Selling stress-relief: companies market tools and tricks for post-pandemic pain. From the article:

Long before Covid-19 hit last year, rising stress was identified as one of Americans’ major concerns. Now, more than a year into the pandemic, consumers’ stress levels have been soaring. In June, nearly one-third of Americans reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression, according to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2019, only 11% of Americans reported such symptoms, according to a comparable survey from the National Center for Health Statistics….

With so much of the population stressed out, more consumer product companies see soothing anxiety as an opportunity. Makers of everyday goods from cars and note paper to makeup, cereal and beverages are framing marketing messages and launching products to target worried consumers….

Many consumers say they are receptive to mental health advice coming from companies. They are looking for support for their emotional well being, and many say they welcome products that promise to make them feel better.

Younger consumers especially report having a new perspective on managing their mental health. Some 50% of consumers ages 18-24 reported that they have changed their approach to mental health, compared with 28% of people ages 57 to 75, an Ernst & Young survey of 1,001 U.S. adults conducted earlier this year found….

3M Co. , maker of Post-it Brand Notes, tracked rising stress among consumers in recent years and saw it skyrocket during the pandemic, says Heather Green, 3M’s global business vice president for stationery and office supplies. In December the company launched a new line called Noted by Post-it, which aims to facilitate popular self-care practices, including journaling, habit-tracking and jotting down encouraging adages….

PepsiCo research found that two-thirds of Americans blame stress for preventing them from unwinding before they go to bed. To help, last November it launched Driftwell. “Designed with relaxation in mind,” the blackberry- and lavender-flavored water contains magnesium and L-theanine, which PepsiCo says promotes relaxation.

Even the small can is designed to avoid stress. “It’s a 7.5 ounce can because you don’t want to drink too much before you go to bed,” says Ms. Silver.

In May, PepsiCo introduced Soulboost, a brand of sparkling water that claims its products can support relaxation, among other things….