08
Jun

Gen Z’s Trajectory Continues to Evolve

Posted by: Kathy Justice in: Uncategorized No Comments on Gen Z’s Trajectory Continues to Evolve

While most generational research shines a bright light on Millennials (the generation in its prime spending years), Gen Z has recently gained more media attention due to the pandemic’s impact on their mental health and wellness. While all generations were negatively impacted, Gen Z reported a more significant decline in mental health and wellness than older adults (including Millennials, Xers, and Boomers).

According to the APA’s “Stress in America” report from March 2021, Gen Z adults were the most likely generation to say their mental health worsened as a result of the pandemic. This makes sense as Gen Z teens (age 13-17) and adults (age 18-23) faced overwhelming uncertainty about their education, career tracts, and ultimately their future during a foundational year of their life especially compared to more stable, older generations. Of course, this dip in mental health will play out in interesting ways post-pandemic, especially as Gen Z surpasses Millennials as the largest consumer population in the next five years.

As Quirk’s report “Gen Z: Work, wealth, and post-pandemic life”  indicates, Gen Z is the most educated generation as well as the most nimble and evasive. They care about diversity, Mother Earth, jobs with purpose and meaning, while fearing the system is set up for them to fail. All this is to say Gen Z may not march to the beat of the same drum as previous generations, but worthy of our time and interest. The same marketing rituals and tactics certainly won’t work for a generation seeking authenticity and a new vision for their lives―we must seek out new ways to share content and speak with this generation in meaningful ways.

W5 has significant experience conducting generational research with a variety of tools and techniques that explore Gen Z’s mindset, attitudes, and outlook. This case study highlight’s W5’s role in assisting a regional healthcare provider understand how Millennial and Gen Z parents utilize digital healthcare tools when booking appointments for their children to identify service improvements.

Case Study: Digital Strategies for Millennial and Gen Z Audiences

A regional healthcare provider planned a refresh of digital and technology services available to their patients, specifically targeting Millennial and Gen Z audiences. To inform strategic direction, primary research was needed to understand how consumers navigates the healthcare system and their decision-making process for seeking care.

APPROACH

W5 conducted a hybrid research approach to understand the needs of Millennial and Gen Z parents and their children’s healthcare journey. An initial quantitative survey explored needs and expectations around digital tools and key factors influencing their healthcare decisions. A follow-up round of focus group discussions provided additional context for their needs and in-depth understanding of how they make healthcare decisions and navigate care options.

RESULTS

The research provided a template for understanding which factors were most important to perceptions of quality care among Millennial and Gen Z parents and identified key touchpoints where the experience could be optimized. W5 made recommendations that guided the healthcare provider toward digital best practices with the greatest impact on the patient experience.

To learn more about how W5 can help you conduct generational research or do a deep dive on Gen Z, set up a call with our dedicated team.

To read more about W5’s perspective on conducting research with Gen Z consumers, check out our Gen Z series here:

  • In Part 1, we examine why Gen Z is of interest to the market research community and why it is important to consider how they engage with the world when designing research studies.
  • In Part 2, we explore what differentiates Gen Z from other generational groups and how technology has played a major role in influencing their world experiences and behaviors.
  • In Part 3, we identify best practices and key considerations for designing effective, engaging market research studies with Gen Z consumers.  
20
May

Tide: A Masterclass in Ad Development

Posted by: Martin Molloy in: advertising , branding , creativity , knowledge , market research , marketing , Media No Comments on Tide: A Masterclass in Ad Development

When in doubt, trust Ice-T and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

With over twenty years’ moderation experience, I’ve done plenty of qualitative research involving ad testing. The key is designing creative that catches attention, communicates its message clearly, and drives the audience to act. Often, ads are entertaining or informative but fail to live up to all the elements needed to convince consumers to actually do or buy something. Worse yet, they often confuse the viewer into wondering who or what is this for? What does this have to do with the product?

Tide has released a series of ads designed to not only drive sales but encourage consumers to live more sustainably. Their recent campaign (by Saatchi & Saatchi NY) featuring Ice-T and Stone Cold Steve Austin is successful on so many levels it’s almost a masterclass in how to turn the mundane (laundry) into something interesting and compelling.

First, it grabs your attention by leveraging the visibility of Ice-T and Steve Austin and combining it with humor. Then, it uses a wide array of celebrity cameos to drive home that using cold water to wash laundry is their recommended approach. It’s also clear the creators know their target demo: Gen X. The celebrities and sports stars all hail from the 1990s and appeal to both men and women. My favorite pairing features Mr. T and Mark Messier, the greatest sports leader to ever live. Don’t believe me? Check out his resume and career.

