Post pandemic diaries: The class of Covid

By Anomaly Shanghai and Richard Summers, Partner & CSO.

 

While many around the world have placed the pandemic firmly in the rear-view mirror, for most in China it’s still a relatively fresh memory, with restrictions only being lifted earlier this year.

That’s why at Anomaly Shanghai, we’ve continually been talking with different groups across the country to really understand how they have been impacted by the last 3 years and what the implications are for brands and business alike.

THIS WEEK, 11.58 MILLION STUDENTS WILL GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITIES ACROSS CHINA.

They truly are “The Class of Covid” as many of them only experienced their student life within the confines of the pandemic – and the campus. This has radically shaped their world view and future ambitions.

We conducted in-depth interviews in two waves: right when the measures were lifted in February 2023, and again most recently in June 2023. These two points in time allowed us to get a stronger sense of what were more reactionary shifts, versus the ones which are likely to endure.

20 IS THE NEW 30

One of the major consequences of continuous lockdowns for students was it made it hard to get help (or be hassled, depending on your perspective) by overbearing parents.

We heard from a generation of students who are more independent than their immediate predecessors. With all that they have witnessed, they see the world through more realistic versus romantic eyes, and are more focused on the short to near term, versus big dreams and fantasies.

The buffer time that university used to represent between young adulthood and adulthood – a time when you can experiment and explore – has disappeared. At the same time, poor future employment prospects, compounded by the advent of new technology like AI, is creating an ever greater feeling of anxiety for many.

The result is a generation who have had to grow up faster than any before, and who seek a more “mature” and stable life than their predecessors. But all is not lost. We still heard from many a hidden agenda: a desire that once they find stability, they can rekindle and rediscover their passions.

As brands, how can we help recapture that sense of a lost youth? How can we appeal to their split personality? Or how can we be a salve – if not a solve – to their anxiety?

SMALL IS THE NEW BIG

During pandemic times there was no choice but to find entertainment within the local vicinity – be that the dorm room, the campus, or if lucky – the city.

But interestingly, we heard from many that even after reopening they continue to enjoy “staying local” versus going further afield. And while COVID necessitated small gatherings, post-pandemic they continue to embrace small circle interactions and more intimate gatherings, actively shunning large social occasions and gatherings.

The pandemic period has also engendered an appreciation for the smaller things in life – the simple pleasures or random conversations with strangers. It’s less about the grand gestures and more about thoughtful acts.

As they start to explore the world – we also heard a shift in their underlying motivations – instead of being driven by a desire to discover “what’s out there” they are more motivated by an inward desire to satisfy what’s in them.

If “progressiveness” has been the defining characteristic of Chinese consumers for the last several decades – the relentless pursuit of more and faster – we may be seeing the start of a shift away from that mindset.

SPENDING SAVVY

Having “made do” for so long, as a group they are notably less driven by a desire to accumulate material goods than their predecessors.

When it does come to making a purchase, they are more driven by the rational aspects: the value for money, the durability or functionality of a product – even up into more “luxury” purchases.

They routinely trade off different categories to allow them to buy what they want to buy, and even develop smart strategies to mitigate the cost of a desirable item – like sharing the cost of sneakers or cosmetics between a dorm group.

One major consequence is we see they are less brand loyal and more motivated by individual products. As brands therefore, building a hero product within a portfolio becomes ever more important and a way in which to engage this younger cohort.

NOT QUITE QUITTING

Much has been spoken of this generation “lying flat” and “involuting” but in fact we see a different dynamic at play.

While for certain they don’t take great leaps into the unknown, they are still moving forward albeit one cautious step at a time.

What the pandemic period taught them well is how to deal with uncertainty. They have a flexible and resilient character and ability to adapt to whatever changes come their way. And in this world of constant change and unpredictability, one thing they have realized is that ultimately, they can only rely on themselves.

They recognize that they have been through a highly unusual time and while they lost much, they have also gained something – an ability to persevere and persist.

In the words of one: “I think we’re all amazing to go through such a difficult time together. The COVID that has bothered us for so long is gone now, and everyone has returned to normal life. Three years have passed in a blink, in fact, life is always going on, we gain some and lose some along the way, but still, keep hopeful for tomorrow.”