How leisure is changing the face of the UK high street

In the aftermath of the global pandemic, the UK’s high streets are undergoing a considerable change. As more consumers pivot to online shopping, vast swathes of retail space are being repurposed into leisure venues, resulting in a notable shift in both the leisure industry and the feel of our towns and cities.

The changing face of the UK high street

The Covid lockdowns of 2020 / 2021 accelerated existing trends towards online shopping, leaving many high street retail spaces vacant. In Q1 2022, shopping centre and high street vacancy peaked at 19.4% and 14.5%, respectively, but this all-time high has been reducing ever since, as entrepreneurs, local government and businesses have seized the opportunity to reinvent these spaces, turning them into hubs of leisure and social interaction.

The revitalisation of our town and shopping centres is in full swing, creating vibrant, engaging spaces that attract people for reasons beyond a casual trip to the shops. Community projects, co-working space closer to home, and fitness centres are increasingly taking the place of traditional retail.

Take the rebranded Centre Court shopping centre in Wimbledon, it used to be anchored by Debenhams but now features a Third Space gym, a climbing experience and virtual golf range. For towns and cities, this transformation can lead to increased footfall, revitalised high streets, and a boost to local economies.

The rise of competitive socialising

One of the key trends driving this change is competitive socialising which adds a competitive edge to leisure activities, ranging from escape rooms and axe throwing, to more sophisticated offerings like immersive group VR experiences. These activities offer a unique blend of fun, challenge, and social interaction, making them popular for group outings, corporate events, and even dates.

This surge is driven by younger consumer demand for new and diverse forms of entertainment, a desire for social connection in the post-pandemic world, and the availability of previously retail-dominated space.

It reflects a broader societal shift towards experiences over material goods, with individuals increasingly seeking out unique and memorable ways to spend their time and connect with others. This is particularly prevalent in Gen Z, who prefer to take part in social entertainment rather than going to the pub, according to research by Mintel. Over two thirds of us have taken part in competitive socialising, but this rises to over 90% among Gen Zs!

Entrepreneurs and investors are keenly aware of this trend, with many seeking to capitalise on the opportunity to create unique, engaging experiences that cater to this audience.

Marketing social spaces

Promoting these new kinds of social spaces requires a nuanced approach. Traditional advertising plays a role, but the experiential nature of competitive socialising venues means that word-of-mouth and social media are particularly potent tools. Engaging potential customers through immersive events, influencer partnerships, and social media challenges can generate buzz and draw crowds.

Moreover, creating a strong brand identity that resonates with the target audience is crucial. This involves not just promoting the activities themselves, but also highlighting the social and communal aspects of the experience. Encouraging user-generated content and leveraging online reviews can also be powerful strategies, as personal recommendations carry significant weight in consumer decision-making.

The future of leisure

The post-pandemic landscape has already led to significant shifts in the UK’s leisure industry. As this trend continues to unfold, it promises to redefine the way we think about entertainment, social interaction, and the purpose of our urban spaces. Key to the success of these spaces will be Generation Alpha. We wrote about these digital natives recently on the blog – all you have to do is get them off their phones!

There are around 8 million families with one or more dependent children in the UK, making up a substantial and highly valuable segment of the consumer market. And while this grouping encompasses a diverse range of family structures, including nuclear families, same-sex, single-parent households and extended families, the one thing they all have in common is buying for children. So, what messaging resonates in 2024? Here’s how to understand the family audience in the UK…

Family decision making dynamics

Let’s start with who you need to reach. It’s going to vary depending on what’s being purchased. For example, mothers still disproportionally do the family food shop, with 58% of females saying they do most or all of the food shopping vs. only 26% of men. Outside of mortgages / rent and household bills, this is most family’s biggest monthly expense.

A shift in spending priorities

Given the recent tough economic climate, half of UK consumers are reconsidering their spending priorities according to Retail Week’s How They’ll Spend It 2024 research. The same survey found that trading down to supermarket own-brands was prevalent, with over 50% of consumers saying they’re buying more own label products, which is obviously a major challenge for big brands.

The UK family market’s spending behaviour reflects a balance between essential expenditures and discretionary spending. Increases in spending were notably seen in categories like transport, recreation, restaurants and hotels although these remained below pre-pandemic levels. Conversely, spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks decreased slightly​​ (ONS, 2022).