Beyond grabbing your attention, Tide hammers home key campaign messages that make them easy to remember:

  • This is a commercial for Tide detergent
  • Tide is more effective in cold water
  • Save money by washing in cold ($100 a year)
  • Help the environment by using less energy

We all know consumers sometimes make illogical, reflexive choices, so driving consideration and purchase is key. The genius behind this campaign is that it’s not in the clutter. Viewers will come away knowing what brand it’s representing, its product benefits, sustainability messages, and how Tide detergent can improve their lives while clearly and effectively communicating the message in an entertaining and artful way.

Interested in knowing how your campaigns stack up? W5 conducts ad testing that can lead to better marketing, more eye-catching campaigns, and even more sales. Set up a call with our team to get started!

#advertising #blog #knowledge #tide #market research #mrx #insight #w5

06
May

Building Inclusive Products Through Market Research Insights

Posted by: Sonja Hodgson in: advertising , Blog , knowledge , market research , marketing , product innovation , technology No Comments on Building Inclusive Products Through Market Research Insights

When your values infuse every aspect of your business, the world notices.

Unilever is launching a new deodorant product under the Degree brand geared toward those with upper limb differences and visual impairments. Degree Inclusive, while not yet in stores, is ramping up its marketing to spread the word: sweat and body odor are not exclusive to the able-bodied and Unilever is listening.

Degree has gone beyond inclusive marketing to develop an inclusive product design with features including Braille labeling, hooked lid with magnetic closure, and an easier-to-grip handle designed for those with limited arm mobility or without arms, all wrapped in a refillable and sustainable package.

While some may see this as a market-leading initiative, Veena Ramakrishnan from Falcon.io argues that representation in marketing has passed the point of trendsetting and should now be industry standard. Ramakrishnan further suggests that if companies want to succeed in their inclusive marketing, diversity and inclusion (D&I) should reflect their employee base. Unilever appears to be onboard, claiming they strive to have 5% of their workforce be people with disabilities by 2025, helping to counter their high unemployment and low employment opportunities—roughly 15% of the world’s population.

As brands develop a fresh focus on inclusive resources, W5 has a long history of working with healthcare and advocacy organizations to tailor products and resources aimed at those with specific accessibility needs, including:

  • Assisting a healthy living company develop resources for individuals with mental illness and their caregivers
  • Working with an advocacy group to understand the needs and challenges of disabled veterans to design programs ensuring resource access
  • Uncovering the needs of those with orthopedic injuries to offer better resources, including treatment and surgery options
  • Helping advocacy groups and Fortune 500s optimize resources and websites for senior citizens
  • Assisting healthcare networks and insurers to optimize messaging and highlight resources to better serve consumers with specific medical conditions

W5 understands representation matters and exploring the needs of every consumer is crucial. Our insights help you go deeper. Interested in learning what your audience wants from your brand? Set up a call with our team.

29
Apr

Hybrid Does It All: Using a Hybrid Approach to Solve Complex Research Challenges (Case Study)

Posted by: Martin Molloy in: branding , knowledge , market research , packaging , product innovation No Comments on Hybrid Does It All: Using a Hybrid Approach to Solve Complex Research Challenges (Case Study)

Designing and launching new products is never an easy or simple process but doing it in the midst of a pandemic creates new challenges in understanding consumer behavior and needs, gathering feedback, and implementing insights to get it right.

Hybrid approaches employing virtual qualitative with quantitative surveys help clients make decisions and take actions with more certainty in these uncertain times. This case study highlights W5’s role in assisting a CPG company develop and introduce a new convenience food product, delivering insights from flavors to brand to positioning and targeting.

CLIENT ASK

A beloved international CPG product brand and their advertising agency partnered with W5 to explore potential positioning strategies for a new branded product offering. A primary goal was to identify opportunities for positioning the product to optimize visibility and increase appeal among a set of well-established competitor offerings.

APPROACH

First, W5 conducted a custom online survey to identify the ideal target audience for the new product. W5 then utilized the identified target audience specifications (demographics, psychographics, etc.) to recruit participants for an in-depth Online Discussion to assess key category behaviors for consuming the product and assess initial reactions to product concepts. This combination of virtual ethnography and concept review helped make the insights actionable.

These discussions not only illuminated potential benefits and drawbacks to the product concept, but also key needs for aisle placement, packaging design, messaging, and related product positioning. To validate these learnings, W5 conducted a follow-up online survey with a larger cohort of target consumers to further test the most popular positioning strategies from the online discussions and identify a winner. 

