wellbeing report 2020 - iconic labs · as millions begin to wfh there’s a sharp rise in people...

WELLBEING REPORT 2020

ICONIC LABS | WELLNESS REPORT 2020

1. WORK FROM HOME PAINS As millions begin to WFH there’s a sharp rise in people talking about back and neck pain online. Topics referring to upper back pain specifically rose by 21% in the last 30 days.

4. SELF CARE People begin to share tactics on how to stay motivated and positive during lockdown. Engaging in some form of self-care everyday was top of the list.

2. HOME SPA Social media conversations about home treatments, DIY treatments and Spa days at home were up 18% in March & April.

5. FREE HEADSPACE Headspace partners with Hyatt to unlock a collection of meditation and sleep therapy sessions free to the general public titled “Weathering the Storm.”

3. #CANTSLEEP There’s been a rise in reports of trouble sleeping, bad dreams and nightmares as people cope with the Covid19 pandemic.

6. SOCIAL DISTANCE FATIGUE The generation primed for quarantined life are beginning to feel the strain of always on connection and could be craving privacy and offline time.

OUR TOP INSIGHTS


1. WORK FROM HOME PAINS There’s been a sharp rise in people talking about back and neck pain online. It’s no surprise, considering an estimated 29% of people globally are working from home due to the Covid-19 outbreak. That’s millions of people taking it upon themselves to create a home workspace from scratch. Many with little support from their employers.

Mentions of back pain hit there highest the week of April 20, with 61k online complaints – a 28% increase on the first week of March*. A huge rise and predicts a worrying increase in severe health issues if people have to work from home long term. Meanwhile, Google searches for ergonomic equipment are shooting upwards.

While work is one of the main drivers of the problem, it isn’t the only one. Looking at the topics associated with back and neck pain during the pandemic, work is way out in front, but sleep gets mentioned a lot, too.

29% 61K 28% working from home due to the Covid-19

online complaints over back pain

increase since first week of March 2020

THOUGHT STARTERS

Can companies help the work from home army more? Could they help fund the purchase of ergonomic chairs, raise awareness amongst employees of the damage unfolding for their workers or simply offer expert advice on how to set up your workspace and tips for exercising at your desk?

Chart shows mentions of neck and back pain on Reddit, Tumblr and Twitter �Excludes retweets

ME

NTI

ON

S O

F B

AC

K O

R N

EC

K P

AIN

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

0

JAN 19 MAR 19 MAY 19 AUG 19 OCT 19 DEC 19 MAY 20

WEEK COMMENCING

Chart shows mentions of neck and back pain on Reddit, Tumblr and Twitter �between Mar 23 - May 4. Excludes retweets

ME

NTI

ON

S

30,000

25,000

15,000

20,000

0

WORK SLEEP RUNNING PLAY STRETCHING CHILDREN

10,000

5,000

*Brandwatch 2020


2. HOME SPA It’s clear that the lockdown has had an effect on peoples stress and anxiety levels, meaning much needed TLC is in order and according to the Brandwatch Consumer Research platform, there were over 556K mentions of home-spa treatments in March and April. Google Trends data also echoes how popular these activities have become as searches around home spa treatments have been rising sharply since mid-March.

Brandwatch found skincare to be a key concern for consumers, with 37K mentions of DIY Facials and 17K mentions of facemasks within home treatment conversations. Ethical stances haven’t been dropped during the pandemic either, as 20K mentions of vegan, ethically sources or sustainably sourced self care products were found between March and April.

Unable to venture outside, consumers are becoming increasingly self-reliant and it’s not just skin care. The “DIY Haircut” conversation has increased +766%** in the last 30 days, not to mention the rapid trend of ‘#bowlcuts’ amongst Gen Z on TikTok with 18.7M views to date.

556K 37K 17K mentions of home spa treatments March - April

of DIY facials mentions of facemasks

THOUGHT STARTERS

The home spa starter kick could really take off here, with how to videos on creating the perfect spa experience. Spotify soundtracks, skin massage techniques, headbands and select product all designed to give you a lift.

SOCIAL MEDIA CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOME TREATMENTS, DIY TREATMENTS AND SPA DAYS AT HOME WERE UP 18%�IN MARCH & APRIL. * Brandwatch 2020 **Gleam

Interest over time

ME

NTI

ON

S O

F B

AC

K O

R N

EC

K P

AIN

100

75

50

25

0

MAR 19 SEP 19 DEC 19 APR 20

WEEK COMMENCING


3. #CANTSLEEP There’s been a rise in reports of trouble sleeping, bad dreams and nightmares as people cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. Emotion categorised conversations reveals the mentions surrounding #cantsleep are 67% angry, driven by social users’ irritation of not being able to sleep to their usual schedules.

According to 28.8K people, they’ve had the worst nightmares of their lives during the outbreak*. Online reports of sleep paralysis, when a person wakes up but is unable to move, have also increased in recent weeks.

It’s not just sleep, however, headaches and eyestrain are among the top issues mentioned for people in lockdown in the most recent global consumer survey by Brandwatch (May).

More than one third of respondents reported experiencing sleep issues, such as insomnia, 40% listed problems with back pain/posture issues, 30% migraines/headaches and 29% eyestrain.

67% 28.8K 1/3

THOUGHT STARTERS

of conversations around #cantsleep are angry

report having worst nightmares of their lives during the outbreak

reported experiencing sleep issues such as insomnia

Sleep is one of the most important factors to a person’s overall wellbeing and as the quarantine and social distancing continues it feels this trend of #cantsleep will continue. Brands have an opportunity to provide mindfulness support, product development could look to calming night sprays and campaigns could focus on helping people find their inner sleeping beauty.

