Speaking at the NRF Big Show at the start of 2023, GDR CEO Kate Ancketill alluded to the possibility that we may have to face more pandemics in the future, whether due to microbes emerging from melted glaciers or zoonotic spillovers caused by the destruction of natural habitats. However, the next pandemic could well be based on mental health rather than a virus. With 41% of US adults having experienced anxiety or depression and 70% of people worldwide struggling or suffering with symptoms, Gallup predicts that mental health is the next global health crisis – and in many ways, it’s already here.
Partly driven by the rise of digital technology and exacerbated by the isolation of Covid lockdowns, we’re living amid a loneliness epidemic. Despite living in an era of constant digital connectivity through social media, remote working, gaming platforms and virtual reality, people are feeling more isolated than ever before, craving real connection.
Loneliness is a growing public health crisis in developed countries, with Gen Z reporting the highest levels of loneliness of any age group. In fact, 79% of people aged 18-24 report feeling lonely, according to research by Cigna, compared with 41% of those 66 and over. Loneliness can be as detrimental to health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, and people who experience social isolation have a 32% higher risk of premature death. According to Japan’s Ministry of Welfare and Labour, there were more deaths caused by suicide in Japan than by the Covid-19 virus in 2020, with women impacted the most heavily. In February 2021, a Ministry of Loneliness was created by then Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga to alleviate social isolation.
While government institutions strive to find ways to tackle mental health issues through policy, brands and retailers are looking for other angles to take on this epidemic. This article explores the new tools, community platforms, initiatives, products and services looking to empower consumers by increasing awareness and help combat loneliness.
Social mediums
Humans are social animals by nature. From an evolutionary standpoint, we have depended on cooperation for survival and prosperity. The human brain is still programmed to build and sustain social connections, while many of our conscious and unconscious choices are motivated by the fundamental need to feel connected.
Social media platforms have transformed how we interact and communicate with one another, yet paradoxically, they have also exacerbated loneliness. The constant comparisons, pressure to curate an ideal online persona, increasing online toxicity and cyberbullying can all contribute to feelings of isolation. Recognising this dilemma, we’re seeing new platforms and initiatives working to provide solutions that foster genuine connections.
Whether you’re coping with grief, healing from divorce, or managing a chronic health condition, Circles offers free audio-only group support and therapy by connecting users with other people going through similar experiences. It promises to help users to “feel better with free, audio-only, anonymous conversations with people who really ‘get it,” allowing them to share the ups and downs of their journey in a safe and supportive environment.
Others are helping people connect offline. In 2022, nail polish brand Essie partnered with The Foundation for Art & Healing’s Project UnLonely to launch a series of in-person workshops at college campuses across the US. The aim is to connect students through the use of colour, self-expression and sharing their experiences.
AI companions
Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen chatbots launched for a range of consumer-facing applications across retail and service industries. These tools are designed to assist with answering queries in their specific field, but not much more. A new breed of chatbots are now emerging that focus more on providing emotional support for users, creating emotional narratives and working with subjective information. For this type of chatbot, chatting itself is the end, rather than the information provided. Could emotionally adept AI help fight back against the loneliness epidemic?
Unveiled in May 2023, Pi.ai is one such companion chatbot – purposefully designed to evoke emotions and connections in its conversations. It was created by Inflection Inc, a tech company launched by Google DeepMind co-founder Mustafa Suleyman, Reid Hoffman and Karén Simonyan. Personal AI, or Pi.ai, is designed to be a compassionate and supportive companion that offers “conversations, friendly advice, and concise information in a natural, flowing style.” To achieve this ambition, Pi is purposefully designed to make its conversations full of warmth and curiosity while being free of judgement, allowing people to feel comfortable enough to open up and work through vulnerable and difficult feelings.
Having experimented with Pi.ai on a few occasions (when struggling to understand a situation or wanting somebody to side with me about some drama going on in my life), I can confirm that Pi and its responses made me feel safe, like I had a companion, someone I could connect with emotionally and without judgement. That encouraged me to be more open, which in turn helped to create a cycle of more positive thinking.
Described by owner Intuition Robotics as ‘the sidekick to happier, healthier ageing’, ElliQ is an elder care companion robot that uses machine learning and computer vision to interact with seniors in a personalised way, recognising individuals. It responds to voice command and body movement and communicates using its screen alongside the cute, emotive robot to deliver games, music, trivia, books, conversation and virtual tours. It also monitors the environment, reminds users to take medication and makes it easy to video call friends and family. ElliQ was given to 800 lonely seniors in 2022 in a partnership with the New York State Office for the Aging. A 2023 report by the New York State Office for the Aging found that 95% of elder users of the robot reported that it made them feel less lonely.
Retail lifelines
We’re seeing a growing number of brands experimenting with concepts that provide a more social experience within store and hospitality environments. A peer reviewed paper on consumer loneliness published in 2023 by researchers at the School of Economics and Management, Hubei Minzu University, China, found that shopping is a feasible coping strategy for consumers struggling with loneliness. The paper highlights that shopping at a physical store provides a ‘social playground’, with malls identified as an important ‘third place’ for lonely consumers. Interestingly, the paper notes that experiential purchases can have an even greater impact on alleviating consumer loneliness.
When it comes to relieving loneliness, it’s hard to get much more direct than the approach taken by Tomodachi ga Yatteru Café in Tokyo. The name loosely translates as ‘cafe run by your friend’, with members of staff paid to engage customers with the same relaxed and friendly style usually reserved for close friends. The approach is particularly relevant in Japan, where staff in customer facing roles usually speak in a highly formal and respectful manner to customers. The use of honorific speech (or ‘keigo’) in Japan often creates a very formal atmosphere that makes it difficult to converse with staff in a relaxed way. The cafe hopes to combat Japan’s loneliness epidemic by making people feel more comfortable and connected. One of the drinks on the menu is called “what you always drink” to help break down traditional social barriers and create a sense of familiarity.
Also in Tokyo, DAWN, or Diverse Avatar Working Network, provides opportunities for social connection and employment to people with disabilities. It’s a café staffed by robots operated remotely by people with severe physical disabilities such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In this setting, robots provide a conduit for meaningful human interaction and connection. They can be controlled remotely, even by operators who only have control of their eyes. Using eye movements and by focusing on specific areas of a screen, operators can command the robots to move, look around, handle objects, and even speak with people at the cafe. Working from home, they are paid 1,000 yen (US$ 8.80) an hour to serve up coffee and interact with customers, giving them a newfound independence and self-confidence.
Even without robots and high tech solutions, there is a lot retailers can do to provide a more social experience for customers. Dutch supermarket chain Jumbo has introduced slow checkout lanes, catering to customers who want a chance to enjoy a chat while they pay for their goods. The added personal touch is helping many people, especially the elderly, cope with loneliness. The move has proven so successful and popular with customers that Jumbo has now rolled out its slow checkouts to 200 stores.
The loneliness epidemic has a complex background that’s rooted in our paradoxically hyper-connected yet increasingly isolated digital world. While governments and medical institutions undoubtedly have a part to play here, there is much that brands and retailers can do to help alleviate loneliness by simply acknowledging and responding to our essential need for genuine human connection.
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