Third spaces: the new consumer hang-out spot

Brands often forget the power of play amid the relentless race of commerce... but, as our Future Consumer 2026 forecast shows, today’s consumers – and tomorrow’s – aren’t just seeking products; they’re seeking experiences interwoven with fun and joy. By 2026, the channels that brands rely on today to reach and connect to consumers, such as social media, will no longer be enough. 

Find out more about creating joy and value for your consumers with our Future Consumer 2026 forecast. 



A place for deeper connections

How do we know that brands’ traditional channels will no longer reach their consumers? 

Our Future Consumer 2026 forecast shows that consumers, especially Gen Z, are rejecting fast-paced, social media-driven lifestyles. Young people are embracing lo-tech with a resurgence in ‘dumb phones’, and they have a desire for real-life experiences, such as the rising cafe culture trend, and community-building experiences, like yoga classes and fitness hubs.

Brands must adapt by offering in-person engagements that connect consumers with each other and the brand. 

Enter third spaces.

The opportunity behind third spaces

Consumers will be craving more connections in 2026, making IRL third spaces more important. How can your brand provide opportunities for socialising, and leverage them to aid product discovery and conversion in an organic way?

Third spaces will have a huge power to attract consumers seeking ‘glimmers’ – micro-moments of joy – a growing trend set to become a key value driver. From pop-up coffee shops to running clubs, these spaces offer brands a chance to build community and connect with their audiences.

Being Digital-First in the 90's

In the 90s, the creative world, particularly the fashion industry, was used to trend books. Beautifully crafted, these books required months of work, but the result, although correct, was static information that wasn’t evolving at the pace that trends were. And even as an industry that prides itself on being in with what's new, it was also slow to react. This was what we were set to disrupt. As a digital-first platform that revolutionised trend forecasting as we were born, we brought velocity and change.

In those early days, to transform fast what was too rooted in the past we needed to make big moves. In the beginning, WGSN supplied each of our clients with a computer so their team could access the trends in their workspace. Today, with the digital revolution, that is no longer needed but the revolution we started in 1998 remains in the creative industry to this day.

Prepare for your 2026 consumer

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