FuturistU > Consumers > Consumer Behavior > Module 3 / 5

Consumers and Wellness

Instructor: Shelby Walsh
Progressive Wellness
Download the Progressive Wellness Trend Report
Every brand needs a personalization strategy -- it's a consumer expectation. This module will explore a few leading trends helping brands to get ahead in this realm with case studies from the cannabis, cosmetics and media industries. Most agree that personalization is an integral part of surprising and delighting consumers, but unfortunately, few brands have personalization baked into the DNA of their business.


Learn how brands have become successful in making wellness more accessible and increasing the quality of their products by offering more personalized solutions. Which touchpoints are your brand overlooking when it comes to customization?
Related Trend Report: Progressive Wellness
Workshop Questions:
1. In which ways could shifting cultural expectations influence your product?
2. What are 3 touchpoints you could better personalize?
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Featured Insights

Gene Personalization
Brands use customer genetics to personalize and market their products
Implications - Brands' adoption of gene analysis is taking personalization to the next level, while functioning as a clear point of distinction for those who offer it. By creating products that have more evidentiary backing, these brands are able to cater to customers' specific needs within their area of expertise, rather than the customers' stated needs–a fact which functions as a key marketing tool for the products themselves.
Workshop Question - How can your brand adopt personalization into its product development process?
4
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Inclusive Cannabis
Mainstream cannabis culture slowly works towards inclusion via feminism
Implications - Where the mainstream cannabis industry once focused on "stoners," the lifestyle associated with it is now considered upscale – and the next step in this progression is its slow shift to empowering women. This shift caters to a demographic that has long consumed the product, while simultaneously being disregarded in its contributions to the culture that surrounds it. As the cannabis industry focuses on progression, the dichotomy of its contribution to "upscale" lifestyles for some demographics, and disproportionate penalties for others, must be resolved in order for the industry to fully embody inclusivity.
Workshop Question - Consider who your brand targets to, and who it might exclude. How can it better foster inclusive and diverse business practices?
3.5
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Startup Genetics
The direct-to-consumer model finds new applications with DNA-specific wellness
Implications - As consumers look to act on newly gained knowledge made easily accessible by data-powered smartphones, biotech startups are emerging to offer DNA-specific wellness solutions that are at times controversial in nature. In particular, this progression highlights the adaptable nature of the health and wellness movement and the opening up of various markets as the direct-to-consumer model expands to new categories.
Workshop Question - How can you get closer to consumers by leveraging elements of the direct-to-consumer model?
4.3
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Insights by Trend Hunter AI

Precision Beauty
Skincare is being reframed as a guided, targeted, and functional regimen

Trend - Beauty companies are borrowing cues from biotech, health, and nutrition—from lab-led ingredient development to more comprehensive blends aimed at broader concerns such as environmental stress or age-positive support. The goal is to make efficacy feel more specific and legible in a crowded category by emphasizing how a product is intended to work rather than highlighting traditional sensory or pampering cues.

Workshop Question - How could your brand build trust by explaining what its offering is intended to do without overwhelming people or overstating certainty?
8.7
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Megatrends
Precision Fragrance Encapsulation
Precision Fragrance Encapsulation
Givaudan Expands Fragrance Performance with Microcaps Technology
Precision fragrance encapsulation is emerging as beauty companies invest in technologies that improve fragrance performance while enabling new product formats. Givaudan's strategic collaboration... MORE
play_circle_filledPlant-Powered Collagen Skincare
Plant-Powered Collagen Skincare
Aveda's Advanced Botanical Kinetics Spotlights Vegan Collagen
Aveda's Advanced Botanical Kinetics is a new skincare collection centered on plumping, firming and enhancing radiance with Phytotech vegan collagen (developed using vertically farmed plants grown... MORE
Light-Exposure-Addressing Skincare Lines
Light-Exposure-Addressing Skincare Lines
Tomorrow-Today Beauty Brings Blue-Light Skincare to Ulta
Tomorrow-Today Beauty is expanding into Ulta Beauty, marking a notable retail milestone as the emerging skincare brand continues to broaden its presence across premium beauty channels. Founded in... MORE
Pro-Aging Ayurvedic Skincare
Pro-Aging Ayurvedic Skincare
Qi Ayurveda Elevates Time-Tested Wisdom with Swiss Botanical Science
Qi Ayurveda is expanding beyond high-performance haircare to bring its Ayurveda-meets-Swiss-botanical-science approach to a pro-aging skincare collection. The debut offerings include the Refresh... MORE
AI Biomanufactured Beauty
AI Biomanufactured Beauty
BASF and Bota Launch Human-Identical Collagen Ingredient
AI biomanufactured beauty is reshaping cosmetic ingredient development by combining artificial intelligence, synthetic biology, and precision fermentation to create high-performance skincare... MORE
Destination Beauty
Beauty retailers are turning stores into interactive trial experiences