RESULTS

Results revealed great interest in the new product as well as some potential gaps in the market the new product could address. The agile and iterative research design generated actionable learnings at each research stage, allowing the client and agency to ideate new solutions and adjust the concept and potential positioning strategies until a winner emerged.  

22
Apr

Hitting the Reset Button on Your Creativity

Posted by: Kathy Justice in: advertising , culture , knowledge , market research No Comments on Hitting the Reset Button on Your Creativity

Ahh, the ‘newness’ of spring is in the air and there’s a whisper of a promise of happier times. Yes, it feels there is truly an opportunity to hit reset, a chance to restore our mindset and energy, and pursue new and exciting ventures. But what happens when we feel lifeless and unmotivated? This past year has been difficult, and personally speaking, my well of creativity feels bone dry despite ideal circumstances for a complete refresh.

Andy J. Pizza, producer and host of the podcast “Creative Peptalk,” has a solution to this conundrum and it’s worth checking out, especially if you are in a creative field that requires mental stamina and new ways of thinking in daily work life. (Here’s looking at you brand planners, creative strategists, copy writers, research consultants, artists, journalists…and the list goes on).

In Episode 310, Pizza lists out a four-step approach to getting back in the groove when you feel paralyzed or “stuck.”

Pizza starts out by explaining a loss of motivation is not due to a lack of momentum, but rather direction. Essentially, when you feel you can’t move forward or continue with a creative project or task, the problem could be that you have lost your direction or focus. You have the will to keep going but can’t because you don’t know the next right step. Self-doubt creeps in and make it harder to tell if your next move will take you closer to your goal or further away. This is not a lack of momentum, but a lack of clarity.

So the next time you are feeling lost in a project or initiative, there are four steps recommended by Pizza to alleviate this issue:

  1. Stop and admit you are lost. This is key! There is no shame in admitting you’ve lost your path forward and admitting you are lost gives you permission to recalibrate.
  • Ask yourself, where have I been or better yet, where have ‘we’ been? Look at your creative endeavor and determine what you have done and what knowledge is already available on the subject. Bonus points for looking outside yourself or your industry for cultural inspiration. Syncing up with the collective can often provide a new perspective. What work have others done on this project/issue? Where does it sit in the context of culture, society, or history? What knowledge can be applied from others? Who are the torch bearers of the past you can look to for inspiration?
  • Next ask, where am I going next? What does success look like for this project/initiative? At this point, you will have a bit more perspective than when you started. You will begin to see a path emerge from your previous work and experiences that will serve as a guide point or inspiration for where you need to go. As Pizza states, “It might be a little fuzzy, but you can get a vague sense of a relationship between where you have been and where you want to go.”
  • Finally, ask yourself, what is getting in my way? This it the part where your creative mojo can truly kick into gear. Once you have defined where you’ve been/what you know and where you want to go next, you can determine what is preventing you from taking those next steps and problem solve until you find a new solution.

Of course this is a super simplified retelling of the advice Pizza presents, but perhaps it will get your juices flowing and re-set your productivity. If you’d like to hear more examples of this four-step process I highly recommend checking out Creative Peptalk, Episode 310.

Now it’s your turn to share―have you ever experienced a crisis of creativity? What are some things you do to move from paralysis to action?

29
Mar

SPOTLIGHT: ADDING NEW STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE TO AN EXISTING TRACKER

Posted by: John Capps in: Blog , knowledge , market research , marketing , Media No Comments on SPOTLIGHT: ADDING NEW STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE TO AN EXISTING TRACKER

As companies strive to return and adapt to ‘normal’ in 2021, to stay relevant and competitive, it is important to understand one’s market position and consumers’ everchanging attitudes and behaviors. Pinpointing consumer sentiment helps gauge success of marketing initiatives and optimize future efforts.

A key tool to monitor a company’s position and performance is strategic tracking research. This case study highlights W5’s role in assisting a destination marketing organization understand consumer opinions related to travel and vacationing and gauge the likability and impact of advertising campaigns.

CLIENT ASK

A successful U.S.-based destination marketing organization partnered with W5 to overhaul an existing brand and advertising tracking study, fielding two waves per year in four countries. After years of tracker stagnation, the client sought a fresh and strategically focused perspective, maintaining analysis of key metrics but adding insight.

