75%+ consumers engaging in trade-down behavior
A 2026 McKinsey report found that more than three-quarters of consumers have engaged in trade-down behavior due to cost-of-living pressures.
Snapshot · The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway
No Mercy / No Malice: World Cup Experience
Explore episode
Jun 27, 2026
Where this was said
The K-Shaped Experience Economy and the Loneliness Crisis
At 6:10 · chapter starts 6:05
A 2026 McKinsey report confirms what feels intuitive: consumers are prioritizing experiences that make them feel connected, relaxed, or excited. But the same report delivers a sharp counterpoint — more than three-quarters of consumers have been forced into trade-down behavior by the prolonged cost-of-living squeeze [1] — George Hahn "Live experiences combat loneliness, but in a K-shaped economy they're priced out of reach for most people. Galloway argues this isn't just …" 06:00 . Galloway draws out the grim implication: live experiences tap into our hardwired need for human connection and are the most effective antidote to the loneliness epidemic. But because they're high-friction and high-cost, access to that antidote is increasingly sequestered to those with money. He quotes Mark Cuban, who after investing in a live events company declared it's time to get off our asses and have fun, adding the memorable line: 'In an AI world, what you do is far more important than what you prompt.' Galloway follows with the personal observation that time spent out of the home is inversely correlated with professional and romantic success.
Streaming Is Plateauing — Live Experiences Are Wall Street's New Bet
Streaming is plateauing — that's why you're seeing bundling and price hikes. Axios media correspondent Sarah Fischer told Galloway the real growth is in live experiences, a thesis backed by a domestic box office on pace for $10 billion in 2026.
Domestic box office on pace for $10B
The 2026 domestic box office is on pace to earn $10 billion, the highest total since the pandemic and only 10% off the pre-pandemic peak.
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