The COVID-19 pandemic seemed to ignite a widespread reappraisal of attitudes toward work.

Now one product of that reassessment is a new demographic grouping WARC is calling "The Settlers".

According to consumer trend forecaster WGSN: "Typically comprising Millennials and Gen X, this group is looking to plant roots in their community but not settle in their careers, and they're ushering in a new era of localism."

Such a shift amongst these two pivotal generations should make marketers sit up and take note. So, who are The Settlers and how can brands meet their needs?

WGSN says wage stagnation despite growing employer demands have combined to create a "burn-out epidemic" that has led to a backlash.

Principally, they are striving to implement "work secularism" - a clearer separation between work and personal lives. On the second side of that coin, WGSN thinks Settlers "will usher in a new age of localism and a commitment to community life".

Brands that share this commitment to centredness and locality can make a good impression on Settlers.

That doesn't have to mean planting a flag in a specific single town or city - place-driven purpose is a scaleable quality.

In other words, consumers appreciate brands and services that cultivate a sense of community, wherever it may be.