APPROACH

First, W5 collaborated with the client to update and modernize the existing tracker. W5 then conducted separate waves of mobile-optimized online survey research to engage robust samples of traveler and gen pop audiences in each country to gauge their consideration and perceptions of the client’s destination/brand. Additionally, recent exposure and recall of client advertising was assessed to reflect the efficacy of their multi-channel advertising campaign.

RESULTS

Results from each target audience were analyzed to inform strategic conclusions and actionable recommendations for client advertising. Insights around the client’s traditional and digital advertising tactics were critical in guiding marketing focus, decisions, and budgets for the next year. Additional ROI modeling communicated the impact of advertising investment on destination/brand awareness and consideration each wave.

To learn more about W5’s approach to Strategic Tracking, download our white paper.

26
Mar

The Future of In-Person Qualitative Research

Posted by: Martin Molloy in: knowledge , market research No Comments on The Future of In-Person Qualitative Research

Despite its shortcomings, we’re all thankful for online qualitative as it has helped the industry get through the worst of the pandemic. I’ve been thinking about how we will conduct in-person qualitative later this year and into next year. While facilities are doing a good job of making it as safe as possible, one factor that hasn’t been talked about extensively is how participants will feel about it.

A lot of this comes down to their beliefs, risk tolerance, and willingness to sit with strangers in various environments. While I don’t have a clear timeline (a lot of that will depend on the continuing vaccine roll out), I do believe we will see a progression of sorts for how willingly consumers will engage with research teams in various environments.

  • Travel: For moderators and research teams, a lot will depend on their willingness to travel. I also suspect extra time may be needed to get from point A to B given airlines are likely to have fewer flights.
  • In-Store Research: This may be the first type of in-person research to return. People have been shopping throughout the pandemic and as the weather improves, may be willing to make quick trips with a moderator and complete their conversation outdoors. While not perfect, it will allow participants and ethnographers to snap photos, take quick videos, see practical examples of pain points, and go in-depth in socially safe, outdoor environments.
  • In-Depth Interviews: Two people in a large room with plenty of space. While moderators may need to shorten guides, as more people are vaccinated and feel safer sharing indoor space, the traditional IDI may work for many people. While much of this approach can be replicated via videoconferencing, for taste tests, concept tests, etc. this approach may get in-person, tactile experiences back.
  • Small Groups: As group discussions become a possibility, people may be willing to participate in small (2-3 individuals and a moderator) group discussions provided the facility has a large room. One thing lost in videoconferencing is the ability to read body language, conduct creative exercises, and collaborate.
  • Larger Groups: In the long run, larger groups will come back. During this next transitionary period, follow some of the rules of smaller groups: recruit fewer individuals, use larger spaces, and keep the discussion tight. It’s still qualitative research, so the numbers don’t matter as much as the quality of stories. When in doubt, make up for smaller group sizes with additional groups to round out research.
  • In-Home Sessions: This past year the home has become a safe zone and it may stay that way for some time. In-home sessions are likely best suited for online and virtual visits in the near future. When people do feel comfortable allowing people into their homes, go with purpose. Keep the sessions shorter (think 60 minutes versus 120 or more), smaller teams (two researchers instead of a gaggle of researchers/clients), use homework to prepare people to show you what you want to see, and stage as much outside or in larger spaces within the home as possible.

Some things to keep in mind when designing in-person research in the near future:

  • Keep research teams small. I don’t believe in the post-Covid era people will want to be around larger client teams. Best case it will likely be two from the research/moderation team and one client observing. Intimacy is key.
  • Keep research focused. Participants are going to expect to be in and out of in-person sessions as soon as possible and expect you to keep to the length used during recruitment.
  • All of this comes with a caveat. Consumers in different states will behave differently. Know the climate on the ground before you adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to in-person qualitative. States like Texas or Florida may be ready for it before New York or California. A hybrid approach may be important depending on the study’s objectives and insight needs.
  • Also consider consumer health concerns. Will you or your facility require proof of vaccination, wellness checks, etc.? Will you have extra masks on hand in case they’re needed? Do you lay out ground rules regarding masks, social distancing, and other health methods as part of the invite? Planning for those contingencies will be an important, additional step.
  • Speaking of one-size-fits-all, in person and virtual each have their strengths and challenges worth considering. Figure out what your objectives demand and adapt to collect the insights you need.
  • Be adaptable. Leave time for rescheduling, cancellations, loosening quotas, etc. when you’re on the road. People will have things come up based on how the world is. Don’t expect perfection.
  • Consumer research is going to be more important than ever in the next few years. Behavior will not revert to pre-Covid patterns. Even if people feel invincible, many of the changes they’ve made are likely here to stay. There will be more working from home with more demand for convenience (delivery, curbside pick-up, free shipping, enhanced ecommerce, etc.). Understanding these lifestyle changes will be important both in terms of a study’s logistics and the research objectives themselves.

