LSN : News : Need to Know 13 : 02 : 18

1. Nike campaign is an ode to London

Nothing Beats a Londoner by Nike

London – Nike’s latest campaign, Nothing Beats a Londoner, taps into the city’s rich cultural fabric to celebrate diversity in London. Directed by RiffRaff Films’ collective Megaforce, the spot includes more than 250 young London athletes alongside professionals like Mo Farah, Harry Kane, and Eden Hazard. Nodding to London as the birthplace of Grime, the ad also features artists Skepta and AJ Tracey in celebration of the city‘s creative lifeblood.

‘Despite the star cameos, the creative flips the traditional model and holds kids up as the inspiration for all – championing them, their spirit and incredible athlete mindset,’ says Paddy Treacy and Mark Shanley of Wieden & Kennedy London who led the project. Beyond this advert, Nike is pushing its connection to local communities with its upcoming Manhattan flagship store, set to open next year.

2. The James Hotels embraces spirituality

Four Bodies Wellness programme by The James Hotels

US – The James Hotels is tapping into a growing interest in the metaphysical with a new service that targets guests’ physical, mental, spiritual and emotional wellbeing. The Four Bodies Wellness programme is an in-room programme that includes one-to-one sessions with various intuitive counsellors, including Astrology Birth Chart Readings, Transformational Coaching, Tarot Reading, Hypnosis, Reiki Healing, and Sound Healing.

‘[It is a] bespoke program which highlights the importance of nourishing all different aspects of ourselves through a unique wellness regime,’ says Ruby Warrington, founder of the The Numinous and curator of Four Bodies Wellness.

First explored in our Metaphysical Retail microtrend, an interest in spiritualism is permeating across sectors as consumers seek to integrate the other worldly into all aspects of their lives.

3. Tay Spirits gives new life to eau de vie

Scotland – Never 25 is a new eau de vie – a clear, colourless fruit brandy typically made in France – produced by Tay Spirits in Fife. The spirit offers three flavour profiles, namely raspberry, strawberry and apple, which, in the vein of Terroir Spirits, are made using locally-sourced ingredients.

Traditionally, eau de vie is bottled without ageing to better preserve the character of the fruit. The grain is milled, mashed, fermented and triple-distilled, before the fruit is added and it is then distilled for a fourth time.

As we first examined in 2011 with Revivalist Recipes, brands are giving a new lease of life to old favourites. And while the spotlight has been firmly on gin for the last few years, brandy could be next.

eau de vie, Never.25

4. Tesla sells to the masses in Home Depot

Powerwall, Tesla

US – Tesla has announced that it will soon sell solar panels and Powerwall battery units in Home Depot – America’s largest home-improvements chain – thereby bringing them closer to the mainstream consumer.

While Home Depot previously had a relationship with SolarCity Corp., a company acquired by Tesla in 2016 that has since become defunct, this marks the first time that the home-improvement brand will stock Tesla’s products on-site with branded kiosks in 800 of Home Depot’s 2,200 stores.

The solar panels and battery units will be shown on 12-foot displays and the designated areas will be staffed by Tesla employees who are able to demonstrate how the products work.

5. Smart clothing and hearables set to boom

In line with our Gateway Garments microtrend, a new report indicates a growing interest in fitness wearables integrated into clothing and ear-based wearables otherwise known as hearables. Juniper Research forecasts that shipments will increase from 4.5m in 2018 to around 30 million in five years time.

In contrast, the activity tracker market, which includes previously popular products like the FitBit, is only predicted to grow by 20% over the same period. This drop-off in interest can in part be attributed to the propensity for people to forget to charge them, something that Spire has addressed by developing a fitness sensor that is made to be attached to clothing and has a battery that lasts 1.5 years.

6. Thought-starter: Why luxury hotels are paring back their services

Luxury hotels are paring back superfluous services and features in the hope of offering a more streamlined experience.

Due to open in autumn 2018 in New York, Sister City is a hotel that aims to provide everything that today’s modern traveller needs without any of the excess. Created by the same studio behind Ace Hotel, it is described on its website as ‘an experiment in essentialism’ and will be a hotel reduced to its most functional parts, including 200 rooms, a restaurant and a rooftop bar.

‘We are inspired by the philosophy of less, but better, the inherent satisfaction of having just enough,’ says Kelly Sawdon, chief brand officer of Atelier Ace, in a statement from the brand. ‘Sister City looks through a focused lens to truly anticipate what people need when they’re travelling – comfort, beauty and human connection.’

The hotel draws inspiration from the functional perfection of Finnish saunas and Japanese bento boxes, and aims to combine aesthetic sustenance with human connection and modern needs.

Look out fot the full microtrend here.