Machiavelli famously argued in the 16th century that rulers should be feared rather than loved. A 21st-century recast for retail, however, suggests it may be better to be loved than left. Because post-pandemic consumers aren’t just buying products, according to WGSN; they’re buying feelings.
Logic may not have been thrown out the window entirely, but a new cognition now drives every choice, per the trend forecasting firm’s “Future Consumer 2027: Emotions” report.
In fact, WSGN’s entire annual report was assembled akin to a “roadmap” for retailers to reference in pursuit of mastering the “powerful tool” that is this emotion-driven framework.
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“Our emotions shape who we are, connect us with others and define what it means to be human,” Nik Dinning, WGSN’s vice president of marketing, said in the report’s opening remarks. “Since the pandemic and the polycrisis that followed, emotion became the central driver of all consumer behavior. How we shop, what we buy and the brands that we choose have become inextricably linked with the way that we feel.”
Future Consumer 2027 forecasted half a dozen emotions expected to shape shoppers’ sentiment and dug into the top three feelings of “crucial” value for the industry to grasp collectively. Not just to effectively engage with these anticipated attitudes—currently some 589 days away—but to influence them, too.
“This forecast provides a roadmap to future-proof your business, enabling you to understand exactly how consumers will be feeling in two years’ time and, importantly, how they will want to feel,” the company said in a statement. “Emotions offer a new framework for understanding consumers and supercharging product innovation, business growth and customer engagement.”
The London-based consultant’s whitepaper covered three key concepts—Strategic Joy, Witherwill, and Suspicious Optimism—and the three corresponding consumer emotions associated with each state.
“To combat negativity and reimagine the world as a more inspiring, inclusive and affirming place, joy will be essential,” per WGSN’s definition of the first feeling framework. “This emotional state couples joy with purpose, and it will be a reaction to feelings that have dominated the last few years: prolonged stress, boredom and dysregulation.”
The second emotion, Witherwill—a portmanteau coined by the author of “The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows,” John Koenig—is defined as “the longing to be free from responsibility.” WGSN clocked it as a key concept, considering the current state of things. Considering the Coloro collaborator’s previous prediction that 2026 would be defined by “the great exhaustion,” WGSN said Witherwill is the reaction to such stress.
While feelings of anxiety and apathy influence Strategic Joy, the core emotional drivers for Witherwill span feelings of burnout and isolation and rising empathy for others, per the report. So even if exhaustion “hinders” one’s ability to handle prospected problems, Witherwill emerges as a “key tactic” to overcome them, the consultant continued.
And it’s already starting to take root, per WGSN, referencing the mounting popularity of “ping minimalism” (aka muting unnecessary online notifications) as evidence. While “logging off” was once deemed socially strange, Gen Z rebranded digital disconnection as self-care.
“Some TikTokers have already started leaning into this sentiment via Billy Joel’s 1977 song “Vienna,” which has become a viral Gen Z anthem thanks to its pertinent lyrics about self-acceptance and slowing down,” the report said. “In 2027, the pursuit of Witherwill will align with a focus on dishabituation (breaking away from unhelpful habits) to help people achieve a return on their energy.”
Last but certainly not least is Suspicious Optimism—what WGSN predicts will be a “default emotional state for many” in 2027 amid “seismic” technological transformations—as influenced by the emotional currents of feeling awe at the “potential of new innovations, fear of unintended consequences; and disillusionment from past disappointments and expectations,” per the report.
“As people grow apprehensive about the role of technology and artificial intelligence, they will be tempering optimism with suspicion,” WGSN said. “As we head into 2027, content creators will assume a new importance and power in shaping these realities, whether it be to curb or fuel suspicions about the future.”
Translation: the industry should make an effort to keep consumers grounded as they attempt to navigate a “world in flux.”
“For brands, understanding these emotional drivers is fundamentally important,” Dinning said. “Your success will be determined by how your future consumers react to your brand’s narrative, products and the experiences that you create.”
The future-focused firm’s annual Future Consumer is part of WGSN’s more extensive series of macro measurements, as determined using the consultancy’s proprietary methodology that tracks development across six pillars. Known by its acronym, STEPIC, the strategy starts with contextualizing global research (using other predictive, internal tools) with quantitative and qualitative data—plus the efforts of WGSN’s 250-plus international insiders. The STEPIC “lens,” per WGSN, is then attached to “observe and synthesize seemingly disparate factors that converge to become a trend.”