Finally, we may need to be more transparent to convince people to participate. Letting them know the exact time commitment, how many people will join them, vaccination/health status, any activities, etc. ahead of time will encourage better show rates and participation.

In-person qualitative research is coming back, and while it may look different sometimes, it still has its purpose. As situations continue to evolve, we here at W5 will keep thinking about in-person qualitative research and the opportunities and challenges it will face.

11
Mar

The Value of Relationships

Posted by: Sonja Hodgson in: Blog , branding , culture , emerging technology , internet , market research , marketing , social networking , technology , web innovation No Comments on The Value of Relationships

Twitch.TV is a streaming platform popular among the wider videogaming community since 2011. Twitch has not only made the insular world of eSports easily accessible to a larger audience but has opened the possibilities for professional gamers to stream their content, get paid for it (via sponsorships or donations from their fan base), and connect with their viewers in real-time. Major brands from Lenovo to Cadillac have sponsored content on the site for marketing.

The platform was featured in Marketing Dive last month for its plan to diversify its gamer-centric content to include a wider array of live-streamed content, such as concerts, travel, and cooking classes. While Twitch has been slowly growing its variety of available content over the years, this new push in diversifying the platform seeks to bring more opportunities for consumers and sponsored brands, alike.

Curious about what game-loving Twitch viewers might think of this, I asked an avid Twitch viewer and gamer in his 30s what he feels about the change in direction. In his view, “Twitch’s innovation has never been about games, it’s been about the chat.” Ever the anthropologist, I saw an opportunity to gain insight and probed for more. He described the draw for many Twitch users is not the platform’s streaming content it’s the relationships built with the community and the streamer in the chat box on the channel. He explained further the pleasant experience spectators have at live events becomes amplified by the ability to not only relate with everyone in the audience at the same time, but also achieve a sense of community with the performer. “That’s what’s important about Twitch to me is the chat and the community that’s built around watching things together,” he says. “It’s about seeing everyone’s reactions.”

Our February Theme of the Month** at W5 discussed RELATIONSHIPS. We discussed the construct of relationships, the various types of relationships in our lives, and how the ways we relate to others make up a significant part of our individual and collective identities. Reflecting on this theme, I see how important relationships are to consumers on Twitch and how valuable it is for brands to remember this point in their marketing strategies. A 2018 ethnography by Nicole Suganuma explored the value of relationships on Twitch.TV through the social and economic capital built and exchanged on the platform. In fact, Suganuma found that even streamers were more drawn to stream by the social capital built by relationships with others online than the economic rewards.

While both Suganuma and the gamer mentioned the various consequences having a closer relationship between streamer and viewer can have (i.e., harassment, trolling, heckling, etc.), both sources acknowledge there is great potential in convening so many like-minded individuals in one virtual place. Brands can do well to keep this in mind in their efforts to appeal to the ever-expanding community on Twitch.TV.

** November’s Theme of the Month post on EMPATHY, Exercising Empathy from All Angles

** September’s Theme of the Month post on MOTIVATION, Embracing Cultural Adaptability

Sources for this blog include an informal one-on-one interview as well as:

05
Mar

Spotlight: Connecting with Consumer Voices through Online Qualitative Research Solutions

Posted by: Megan Giedraitis in: knowledge , market research , technology , web innovation No Comments on Spotlight: Connecting with Consumer Voices through Online Qualitative Research Solutions

Despite COVID’s impact on the ability to conduct in-person qualitative research, leveraging online methodologies enables researchers to engage consumers safely while maintaining a strong focus on collecting meaningful data-driven insights.

