The “grounding movement” is a behavioral trend of millions of consumers worldwide turning to soothing, reliable, more traditional pastimes to provide a sense of comfort and stability in turbulent times. The pandemic created a mass collective demand for anything that reminds people of simpler times. Tactile, traditional, analog items that provide a sense of being on the ground.
This movement is by no means going to reverse the increased investment our societies make in the digital realms. It certainly won’t slow decades of technological evolution or the effects of the wondrous computing power of Moore’s law. But incorporating analog media and activities into your busy life is a good way to manage stress and improve mental health.
At a time when life and society feel chaotic and overwhelming, the allure of mono-functional devices is stronger than ever. A comic book won’t send you push notifications, and your boss won’t Slack you on your record player.
For those in the media, content, and marketing worlds, it’s worth considering how the trend impacts your work. Should you integrate analog into your strategy? Perhaps you can use it as inspiration to stop the endless drive to invade every moment of people’s lives.
Here are 5 examples of media grounding.
1. Comics and graphic novels sales blow up
After a horror show of summer sales, comic book stores are seeing a massive resurrection, especially in the graphic novel market according to Forbes journalist @robsalk.
Overall the industry is bouncing back with a heavy emphasis on mail order comics: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/how-the-comics-industry-avoided-a-2020-implosion
2. Record sales on the rise again
Most didn’t see this one coming but data from @RIAA shows that vinyl records outsold CDs in 2020, for the first time since the 80s. Record store owners say the pandemic escalated the trend.
Here is the report: https://www.thelantern.com/2021/02/breaking-records-vinyl-sales-pass-cd-sales-for-the-first-time-since-1980s/
3. People want to read physical books
Book sales had a strong year in 2020, largely on the back of demand for children’s books. ABC reporter @SandyKenyon7 quoted a book publishing executive thusly: “In times of trouble, nothing is more comforting than a good book.”
Read more: https://abc7news.com/books-reading-book-sales-coronavirus/8640527/
4. The growing niche of print-only journals
Print only magazines and newsletters are making a big comeback. One notable example is The Desert Oracle, a quarterly print publication about southwestern culture and myth. According to @dominicru at the Guardian, the Desert Oracle surged to 3,600 paid subscribers during the height of coronavirus driven by people’s desire to escape.
5. A return to radio?
Per a recent @nielsen survey, 42% of American adults reported that radio helped them cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. 83% of respondents said they listen to more radio than before the virus.
See the survey results: https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/article/2020/radio-is-comfort-food-as-media-consumption-rises-amid-covid-19-pandemic/
Originally tweeted by Joey Campbell (@jrok78) on March 12, 2021.