82% consumers value authenticity and simplicity in brands: VML study

Nearly 70% of global adult consumers want to minimise the ownership of material goods, indicating a move towards budget-conscious but purpose-driven consumption in 2025. This was revealed in the latest report titled ‘The Future 100: Trends & change to watch in 2025’ released by VML Intelligence.

Based on a survey of 13,961 individuals aged 18 and above from 14 markets including India, the report highlights the trends influencing consumer and business priorities for 2025, capturing the shifts in behaviour, such as Gen Z’s optimism, rising adoption of technology, and consumer demand for simplicity and balance.

While 82% of consumers want brands to be authentic and down-to-earth, nearly 75% also want them to entertain and give their target customers a ‘wow’ experience. From the perspective of brand marketers in India, this means they need to balance simplicity with sensory-rich storytelling.

With 81% of consumers preferring humility over humour, brands that embrace these two emotions will be able to better connect with their target audiences.

While Cost of living (47%) emerged as the most pressing issues facing society, Violence/crime (41%), War and unrest (40%), are the next factors tormenting the minds of the global consumers today. When the surveyors assessed what people deeply desire for, personal growth (40%), followed by Peace (39%) and Fun and laughter (37%), among other things, emerged as what they were keenly looking for.

With technology use becoming widespread, the very boundaries of what is human and what is technology, are blurring according to 71% of survey respondents.

Babita Baruah, CEO of VML India, said, “The Future 100 captures the intersections of technology, creativity, and humanity shaping today’s consumer landscape. It provides a lens through which brands can understand their audiences' evolving priorities—whether it’s Gen Z's optimism, the desire for meaningful connections, or the pursuit of longevity and well-being. For businesses, the report is an invitation to co-create a future that balances innovation with authenticity and impact.”

The survey shows shifts in buying behaviours across the world and especially in value-conscious markets like India, where necessary expenditures like health and wellbeing have shown resilience despite difficult economic realities. The categories such as big-ticket items (-23%) and travel (-19%) are seen facing cutbacks, investments in health (+22%) and personal technology (+16%) have remained strong.

Packaging innovations also capture the changing consumer preferences. The ‘chaos packaging’ trend leverages the element of surprise for the consumer, the vibrant and eclectic package designs are appealing to younger audiences looking for individuality.

For India’s FMCG and D2C brands, innovative packaging can be a storytelling opportunity to differentiate themselves. Nearly 73% of respondents mentioned that they enjoyed sensory marketing. This indicates the existence of opportunities to create multi-sensory retail or digital experiences that brands can create to grab consumer attention and keep them engaged.

These shifts are seen in line with the increasing trend of ‘prudent pricing’ where affordability and aspirational indulgence can go hand in hand. Indian marketers can leverage this trend by combining offerings that are value-driven as well as offering premium elements or experiences to attract and retain a wider consumer-base.

The report shows that 67% of Gen Z give a preference to using technology to explore alternative realities, driven by agency and optimism. The self-discovery theme can be seen as gaining momentum among consumers with trends such as solo travel and community-focused spaces can be observed as widely prevalent, the report mentions. The new tech-led experiences such as ‘Grief Tech’ and ‘Digital Immortality’ indicate a rising interest in combining technology with human experience, the report finds.

Even as AI tools are seeing a pervasive adoption worldwide, nearly 76% of consumers feel that technology will not replace human ingenuity. This trend, according to the report, aligns with the growing significance of the curator economy wherein influencers influence content consumption, especially in the digital world.

“The report reflects a world in transition, where consumers are balancing ambition with sustainability, individuality with community, and technological advancements with emotional needs. It highlights the potential for brands to not only respond to these trends but also lead them,” said Shubhrojyoti Roy, national planning director, VML.