Value for money has become a crucial consideration for many parents who have been grappling with the cost-of-living crisis. Recent research from The Children’s Society found that 82% of parents were either concerned or very concerned about their finances this year.

So, let’s look at the key factors influencing parental purchasing decisions and try and understand parent’s motivations, concerns and aspirations, starting with value for money…

1. Value and budget considerations

Value for money has become a crucial consideration for many parents in 2024. Products and services that offer tangible cost saving benefits are more likely to resonate in the current climate. Think about how you can communicate value to parents in campaigns this year.

2. Practicality

An extension of value for money is practicality – they’re inextricably linked. Products or services that address real-life challenges are more likely to gain traction in tougher economic times.

3. Emotional appeal and connection

Parents are highly driven by emotions when it comes to family-related purchases. Campaigns that effectively tap into these emotions can significantly sway their buying decisions. Any credible claims you can make around benefits to children’s wellbeing are powerful – who wouldn’t want something that can improve their child’s outlook? Visual elements and emotional cues are powerful tools in connecting with parents. They can elevate an ordinary campaign into an impactful and memorable one.

4. Brand trust and reputation

Brand trust plays a significant role in parental decision-making. Maintaining a strong, positive brand image is vital for long-term success in this market. Parents’ top priority is often the safety and security of their family. Campaigns that address these concerns can be particularly impactful.

5. Relatability

Prioritise storytelling. Employ narratives that parents can relate to, reflecting their experiences or aspirations, as these are incredibly effective in engaging this audience. Essentially, your narrative needs to be clear, relevant to the challenges of real life, and aligned with parental values and concerns.

To discuss how you can reach and engage family audiences effectively, contact our expert team today.

In a rapidly evolving digital landscape, reaching and engaging younger audiences can be a challenging task. With Gen Z and millennials becoming increasingly influential in the consumer market (25% of UK retail spend), it’s crucial for businesses to adapt their marketing strategies to connect with these demographics effectively.

In this blog post, we’ll explore 7 marketing strategies tailored to engage younger audiences, including the key areas of brand values and influencer marketing.

1. Authenticity is key

Younger consumers value authenticity more than ever before with 92% saying it was important or extremely important in EY’s Gen Z survey – up 16% from pre-pandemic levels. It’s the single most important personal value to a cohort who grew up with social media – they can easily spot inauthentic marketing efforts a mile away!

To connect, brands must be genuine in their messaging and actions. Showcasing the human side of your brand, sharing behind-the-scenes content, and admitting mistakes when they occur can build trust and loyalty.

It’s easy to lump Gen Z and millennials in to one group but, according to Kantar, while they both crave authenticity, they share some very different characteristics. Millennials tend to me more optimistic and hope for the best, while Gen Z are more practical and want to plan for the unknown.

2. Embrace brand values

One effective strategy for reaching younger audiences is aligning your brand with social and environmental values that matter to them. Both Gen Z and millennials are passionate about causes like sustainability, diversity, and social justice. By incorporating these values into your brand’s mission and practices, you can attract a more socially conscious audience.

One key difference to remember between the cohorts is that Gen Z place a lot less value on money – they’d prefer a fulfilling and worthwhile career to becoming rich in a job they hate.

3. Harness the power of influencer marketing

Influencer marketing is a potent tool for connecting with younger demographics. Gen Z are digital natives and as such 80% have purchased something as a result of watching or listening to an influencer. In short, they are less trusting of traditional advertising but more trusting of something recommended to them, even by way of a paid placement.

Partnering with influencers who share your brand’s values and target the same audience can help you reach potential customers authentically. It’s important to work with Influencers who can create engaging content, lending credibility to your brand.

4. Utilise social media platforms

Younger audiences spend a significant amount of their time on social media with Gen Z clocking in at over 4 hours a day according to recent Morning Consult research. It’s crucial for your marketing strategy to have a strong presence on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat.

Create content that is visually appealing and tailored to the preferences of each platform’s user base. TikTok, for example, go to great lengths to educate brands on not using standard ads, declaring that “hyper-polished, aspirational content has been losing its shine”. Their motto is “Don’t make ads, make TikToks”.

