Home is Everything. Vicki Wellington, SVP, Group Publishing Director and CRO Reveals a New Study Findings

In a highly digital world, one might be surprised that print is actually front and center for readers. A recent study from HGTV Magazine concluded that Home became everything to us in the past year. While in the past, our home was where we returned after a day out. 

 But that attitude has shifted. Home is now a full day experience as we adapted to life under lockdown. “We undertook this landmark research to learn consumers attitudes about their homes--how their relationship to their spaces has changed over the past year, what motivates their home improvement projects, what (and how) they’re purchasing,” explained Vicki Wellington, Senior Vice President, Group Publishing Director and CRO, HGTV Magazine.

The study spanned many phases of research including social media, surveys and in-depth interviews. It was all conducted during the pandemic from March to October 2020 which gave it extra importance as more people worked from home and sheltered in place. “2021 marks HGTV Magazine’s 10^th birthday year,” noted Wellington, who added, “Between that milestone and the deep appreciation of home as the main backdrop of our lives the past year, it seemed an ideal time to take stock of the State of Home.”

Methodology

The study’s methodology highlighted a deep collaboration and a range of techniques. HGTV Magazine teamed up with MarketCast, a leading research and social analytics company, for the full range of research included in the study. They surveyed a nationally representative sample of more than 2,600 respondents for a quantitative study, a qualitative analyses using social listening technology with a sample of more than 1.1 million self-identified home décor and home project enthusiasts and one-hour, in-depth digital interviews with select survey respondents. 

 

Study Takeaways

Generational Differences - There were a few surprising conclusions based on the differences in generations. Millennials, for example, over-indexed on anxiety and worry compared to all respondents. However, they were also more likely to love doing DIY projects and to take on updating outdoor spaces, which provided a sense of being in control.  Wellington also noted that generations had very different attitudes and usage for technology. “Gen X and Boomers embraced smart home technology, primarily for safety, while Millennials turned to it for efficiency and entertainment. Boomer smart home tech mentions were +30% compared to Gen Z and Millennials,” she noted.

DYI As the New Home Entertainment - Especially during the pandemic, “We expected an uptick in DIY, but it emerged strongly as the new form of home entertainment--not only for its practical results, but also for the sense of accomplishment it provided, especially for those completing a creative project with family members,” she added.

Pent-Up Demand – Wellington shared that 7 in 10 respondents believe they’ll purchase home items in-store in 2021, reflecting a desire to return to a level of normalcy as well as a wish for inspiration at retail with store design/merchandising. Interestingly, “Even during the pandemic, we saw flooring, paint and major appliances were predominantly in-store purchases,” she shared.

The Joy of Sheltering In Place - The pandemic has obviously impacted consumers’ desire for more DYI and home decorating.  “There’s no question that having four walls ‘staring at us’ (as one respondent described it) and our desire for comfort has had an impact,” explained Wellington. Painting walls was the #1 on respondents’ to-do list, and people crave warm and inviting colors (social mentions of those hues went up +44% year-over-year). The DIY sales surge has been well-documented with robust quarterly earnings at home improvement stores. NPD Group reports that home improvement activity has increased dramatically with 40% of consumers stating that they plan to continue home improvement projects beyond 2020.

From these efforts, people found themselves enjoying their surroundings by achieving a sense of ‘place’ and comfort. They also were able to tap into their full creative potential, sense of discovery and often spreading their talents into other areas including going back to school and launching new businesses … from their bedroom.

Home Centricity and It’s Spending is Here to Stay - The behaviors that will likely stick are rooted in freedom to change up one’s space more often—to see home as a blank canvas—and the transformation of small changes that make a big impact. Mini-makeovers have long been one of HGTV Magazine’s key strengths.

The Power of HGTV Magazine – “While we expected the percentage of HGTV Magazine readers who took action after reading the magazine to be high, 93% was extremely high! With 11 million readers, that translates to a lot of buying power,” stated Wellington.  

Advertisers Have an Opportunity

The rise of the domestic environment holds great potential for advertisers who can tap into the current zeitgeist. “A magazine like HGTV Mag is very relevant right now with great audience growth over the past few years, upbeat advice and easy ways to make your home your happy place,” concluded Wellington.  There are great rewards for advertisers who tap into this enthusiasm.