Little Conversation Podcast

Mintel Little Conversation—a podcast about innovation brought to you by the experts who know consumers better than anyone else.

Mintel Little Conversation Podcast

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What makes a brand trustworthy? Will artificial intelligence take over the world? What is behind our love/hate relationship with sustainability? How will personal identity and human rights affect purchase decisions?

Mintel’s podcast series ‘Little Conversation’ brings you fresh ideas and new perspectives on how we eat, drink, shop, groom and think. From the key issues impacting society to trends in food, beauty, tech and retail, we’re discussing what consumers want and why.

Subscribe to Little Conversations wherever you get your podcasts and follow Mintel on social media so you never miss an episode!

Mintel Little Conversation—a podcast about innovation brought to you by the experts who know consumers better than anyone else.

Want more content? You can also view Season One, Season Two and Season Three now.

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Season Four

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The what and why behind a consumer trend

Evolution of the Gaming Industry

Host Samantha Dover is joined by gaming industry experts Brian Benway and Zach Emmanuel as they discuss the future of the gaming industry, including social media participation, game streaming, and the development of VR and AR technology. What are the opportunities for in-game advertising and sponsorship? What can brands do to address diversity in gaming and how can they provide a safe space for gamers? Listen now to find out more about games, gamers and the gaming industry!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Beauty and Personal Care Consumer Trends for 2023 and beyond

Looking ahead to 2023, host Andrew McDougall and beauty industry experts Sarah Jindal and Vivienne Rudd share a preview of the three trends Mintel predicts will impact consumer demand for beauty in the coming year, including brand and product examples and recommendations for marketing strategy and product innovation development over the next five years. The specific and bold trends explore how ongoing uncertainty and new challenges are causing evolutions to foundational consumer behaviours centred around sustainability, value, wellbeing and experiences. Listen now to learn more about the ‘Beauty Rx’, ‘Evolved Self-Care’ and ‘New Rules Of Engagement’ trends!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Food and drink consumer trends for 2023 and beyond

Host Andrew McDougall is joined by the brilliant minds behind Mintel’s new 2023 Global Food and Drink Trends to discuss their predictions for the future of consumer behaviour and what that means for food and drink brands around the world. Centred around global crises, climate change, mental performance, the overwhelmed consumer and space, this year’s trends make recommendations for brands to reassure consumers who continue to be challenged to adapt to a precarious world. Find out why and how brands should support value-conscious consumers, provide efficient product formats and encourage consumers to take pleasure in food and drink in 2023 and beyond.

The what and why behind a consumer trend

LIVE from Money 2020: Interview with Navy Federal CMO Pam Piligian

In this special episode, host Andrew Davidson sits down with Pam Piligian, CMO, Navy Federal Credit Union, live at the Money 20/20 conference – the largest global fintech event enabling payments and financial services innovation for connected commerce. Hear Pam’s opinion on the evolution of the role of the CMO, how she is navigating the marketing landscape in volatile times and how Navy Federal is addressing the macro environment where US consumers are still spending but the drumbeat of rising rates, inflation and recession is getting louder.

The what and why behind a consumer trend

How brands should respond to the rising cost of living

Host Samantha Dover gathers a group of consumer lifestyle, personal finance and economic experts to answer questions about the rising cost of living in the UK. How strong is brand loyalty in such a volatile environment where consumers find themselves trading down for better value? What is the experts’ best advice for small players navigating this crisis? Listen now to find out!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

TikTok and brands: What marketers need to know (part two)

The conversation continues! Host Andrew Davidson and digital and media experts Fiona O’Donnell, Marissa Frys and Rebecca McGrath delve deeper into TikTok in part two of this special two-part episode. In this episode, our experts cover security concerns, and what the future holds for the app. How has TikTok evolved, and what does that mean for brands? Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

TikTok and brands: What marketers need to know (part one)

Host Andrew Davidson is joined by digital and media experts Fiona O’Donnell, Marissa Frys and Rebecca McGrath in a special two-part episode. In part one, they discuss the role of TikTok in today’s culture and what the app’s explosive growth means for brands. What’s fueling the rise? How can brands get the most from TikTok? Our experts dive into all of these questions and more, including what brands are doing well, and misconceptions about the platform. Listen now to find out what brands need to know now, and how they can plan for what’s coming next.

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Mental health: What consumers want and how brands navigate the landscape

[This episode originally aired in April 2021.] Mental health awareness, impact, and support have become key concerns in recent years and have been accelerated by the pandemic. Host Edward Bergen sits down with consumer and industry experts in the health and wellness, food and drink, and beauty and personal care spaces to discuss the dynamic consumer landscape of mental health awareness. What roles should brands play in supporting consumers’ mental health journeys? Listen now to find out!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Debunking Gen Z: The truths, trends and behaviours brands should pay attention to

Host Andrew Davidson assembles a number of consumer lifestyle and marketing experts from across the globe for a discussion about Generation Z—consumers aged 12-25 in 2022. But where to start as it’s easy to get lost in the myths, stereotypes and exaggerations surrounding Gen Z? Our experts separate fact from fiction, identify what brands need to pay attention to, act on and invest in and confirm what they can ignore. There’s a lot of noise about Gen Z; get the full picture and listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Celebrating 100 episodes of Mintel Little Conversation

To celebrate Mintel Little Conversation’s 100 episode, hosts Andrew McDougall and Sam Dover have a discussion about value and how other behaviour drivers like experiences, surroundings and technology impact consumer preferences and purchases related to value, convenience, cost and quality. Join us for a little conversation with two of your favourite Mintel experts—listen now or watch our 100th episode on YouTube.

