Brands should focus on new life goals instead of the traditional ones such as marriage, children, career and homeownership. Achievements linked to mental health, unique experiences and personal happiness are the new milestones consumers are prioritising.
These findings are from TikTok’s 2025 forecast report, which outlines shifting consumer priorities and communities brands should tap into over the year ahead.
An example of how new life goals are influencing consumer behaviour is the “30 before 30” trend, where TikTokers are sharing things they want to achieve before they enter their next life phase. Travel creator Lauren (Brit in Canada)’s list included goals such as “do a hike alone” and “go to a country festival”. “40 before 40” lists are also rising in popularity. This is a mentality shift brands should incorporate into their strategy.
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TikTok spotlighted the emerging communities on its platform and forecast #HopeCore, #CorporateTok and #NostalgiaCore will have a growing impact on culture. #HopeCore is all about positive affirmations, self-care and different fandoms. #Manifestation has more than 6.8 million posts on the app, and is a core part of this niche. TikTokers are sharing manifestation tips, celebrity success stories and vision board goals. In the UK, Roxie Nafousi, Tam Kaur and Taislany Gomes Valadares are some of the leading manifestation voices.
#CorporateTok was also spotlighted by TikTok, where we’ve seen trends such as the office siren aesthetic emerge from, and of course the finance bro – “looking for a man in finance” was a trending audio in 2024. TikToker Miles is the embodiment of the trend and humour, and has founded the ultimate finance bro brand, Signet. His skits about working remotely from the ski slopes and mixing cocktails on a flight have been recent highlights.
@explorecanadawithme What would you add to your 30 before you’re 30 list? 👀 #30before30 #30before30bucketlist #vancouvertiktok #britincanada #canadalife #bucketlist
The #NostalgiaCore community is also one to watch, with sub-communities such as retro gaming and trinkets. Linked to this is #Girlhood which has more than 777,000 tagged TikToks, and is an influential theme encompassing everything from ASMR hairstyles to pay transparency. It used to be seen as a hyper-feminine concept, but now incorporates wider topics such as female friendship, career progression and boundary-setting. “Female inclusivity will be integral to brands’ bottom lines,” TikTok’s report said.
@m.iles budget airline but first class beverage 💯
The comment section will continue to be a vital community-building space in 2025. It is an opportunity for consumer-brand collaboration, and a chance for companies to build a dedicated and responsive audience. “86% of TikTok users say brands should use the comment section to better understand their consumers,” the report concluded. This means going beyond social listening and incorporating feedback from customers into product development and social strategy. A previous report from Hootsuite determined the most successful brand comments are posted shortly after the content is uploaded – ideally within 12 hours – and contain between 10 and 99 characters.
By Dina Zubi, news and features writer for CORQ.
