“Not too cold, not too hot” the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears showed us that satisfaction is often found in the middle, the compromise space between two poles. But in a world in which we are told that people are increasingly polarised, and that global connectivity allows us to find our tribe and pursue ever more specific interests and niches, compromise, balance, or finding the common or ‘middle ground’, can increasingly feel out of step. Indeed, in the vernacular of Gen Z, among the worst thing something can be deemed is to be ‘mid’, lacking ambition, clear purpose, or definition.  

Looking at the cultural discourse on X or TikTok and we are all seemingly being pushed toward a world of no compromise living and ‘all or nothing’ experiences.

Yet look below the surface of the social media mantras, and something rather different seems to be happening. Away from the slang and the bravado, the products and services consumers are engaging with reveal a growing proliferation of offerings built around delivering some form of middle way.

Balanced Aesthetics

In design we are seeing a move away from the maximalist vs minimalist binary, toward the embrace of ‘midimalism’ a style that accommodates eclectic combinations of bold elements, into an overall aesthetic that cherishes a sense of calmness and subdued colours.

Credit: Livingetc

In branding this space delivers a negotiation between the understatement of ‘millennial blanding’ and the boldness of Gen Z maximalist brands, offering opportunities for brands like Vacation, with their pops of colour and bold vintage type, paired with minimal illustration and decluttered pack layouts, to deliver something distinctive that feels culturally relevant across age group demographics.

The midimalist movement represents a sense of aesthetic compromise, negotiating a space in the middle ground between previously opposed poles. 

‘Healthy’ Indulgence

In food and drink we have seen a move over the last 5 years to reframe products with health or wellness associations away from ‘diet’ connotations of abstinence and self-denial, into more empowering discourses of optimisation, enrichment, and even indulgence. Products now focus less on their low fat/sugar content and instead offer a compromise of indulgence and health by celebrating high protein, or fibre content, and fulsome flavour. This shift reframes health and wellness from a purifying process of ‘clean’ self-denial to a space of enriching enjoyment – a more holistic combination that embraces emotional wellbeing. Protein crisps and sugar free dark chocolate approach this aim from opposite ends, either by adding or taking away an ingredient, but they both end up in a pleasurable middle space that offers both full flavour and healthiness.  

Small Formats 

While there are increasingly promising pleasurable routes into wellness, there is no doubt that snacking and indulgence products face some of the biggest barriers to offering a compromise experience. Wellness messages are often simply not credible or are legally restricted for many ‘treat’ products. An alternative approachable route into indulgence is to offer smaller formats and servings. Poco Vino’s elegant slimline bottles, and restaurants offering “mini meals” are two examples of new compromise entry points for price conscious consumers. Smaller food portions also align with the needs of GLP-1 consumers with reduced appetites, who are having growing cultural influence. The two drivers of affordability and appetite are further promoting cultural interest in compromise in previously unrestrained, indulgence led categories.

Credit: Packaging Dive 

Reduced Commitment

In the media space there is also a growing interest in compromise offerings. The growing adoption of ad supported membership tiers on streaming services such as Amazon Prime and Disney Plus respond to the needs of financially straightened consumers. The language of “ad supported” is interesting here as it frames the compromise of interruption, as physically assisting and ‘supporting’ the consumer. In times of financial strain, reducing the financial commitment required of consumers, and finding a middle ground between access and interruption is increasingly an appealing prospect.

Exercise is also increasingly having a ‘low commitment’ makeover, with current movements encouraging people towards ultra-low stress or ‘zone 2’ exercise, an intensity level at which ‘one can still hold a conversation’.

This movement aims to gently integrate wellness practice into our day to day lives (e.g. walking to work, taking the stairs instead of the lift), in a way that doesn’t interrupt the flow of living. This low commitment mindset can also be seen in the continued rise of flexitarianism.

Reduced Potency

In alcohol and beverages, ‘mid-strength’ products offer the reduction (but not removal) of negative ingredients, as can be seen with the specialist low alcohol brewery Small Beer, TrueStart’s ‘lightly caffeinated’ coffee, and winemaker 6’s six percent range. References to product experiences that are “positively energising” and “no compromise” communicate the possibility of a fully enjoyable product experience, that can also satisfy wellness aims.

Half and Half Options

Finally, there are the flavour choices that allow ‘mid’ experiences. Cadbury’s Darkmilk for example aims to find the halfway point between milk chocolate and dark chocolate, while Califia Farms Better Half blended coconut cream and almond milk product offers consumers sweetness and nuttiness. Both of these products open up new spaces within their categories and find nuances between accepted norms.

While compromise may sound negative, the rise of blended options indicate a significant cultural movement that seeks freedom from limitation and the embrace of new opportunity. In a world that sometimes seems increasingly polarised and heightened, perhaps what consumers are really craving after all is a bit more ‘mid’.

3 Key Takeaways for Brands:

  • Being ‘middle of the road’, or offering compromise may once have seemed like negatives, but increasingly there is a desire for products and services that deliver a sense of balance to fit increasingly complex and conflicting consumer needs.

  • While the non-alc sector has been growing, low alcohol products (2-3.5%) and small formats remain an underleveraged opportunity for indulgence led products, to fit into more occasions and budgets.

  • In media and services flexible and low commitment options and ad-funded tiers are increasingly desirable for consumers looking to balance the needs of access and opportunity.

Mark Lemon, Director

The Rise of the ‘Mid’ and the Goldilocks Lifestyle: Compromise, or having it all?