Despite a downbeat view of the UK’s health, wealth, government and economy, Britain in 2023 is a nation taking happiness and fulfilment into their own hands, with nine out of ten of us saying we are “happy”.
Nationwide insight from the Guardian’s advertising department – titled ‘Shift happens’ – reveals that despite a pessimistic national outlook, Britain in 2023 is a nation adept at finding happiness in the smaller picture.
Crucially, the report also uncovers what this means for brands, with the Guardian describing the nation’s current mood as “a clear opportunity”, adding that “right now, the world is ready for advertising that is impactful, culturally relevant and brings people joy”.
“This brilliant research presents a really clear business opportunity for brands: provide much-needed moments of joy to help people let go and feel good about life,” said Guardian News & Media chief advertising officer Imogen Fox.
The UK-wide study spoke to more than 2,600 adults to gain a deeper understanding of the national mood, what people are doing to live well and how advertisers and brands can help by tapping into the things that really matter.
While the overall consensus was that life has been tough – with 70% saying they feel like “we’ve lived through a collective trauma” – when asked to rate their happiness 91% said they are feeling “happy or OK”.
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The research found that when the big picture feels overwhelming, exhausting or chaotic, people typically look for a way to take control of their own lives and ensure their levels of happiness remain stable.
This coping mechanism means that people are taking control by putting themselves first and separating their own personal lives from the rest of the world, allowing them to be more optimistic about the future. A point proven by the Guardian study, which reveals that more than eight out of ten respondents (84%) expect their personal life will get better, while a similar number (81%) expect the outside world to get worse.
Putting themselves first has allowed many people to reset and re-evaluate what is important in their lives, with 70% just “getting on with life” and not worrying about things out of their control. Similarly, 71% said that finding happiness in everyday moments and opportunities to escape stress are important for them to live well, find pleasure in life and feel part of a community.
“I love this report because it answers the question advertisers ask us the most; what’s happening in culture? It combines trends that inspire our lifestyle journalism, quantified by stats that reflect how people really feel about life right now,” said Guardian News & Media director of client sales James Fleetham.
“Our journalists speak to real people, spot trends, connect the dots and reflect that through their reporting. It’s the job of our advertising team to help brands tap into that.”
