Your Audience Is Tired,
And They’re Looking for Comfort​

Scroll fatigue, doomscrolling, algorithmic feeds—whatever you call it, the digital world in 2025 often feels like a treadmill you can’t get off. A growing number of people are taking matters into their own hands. In May 2025, minimalist‑phone maker Mudita observed that this year may mark a turning point: several thoughtfully designed “dumb phones” (Light Phone 3, Minimal Phone and Mudita Kompakt) all launched at once, signaling a quiet rebellion against digital overload. The surge isn’t about rejecting technology; it’s about reclaiming peace of mind and privacy.

Search data backs that up. A Google Trends analysis published in August 2025 shows that “feature phone” search queries rose steadily from 21 to 30 between August 2024 and June 2025, then spiked from 30 to 98 in July–August 2025. This sudden surge suggests that digital minimalism is becoming mainstream among Gen Z and younger millennials.

 

The Comfort Economy: Why Audiences Crave Familiarity

 

Comfort isn’t just about fuzzy blankets or loungewear—it’s about authenticity and familiarity. TikTok describes a “comfort creator” as someone who shares soothing, realistic content (think daily routines or simple meals) that helps audiences feel calm. At the end of 2024, creators even auditioned to become viewers’ “chosen comfort creator” for 2025, illustrating how widespread the trend had become.

 

This craving for the familiar extends beyond social media. Marie Claire reports that early‑2000s fashion trends—low‑rise jeans, velour tracksuits and other Y2K staples—are dominating 2025 runways and collections. Nostalgia is powerful; after years of constant change, consumers are gravitating toward styles that remind them of simpler times.

 

Print media is also in the midst of a renaissance. Gen Z is reviving print magazines, zines and analogue media to escape digital overload. Iconic titles like i-D returned to newsstands in March 2025, and fashion houses such as Chanel and Dior launched their own magazines. Independent and luxury print titles are thriving, and events like Milan’s Mag To Mag fair (drawing nearly 5,000 visitors in 2024) demonstrate a vibrant culture around tangible media.

 

What Your Audience Is Really Telling You

 

The rise of dumbphones, comfort creators and retro fashion isn’t an anti‑technology protest; it’s a plea for less friction and more humanity. Here’s what I believe your audience is signaling:

 

  • They want less friction. Digital fatigue is real. The cluster of minimalist phones released in 2025 suggests people are seeking simpler devices that help them disconnect. Search interest surging during mid‑2025 underscores this demand.
 
  • They crave genuine connection. Comfort creators resonate because their content feels authentic and relatable. In Hubspot’s 2025 Consumer Trends report nearly two‑thirds of consumers say it’s more important for marketing content to be authentic than polished, and Robotic Marketer’s 2025 analysis notes that audiences are increasingly skeptical of superficial campaigns.
 
  • They seek familiar experiences in new packages. Y2K fashion’s comeback and the revival of print magazines show that nostalgia sells—but not because people want to live in the past. They’re looking for innovations that feel intuitive and grounded, not alienating.
 

How to Market to the Comfort‑Seeking Audience

 
1. Simplify Your Messaging

Strip away jargon and corporate speak. If you can’t explain your product in one sentence that your grandmother would understand, you’re trying too hard. This approach aligns with consumers’ desire for straightforward experiences and fewer clicks.

 

2. Show Up Consistently (and Predictably)

Comfort thrives on reliability. You don’t need daily posts; you do need a rhythm that people can anticipate. Think of your favorite comfort creators—you know exactly when and what they’ll post. There’s peace in that predictability. Your brand can offer the same.

 

3. Master the “Boring” Fundamentals

The sexiest marketing strategy in 2025? Actually answering your phone. Responding to emails within 24 hours. Having a website that loads quickly and makes sense. These aren’t innovative tactics—they’re comforting ones.

 

While your competitors are chasing the latest AI tool or social media trend, you can win by being reliably, consistently good at the basics. There’s nothing boring about making your customers’ lives easier.

 

4. Build Familiarity Through Consistency

Create a cohesive brand voice, visual identity and customer experience—not because a guideline says so, but because people find comfort in knowing what to expect. Each interaction should feel like checking in with a friend rather than meeting a stranger.

 

5. Offer Content That Feels Like a Deep Breath

Your content doesn’t always need to educate, inspire, or entertain. Sometimes it just needs to be. A simple update. A behind-the-scenes moment. A straightforward answer to a common question.

 

The pressure to make every piece of content “perform” is exhausting—for you and for your audience. Sometimes the most powerful content is the kind that makes someone say, “Oh, that’s nice” and move on with their day feeling slightly better.

 

What This Looks Like in Practice

 
  • Service professionals: A short LinkedIn post sharing an insight from your week can remind your network you’re present and attentive without overwhelming them.
 
  • Small business owners: A concise, well‑written email about what you’re working on fosters connection. Storytelling builds the relationship more effectively than multimedia overload.
 
  • Non‑profits: Clear, honest impact reports resonate. Let donors see the humans behind the mission rather than focusing solely on flashy graphics.
 

The Metrics That Matter

 

Traditional metrics (opens, clicks) are still useful but don’t tell the whole story. Look for evidence of loyalty: Are people responding? Referring friends? Continuing to engage months after their first interaction? Authenticity builds trust and long‑term relationships, which may not immediately show up on a dashboard but will sustain your business over time.

 

Moving Forward

 

The drive toward comfort isn’t a fad—it’s a course correction. After years of optimizing for attention and disruption, people are recognizing the cost of constant stimulation. They want to feel understood and safe when they engage with brands. As the Mudita team suggests, 2025 might be the year we stop asking “What more can my phone do?” and start asking “What can my phone help me ignore?”.

 

Be the brand that offers relief, not demands. Provide experiences that resemble comforting rituals rather than endless novelty. And remember: some of these trends are still being researched, so staying flexible and attentive to consumer mood is essential. What we know for sure is that authenticity and familiarity are the through‑lines—and they’ve likely been what audiences wanted all along.

 

 

 

 

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This article was built with the assistance of AI — guided by a detailed creative prompt, vetted through human editing, and refined to reflect my own ideas and tone. Technology drafted; I directed.