Human Insights:
The Forces Shaping All Consumer Behavior
Restoring Hope
In a time of pressure and uncertainty, hope has become more practical and more fragile. This brief explores what drives, diminishes, and restores hope for Americans today, offering clear direction for brands looking to build real emotional relevance.
Download to learn what’s shaping hope today, and how to respond.
We have a dedicated team tasked with mining human data from around the world to understand …
⦿ The deeper whys: Unpacking what’s driving collective shifts in the market
⦿ The direction of travel: Unlocking trajectories to hone in on the top drivers of observed behaviors
⦿ The needle in the haystack: Uncovering early signs of shifts that could have future implications for brands
Recent Insights from Our Analysts
Quick Read 1: Cause Engagement
The Emotional Drivers That Get People to Give
Uncovering new pathways to charitable engagement and brand activism
Quick Read 2: GLP-1 Medications
Quantifying the Emotional Drivers of GLP-1 Users
Tracking what priorities are driving early adopters of weight-loss medications
Quick Read 3: Generative AI
How Gen AI Is Reshaping Parental Priorities
Following emergent technology and resulting emotional shifts in family dynamics
Quick Read 4: American Joy
Mapping the New Emotional Architecture of Joy
Tracking how US adults are redefining joy under sustained pressure
Quick Read 5: Retirement
What Americans Actually Want From Retirement
Uncovering the emotional shift from retirement as reward to retirement as relief
Quick Read 6: TBD
Let Us Know What is Important to Your Brand
Don’t see what you need? We run studies over the course of the year, tell us what we’re missing.
A sample of our in-depth studies
Gen Z Priorities
From Performance Culture to Peace-Seeking
Our outlook identifies three seismic shifts redefining youth culture: identity rooting over exploration, rejection of “always-on” digital performance, and quiet micro-actions over loud activism. After coming of age during algorithmic saturation and instability, Gen Z prioritizes emotional clarity and privacy over visibility. Critical insights for brands connecting with a peace-seeking generation.
The Nostalgia Economy
Decoding the Global Pull Toward Nostalgia
Research across the US, UK, Germany, France, South Korea, and China reveals nostalgia has evolved from marketing tactic to emotional survival tool. This study decodes the specific needs driving nostalgic consumption across generations—including why Gen Z yearns for eras they never experienced—and shows brands how to move past retro aesthetics into genuine emotional grounding.
American Parenting
Why Self-Care Is the New Child-Centric
Economic pressure and mental health challenges are driving American parents toward a fundamental shift—from child-centric sacrifice to self-reclaiming wellness. We identify distinct emotional drivers separating mothers from fathers, how environment shapes family values, and why “resilient kids start with well parents” is the new parenting framework. Actionable insights for brands supporting parents as whole people.
Human-ology in the news
2026 Human Tensions & Trajectories: Annual Strategic Report
Drawing on nearly a decade of global tracking across adults, parents, teens, and kids, this report surfaces three defining tensions of 2026 and five human trajectories emerging from them. The pattern is clear: People aren’t chasing more—they’re designing lives that feel emotionally sustainable.
Download the report to uncover:
⦿ Why emotional energy has become one of the scarcest resources
⦿ How nostalgia, restraint, and smaller circles are helping people regain equilibrium
⦿ What “emotional minimalism” really means, and why it’s not going away
⦿ The implications for brands trying to stay relevant without adding noise
If you’re responsible for understanding people, not just markets, this report offers a grounded, human map of how priorities are changing in 2026, and how brands can meet people where they actually are.
Apply these insights to your organization.
Let’s discuss what’s changing and what it means for your business.