Picture this: You’re invited to an event hosted by your male friends in their late twenties. It’s not a birthday party or engagement, or even New Years’. No – it’s a glitter-filled Eurovision party. Passing revelers dressed as ABBA and Conchita Wurst, you sip on non-alcoholic beer and cheers to good times. The winner’s announced, and after dancing to the winning track you say your goodbyes – but it won’t be long ‘til you see your friends again. You’re hosting a cheese and wine evening next weekend, just because. This is the new era of party trends.
What, why, and how we celebrate is rapidly changing. And who better to help us shine a light on the biggest party trends in 2024 than the home of inspiration – Pinterest.
With a celebration planned on the platform every 3 seconds, and over 14.6 million celebration-related boards created in the past year alone (full report here), together we’ve crunched the numbers to bring you the 8 top party trends your content marketing strategy needs in 2024. Let’s pin the town red.
Leading celebration and party trends for 2024
- Laid-back celebrations are on the rise
- Millennial men are partying more than before
- Gen Z are celebrating, just ‘cause they can
- It’s not a party without a (niche) theme
- More people are turning to DIY celebrations to save money
- People are celebrating for their own personal wellbeing
- Events are increasingly collaborative between hosts and guests
- Consumers want to be inspired online
Ready to explore each of these top party trends for 2024 in more detail? Let’s get into it.
1. Laid-back celebrations are on the rise
Here’s a celebration trend worth sharing with your advertising partners. We often associate parties with the wild, alcohol-induced ragers seen in popular TV and film, but in reality 46% of consumers say they most want their celebrations to be laid back and comfortable.
1 in 3 consumers have noticed events getting smaller over time, and over half feel they’re becoming more informal
From the looks of things, casual dinner parties and cozy games nights are on the cards in 2024. This trend makes a lot of sense when you consider the rough few years we’ve all had; between socially-deprived lockdowns and the ongoing cost of living crisis, people have a lot going on. Perhaps the expense and effort of hosting a fancy champagne-filled event isn’t so appealing to today’s consumers.
While those who celebrate major life stages like work promotions still have a stronger appetite for formal events, marketers should focus on creating relevant adverts and content to match the mood of the moment. Intimate, low-key party vibes should help give brands a boost.
2. Millennial men are partying more than before
We’re all enjoying more social gatherings post-Covid (obvs), but millennial men actually stand out for saying they’re celebrating more than they were before the pandemic (19%) – that’s higher than the total consumer average (15%) measured in our celebration trend research.
35% of millennial men say they now celebrate events that they didn’t previously
So what are these revelers choosing to celebrate? Not what you might expect. Top choices include friendships, TV events, and religious/cultural occasions. In the US, there’s been a significant rise in millennial men saying their faith/spirituality is important to them, which may go some way towards explaining this trend.
These findings may suggest millennial men are becoming more open and comfortable with themselves, and taking more opportunities to connect with others. 54% agree that celebrations allow them to showcase and embrace their true selves – and that’s exactly the type of messaging marketers should be using to engage and encourage this audience.
3. Gen Z are celebrating, just ‘cause they can
Celebrating personal achievements alone, or “just because” is a rising celebration trend among Gen Z, who are choosing to spread joy by celebrating everyday moments. It’s no wonder 1 in 5 Gen Z think society should celebrate jobs/occupations more.
Similarly to millennial men, Gen Z are looking to celebrate the small things in life, like sports matches (15%) and friendships (13%). Galentine’s Day is a good example of this party trend in action, and even extends beyond younger audiences.
Pinterest searches for “galentines party aesthetic” (vibes and decor for an all-female get-together) have grown a whopping 1285% YoY (year-on-year)
Across the board, consumers are choosing to celebrate traditions like Valentine’s Day with a modern twist. Malentine’s Day (the equivalent event for men to celebrate their male friendships) is also becoming more popular and recognized. For Gen Z, it’s not really about the occasion itself, but rather finding new ways to make memories with the people who matter. This may explain why they enjoy throwing going away parties, with 16% of Gen Z saying they celebrate life stages the most.
4. It’s not a party without a (niche) theme
No theme, no deal. 1 in 3 consumers prefer to have a theme for their events – even if it’s incredibly niche. To give you an idea of what’s on their minds, searches for “underwater theme party food” (+360% YoY) and “wine theme party ideas” (+290% YoY) are among the top themes Pinterest users have been looking up on the platform this year.