Trend - Beauty retail is expanding beyond product display into environments built for testing, play, and social sharing. Phydigital store experiences, interactive pop-ups, and other temporary activations are being deployed to encourage longer visits and more meaningful consumer engagement. Many of these concepts borrow cues from entertainment, fandom, and cultural storytelling rather than classic merchandising.

Workshop Question - How could your brand turn a routine purchase environment into a place people would choose to spend time in?
8.7
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Megatrends
Bone Platform
Dedicated Bone Health Platforms Help Casual Users and Athletes Alike
Trend - Brands are launching bone‑health apps and platforms that offer strength‑focused exercise plans, impact‑training guidance, nutrition tracking and awareness tools. These products position bone care as an everyday wellness practice and a performance asset for athletes who need long‑term durability.
Workshop Question - How can your brand innovate to address the growing consumer need for proactive wellness solutions that enhance everyday health and athletic performance?
7
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AI Dispensary
Cannabis Dispensaries are Leaning on AI Tools to Improve Operations
Trend - Cannabis dispensaries are integrating AI systems into retail operations to automate compliance tasks, forecast inventory needs, personalize product recommendations and improve staffing efficiency. These tools reduce operational friction, support regulatory accuracy and drive higher margins.
Workshop Question - How might we leverage AI technology to streamline operations and enhance customer experiences in innovative ways within our industry?
6.2
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Sparkling Cannabis
THC Brands are launching low-dose sparkling waters for comfortable buzzes
Trend - Cannabis brands are rolling out low-dose THC-infused sparkling waters designed to offer a subtle cannabis experience in a refreshing beverage format. These drinks combine crisp, sparkling water with carefully measured amounts of THC, offering low-dose alternatives to traditional products.
Workshop Question - How can your brand innovate to offer a mindful consumption experience that aligns with modern consumers' preferences for low-dose and wellness-focused products?
6.1
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Minimalist Health
Health and wellness brands rebrand to minimalist designs and easy-to-read labels
Trend - Health and wellness brands are rebranding with minimalist designs and simple, easy-to-read labels. This trend reflects a commitment to transparency and authenticity, aiming to create a clean, modern, and approachable aesthetic for consumers.
Workshop Question - How can we incorporate minimalist design principles to enhance transparency and authenticity in our brand's communication strategy?
4
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Healthspan Plans
Consumers are proactively looking to extend their healthy years
Trend - The focus on wellness has evolved from short-term fixes to long-term health optimization, with consumers actively seeking evidence-backed solutions that support healthy aging. From cognitive enhancement supplements to personalized preventative care programs, brands are responding with products and services that promise to extend not just lifespan, but "healthspan" - the period of life spent in good health.
Workshop Question - How could your brand help consumers invest in their future health outcomes?
4.8
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Personalized Kit
Custom meal kit companies are using science-backed methods to enhance curation
Trend - Brands in the custom meal space are using science and consumer-provided data to curate diets specifically for each customer. Through simple surveys, these brands create a diet that suits the nutritional needs and dietary preferences with healthy ingredients.
Workshop Question - How can we leverage scientific data and customer insights to personalize our offerings and improve consumer experience?
6.5
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