Research released by The Huffington Post UK has revealed a significant, emerging UK demographic. Identified as Thrivers, this flourishing group are self-aware, inquisitive and enjoy new experiences. Thrivers are also tech savvy and media literate. 56 per cent say they love brands to help them pursue their interests and enhance the experience, and they often seek deeper brand relationships in exchange for experience and knowledge.

In conjunction with YouGov, HuffPost UK conducted in-depth research with over 1,200 respondents comprising of HuffPost users and a nationally representative sample to identify the prevalence of Thrivers across the UK.

The five distinct traits of a UK Thriver are:

1.     Digital Discoverers: active users of technology. They use the internet and technology to help them achieve all aspects of their ‘Thriving’ lifestyle. 69 per centrely on the internet to stay informed and over half (57 per cent) say technology makes their life easier
2.     News Interrogators: seek a deeper level of understanding and insight around news stories, with 72 per cent of those reading a variety of news sources doing so to get a balanced view point on a story
3.     Solution Seekers: want to be inspired and have a positive, enthusiastic, can-do attitude. 62 per cent enjoy a challenge and 77 per cent believe they deal with problems well
4.     Self-Starters: self-motivated, influential individuals who believe life is about experiences. 85 per cent have a keen-to-learn attitude and 70 per cent are open to new experiences (vs. 52 per cent of the national average)
5.     Mindful Empathisers: conscientious, compassionate and giving, with a strong belief in physical and mental wellbeing. 70 per cent like to have a positive impact on people and 75 per cent believe in being considerate to others

Brand Relationships:

●      56 per cent say they love brands to help them pursue their interests and enhance the experience, and they often seek deeper brand relationships in exchange for experience and knowledge. Technology and lifestyle brands resonate most with Thrivers as they help facilitate key Thriver goals of self-improvement through health, wellbeing and education
●      Thrivers have a clearly defined set of social and environmental values and expect brands to demonstrate a similar commitment to corporate social responsibility
●      61 per cent of Thrivers consider it important to purchase from brands they believe have a positive social and environmental impact
●      Through in-depth interviews and research results, top brands cited include Unilever, Prudential, Innocent, Coop Group, Fairtrade and John Lewis

Media Consumption:

●      44 per cent of Thrivers tend to use several news sources to read around a headline
●      They are more likely to access news through multiple devices, with 48 per cent using a smartphone (vs. 42 per cent of the national average) and 27 per cent using a tablet
●      Thrivers are active consumers of media with 61 per cent accessing news several times a day
●      56 per cent like to talk with colleagues and friends “face to face” about a news story

Arianna Huffington, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post, said: “This new research reflects what I’ve seen firsthand as I’ve spoken to people all around the world, from all walks of life: there’s a tremendous hunger to live our lives with more meaning and purpose. Thrivers embody this desire to redefine what it means to live a good life. And I’m delighted that Thrivers’ views align so strongly with our values at The Huffington Post, where we’re committed to using all the tools at our disposal to give our audience the full picture of the world, telling the stories of what’s working just as relentlessly as the stories of what’s going wrong.”

Stephen Hull, Editor-in-Chief of The Huffington Post UK, commented: “Thrivers are a hugely important social group, representing an open-minded, ambitious, digital audience. They’re well informed and influential, with a strong appetite for content – all of which makes them an increasingly significant audience for brands.

“At the Huffington Post UK, we are receiving more briefs from advertisers who want to reach this audience. Crucially, our research demonstrates that Thrivers understand their value to advertisers and expect something substantial in return for their attention. As more and more consumers switch off from traditional modes of advertising, it is essential for brands to find their purpose and engage in a way that is authentic and relevant.”

Categories: Articles, Consumer Behaviour, Research