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Why sustainability should be at the top of every brand’s agenda

Host Samantha Dover is joined by packaging and sustainability experts to discuss the role of sustainability in business, including the different sustainability frameworks businesses can utilise, why an investment in sustainability offers brands an insurance policy on future viability and how brands should effectively communicate sustainability missions to consumers. Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Understanding the ‘crypto winter’ and how brands can plan for what’s next

Host Andrew Davidson and his guests discuss the state of cryptocurrency. Bitcoin is down, ‘crypto winter’ is here. The experts dive into what that means for consumers and brands, and debate the industry’s future in such a volatile environment. Listen now to find out what brands need to know now and how they can plan for what’s coming next!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

What brands need to know when developing an influencer marketing strategy

Host Samantha Dover explores the big themes in influencer marketing. What are the factors brands need to consider when developing an influencer strategy? How heavily should authenticity and transparency be weighed? And how is consumer understanding of the role influencers play in their lives evolving? Listen now to find out!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

NFTs: Understanding the hype and seeing the value for brands

Host Andrew McDougall tracks the trajectory of non-fungible tokens, or NFTs—the latest blockchain technology to capture attention—from both the consumer and brand perspective. This episode explores NFT scams, regulation and sustainability implications, how the concept of ownership is being redefined, as well as how and why brands are entering the space. Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Consumers’ sustainability attitudes are shifting; here’s how brands should react

Host Andrew Davidson and his guests discuss consumers’ attitudes towards sustainability, how they are changing and what brands should do to adapt. Climate change and water and food shortages are rising to the top of global consumers’ priority lists as events like the Ukraine conflict and extreme weather play a greater role in their daily lives. Learn about the brands, products and services that stand out – for better or worse. Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

How brands can bring pleasure to consumers in tough times

Host Andrew McDougall and his guests explore themes of pleasure and escapism and the nuanced role brands play in boosting consumer happiness in 2022. The 24-hour news cycle, climate catastrophe and cost of living crisis (among others) make it more important than ever for consumers to find moments of joy, but how do brands strike a balance between instant gratification, anticipation and mental containment? Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Challenges brands face in an evolving value-centric market

Host Samantha Dover leads a discussion about the multifaceted definition of value. Joined by Rebecca Vella, Director of Food & Drink Insights at Mintel, and Andrea Payne, Head of Marketing at Kraft Heinz, the trio debates what creates brand value for consumers and how perceptions have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Exploring the DTC model and what drives consumer engagement

Host Samantha Dover is joined by two retail experts to discuss the direct-to-consumer (DTC) business model. They address the key benefits for brands, how to scale, who the best-in-class disruptors are, and what future opportunities exist in the marketplace. But before brands jump in, consider some of the red flags, including purchase drivers and barriers to entry. Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Why brands are using astrology in their marketing strategy

Host Elysha Yong welcomes consumer lifestyle and marketing strategy experts to discuss astrology. It’s has been around since the 3rd millennium BC and is experiencing a resurgence today driven by social media. The experts explain why the sudden interest from a consumer perspective, discussing themes like spirituality, the collective, self-expression, decision paralysis and regaining control. Listen now to find out more!

Let's talk about the metaverse

Let’s talk about the metaverse

Host Andrew Davidson is joined by category and consumer trend experts to discuss the metaverse. They filter through the hype, break down what it means for consumers, and discuss how brands should think about the metaverse in the medium and long term, including recommendations for how to incorporate the trend into brand innovation and marketing strategy. Listen now!

The what and why behind a consumer trend

The what and why behind a consumer trend

Host Elysha Young shines a spotlight on the science and art of consumer trend forecasting. She is joined by global consumer trend experts to discuss how trends are defined, how companies like Mintel identify new trends and the value of understanding consumer trends. Listen now to discover why understanding consumer trends is critically important to calculating potential competitive, disruptive implications. Listen now!

The impact of inflation on the cost of living and consumer behaviour

The impact of inflation on the cost of living and consumer behaviour

Host Andrew Davidson and Toby Clark, Director of EMEA Research at Mintel, discuss the impact of inflation on consumers, specifically, the cost of living and how it will shape consumer behaviour in the coming months. Brand loyalty, value, and conscious consumerism are being tested. What brands are agile enough to make it through? Listen now to find out!

Marketing outlook, omnichannel trends and spend predictions for 2022

Marketing outlook, omnichannel trends and spend predictions for 2022

Host Andrew Davidson, Bruce Biegel, Senior Managing Partner at Winterberry Group, and Lierin Ehmke, Insights Manager, Comperemedia Omni, discuss the marketing outlook for 2022, including what marketers need to know, channel spend and the shifting consumer relationship with various marketing channels. Listen now for the full 2022 forecast!

How conscious consumerism and sustainability are disrupting financial services

Pre-season Special: How sustainability is disrupting financial services

Host Andrew Davidson and Aspiration CEO Andrei Cherny discuss the societal shift that’s occurring as consumers shop more consciously and things like the environment and ethics play an increasingly important role in consumer behaviour. Listen now!