41% of hosts say they’ve celebrated a creative themed birthday in the last year
In a move close to influencing, this party trend reveals how hosts are looking to impress their guests and show off their creativity in one fell swoop. It’s all about converting ordinary events into extraordinary memories (and looking really cool while you do it). The more original the theme, the better.
As far as brands are concerned, pushing the boundaries with inspirational, highly-visual content and targeted advertising will motivate idea-hungry consumers to try something new. Show, don’t tell.
5. More people are turning to DIY celebrations to save money
As inflation continues to bite, consumers are looking for ways to save a few bucks without compromising on celebrating the good times. Popular party planning tactics for 2024 include setting a budget, and limiting the number of guests invited.
23% of consumers say they’d consider making their own decorations, invitations, or party favors to cut costs
For many, the very thought of organizing an event is overwhelming. 53% who are celebrating less also say they’d be stressed out by budget concerns if they had to plan a celebration, and 26% say they’d find arranging the food stressful. This data helps explain why people are getting creative to cut costs – with 43% of consumers looking for sales and discounts, and 20% asking guests to contribute financially (e.g. potluck, or BYOB).
While budget-conscious consumers are more likely to focus their attention on major holidays, brands also have the opportunity to show them how to throw low-key, inexpensive events. Even a simple blog post on how to make your own wedding confetti could be a big help to cash-strapped couples.
Use tactful messaging to help consumers shed any guilt around asking for small contributions from attendees, create easy step-by-step party planning guides, or promote bundled products and services that take the stress out of events.
6. People are celebrating for their own personal wellbeing
A party for one is still a party, right? Some consumers certainly think so. As we saw earlier with both Gen Z and millennial men, self-celebration is in.
2 in 5 consumers who mark less traditional occasions saying they celebrate for the sake of their personal wellbeing or happiness
It’s an interesting party trend because it suggests celebrations are an emotional outlet for consumers – a chance to escape everyday problems and relax with loved ones. Smaller, more intimate gatherings offer people a safe space to open up, socialize, and get a little extra dose of feelgood.
There’s a lot going on in the world right now, and much of it is beyond consumers’ control. But they can choose when, how, and how often they celebrate. And that’s something every brand – and indeed, every human being on the planet – can get behind.
7. Events are increasingly collaborative between hosts and guests
You know that bossy friend/relative who always wants to be in charge? They could be your next party’s MVP, so if you don’t mind relinquishing control, let them pick the color palette or make the streamers.
Half of consumers say they love investing time, creativity, and effort into the celebrations they attend
As we mentioned earlier, having an iconic theme for a more memorable gathering is a growing party trend for 2024. But that also puts hosts under a lot of pressure – so it’s pretty reassuring to know people are increasingly willing to help out, especially for party organizers on a budget.
Many party hosts and attendees are getting inspiration from their online communities, which is why it’s crucial for brands to optimize marketing content for key search terms, and get it out early. Be first, or be last.
8. Consumers want to be inspired online
Divorce parties. Dog birthdays. Wine Wednesdays. As party trends go, consumers are finding new and imaginative ways to celebrate literally anything on the regular. And who can blame them? Social media is brimming with weird and wonderful ideas to inspire their next main event, which is why it’s their first port of call.
53% of social media users say visual inspiration helps them decide how to plan their celebration
From decorations, to celebration cake recipes, to party favor ideas, there are endless ways brands can inspire party organizers looking to turn heads. You could even experiment with generative AI to help consumers visualize less conventional party ideas.
The most popular (and random) Pinterest searches include:
- “Bollywood character theme party outfit” (+1215% year-on-year)
- “Fairy dinner party” (+575% YoY)
- “PowerPoint party ideas” (+185% YoY)
These huge surges in such niche search terms indicate consumer celebrations are increasingly driven by creativity and fun. It’s up to brands to tap into this by offering up new party ideas and ways to stand out – especially on social media platforms. The more visually attractive you can make marketing content, the better – think vibrant colors and good vibes that help boost brand awareness.
Want to keep this party going?
We’ve handpicked the sparkling party trends and consumer insights in this blog from “GWI x Pinterest: A new generation of celebrations” – an exclusive report co-created with the experts at Pinterest.
For a more in-depth look at the changing party and celebration trends every content marketer needs to engage consumers in 2024, hit the link below.
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