There’s been a lot of discourse in the news and online recently about how people, particularly in younger generations, are using their ‘boredom time’ in toxic ways – mainly the hard-to-kick habit of mindless scrolling.

The term ‘brain rot’ was the Oxford Word of the Year back in 2024, and now the term ‘digital fatigue’ has come in as an accompaniment. Whereas brain rot mainly refers to the overconsumption of more trivial, non-challenging content online that causes intellectual deterioration, digital fatigue can refer to the overall exhaustion being ‘online’ or in front of a screen for most of the day – whether that is part of your employment or not.

Couple this with having a whole world of information at your hands, and doomscrolling and dopamine scrolling also come into this conversation. Then we’re in the unhealthy side of the internet and social media. With doomscrolling, you’re just scrolling through endless bad news or emotional videos; with dopamine scrolling, you’re constantly looking for a quick hit of the happy hormone, a positive emotional reward amongst the noise. Both can be harmful.

During the past year, I’ve even noticed how much I tend to scroll, and how fatigued, irritable and disheartened it makes me feel about the state of the world. But what we see on screens is most often than not, not representative of our own here and now. I’ve since downloaded an app called Opal to help block apps during certain periods (for instance between 1 and 5pm on weekends) and track my screen usage more closely. I’m not alone in this, and I do despair slightly for younger people for whom the ‘digital age’ has always been a reality and not a ‘new’ thing.

But even younger people are struggling, as Mintel has recently shared: “Younger generations are among the heaviest users of digital platforms, yet they are also the most likely to question their digital habits.

This is causing a wave of people returning to ‘analogue’ life, and filling their moments of ‘nothing’ that could turn to scrolling, with mindfulness activities, new hobbies and routines. One newsletter I read recently – The Ritual – from Australia’s KIC wellness and health brand, emphasised that these moments of ‘nothing’ should be labelled as what they are – boredom – but that boredom isn’t necessarily a bad thing; it “can be seen as an opportunity for self-awareness and self-improvement.”

So, how does this discourse fit into the world of cans, I hear you wonder?

Well, in terms of manufacturing, it’s a complex one, because so many solutions are now automated, digital or AI-oriented, but for businesses it’s about communicating the value of connection up and down the supply chain, and the people involved. On a company-by-company level, this will mean celebrating team wins and encouraging a people-first culture that champions the digital future while still fostering a sense of community.

Brands in particular are also going to need to pay attention to this discourse.

We’ve already had product releases tapping into consumers’ sense of nostalgia and fun, and I can definitely see that trend continuing. But the real challenge for brands will be getting their canned product to disrupt the monotony and mindless noise of the digital age. What that looks like will vary, but if you can make a consumer stop mindless scrolling and think ‘Huh? That’s cool’ when they pick your can up, then you’re probably onto a winner.

Beverage brand campaigns coming to mind that particularly encourage human connection are the ‘Share a Coke’ campaign and the Heineken Clinker.

But obviously this doesn’t need to be locked to beverage brands. What about a food can subscription that comes with paper recipes to make with said products? Canned Food UK is doing great things in this space, as I’ve mentioned before, but other opportunities exist out there. Do It With Cans is another online space to encourage DIY and craft projects using aerosol cans, paint cans and more. 

It’s all about getting people interacting with the canned products beyond following a fad because they saw an influencer use it in a trending video, and then sharing a photo on social media. Meaning should be injected, creating connection beyond campaigns or adverts. If all a consumer knows about your brand is in its face value, and not its values, taste, application, etc, then you’re not creating brand loyalty.

It’s a complicated era to be in, because most of the Western world relies on digital infrastructure. But we do all need to touch grass now and again.

Alex Rivers (she/her), CanTech International editor
Keep in touch via email: [email protected], LinkedIn: CanTech International magazine or X: @CanTechIntl

* Source: mintel.com/insights/technology/how-brands-can-connect-with-consumers-in-a-digital-fatigue-era