Cancer Season — The Quest for Inner Joy (June 20th to July 19th)

The sun reaches its highest path in the sky at the beginning of this season on June 20th, marking the start of the summer solstice.

Though the springtime energy of the Gemini season may have had you feeling light, easy, and alive with all its chaotic energy, the Cancer season is a time for softness again. It’s time to reconnect with our feelings. This season is dominated by the characteristics of summer-time water energy. Do not be fooled, we don’t mean a frolicking, splish-splash type of energy but rather the moodiness of the astrological water sign. This period is one of increased sensitivity, reserved magnetism, and emotiveness rather than outright entertainment or fun.

According to Valerie Mesa, a leading astrologer, “Cancer is an ocean of emotion, submerged in infinite consciousness and intuitive memory. It is where we find both the mother and the home within ourselves.” Represented by the symbol of the crab, it is perhaps indicative of this season’s effect on us to retreat into our “hard shells”, so that we can better protect our softer and more sensitive cores. It is believed that this zodiac’s energy puts us better in touch with our hearts and feelings, which can translate to a need for a greater sense of emotional security. As the cardinal water sign of the zodiac, it is a time where honoring our feelings and the practice of self-care are crucial, and we can all use some extra love and care in our lives after the all-consuming energy of the previous Gemini season.

#Cancerseason — Finding a Haven — (June 20th- July 19th)

Our analysis of behavior trends for this season found keywords like “cry”, “emotional”, and “breakdown” illustrating the public embracing their feelings and searching for new habits that will make them overall happier. It is a time when we search for inner joy and peace, even if our external world remains relatively unchanged. Our cultural reading finds that it’s a time marked by feelings of nostalgia, creativity, and vitality, bringing us comfort in the midst of facing our true feelings while making changes.

This is a time of reflection but also of course correction, posts made during this season indicate a future hope of better things and growth through introspection, best highlighted in a post example, “dear future…, more self-love, more self-compassion, more inner peace…” Others look at their struggles in the recent past and anticipate the growth it will bring about in this new season, as one poster says “in the long run I’ll appreciate all this pain for the growth that it will bring”. There is a strong sense of the whirlwind that was the previous season, and the stark contrast this following one brings in terms of sunny outwardly energy versus an inner storm cloud of emotions and feelings.

During this time, consumers are looking to reward themselves for the personal growth strides they have or will be taking. As a time of seeking simplicity and routine in order to truly reevaluate what is really of significance, consumers become more aware of their wants and needs as an individual and so it stands to reason that this season’s products and services of interest to consumers are anything relating to self-care and self-love. From face masks to bubble baths, and self-help books, it’s about “creating a routine that creates a happier life”. The best tone to take with consumers in this period is to remind them that it’s time to think about what they want to bring into their lives and what they want to leave behind, while they are in a state of reevaluation.

So, what are the brand implications for companies to consider this Cancer season?

There is a science to consumer behavior that is exhibited in each Astrological Season that is, for the most part, applicable to all people and brands. Better understanding the subtleties of each season in our Astrological Seasonal Trends (AST) series will allow brands to better engage and activate their customers by understanding their behaviors and desires.

Keep up with these Astrological Seasonal Trends to better understand behaviors and stay tuned for our upcoming blog series (AST) that will break down each season’s insights.

Write to anurag.banerjee@quilt.ai for more insights about your favorite brands and market trends.

Originally published at https://www.quilt.ai on May 13, 2022.