This was a year which saw the polycrisis grind on, with inflationary hysteresis – the long-term cumulative impact of higher prices – making voters all over the world punish incumbent governing parties of all political stripes, even as interest rates fell. Whether it was the Democrats in the US, the Conservatives in the UK, or Macron’s government in France, angry voters were ready to sweep them out and try any populist who might fix things. Expectations were low everywhere – but often disappointed.

Meanwhile, it was again the hottest year on record. With it came a new series of extreme weather events, whether in the form of wildfires in Portugal and Brazil; floods in Spain, Afghanistan and Pakistan; heatwaves and typhoons across southeast Asia; or hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico.

The conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine show no sign of ending, with their impact, alongside that of more than 100 other conflicts around the world, continuing to reverberate and affect migration and inflation.

Against this backdrop, with the world ever hotter and more uncertain, we can see people retreating to a personal sphere – our Ipsos Global Trends report looked at Escape to Individualism, to focus on yourself and what you can control, but also Nouveau Nihilism, just living for today in the face of an uncertain future.

So, sit back as our team takes you on a guided tour of 2024. We take a look at the events that defined the year, as we digest the implications of all those elections and look back at the coming-together moments like the Paris Olympics. Along the way, we examine what successful brands have been doing this year to really cut through, and consider how governments can meet people’s often growing and sometimes conflicting needs.

Thank you for being with us during 2024 – we look forward to discussing all of this and more with you in 2025.

Ben Page CEO of Ipsos