Get ready to escape

Escapism (noun): The tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by engaging in entertainment or fantasy.?

If you’re not already doing more of it, expect to be soon. With the shitshow that is “the world”, escapism is on the rise as people seek a reprieve from that endless scroll of doom.?

So, what does this mean for brands? Cynically, it’s an opportunity. What better way to escape gloom than to consume… to turn to the escapism OG and take a break (KitKat, anyone?), dream of a better Someday (thanks, Apple and Spike), or go all out with some red carpet ready medieval fashion (lest you be mistaken for a conservative elite in last year's quiet luxury fit).

But it’s also a huge opportunity for creative storytelling, for brands to create new ways for people to escape to even just for a moment (some retail therapy at Macy's), to spark joy (in a Cadbury Gorilla, not Marie Kondo way), to embrace a seemingly absurd collab (The Van Gogh Museum x Pokémon has entered the chat).?

After all, it’s got to be more fun to be playing in this space than clinging to inauthentic, tired ideas of “authenticity”. If Vogue can pick a trend and McCann Worldgroup is right about the “Escape Economy” growing to $13.9 trillion over the next couple of years, there's definitely room to turn some daydreams into reality.