LSN : News : Need to know 29 : 09 : 17

1. Latest Saw film challenges blood donor rules

Jigsaw Blood Drive by Lionsgate, US

US – The advertising campaign for the new Saw film, Jigsaw, takes a stand against restrictive rules that prohibit gay and bisexual men from giving blood. The poster campaign by Lionsgate Films features gay, bisexual and transgender social media influencers, such as model Shaun Ross and transgender socialite Amanda Lapore, dressed up as nurses.

The release of the Saw films has always been accompanied by a blood donation drive, but the new campaign, entitled All Types Welcome, goes one step further in applying pressure to the US Food and Drug Administration to allow gay men to donate without having to forego sexual encounters for a year before the donation date.

For more on how brands are addressing issues that they believe to be important, see our Backlash Brands macrotrend.

2. Canon VR offers sports fans an all-round experience

Free Viewpoint Video System by Canon

Tokyo – Canon is developing its Free Viewpoint Video System to enable viewers to watch pre-recorded football matches in 360 degrees. The system will incorporate the company’s long-standing optical and sensor technologies, giving fans an immersive viewing experience.

High-resolution cameras will be positioned around sports venues, connected to a centralised network to ensure that games are captured from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. Image processing technology will be used to convert the videos into 3D spatial data, enabling viewers to navigate freely around the virtual space. In addition to providing a new entertainment platform, Canon hopes that the new technology will eventually be used to help train athletes.

Since 2013, LS:N Global has been tracking the evolution of Futuretainment as brands look for new ways to create immersive experiences for their audiences.

3. Visit Oslo campaign plays on the city’s serenity

Oslo – In recent times there has been a widespread backlash against the influx of holidaymakers to popular destinations such as Venice and Barcelona, something that Oslo’s tourism board has tapped into in its latest campaign, The Great Escape.

Visit Oslo responded to an Instagram photo posted by Sam and Marela Glavas, a couple from New Zealand, expressing frustration at the overcrowding in the Louvre in Paris by flying the pair to Oslo free of charge and hosting them for 48 hours.

The initiative demonstrates the value in travel destinations that promise tranquillity, something that Airbnb also highlighted in its collaboration with Visit Sweden.

The Great Escape by Visit Oslo, Norway

4. Patagonia unveils global Worn Wear programme

Worn Wear by Patagonia

Global – Patagonia’s long-running pop-up Worn Wear programme is being relaunched as a permanent initiative. The online service will enable customers to buy, trade and sell second-hand Patagonia products. Customers can bring clothes to their local store, where the items will be assessed, washed – using carbon dioxide to save water and energy – and resold in exchange for store credit. The brand is also offering a Care & Repair service to help prolong the life of garments in line with the brand's Whole-system Thinking approach to retail.

The move follows the brand’s launch of its first workwear collection, which includes sweaters, cargo trousers, vests and jackets, all of which have been designed for outdoor wear and therefore made to be durable.

5. Artisan gin drives surge in UK distillery openings

The number of distilleries in the UK has risen sharply due predominantly to the popularity of artisan gin. In 2016, sales of gin increased by 12%, according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association, bringing in more money for the UK Treasury than beer sales for the first time. Email us to join our Food and Drink Futures Forum to find out more about the future landscape of the sector.

6. Thought-starter: Can’t we just let the vagina be?

With beauty brands now encouraging women to invest in skincare designed to improve their appearance below the knicker line, visual trends researcher Jess Smith argues that it is time the industry started speaking more frankly to consumers.

First there was the vajazzling trend in 2010 in which 20somethings adorned their pubic area with crystals, then v-steaming – aka a ‘facial’ for down below – made popular by Gwyneth Paltrow, and now there is a whole beauty line dedicated to creating the Perfect V. Can’t we just let the vagina be?

In today’s female-empowered climate the idea of striving for the perfect vagina seems out of date. Perhaps we are farther than we think from communicating a modern notion of female identity. According to a study by The Engine Group, 86% of women believe that brands’ depictions of women do not reflect their lives, highlighting a need for businesses to reconsider how they represent and engage with women.

In the feminine hygiene industry, beset with lazy marketing euphemisms, successful brands are those that are straight-talking, design-savvy and don’t shy away from using the word vagina.

Read the full opinion piece here.