Does Your Social Strategy Resonate with Discount Shoppers?

It's brutal out there.

Job security continues to be a growing concern for Americans. According to the most recent New York Federal Reserve survey, more workers expect to become unemployed than at any other time in the study's ten-year history. Only 88% of respondents in March still held jobs in July, the lowest number since 2014.

The results?triggered conversations?on LinkedIn around cracks in the job market, not only pointing to the?frustrations of workers?regarding their wages, but also?shedding light?on the challenges of the job market itself, as the application process is increasingly littered with more?ghosters?than on dating apps.??

Ultimately, the circumstances of one's employment—or lack thereof—impact?spending habits. Be it?burnout,?financial limitations, or both, shopping patterns are shifting further and further toward convenience and saving. While Pinterest boards and DIYers have had their moment in the sun, companies like Lowe's are reporting?reduced rates?of do-it-yourself shoppers (Home Depot called it the "deferral mindset," or putting off expensive home projects until the economic strain is lifted.)

And so, people are, in essence,?"trading down"?their purchasing habits to primarily discounts?at retail stores, easy access to offerings with a slew of coupons?on TikTok Shop, or the breadth of products and services available from the likes of?Shein?and?Temu. However, clicking on fast fashion brands has its own set of moral, ethical, and literal consequences that the consumer has to grapple with, lest we forget the?ongoing accusations?of the aforementioned companies' products?containing?high levels of toxic chemicals.?

Though at a time when pocketbooks are so stretched that even a quintessentially American vacation to Disney?send you into debt, those larger moral concerns may feel inconsequential.

Why it matters: As consumers experience ongoing obstacles that leave little room for spending sprees, brands should be mindful of their social strategies. Collaborations with A-list influencers, for instance—though typically viewed?as an opportunity to make a product seem more accessible or relatable—now run the risk?of being perceived as inauthentic to the average consumer. Activations that have historically succeeded should remain, but in light of the fraught socioeconomic climate, it may be worth looking at authenticity through the lens of the burned-out shopper authenticity to better cement the relevancy of a brand's products or services.?

Other news and trends

• The era of AI photo editing.?Is a heavily edited picture of one's vacation using generative AI really an accurate representation of that trip? Is imperfection not a key aspect of?#hopecore?That is what one father ponders?after using?Google Pixel's Magic Editor?to eliminate any trace of human life from an image of him with?his son at the beach (cars on either side, other people laying in the sand, and some trash cans). The implications of artificial intelligence have been a hot topic in recent weeks, particularly following the?backlash of Google's Gemini ad (since taken down). From modifying visual content to generating an artist's style, the presence of AI within the creative space continues to elicit heated discussions on human creativity and its status in the face of emerging technology.

• Related: Taylor Swift vs. AI (again).?Donald Trump has triggered flutter across social media for his?latest posts?endorsing AI-generated imagery falsely implying?Taylor Swift's support of him (prompting users' circulation?of her tweets?condemning him back in 2020), as well as pictures of fans adorning T-shirts with the slogan "Swifties for Trump." Swift's home state, Tennessee,?was the first in the U.S.?to ban unauthorized deepfakes and regulate the use of copyrighted material to train AI algorithms.

• The Disney wrongful death lawsuit.?Jeffrey Piccolo?filed a wrongful death lawsuit?against Disney after his wife passed away from an allergic reaction after eating at a restaurant at Disney Springs Orlando. While the case has been ongoing since February,?outrage ensued?on social media?over the weekend?after it was revealed that?Disney attempted to dismiss it?by arguing that Piccolo's subscription to a Disney+ trial prevented him from suing based on its terms of service. Following the overwhelming backlash, Disney revoked its initial move and agreed to move forward with a court trial (#DisneyLawsuit?on TikTok – 275 posts).

• Trending on Instagram: Roast me, ChatGPT.?Even though public perception of artificial intelligence seems complicated at best, some are still trying to have fun with it without necessarily treading on sensitive topics. The?latest trend?emerging on Instagram: People taking screenshots of their feeds and asking ChatGPT roast them. Users have been posting the results on both Stories and?Reels, and the trend has already?attracted media attention?with articles?offering tutorials?on how to get the technology to berate you (warning: thick skin required to partake).

Contributors: Head of Social Content and Engagement Strategy Cristina Lawrence, Senior Vice President Jerry Lawrence, Group Vice President Andrew McKernan, and Senior Vice President Tammy Pepito. At Razorfish, we help brands define their higher purpose—the emotional reason why they belong in people’s lives. Ready to find your purpose? Learn more here.

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