LSN : News : Need to know 05 : 10 : 17

1. Snapchat launches augmented reality art installation

AR Art Project by Snapchat

Global – The brand has worked with Jeff Koons to exhibit a series of the renowned artist’s sculptures in augmented reality (AR) at nine locations around the world, including Hyde Park in London, Millennium Park in Chicago and the Sydney Opera House.

An accompanying microsite encourages other artists to submit their work, hinting at a potential future collaborative project between the brand and emerging artists. Digital art is increasingly popular among younger consumers, something LS:N Global has been tracking since 2014.

The project follows the launch of Snapchat’s World Lens feature, which enables users to place 3D digital objects onto the physical environment. Advances in AR will open up new possibilities for brands looking to use digital technology to elevate experiences in the real world.

See our Geo Quests microtrend to find out more.

2. Pants with Purpose offers pared-back, sustainable intimates

Pants with Purpose by Charlie Crook and Luke Appleby

UK – Pants with Purpose offers one style of sustainably produced men’s boxer shorts in one colour. According to the co-founders, the brand was designed in response to the proliferation of expensive and poor-quality underwear ranges pushed by big-name brands, and aims to highlight the functionality rather than the disposability of underwear.

‘Once we started doing customer research, it quickly became apparent that the overwhelming majority of people wear the boxer brief style and 90% wear black over any other colour,’ co-founder Luke Appleby tells LS:N Global. ‘We also wanted to make it super-simple and able to cut through the noise.’

In a further show of its commitment to encourage purposeful consumption, 15% of all profits will be donated to leading cancer charities, and each pair will be accompanied by a personalised note and information about cancer prevention.

As we explored in our Anti-choice Architecture microtrend, giving shoppers an abundance of choice may become a thing of the past as consumers increasingly favour a more singular experience.

3. Whisky bottler Adelphi promotes transparency

Scotland – As part of a collaboration with arc-net, the Ardnamurchan distillery, owned by Adelphi, will be printing unique QR codes on each of its bottles, which can be scanned by users to discover the history of the product from barley field to bottle.

‘Storytelling and authenticity are big components of the Scotch whisky industry,’ says Alex Bruce, managing director of Adelphi, in a statement. ‘By pioneering this technology, Adelphi is both advancing and uniting these vital ingredients.’

Although the introduction of QR codes on whisky bottles is nothing new, the integration of blockchain technology is said to be a first. The introduction of the technology and the receipt of a digital certificate of authenticity with these new bottles will help to eliminate the risk, particularly for whisky importers and collectors, for whom counterfeiting is a key concern.

For more on how blockchain is disrupting how brands sell goods, see our Blockchain Consumerism microtrend.

Ardnamurchan by Adelphi, Scotland

4. Zeitz MOCAA opens as world’s largest African art museum

Zeitz MOCAA by Heatherwick Studio, Cape Town

Cape Town – Spread over nine floors and including 100 galleries, the space is dedicated to showing contemporary art from Africa and its diaspora. An institution four years in the making, it aims to become a key cultural landmark for a stronger and wider appreciation of Africa’s cultural heritage.

‘We wanted the museum to be as representative of Africa as possible, to celebrate its history, its culture, its diversity and its future with a focus on art from the 21st century,’ says Jochen Zeitz, co-chair of Zeitz MOCAA, in a recent press release. ‘Most importantly, this is an institution for all of Africa.’

The new gallery follows the opening of the Southern Guild Johannesburg, which also worked to bring together the depth of Africa’s contemporary art scene into one place, and includes work from designers, artists, architects and jewellery-makers.

5. Consumers welcome brand involvement in competitive gaming

A study from Nielsen shows that only 5% of consumers in the US, 8% in France and 6% in the UK are negative towards brand involvement in e-sports. Despite the opportunity this presents, however, consumers said the brand activity they favour least is product placement. In our Beyond Product Placement microtrend, we looked at how brands are going beyond simple product placement to be more considered in their branded offerings, and e-sports brands should follow their example.

6. Thought-starter: Is climate change a women’s rights issue?

As businesses start to take a leading role in the fight against climate change, strategic researcher Victoria Buchanan explores whether the gender divide in the climate change debate is preventing meaningful progress.

Climate change is one of the most urgent global challenges facing the world today. The effects of our rampant consumerism on the world are increasingly clear and we are probably the last generation with the ability to do anything about it.

Sadly, in many contexts, women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men, primarily because they comprise the majority of the world’s poor and are at a higher risk of receiving a lower standard of care than men in times of crisis.

Notions of masculinity are amplified and exploited by people who have a far greater presence in voters’ lives than politicians – advertisers. For example, the production of eco-friendly cars is viewed by some as an assault on an industry in which men’s jobs are increasingly threatened. ‘[According to this sentiment] if you still choose to drive a Prius, you’re in opposition not just to the occasional person in a dying industry, you’re also opposing the identity of the truck owner – an identity that people value,’ says Michael Sweeney, a film and tv editor at Time.

Read the full Opinion piece here.