LSN : News : Need to Know 11 : 09 :17

1. Rihanna highlights diversity with Fenty Beauty

Fenty Beauty campaign

UK – Barbadian pop star Rihanna has launched a new beauty line to fill the ‘void in the industry for products’ that perform ‘across all skin types and tones’. Sold at department store Harvey Nichols, the Fenty Beauty range includes a primer, foundation, concealer, shimmer stick, highlighter, powder and blotting paper, which are formulated to cater for ‘traditionally hard-to-match skin tones’.

Last week, Rihanna posted a promotional teaser video on Instagram that featured a diverse group of women, including a woman wearing a headscarf and a model with a shaved head. In line with the focus on different skin tones, all of the items in the collection adhere to a colour palette of different nude shades. For more on the shift towards diversity in the beauty industry read our Inclusive Beauty Market.

2. Black Taiga’s interior is inspired by cult cinema

Black Taiga branding by Futura, Mexico City

Mexico City – The interior design and branding for Black Taiga restaurant features a variety of references to cult film classics such as Blade Runner and Akira. Designed by studio Futura, the space taps into the Health Goth aesthetic, with macabre yet playful detailing such as a Nike tick logo dripping with blood. The restaurant also features illustrations inspired by manga and ero guro, a Japanese art style that focuses on sexual corruption and decadence.

The typography used across the branding features a mix of Eastern and Western characters, lending the bar a New Bricolage aesthetic. Black Taiga also taps into the Future Noir aesthetic, where dystopian visual motifs are combined to create a fictional world.

3. Heathrow Airport to open FlyFit fitness studio

UK – Heathrow Airport has partnered with FlyFit to launch a wellness and fitness studio in Terminal 2. Passengers will be able to participate in instructor-led yoga, strength-building and cardio classes to offset the physical and psychological stress of travelling.

Customers can rent gym clothing for their workout and the studio also offers on-site showers and a range of healthy food options.

‘FlyFit was born out of our shared passion to improve health and wellbeing on the road for ourselves and others,’ says co-founder Lauren Perkins. ‘We are creating a space for fitness and community that has previously been lacking in airports.’

Earlier this year, a similar fitness studio was launched at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. Read our Insight report to find out more.

Heathrow Airport, London

4. Vodafone launches subsidiary service for Generation Z

Voxi by Vodafone, UK

UK – Mobile phone network Vodafone has launched Voxi, a new service aimed at younger consumers. The SIM-only contract, which is available to consumers aged under 25, offers unlimited calls and text messages, and unlimited data for social and chat apps. Priced between £10 ($13, €11) and £20 ($26, €22), the service is a low-cost alternative to Three’s Smarty brand.

According to Dan Lambrou, head of Voxi, the brand will be part operated by 100 new employees aged between 17 and 25, who will help Voxi to gain an insight into this demographic. For more on how Generation Z consumers are using social media see our IM Tribe.

5. Retailers need to tap into UK Baby Boomers’ browsing behaviour

UK – A report by Barclays suggests retailers should tailor their e-commerce offerings to meet the needs of Baby Boomers, who spend a significant amount of time browsing online each week. The report shows that consumers in the UK make more purchases online than consumers in any other major European country, despite the fact that £3.4bn ($4.5bn, €3.7bn) worth of goods in virtual shopping baskets is abandoned by UK shoppers each year. There is significant potential for retailers to tap into this behaviour by converting more browsers into buyers when they switch devices. For more major developments in the retail industry, purchase our Retail Futures Report 2017 here.

6. Thought-starter: Are music videos the future of product placement?

With consumers wise to the way brands advertise their products, journalist Josh Walker explores the potential of music videos as the next iteration of product placement.

Although product placement is nothing new, a new wave of brands are investing in meaningful, immersive collaborations with artists to the point at which it has become so seamless that consumers view them as ‘collaborative, creative endeavours’, rather than subtle advertising.

Calvin Klein is championing this approach through its recent collaboration with The xx for its new music video, I Dare You. Featuring Calvin Klein clothing throughout, as well as celebrities and models who have previously and currently appear in Calvin Klein campaigns and runway shows, it is a full embodiment of the Calvin Klein universe.

With 57% of consumers saying they ignore pre-roll ads, and 85% of Facebook video views taking place with the sound turned off, these collaborations are a means for brands to live beyond the skip button and create a more meaningful and emotional connection with consumers.

For more on how brands are using music videos as the next iteration of product placement, read our Beyond Product Placement microtrend.