OUR CHANGING ATTITUDES IN THE PAST 20 YEARS

So, it’s twenty years since the first edition of Market Leader arrived in all our in trays. A lot has changed, much of which will be top of mind for marketers.  Back in 1998, fewer than a quarter of us used the internet: now, at 93%, its use is almost universal.  Back then we were an amazing ten years away from the first i-phone launch – now 85% of adults use a smart phone. Social media didn’t exist – today 8 out of 10 internet users have a social media profile. 40 million people use catch up technology to watch TV – a third do this every week and more than half of us do this every month.

Against this backdrop of rapid technological change, how does Britain’s mood compare now with then? Britain Thinks has just published a study looking at the national mind-set anticipating the year ahead. It’s gloomy. 8 out of 10 people told us they felt anxious about what 2018 would bring. “Uncertain’, “pessimistic”, and “worried” were the words most...