We’ve long been tracking the evolution of what’s considered to be wellness.
From its controversial roots as an often considered elitist, restrictive and one-dimensional pursuit, punctuated by images of Gwyneth Paltrow, expensive juice detox diets and whitewashing, to its more recent shedding of said markers to represent a more relatable, reflective and inclusive concept, that well love it or hate, we all seemingly adopt.
Over the past couple of years, we’ve watched as wider societal shifts such as the Black Lives Matter movement, a growing mental health crisis and female sexual empowerment to name a few, have brought the wellness industry’s (and many others) lack of openness, diversity and inclusivity into even sharper focus.
Driven in part by the unapologetic and non-conformist attitudes of Gen Z, we’ve also witnessed how positive movements such as #honormycurves #freethepimple and #vaginahealth have given way to the emergence of a less toxic and shame-ridden rhetoric around wellness, and a new ‘cultural norms’ trend; in which differences are celebrated, inclusivity is cultivated, and communities are born out of new cultural norms.
Resulting in a positive shift in attitude.
Digging their heels further into this “new cultural norms” trend, are a contingent of brands helping to create entirely new consumer focused wellness categories in their own right.
They’re providing solutions for stages or aspects of life that have previously been ignored or completely forgotten – whether that be down to their perceived
‘un-sexiness’, a lack of representation for the individuals they impact or a wider resistance for breaking down the social stigmas attached to them
Wellness Categories such as:
- Menopause
- Peri-menopause
- Female orgasms
- Female sexual enhancement
- Intimate health
- Immune health
- At home lab testing
- Sleep
- Mental Health – 94% of Millennials said they’d be willing to spend $250 per month on self-improvement, for “Betterment”
- Body positivity
…the list goes on
The taboo’s are lifting and nothing is off limits!
New emerging wellness movements we are also tracking are:
(Common issues that are known to take a toll on mental health, viewed through the lens of wellness)
Financial
- Is #financialfitness the new #selfcare?
- Stats show that when an individual feels financially secure, they’re more likely to report an increase in overall wellbeing
FemTech
- Innovative products and services, that leverage technology to improve women’s health.
Menopause
- 9 in 10 feel overlooked by society
- 94% would benefit from brands being more inclusive and catering better to the menopause
- 88% want their workplaces to be better set up for menopause colleagues
- 93% would benefit from friends and family being better informed
Death Doulas
- Death. An industry, which has seen little innovation over the past century. From new-age funeral homes to end-of-life coaches, newcomers are shaking up the sector and re-examining taboos and traditions surrounding the end of life….at what point do you think we’ve taken it too far!
From immune health and intellectual wellness, to mental and sexual wellness, to facial exercises, psychedelics, and pets, what’s clear is the dimensions of wellness are ever changing, and here to stay.
We love this topic of wellness, and have done some fantastic work in this space. To continue the conversation, connect with us for a chat.
