Pari Bajoria is a trend forecaster, cultural strategist, editor, and writer, with a background in fashion and lifestyle. She uses her skills to analyse global markets and tap into human behaviour through cultural research and is passionate about helping businesses stay ahead of the curve by analysing key trends and translating them into actionable insights. She believes that understanding cultural forces and using trends to foster positive changes is of utmost importance.

In the face of economic crises, climate anxieties, and global wars, people are seeking solace through connection. They want to be sure someone will hold their hand in the face of hardship. As a result, they have higher expectations of care and understanding from interactions with brands, social systems, and people. Many no longer see emotional intelligence as a pleasant add-on – it has become a default expectation.

If Pantone's colour of the year for 2024 is anything to go by – Peach Fuzz, a hue that 'echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection' – it's that community and understanding are increasingly valued as a bedrock of resilience in building a more empathetic and interconnected society. As the loneliness pandemic spreads across the globe, people are prioritising companionship. What's more, they aren't afraid to turn to technology to fill the void, engaging with AI chatbots for emotional gratification as much as practical services. AI promises the rise of artificial empathy and an overhaul of care structures, including elderly care and parenting – and people are ready to embrace it to mitigate the ongoing crisis.

As social media has simultaneously boosted emotional honesty and knocked self-esteem, mental health issues are on the rise and support systems need reinforcement. More than 70% of Americans feel failed by the healthcare system, and in the UK, the NHS waitlist rose to a record 7.75 million in late 2023. With countries like the UK and France raising retirement ages, the demand for long-term care has increased, prompting people to seek alternative solutions – from telemedicine to community-based care programs – to address the pressing care crisis. The very notion of care is in flux. In this context, people are turning to brands and public figures for a helping hand, from BetterHelp and Gymshark offering free care to those that need it to Megan thee Stallion and Olivia Rodrigo using their platforms to democratise access to care for marginalised communities.

Everyday Empathy

People are craving comfort. Amid what can feel like a state of constant crisis – a layering of traumatic societal events – it can sometimes seem like we’ve lost a sense of scale and cohesion. In the face of this, the desire to retreat into nostalgia is more seductive than ever. 

Nostalgia Reimagined 

Rumit Kadakia is the founder of Dad of Ad, a creative marketing and advertising agency with over six years of experience in turning brand briefs into catchy campaigns. He also dedicates his time mentoring aspiring marketers about insights into creative strategy and brand development.

United States

Eating and Drinking

Snacks and desserts

Statista

CandyUSA

Food Dive

Harvard Business Review

Interview with Rumit Kadakia conducted by the author

Time

Hershey Blog

Ingredient Network

National Confectioners Association

The Takeout

Barry Callebut

Forbes

Duty free news

NACS

By evoking nostalgia, maintaining a distinct taste, and strategically integrating itself into American culture, Hershey’s has become a household name. The brand has leveraged its heritage status to become a part of people’s treat rituals and remain inseparable from the country’s cultural calendar.

Cultivate

Connection and Belonging

Values and Identity

How Hershey’s melts American hearts with its treats