News 20.04.2020

Need to Know

Quarantine Together strips back the dating app experience, Kickstarter makes isolation creativity more accessible and why music could be medicinal.

These customised playlists elevate film streaming

Trolls World Tour mixtapes Pandora and Xfinity

US – The feature film Trolls World Tour is using audio playlists in lieu of traditional marketing.

The collaboration with audio platform Pandora plays on the film’s music-focused narrative, in which trolls set out to destroy music genres from techno to country and classical. To market the film, musicologists at Pandora created dedicated mix tapes for each troll character, custom-designed to capture their personalities and music preferences, which are available for subscribers to stream on the platform.

Taking an alternative approach to traditional film advertising, in lieu of out-of-home billboards, the digital marketing campaign promotes the premiere of the film on streaming platforms. It represents the first mass-market feature film to replace its theatrical opening with at-home streaming due to Covid-19. Therefore, the customised mix tapes offer an additional touchpoint for consumers to interact with the narrative and characters.

As interactive audio experiences become ever-more important in a peak visual world, Trolls World Tour demonstrates the potential for audio content in the entertainment industry.

Covid-19: Quarantine Together is a more focused approach to dating

Quarantine Together , US Quarantine Together , US
Quarantine Together , US Quarantine Together , US

US – The dating app requests that users log on at 6:00pm daily to be matched with potential dates.

Launched in response to the numbers of Americans isolating during the pandemic, Quarantine Together prompts users at 6:00pm daily with a reminder to wash their hands. Once they confirm they have done so, they are matched with others in a private text message. After 20 minutes, the pair decide whether to continue their virtual connection over video chat.

Created as a way to encourage those isolating to date safely and remain connected, the app also supports frontline care workers. While the app is free, users are sent links to donate to the Frontline Responders Fund to provide healthcare workers with PPE (personal protective equipment).

With hundreds of dating apps vying for consumers’ attention, Quarantine Together is taking a more focused approach that strips back the dating process and operates on a real-time schedule. For more on how off-demand media can help to focus consumers’ attention spans, read our macrotrend The Focus Filter.

Covid-19: Kickstarter doubles down on lockdown creativity

Global – Inside Voices aims to promote at-home creativity during the Covid-19 pandemic.

With the initiative, Kickstarter aims to support projects made and delivered entirely at home, providing financial help for creatives out of work. It encourages makers to launch simple digital projects such as zine PDFs, album downloads, Zoom performance invitations or poetry newsletters.

Playing on the term ‘inside voices’ – typically used to tell children to be quiet indoors – the concept provides straightforward ideas and tutorials to allow anyone to unleash their inner creative. ‘Some people are experimenting with creative work for the first time and feeling inspired by the possibilities,’ reads a statement by Kickstarter.

With isolated consumers increasingly time-rich, many are taking the opportunity to reconnect with creative activities and engage with brands that encourage life-long learning.

Inside Voices by Kickstarter

Stat: The latest wellness essential could be music

The concept of music as medicine is finding its feet, according to a new study by The British Academy of Sound Therapy. The global study found that 89% of consumers believe music to be essential to their health and wellbeing.

The research also found that 90% of people reported listening to music as a key part of relaxation, with researchers suggesting this may be down to the use of relaxation music in meditation apps such as Calm and Headspace. It also found that the act of listening to music was commonly associated with processing emotions.

When exploring the role of music in relaxation, the study found that participants benefited from simple melodies with no lyrics, with 79% finding that this music reduced muscle tension and 84% having less negative thoughts.

As a mental health crisis abounds, the health and wellness industry is acknowledging the potential of Music as Medicine, recognising sound as a therapeutic medium.

Previous News Articles
Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

News

Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

At Paris Haute Couture Week, Iris van Herpen unveiled Sympoiesis, a collection steeped in material innovation.
Couture : Fashion : Bioluminescent Algae
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about.
Fashion : Luxury : Pop Culture & Media
Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

News

Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

A new report by Boston Consulting Group reveals that the global leisure travel market is set to triple in value, growing from £3.51 trillion ($4.25...
Travel : Hospitality : Tourism
Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

News

Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

Tripadvisor has unveiled a major rebranding led by creative studio Koto, marking its evolution from a pioneering travel guide into a global booking...
Travel : Hospitality : Design
Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

News

Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

Jolene Jolene, Atlanta’s first-ever women’s sports bar, is proof that interest in women’s sports is reshaping the traditionally male-dominated spor...
Hospitality : Sports : Leisure
Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

News

Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

New research challenges the narrative that Gen Z are the sober generation.
Statistic : Generation Z : Alcohol
Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

News

Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

Tracee Ellis Ross has launched Pattern Beauty’s first ever tv commercial, a 60-second spot that blends humour, nostalgia and a celebration of textu...
Haircare : Pattern Beauty : Beauty
The Messenger bot quietly transforming women’s safety in Jordan

News

The Messenger bot quietly transforming women’s safety in Jordan

A discreet digital tool is offering life-saving support to vulnerable women in Jordan.
Artifical Intelligence : Technology : Women's Safety
Stat: Study finds TikTok is reshaping luxury discovery

News

Stat: Study finds TikTok is reshaping luxury discovery

A new study in the US, the UK, France and Italy, commissioned by TikTok, reveals a structural shift in how consumers discover luxury, inc...
Statistic : TikTok : Luxury
BMW rebrands motorcycling as digital detox

News

BMW rebrands motorcycling as digital detox

BMW Motorrad and its UAE dealership AGMC have launched Throttle Therapy, a series of 10-second videos positioning motorcycling as a form of digital...
Health & Wellness : Advertising : Digital Detox
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN