5 ways we changed in 2021

Looking back at the year that redefined connectivity

If 2021 had to be summed up in a single word, “reconnecting” would probably be a good fit. Vaccine rollouts and the interludes between lockdowns provided many of us with opportunities to spend time with our loved ones in the real world for the first time since our lives were turned upside down back in March of 2020. But when those offline interactions weren’t a realistic option, we learned how to make better use of technology and digital media to stay connected with friends and family, and to feel plugged into global communities with shared interests, passions and experiences.

As we head into the homestretch of the holiday season, we thought we would take this opportunity to look back at the past twelve months, and the impact they had on our lives and our relationships. So, drawing on our research from the intersection of technology, content and culture, here are five ways that 2021 left a lasting impression on all of us — and what those changes are going to mean for brands looking to build more meaningful connections with consumers in 2022.

1. We learned what life in the metaverse might look like

2021 was the year the metaverse, once the domain of science fiction, firmly embedded itself within the global public consciousness. Throughout the year, it became increasingly common to see stories about the concept in the tech press — culminating, of course, in Facebook’s high-profile rebranding of itself as “Meta Platforms, Inc.” towards the end of October. Zuckerberg’s company, we were promised, would play a leading role in the creation of the next iteration of the internet and the jump from two-dimensional web browsers to immersive and interactive virtual environments.

After Facebook’s big announcement, it didn’t take long for the term to enter into popular culture. In a study conducted in early December, we found that 54% of consumers claimed some level of awareness of the metaverse. Moreover, this level of awareness was backed up by a high level of enthusiasm: after having the concept of the metaverse explained to them, 66% of people were excited about the impact it would have on their lives. Much of this enthusiasm was rooted in a sense that more immersive online environments could help us reconnect with loved ones after another year of social distancing; 57% of consumers think that the metaverse will have a key role to play in addressing the social problems created by the pandemic.

2. We became more vocal about wanting to see our stories on screen

The global wave of Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 put issues of racial justice and representation right at the forefront of the political and cultural agenda. And while mass street protests were a somewhat rarer sight in 2021, major news stories like the trials of Derek Chauvin and Kyle Rittenhouse ensured that these issues remained ubiquitous in public discourse. It’s hardly surprising, therefore, that this was a year in which Americans of color — and other historic minority groups — were highly vocal about wanting to see their stories and their narratives reflected back to them in TV and film. In a study we co-produced with the Oprah Winfrey Network, we found that 95% of Black women want the media to do more to improve representation.

That same study also made it clear, however, that representation on its own won’t be enough; what really matters is the quality of that representation. 86% of Black women felt that too much content about Black people is about being Black, and 95% expressed a desire to see more stories that celebrate Black joy rather than centring Black pain and suffering. There was high demand, in particular, for stories about themes of healthy romantic love (58%), female empowerment (56%), and family & traditions (54%).

3. We listened to more audio content

The audio boom of the past few years showed few signs of abating in 2021. In fact, many of us found ourselves with our headphones plugged in more than ever before; in a study earlier this year, we found that about half of consumers are listening to more audio content than they were prior to the pandemic. For younger people in particular, audio content is now a critical part of their media diet, with 60% of Americans under the age of 40 reporting that they get their news primarily through podcasts and other audio channels — formats they trust more than print or video. The preference for audio content among these demographics is, in many ways, a natural response to the screen fatigue that has started to set in after a second year of seemingly endless Zoom calls. About 7 in 10 Millennials and Gen Zs say that audio is their preferred entertainment format because they spend too much time looking at screens during their working hours.

As people spent more time listening to audio content, they also started to seek out new ways to engage with the medium. The rise of “social audio”, in particular, was one of the biggest stories of 2021. While Clubhouse was the true pioneer in this space, their success was quickly followed by the launch of competing services such as Twitter Spaces, Spotify Greenroom, and Reddit Talk. It has yet to be seen, however, whether this new form of audio content truly has legs — especially since only 1 in 10 Gen Zs say they plan to spend more time on social audio platforms in the future. But while the fate of Clubhouse and its ilk remains in the balance, there is no doubt that we will see start-ups and tech giants alike continue to experiment with new ways of getting content into their customers’ ears in 2022.

4. We figured out how to connect at a distance

If 2020 was the year that pushed us apart, 2021 was the year we all tried — in our own small ways — to pull ourselves closer together again. Since the onset of the pandemic, 80% of people have become more appreciative of the value of shared experiences; and more of them are starting to recognise that you don’t need to be physically co-located to have those experiences. In our “Future of Live” study earlier this year, for example, we found that 3 in 4 consumers were excited to attend synchronous viewing events with friends, family, and other fans. While the vast majority of consumers want the option of attending real-world events again, 7 in 10 say they will continue going to virtual concerts, sports matches, and other live events even after the pandemic ends.

Those of us who didn’t watch Ariana Grande perform in Fortnite still found ways to use digital media to keep us connected with other people and to feel like part of a global community. For half of Millennial and Gen Z consumers, learning about cultural trends now starts on their smartphones, and 7 out of 10 of them say that they use podcasts as a way of travelling to new places and exposing themselves to new perspectives. In 2021, podcasts and mobile video weren’t just distractions; they were vital lifelines that kept us tethered to a world outside our homes and offices.

5. We developed a renewed appreciation for the importance of touch

Our increased dependency on virtual ways of connecting with other human beings also drove home just what was missing from these experiences: a sense of tactile interaction. 78% of consumers say that, when communicating with someone virtually, they miss the ability to physically touch and interact with them — to kiss a loved one, to hug a friend, or shake the hand of a new colleague.

But absence, as they say, does indeed make the heart grow fonder. This longing for tactile interaction has helped to accelerate the arrival of a new generation of “touch-based” VR-products; providers like Emerge have pioneered the development of products designed to add a more physical dimension to traditionally audio and video-based VR systems. While these products are still in their infancy, 60% of consumers say they would be excited about using them to improve their wellbeing — petting a virtual dog, for example, or creating a zen garden with their hands. This technology could, over the coming years, go a long way towards making the metaverse feel like a more authentic simulacrum of the real world. And a more tangible metaverse would likely be a more harmonious one, given that 79% of consumers believe that people treat each other more kindly when they have the ability to physically interact with one another.

While none of us can know exactly what 2022 holds in store, we at NRG will continue to document the various ways in which technology, content and culture come together to reshape the world we all live in. You can stay informed about our research through our website, or by following us on LinkedIn or here on Medium.