and see further reports, expert analysis and insights on consumer trends, behaviours and recent developments in the Branding, Behaviour, Demographics, Psychology, Social networking, Eco and Alcoholic beverages industries.

If you would like to see what Canvas8 can do for your business, for information about subscriptions, or to find out about our bespoke research reports, click to register.

- Reports: Latest
- Other articles
  - - No more heroes
    - 17/05/2013
    - As constant media scrutiny increasingly highlights celebrities' imperfections, is the relationship between brands and their penitent endorsers changing?
  - - Evolving the magazine: how publishers are diversifying
    - 10/05/2013
    - 'Print is dead' – or is it? Adapting to a complex digital landscape, publishers are finding new ways to extend the brand.
  - - Premium vs luxury: how luxury is fighting back
    - 02/05/2013
    - With premium threatening to steal its consumer base, luxury is forced to carve out a new space. But with perceptions of value changing rapidly, just how is it going to define itself?
  - - Making social media work for retail
    - 25/04/2013
    - More and more retailers are embracing social media, but it's still an uncertain territory. Should it be viewed as an opportunity, a necessity, or is it all just keeping up with the Joneses?
  - - Take the stage: creating platforms for young people to shine
    - 10/04/2013
    - The way teens create identity is changing. With more tools for self-expression and subcultures that last for a matter of days, affiliation to traditional tribes has become less important.
  - - The highs and lows of dynamic pricing
    - 01/04/2013
    - As people become more wary of dynamic pricing, many businesses are developing transparent systems that engage the customer in the process.
  - - How second screens are responding to (and shaping) user behaviours
    - 27/03/2013
    - Second screens are a growing part of the TV experience. But as televisions, remotes and consoles get 'smarter', how will new user behaviours affect the balance between screens?
  - - Home economics: how work is influencing family life
    - 21/03/2013
    - With the number of working parents on the rise, quality time with the family is becoming increasingly hard to organise. Parents are looking to a new source of inspiration for help: business.