Convenience and Efficiency Cater to Changes in Home and Housewares Market

Home is where the heart is, goes the old saw. But in a digital age, home is in the palm of your hand. The growing sophistication of smartphones and other hand-held devices—combined with the proliferating number of mock-up design applications—now enables consumers to decorate their homes with just a few keystrokes. Ditto for hiring interior decorators. The Web has sparked mass customization, and there are fewer markets that embrace customizing their products as much as home and housewares companies, which encompass furniture, lighting, storage, laundry accessories, personal care, cookery and tableware, among other areas. Brands throughout the space now offer more specialized products and services not only to appeal to people stoked for customization, but for an increasingly health-and-environmentally conscious consumer. Online communications and social media are spurring consumers to take the reins of home and housewares furnishings. The growth in digital home décor is one of several trends swirling around the home and housewares market, as social media platforms continue to accelerate the buy cycle and make it easier for people to decorate their homes with a personal touch and soup up their kitchens with highfalutin appliances.

NEW MARKET INGREDIENTS

Cookware is boiling hot among consumers. Countertop appliance, designed for convenience and efficiencies for a time-strapped society, are expanding at a rapid clip For example, Rice Cookers are starting to percolate with buyers, spurred by the gluten-free moment, while stainless steel cookers seem to be having a resurgence as more and more consumers make stainless steel purchases. “When it comes to purchasing cookware, price has decreased as one of the most important factors and quality has increased, showing that consumers are looking to make an investment in their cookware and will pay more for higher quality,” Homeworld Forecast 2016 said. New kitchen electrics are also changing tastes. Toasters remain popular, while blenders are picking up speed with consumers due to the growth of high-end blenders, the forecast said. Wither coffee beans for a heavily caffeinated culture? Perhaps. About 20 percent of the respondents to the survey said they would purchase a single-server brewer, down from 22 percent in 2015. Millennials—or people born between the early 1980s and the early 2000s—are driving many of the innovations that home and housewares brands are bringing to the marketplace. Seventy-seven million strong, millennials want multi-cookers that can simplify their lives and make it a cinch to create a few meals out of one. They want environmentally correct kitchen appliances that cater to their “green” bona fides and reduce their carbon footprint. And they are willing to cough up some extra dough for quality products.

COLOR SCHEMES

“Green”-based home and housewares products are having a growing impact on consumers’ purchasing patterns. But when it comes to the most popular colors used to decorate the home and/or the kitchen, black is the new black, as the traditional tone has a resurgence throughout the marketplace. However, Pantone Inc., an authority on color, chose rose quartz as the color of 2016, followed by serenity blue. Is your brand tapping into those swatches to help inform you product development? Another major takeaway from the Homeworld forecast to keep in mind: Consumers are more likely to make a bakeware purchase during the next 12 months than they were during the same period in 2015. Specialty bakeware pans, a new addition to the list as of last year, saw the biggest jump in most likely to purchase product, with 24 percent of consumers saying they would be most likely to purchase one in the next year. Whether it’s baking, sautéing, grilling or refurnishing your media room, copper may likely be a key ingredient in these products and other household items. The metal extract, which is being infused in everything from cookware to lighting fixtures, is expected to take off this year with younger and seasoned consumers alike. Many of the said trends and products will be under the spotlight at the International Home +Housewares Show 2016, which will take place March 5-8 in Chicago. Exhibitors from 40+ countries, and more than 62,000 total attendees from 125+ countries are expected to attend. For buyers and sellers in the marketplace, it’s must-see viewing.

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Founder Ronn Torossian Ronn Torossian Founder & Chairman, 5W Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards. Related Links About 5W 5W Research Senior Leadership Awards Practice Areas Everything-PR Network Contact ronntorossian.com Frequently Asked Questions Who is Ronn Torossian? Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W, the AI Communications Firm, and owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States. When did Ronn Torossian found 5W? Ronn Torossian founded 5W in 2003. Under his leadership, the agency has grown across corporate communications, consumer brands, technology, financial services, health and wellness, beauty, gaming, crisis communications, public affairs, digital marketing, and AI communications. What is Ronn Torossian’s current role at 5W? Ronn Torossian serves as Founder and Chairman of 5W. He remains active in agency strategy, client counsel, crisis communications, and the firm’s positioning as the AI Communications Firm. What is Ronn Torossian known for? Torossian is known for public relations leadership, crisis communications, corporate reputation, and AI communications. He has counseled public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. Has Ronn Torossian written a book? Yes. He is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. What awards has Ronn Torossian received? Recognition includes the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, the American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider’s Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Where does Ronn Torossian publish his writing? He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer. His commentary has also appeared in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur, Adweek, PRWeek, and O’Dwyer’s. He appears on CNN and CNBC. What is the Everything-PR Network? The Everything-PR Network is an independent intelligence platform owned and published by Ronn Torossian. It covers public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across a network of publications.

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