Romance Consumer Insights

Trend - Brands in the men's health space are launching sexual health products with discreet packaging and branding. These treatments are for conditions such as erectile dysfunction without exposing the consumer. From the shipping packaging to the branding, the products are masked for privacy.

Insight - While research suggests that one in ten men in the United States are faced with erectile dysfunction-related challenges at some point, most men are hesitant to discuss the topic as acknowledging these conditions can make men feel embarrassed. However, these men still desire treatment and solutions, as they don't want to be inhibited by symptoms in the most crucial moments. As a result, these men are gravitating towards discreet products that hide the treatment purpose on the package.

Trend - Brands are launching apps that assist men with managing sexual wellness problems. These apps offer users privacy and security and offer professional support, including recommended products or lifestyle changes. These apps help men maintain sexual health while being discrete.

Insight - One of the largest barriers that prevents men from seeking help for sexual wellness problems is pride. Many men do not want to acknowledge these issues for fear of feeling lesser. As a result, these men either attempt to find their own solutions through OTC products, or seek help online anonymously. These men desire professional-level help that is unintrusive to their lifestyle and does not require associating their identity to their challenges, leading to privacy-focused support apps.

Trend - Dating apps are transforming their platforms to accommodate virtual reality users in the metaverse. Companies are letting users attach their metaverse avatars to their profiles for a new VR-based iteration of dating.

Insight - The metaverse world is creating parallels with the physical world as brands increasingly adapt their services to Web3. As consumers become more invested in the digital space, they seek to fulfill aspects of their real lives through their virtual personas. Based on these consumer demands, companies are transforming their platforms to accommodate VR interactions.

Trend - Building on the overall growth of the industry and popularity of CBD/THC, cannabis companies are pivoting their marketing strategies to actively include Valentine's Day festivities. Many are inviting romance-inspired branding and products to their collections.

Insight - Novelty is a driving force in the purchasing decisions of many consumers and this is especially true when they are buying something as a gift. In this space, individuals are building off of the receiver's niche interests or opting-in for something that symbolizes the relationship with them. As a result, consumers are prioritizing specific products that offer a degree of novelty, as well as aesthetics.

Trend - Either deployed as a marketing campaign or a new feature, developers of mobile dating applications are inserting more excitement into the browsing experience by introducing various challenge-based activations.

Insight - Contemporary consumers are constantly bombarded with new innovations and interesting opportunities in today's fast-paced environment and as a result, individuals often find themselves in the spirit of being adventurous and trying out something new. This creates a demand for the consistent rotation of exciting experiences that leave consumers not only entertained but also engaged in meaningful ways.

Trend - In the interest of keeping divorce demography in the low numbers, companies release marriage counseling apps with assistive features -- from identifying problems in partner behavior and expectations to offering personalized advice and possible solutions. These tools are abundant, mobile and efficient, adding a layer of convenience.

Insight - When couples experience marital problems, solving these issues becomes a priority as divorce is generally an unfavorable outcome. However, many consumers find therapy either inaccessible due to financial issues or social stigma. Millennial consumers embrace digital platforms that provide solutions by offering cost-effective services and comfortable user experiences, ultimately accounting for accessibility.

Trend - Haute couture labels and celebrities are entering unlikely territory, producing branded contraceptives and collections that are inspired by the notion of safe sex. Whether it's through condoms or condom-inspired apparel, the launches instill a sense of curiosity in consumers.

Insight - Social media enables the curation of personal brands and many consumers attempt to introduce all facets of their personality through online platforms. Motivated in part by synchronizing physical and digital lifestyles, this move allows for users to be authentically themselves in both worlds. As sexuality is an inherent component of many consumers' personal brands, the topic is finding its place on social media. Novelty items that reference sexuality are perceived as tools of liberation that are shareable and get the point across.

Trend - Matchmaking apps and services are prioritizing users’ dietary habits and favorite foods in order to better curate potential romantic couplings. The emphasis being placed on pairings that are focused on niche commonalities highlights the consumer desire for more curated experiences from the lifestyle brands they engage with.

Insight - Consumers looking for love, or simply connections with others, are still finding gaps and challenges even despite the plethora of online platforms available. Lack of commonalities is driving consumers to look for solutions that take into account more specific or detailed traits and preferences. As a result, platforms that pair users based on more niche qualities like dietary habits offer a more curated and creative matchmaking opportunity.

Trends - The popularity of online dating has resulted in brands’ prioritization of artificial intelligence functions and features that claim to analyze or enhance the effectiveness of people’s virtual dating habits.

Insight - The way Millennials and Gen Z form social connections is in large part online, and they're particularly drawn to platforms that facilitate and ease this process. This way, they're able to collaborate, communicate and form a variety of relationships with peers in a way that's comfortable and familiar.

Trend - Popular social platforms are expanding their services to include new features that are oriented toward those looking for love. Focused on convenience, these romance-driven integrations strive to deliver a seamless experience.

Insight - The Digital Revolution has caused consumers across generations to fully build and embrace online services and social media platforms. As individuals become more comfortable and deeper integrate themselves into the digital world, a demand is created for all-inclusive platforms that support all facets of one's lifestyle—both in the personal and professional sense. Emphasizing a need for convenience, users look for more cohesive experiences.