Diageo identifies 2025 socialising trends in new global report

In This Article:

  • Distilled 2025 uses AI-driven analysis to offer foresights into trends shaping consumer behaviour in 2025, including the rise of consumers alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks ('zebra striping'), exploring 'one night only' experiences and integrating AI further into their daily lives.

  • The report's findings are not siloed to the alcohol industry, supporting brands in any region or sector.

LONDON, Jan. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Diageo, maker of Johnnie Walker, Don Julio Tequila and Guinness, has today unveiled its annual global trends report which reveals how and why consumers will socialise over the next year. Based on AI analysis of over 160 million online conversations across the world, Distilled 2025 offers detailed insights into what is driving discussions globally and the current trends shaping consumer decision-making.

This year's edition builds on the success of the inaugural Distilled report. In its first version, the study uncovered and classified five key global consumer trends: Neo-Hedonism, Conscious Wellbeing, Expanding Reality, Collective Belonging and Betterment Brands. In this year's report, Diageo has explored how these five macro trends have evolved over the past 12 months[1] and used them to offer new foresights into trends likely to shape consumer behaviour this year.

The report identifies that in 2025 we will see a further rise in consumers:

  • Practicing moderate drinking by 'zebra striping' - the behaviour of alternating between alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages during a single social occasion. This reflects the broader rise the report uncovered in online conversations around self-care, wellness and slower social interactions: a 79% year-on-year growth in discussions around "decelerated occasions" (one of the largest increases identified) and a 37% rise in discussions around 'celebrating self-love'.

  • Spending more time and money on single unique products or experiences – or making the most of 'one night only' to create once in a lifetime memories. The report found that conversations about making the most of unique products and events have risen 83% year-on-year (5.6m conversations) alongside a 42% increase in consumers talking about alternative social spaces such as virtual reality gaming lounges, hybrid physical-digital venues or pop-up bars – all offering new ways for people to connect and socialise.

  • Integrating AI into their daily lives. Conversations around AI-enabled relationships are up across every region globally – 83% worldwide with the largest growth in Europe (96%) and North America (91%).[2] The report explores how as AI evolves, it will likely become a more trusted aid in navigating daily choices and how this is already being seen through everyday consumer applications from banking digital assistants to fitness apps with personalised training plans and real-time health insights, transforming the relationship between consumers and brands as a result.

  • Seeking deeper connections in online and offline communities. The report shows a 121% surge globally in discussions about connecting passionate fandoms – over 32m conversations and the highest conversation increase identified. Markets such as LAC and North America saw an increase of 135% and 126% respectively.