Makua Adimora is a behavioural analyst at Canvas8. After completing a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, she shifted her focus to culture journalism. With a keen interest in music and culture, she has written for the likes of 

, and Al Jazeera, among others. In her spare time, she can be found overspending at Superdrug or writing about the new-school hip hop scene in Nigeria.

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 taking a patchwork approach to self-expression to feel like they have control over how their identity is generated. Yet as individual expression becomes more mutable and mistrust in social systems abounds, there’s one place above all that people are seeking integrity and guidance: brands.

Reality Split

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

Gen Alpha (born 2011-present)

United States

Health and Fitness

Beauty

Technology

Apps and software

Make-up

TikTok is placing age restrictions on some of its beauty filters to address concerns about how they impact the mental health of its teenage users. With young people feeling increased pressure to look perfect online, there’s a need for more open dialog to combat toxic beauty standards.