What 'Bridgerton' Can Teach Marketers About Today's ConsumersThe bodice-ripping Netflix hit's themes are, in fact, timeless.

If you haven't joined me and the 60 million who binge watchedBridgertonon Netflix, you might be wondering what all the fuss is about. My grandmother pitched it to me asPride and PrejudicemeetsGossip GirlmeetsFiftyShades of Grey. Considering her affinity for daytime TV soap dramas, this was notentirelycompelling, but what else was I doing?

Hours in, I was enchanted and wanting more. The strategist in me wondered what deeper connection was resonating with today's audiences (besides the steamy romance scenes). My hypothesis?Predictability.

The show's emphasis on consequences befitting actions, mutual respect between peers and partners and a defined path to self-actualization offer an inviting escape against the backdrop of uncertainty. Let's take a closer look at how each of these components should be of appeal to modern marketers.

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Actions = consequences

We live in a time when anyone can say or tweet anything. That's whyBridgertonfascinates audiences by taking place in a period when actions had clear consequences.Bridgerton's Lady Whistledown is a gossip columnist, but she's also a voice of truth holding people accountable for their actions. Her reporting has incredible power and influence, shaping the way people are seen in society. Poor behavior invites quick criticism that can destroy a reputation — even their entire family name.

Fast forward from 1813 to the late 1990s, when reality TV became a global phenomenon. WithSurvivorandBig Brother, producers discovered they couldcreate entertaining contentwithout hiring scripted actors, and the more shocking events they could orchestrate, the more eyeballs they'd attract. WhileBridgerton's characters wanted to stay off Lady Whistledown's bad side, reality TV stars and hosts were rewarded for poor behavior with increased airtime.

We began a downward spiral wheretroublesome characterswere glamorized andaggressive hostsbullied and othered contestants to tears. For some, there is no such thing as bad publicity.

As social media took off, our exposure to questionable behavior amplified. The proliferation of content blurred our concept of truth and made it difficult to arrive at clear conclusions. Nowit's hard for your consumers to distinguish real headlines from fake ones, and 31% of children who shared an article on social media have posted something that turned out to be false.

When there's always another angle, consumers are missing the one voice of authority that Lady Whistledown wielded to create order and hold the public accountable.

Some things were still sacred

What our modern society considers to be typical behavior, would have been far past the line for the ladies and gentleman ofBridgerton. No spoilers, but let's just say that in the 1800s, if a man were to kiss a woman in public, his next move would be to marry her or die for her honor. While I'm not advocating for marriage before public displays of affection, when we look at how modern courtship has evolved, suitors could take cues fromBridgerton.

When Daphne, our protagonist, is being courted, her suitors attempt to win her heart through good conversation and making their intentions clear. Any modern bachelorette can confirm that today'smulti billion-dollar online-dating industryruns rampant with bothersome and harassing behavior. Women under the age of 35 are especially vulnerable,reports Pew.

To create a more empowering dating space for women, Whitney Wolfe foundedBumblein 2014. Today,Bumble stock is surgingfollowing their groundbreaking IPO, bringing their valuation to $8.6 billion. Wolfe is the youngest woman to lead a company through an IPO and did so with an unprecedented 73% women-run board.

To us, Bumble's mission to create a safe, respectful space for finding love is something to celebrate, but to the people ofBridgerton, mutual respect would just be something they could expect as a matter of course.

Happiness is not simply a social media post away

While life stages used to be clearly defined, we've shifted from checking off milestones to chasing self-actualization, and Instagram and other social media apps make it seem like everyone has found it, except for you. In the elusive search for happiness,Bridgertonoffers audiences the map.

The show presents a world where characters are confined to expected roles. While each may test their limits, at the end of the day, everyone is clear on their responsibilities. With today's lack of structure and increased flexibility across all aspects of our lives, consumers are finding comfort in escaping to a time when life was straightforward and expected.

Consider a traditional career path. The old model promised entry-level employees the ability to climb the corporate ladder until retiring at the ripe old age of 65. Our 21st century career paths are self-directed, which Deloitte describes as "difficult and unforgiving." It's typified by flat organizational structures, a lack of defined progression where established employees report to junior hires, and an atmosphere in which relevant skills become quickly outdated.

Although we revel in our empowerment to choose our own paths, a privilege ourBridgertoncharacters did not have, consumers want bumpers and ways to track milestones.

Peloton is a shining example of how consumers are creating order in their lives. The brand'slatest financialsreported revenues of $1.83 billion in FY'20, up from $440 million in FY'18. This is part of a bigger movement where community fitness replaces the voids of traditional institutions like church. The trend made its rounds inSelf magazine in 2015andThe Atlanticin 2017, and isn't going away anytime soon.

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Consumers today are facing more unknowns than they've ever had to deal with, from inconsistent consequences to surprising amounts of disrespect from leaders, peers or potential partners. And a path forward is up to each individual to pave for themselves. WhileBridgertonis far from a timeless classic, it is surely a timely escape that lets audiences lose themselves in a much desired period of stability.

作为营销者应对变化的预期文胸nds within society, we can't forget that for most people, change is uncomfortable. The biggest lessonBridgertonteaches is that the best thing a brand can offer consumers is predictability.