Chart shows mentions of neck and back pain on Reddit, Tumblr and Twitter �between Mar 23 - May 4. Excludes retweets

ME

NTI

ON

S of

bac

k or

nec

k p

ain

55%

50%

40%

45%

0

SPAIN UK FRANCE ITALY US CHINA

35%

30%

25%

15%

20%

10%

5%

AUSTRALIA GERMANY

*Brandwatch2020


4. SELF CARE As lockdown takes hold across the world, people are focusing on sharing a range of tactics on how to stay motivated. Social is alive with people sharing information and tips about how to stay positive by practicing self-care, citing exercise, painting or calling a friend as the best distractions.

Big spikes in topic trends on the internet were seen in the last 30 days**, as people take control of their in-home routine.

+512% +97% +524% for resistance bands for paintbrushes

COMFORT FOOD IS A FORM OF SELF CARE TOO

On social the trends of eating comfort food and drinking alcohol go hand in hand. Enjoying “comfort food” is a continuing theme in conversations (5.9K mentions). In social, eating comfort food and drinking alcohol in quarantine go hand in hand. While consumers joke about “quarantine snacks” being essential, they are serious about the idea that eating food they love is a form of selfcare*. As a result, some have given up on the idea of staying fit during quarantine.

THOUGHT STARTERS

As day drinking threatens to become the norm during the pandemic and junk food takes centre stage, could brands provide a much needed distraction?

PEOPLE BEGIN TO SHARE TACTICS ON HOW TO STAY MOTIVATED AND POSITIVE DURING LOCKDOWN. ENGAGING IN SOME FORM OF SELF-CARE EVERYDAY WAS TOP OF THE LIST. WE’VE ALSO SPOTTED THAT CONSUMERS CONSIDER EATING THE FOOD THEY LOVE �AS A FORM OF SELF-CARE.

* Brandwatch 2020 and **Gleam Tracking 2020

for dumbbells


5. FREE HEADSPACE In mid March 2020, Headspace, an app offering meditation and mindfulness programmes announced that it is providing free subscriptions to all 1.2 million healthcare providers and employees of the UK’s NHS through to the end of year; an offer for front-line responders who will undoubtedly need support during and well after the current Covid-19 pandemic.

Using the meditation and mindfulness techniques on apps like Headspace has been proven to reduce stress, increase resilience, and reduce burnout.

These mental/emotional health apps are recognising that many adults are facing new and daunting challenges with unclear solutions. According to Mintel data on health hurdles, nearly one-third of adults say their day-to-day responsibilities keep them from reaching their health and wellness goals.

For some adults, everyday responsibilities may include at-home schooling and child care, cooking every meal, working remotely, seeking a new source of income and more.

Big spikes in topic trends on the internet were seen in the last 30 days*, as people take control of their in-home routine.

+512% +97% +524% for resistance bands for paintbrushes for dumbbells

THOUGHT STARTERS

Self-care brands have the opportunity to act as a simple tool for stress relief, advice and maintaining a sense of calm as consumers adjust.

HEADSPACE PARTNERS WITH HYATT TO UNLOCK A COLLECTION OF MEDITATION AND SLEEP THERAPY SESSIONS FREE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TITLED “WEATHERING THE STORM.” EFFORTS ARE MIRRORED BY MANY SELF-CARE COMPANIES TO HELP ADULTS FIND MENTAL/EMOTIONAL WELLBEING DURING THE CRISIS.

*Gleam


6. SOCIAL DISTANCE FATIGUE

The generation primed for quarantined life are beginning to feel the strain of always on connection and could be craving privacy and offline time.

In a recent YPulse study, 84% quarantined young consumers are saying they are relying on technology and social media to stay close with friends and family during this time and they’ve been spending a huge amount of their time connecting with loved ones in digital spaces.

Games like Animal Crossing, who have seen sales surge by 135%, and Fortnite have been adopted as places to digitally hang out with friends. These generations were primed to use their devices to get through isolation and try to escape loneliness, unfortunately they were also primed to be burnt out by digital socialisation as well.

Pre Covid-19, YPulse research found that 43% had taken a break from responding to communication from friends and family to combat stress or anxiety, and 41% had taken a break from social media. Quarantines have intensified their need for connection but also overloaded them with communication, meetings, and virtual hangouts.

Since the outset of Covid-19, brands have been encouraging connection, throwing virtual events, and fostering community. But as quarantine has dragged on, some might actually be craving privacy and offline time more than anything.

THOUGHT STARTERS

Brands could consider providing tips and tricks for stealing time alone, ducking a video meet-up without hurting feelings, unplugging and, in general, easing their social distance socialisation fatigue.

* YPulse


ABOUT ICONIC LABS

WE’RE FOUNDERS, INNOVATORS AND SOCIAL PIONEERS, DEDICATED TO IGNITING BUSINESS GROWTH THROUGH SOCIAL FIRST THINKING.

We understand human behaviours and demands are evolving faster than businesses can respond and agree incremental change is essential but know it takes bold leaps and a new breed of talent to stay one step ahead.

Purpose built for a new era of media and a new generation of consumers we sit at the intersection between culture, tech and community. Uniquely positioned to adapt, advise and capitalise on emerging trends.

Having built one of the largest social publishers in the world, we’re a powerful conduit, in the race to stay relevant in the new digital age.

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CONTACT US

To learn more about our Wellness Report or ask us questions about our services please contact [email protected]

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wellbeing report 2020 - iconic labs · as millions begin to wfh there’s a sharp rise in people...

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