Marketing for One

“Where do you want to eat tonight?”

People are asking that question less and less these days, data shows.

Per a recent Sherwood article:

“A growing number of people are embracing their independence by doing more things unaccompanied— even activities stereotypically considered to be mainly for couples and groups.”

The piece points to several data points, including a rise in individual ticket sales to Broadway shows. There’s been a major uptick in web searches for “restaurant for one” and “vacation for one.”

More people are living alone and spending more time alone in general.

Free Solo

For directly impacted industries, the surge in solo time has obvious implications for marketing and promotional efforts. The Sherwood piece notes Broadway already has some campaigns in the works.

But the shift has broader implications for communications across the board.

Purchase decisions are rarely made in vacuum. We’re swayed by all kinds of factors whenever we make a decision. Influencers, word of mouth, brand perceptions and more all shape our choices.

But often the most outsized influence is the other people weighing in. For a Happy Meal or an engagement ring, the factors driving the decision likely aren’t even from the person doing the buying. For a B2B brand, it might be a manager or procurement team with a bigger voice.