5. Engage with user-generated (UGC) content

Encourage your customers to become brand advocates by sharing their experiences with your products or services. User-generated content (UGC) adds authenticity to your marketing efforts and creates a sense of community around your brand. Consider running UGC campaigns and showcasing customer testimonials to build trust.

6. The importance of mobile optimisation

Younger audiences are heavy mobile users. Ensure that your website and marketing campaigns are mobile-friendly and optimised for a seamless user experience. A slow or poorly designed mobile site can deter potential customers. There’s more on optimising mobile campaigns our blog here.

7. Leverage interactive content

Engage younger audiences by offering interactive content like quizzes, polls, and contests. This approach not only captures their attention but also encourages active participation, making them feel connected to your brand. Interactive content can be shared easily, increasing your brand’s reach.

Combine your strategies

In short, reaching younger audiences requires a combination of strategies that cater to their unique preferences and values. Authenticity, brand values, and influencer marketing play pivotal roles in connecting with these demographics.

By aligning your marketing efforts with their interests and leveraging the power of social media and mobile optimisation, you can successfully engage and build lasting relationships with the younger generation of consumers.

To explore innovative new formats and strategies to captivate younger audiences, contact us today.

For a minute at the start of July, it looked like we were all about to abandon Twitter (has anyone started calling it ‘X’ yet?) and jump ship to Threads, Meta’s new space for people to have real-time, public conversations. 

Threads amassed more than 100 million sign-ups in its debut week, with users and advertisers alike intrigued by the first real rival to Twitter, which appears to be imploding under the guardianship of Elon Musk. 

Temporary limitations on tweet views, the introduction of a membership-based verification system, hampering advertisers’ reach and a recent rebranding to X have all unsettled Twitter’s user community, prompting them to seek out a viable alternative.  

What’s the latest?                                                                  

After its initial surge, however, Threads’ momentum has stalled. According to Sensor Tower, daily active users plummeted by nearly 70% from their peak in the first week of July. The user base dwindled to roughly 13 million and the average daily time spent on the app plummeted from 19 minutes to just four minutes. 

But this is fairly standard stuff for any new social media platform.  

So, at the time of writing Twitter – or ‘X’ – maintains its dominant position with approximately 200 million daily active users, who spend an average of 30 minutes per day on the platform. 

The challenges faced by Threads can be partly attributed to the lack of key features that X provides, such as desktop compatibility and the capability to search for topics and hashtags. 

What’s coming next? 

While the initial excitement might’ve faded, this hasn’t deterred Meta from developing the platform. 

The updates being introduced to Threads are quite substantial, with the most noteworthy being the incorporation of a “Following” tab. Previously, users were limited to viewing threads exclusively on a “For You” page, which only displayed posts recommended by an algorithm. The new Following tab empowers users to see threads from the people that they follow, in chronological order. 

Instagram head Adam Mosseri said “this is just the beginning”, while urging users to persist in sharing their thoughts and aspirations for the platform. 

Alongside the introduction of the “Following” tab, several other notable enhancements have been introduced. These comprise features like post translations, a novel method for sorting notifications within the Activity tab, the addition of a follow button and an innovative approach to approving followers for private accounts. 

What about advertising on Threads? 

Don’t expect to be able to advertise on the platform anytime soon.  

According to Mosseri, advertisements are currently not a primary consideration. He said the priority is to “make sure this is an app people want to keep using before we worry about making money”. 

Fair enough. But the word on the street is that Meta is reportedly talking to advertisers. And when it finally opens Threads up to advertisers, brands are expected to pile on. 

The X replica possesses all the attributes that advertisers seek in a collaborator: a substantial audience, public intrigue and the possibility of tapping into Meta’s cutting-edge advertising resources. The moment Mark Zuckerberg extends his welcome, advertisers will seize the opportunity without delay. 

Generally speaking, marketers trust Meta’s advertising platform. It’s widely considered that it offers better targeting, placements and ad optimisation than X, while also boasting superior interfaces and capabilities. 

More importantly, Meta is seen as the safer option from a brand safety point of view.  

What should you do? 

Our advice is to watch this space.  

It won’t do any harm to get familiar with the platform as a minimum – you might even want to build up a bit of a following – so that when the advertising does eventually go live, you’re poised and ready to go.