While digital-based qualitative research approaches began long before the pandemic, here are a few advantages W5’ers have observed during this necessary shift to online research that can benefit your research in the current and post-pandemic world:

  • Wide Reach: Reaching niche audiences through remote participation allows researchers to connect with diverse consumers from a variety of backgrounds including life experiences/stages, social class, ethnicity, family composition, personal beliefs, or value systems from across the country and achieve a deeper understanding of their perspectives and dispositions.
  • Careful Consideration: Insights collected over several days provides consumers more time to contribute thoughtful responses in online discussions, digital diaries, ‘homework’ assignments, and creative activities. Participants can return to complete activities at their leisure or even return to their posted response and elaborate for a richer, deeper take.
  • In-the-Moment Insights: Private mobile ethnography elicits honest real-life experiences and feedback from consumers―capturing experiences with pet owners as they walk or feed their animals, talking to moms after completing their kids’ bedtime routines, or chatting with college students as they make an afternoon snack. Connecting in the moment is key to online research.
  • Efficient Tech Tools: New technology provides opportunities to “read” participants’ emotions via AI or count the number of times a specific word is mentioned in the response. Some technology even incorporates polling, blending qualitative and quantitative research for a more holistic review of the research subject. Ultimately, these tools allow researchers to be nimbler in their analysis, resulting in better results.

The case study below highlights how W5 leveraged online qualitative research techniques to capture the consumer’s mindset in an agile, but empathetic way:  

BACKGROUND

The publisher of a leading parenting magazine sought to understand the impact of shifts in the cultural and media landscape on content expectations and needs for moms of young children. Primary qualitative research revealed a strong desire for authentic, inclusive, and non-judgmental content that showcased all aspects of women’s lives, not just their role as a parent.

APPROACH

W5 conducted a two-phase research study to holistically explore moms’ realities, including their parenting experiences, personal goals, and reactions to current lifestyle and parenting media content. Online diaries allowed W5 and the client to examine moms’ diverse roles in the spheres of family, social, and career, as well as identify common sources of media turned to for advice and inspiration. This phase also illuminated moms’ pain points and needs for their personal wellbeing.

Next, W5 conducted virtual focus groups to share and evaluate content in client and competitor publications and uncover how best to support their target audience with a focus on Millennial Moms. Throughout the engagement, W5 led the client in a series of empathy activities to engage them in the research process and deepen their connection with magazine readers.

RESULTS

W5 provided the client with a content strategy roadmap, including specific direction on content and tone for immediate implication as well as a series of ideas for long-term rollout and development. Debriefing and client-based co-creation exercises conducted throughout the engagement served as a springboard for brainstorming immediately after the completion of each research phase.

Interested in learning more about W5’s range of digital research offerings? Get in touch here.

03
Mar

One More Thing Making You Tired

Posted by: Martin Molloy in: internet , knowledge , study , technology No Comments on One More Thing Making You Tired

There have been numerous studies, articles, experts, etc. decrying the events of the past year and change in general as being difficult or damaging to mental health. People have more anxiety regarding their health, finances, kids’ school, and more. I heard an expert also say that we’re making far more decisions than we realize. Simple trips to the store that used to be routine have added factors such as evaluating crowd sizes, mask adherence, necessity, remembering one’s own protective gear, and so on. As such, people are tired (and collectively not sleeping well).

Two recent articles, one by Psychiatric Time and one by BBC, suggest one of the tools we’ve been using to increase interpersonal connection is also highly contributing to a sense of fatigue and stress: the videocall. Despite the benefits they have provided (enhancing communications, providing more structure and engagement in many meetings, allowing us to “travel” without having to go anywhere, and keeping the world going), videocalls may be also having adverse effects because of how often we’re using them.

Videocalls are disrupting our brains and their ability to process information in many ways from social factors to actual neuropsychological ones. Everything from constant eye contact, to technology issues, to disruptions in the brain’s reward system are contributing to what many are calling Zoom fatigue.

Photo by Gabriel Benois on Unsplash

These factors, combined with the idea that many find videocalls compulsory or intrusive may be contributing to our sense of collective exhaustion and may be doing more to disconnect us from one another than actually strengthen bonds between people.

What do social and neuroscience experts suggest to keep them effective while not taxing our brains?

  • Have more camera-optional meetings: Reduce the number of senses they need to use and the feeling that they are on display constantly
  • Actually catch up on meetings: Take the time to see how people are doing and engage in old-fashioned social conversations
  • Change the angle: Put your screen off to the side to help you concentrate on one thing at a time, no need to always stare into the camera. This also lessens the impact of our brain trying to make constant eye contact (which requires more effort than we realize)
  • Accept flaws: The technology is not perfect. Accept the flaws and don’t allow delays in audio, video glitches, etc. to be a big deal. Reduce the pressure

While videoconferencing has been helpful, it’s not a perfect replacement for in-person, social interaction. As the world settles into a new routine, maybe we can adopt a hybrid model that doesn’t require non-stop video calls (we seemed to do ok with phone conferences in the past).

https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/view/psychological-exploration-zoom-fatigue
https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20200421-why-zoom-video-chats-are-so-exhausting
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