WELLCARE Blog for Business

As Generation Z grows more influential, they take over more of the spotlight. Who are the Gen Z anyway and why are they so important?

According to Barclays , Gen Z has become the world's most populated age group with a headcount of 1.9 billion. That means they make up 25% of the world’s population, exceeding Gen Y - better known as the millennials - who make up 24%. Gen Z is expected to be the world's largest consumer group in 2020, taking up 40% of buyers in the United States, Europe and the BRIC.

Born within 1995-2010, Gen Z’s shopping behaviour is rapidly different from that of the millennials. If you're a retailer, manufacturer, or service provider and are hoping to use the same, traditional set of marketing strategies for Gen Z, it might not work very well.

In 2018, the National Retail Federation and the IBM Institute for Business Value conducted a survey of 15,600 consumers  between 13 and 21 years old in 16 countries. Of the Gen Z respondents, 55% said they would prefer customized products with unique, personalized designs. In another report , IBM and the NRF found that Gen Z has a great impact on their family’s spending, influencing their purchase of food and drink (77%), furniture (76%) and household goods (73%).

While the age gap between Gen Z and millennials is not obvious, the two generations have such different purchasing behaviours that many mainstream companies have made these behaviours a focus of study.

Wellcare had the opportunity to exhibit at the 25th Maison & Objet (M&O) event this year. One of three famous European fairs, this exhibition seemed to also shift its focus towards the young generation this year.

M&O collaborated with NellyRodi, a business consulting agency, to come up with this year’s inspiring topic: "(RE) GENERATION!" This topic focused on home design needs and expectations for both millennials and Gen Z. The exhibition attracted 81,232 visitors, 2,736 exhibitors and 2,891 brilliant brands from all over the world.

In addition to the dazzling and uniquely designed products, the annual M&O featured a special exhibition area named “  What’s New?” Known to be the fashion indicator for home design, this area displayed new, noteworthy items and showcased the design trends for the upcoming season.

“  What's New?” was executed by three design consultants and divided into three exhibition areas, namely “  Care,” “  Share” and “  Living.”

The “  Care” exhibition area was curated by François Bernard. The design followed the theme “  Ritual,” derived from the cultures of different countries and elaborated into three scenes: “  Laboured,” “  Contemplative” and “  Artistic.” It displayed happy, comfortable and artistic home products.

 Wellcare were honored to have our heating cushion selected as an exhibitor for “  Care.” It was chosen for its design, quality and innovative technology. M&O also liked the product’s beautiful white colour, delicate craftsmanship, soft texture and unique 4D DWF technology - all of which make people want to stay home, rest and relax a little bit longer.

Wellcare’s products are practical and elegant accessories that are perfect for decorating your home. We’re thankful to M&O and the exhibition visitors for their support and feedback.

The “  Share” exhibition area used the concept of “  Mother Earth” as its main idea.  Elizabeth Leriche planned three types of rooms: “  Forest Fever,” “  Sea Shore” and “  Stone Age” to convey the concept of sharing.

This exhibition area focused on environmental protection and sustainable development. Designed for people who wish to return to a simpler life, this exhibition space was created using natural and local materials and decorated with environment-friendly plates, cups and kitchenware.

In the “  Living” exhibition area, François Delclaux used the theme “  Alive” to demonstrate the concept of regeneration. It was divided into three exhibition spaces: "Mineral Memories,” “  Vegetal Symbiosis” and “  Organic Life.” As our world experiences environmental issues, manufacturing changes and a shift in consumer behaviour, the term “  Alive” represents people’s energetic and positive attitude towards these changes.

Just as the “  What ’s New?” exhibition worked as a compass for new design trends, the M&O exhibition also showed that many people are actively tackling social and environmental issues.

A 2019 research conducted by Porter Novelli  discovered that 87% of Gen Z are worried for our environment and planet. They believe they can still implement changes to make the world a better place. They also expect brands to take action and make commitments to social responsibilities. It’s revealed that 83% of Gen Z will consider the company's purpose when looking for a job, while 72% of Gen Z will also consider this issue while shopping.

The new generation has arrived and they have a very different set of values and attitudes. In the M&O exhibition, 2018 Designer Of The Year Ramy Fischler and his team created the behavioural laboratory showcasing bold and prospective ideas. Visitors could see what life in the future looks like through actors, to make you think about mankind’s future. What would it look like? There are no right and wrong answers here; everything is in your imagination.

The Wellcare team visited a futuristic, experimental space that explored this idea of the future world. For example, the vegetables we eat might not be grown on the land. We might simply eat food pills with various flavours, and our lunch companion might no longer be our family, colleagues, or friends, but robots or a Siri boyfriend/girlfriend.

“Where will I be working in the future?” was another question also mentioned in the laboratory. In the future, we might work in mixed-use towers, public gardens, or like 90% of French people today , we might all work straight from home. People will no longer have to commute; we can work at a quieter office, with more freedom and flexibility over our time.

According to a report posted by OZY , 87% of French teleworkers say they work more efficiently while at home, and 78% say they feel more fulfilled. If the way we work does change in the future, will a relaxing home environment boost our work efficiency? This is an interesting question for everyone to think about.

If our future manager is an AI robot that constantly assigns new tasks to us, how will we handle the pressure? What is a good way for us to relieve stress? A futuristic answer would suggest that we find peace and tranquility through an augmented slumber.

Sleep can help us get rid of negative emotions, improve our immune system, enhance muscle recovery and help us perform better at work. But here is something to think about: if people in the future are always busy, how many of them can get a truly good night of sleep?

The possibilities for our future might be endless and so we should embrace it with a positive attitude. Perhaps we can prepare for the future by cultivating good living habits and improve the quality of life as early as today.

From the M&O exhibition, we could sense that people from the new generation focus on better self-care both physically and spiritually. They enjoy a higher quality of life. Many of them would decorate their home with accessories that they loved and some would also pamper themselves by buying a higher quality bed and sofa.

M&O and Wellcare both turn 25 years old this year. Over the years, we strived to create a more comfortable life for millions of families through non-pharmaceutical methods.

The core concept of the Wellcare 4D DWF product series is Breath, Warmth and Nature. Our goal is to bring dynamic warmth flow to electric underblankets, heating pads, heating belts and other products through a natural breathing motion.

Wellcare is here to accompany you from morning to night. You can lean on a heating cushion while reading in your living room; it is a great way to help relax muscles and reduce stress. You can sleep on a Wellcare electric underblanket and rest comfortably at night; it creates the perfect bed climate for your body. Design a refreshing sleep environment, recover your body with a good night of sleep and live a fulfilling life!

If you would like to learn more about ways to stay happy and healthy, please feel free to visit our website at www.wellcare-global.com

Do you sleep well at night? Do you purposely design a perfect sleeping environment? We love to hear your thoughts, please leave us a message below!