News 14.07.2021

Need to Know

Ubisoft gamifies Irish tourism, Lollipop’s algorithm accelerates culinary inspiration and why beauty consumers are rethinking anti-ageing.

Irish tourism enters a Viking metaverse

Assassin's Creed Valhalla: Wrath of the Druids and Discover Ireland

Ireland – Ubisoft's popular Assassin’s Creed adventure video game is being harnessed by Tourism Ireland to introduce its landscapes, Viking history and folklore to a new audience of gamers.

Marking the game's latest expansion pack, Wrath of the Druids, the collaboration allows players to make their way as Eivor, a Viking clan leader, through the country’s ‘otherwordly’ backdrops, immersing themselves in real-life locations such as the Giant’s Causeway, the Hill of Tara, Benbulben and Dublin. The campaign demonstrates how e-Tourism has been rebooted for a new era, in which people are using their imagination to travel while many global borders remain closed.

With popular Twitch influencers also tapped as part of the partnership – each promoting the mythical nature of Ireland to gaming communities across the UK, Germany, France and the Nordics – it’s clear that Tourism Ireland is doubling-down on the gamer demographic, a group that has only grown in size and diversity since the beginning of the pandemic.

Strategic opportunity

With video games being used as escapist pursuits, their fantastical worlds provide the ultimate opportunity for tourism brands to recreate travel experiences and entice a new generation of travellers to explore IRL locations

Scotland's Fife Arms raises the bar for whisky discovery

Bertie’s Whisky Bar at The Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland Bertie’s Whisky Bar at The Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland
Bertie’s Whisky Bar at The Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland
Bertie’s Whisky Bar at The Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland

Scotland – Bertie’s Whisky Bar is rethinking the way people experience whisky, encouraging visitors to explore its labyrinth of 365 bottles arranged by flavour profile. By eschewing the traditional counter bar in favour of discovery, the space encourages a deeper understanding of the spirits on display.

To create the visual identity for the extravagant bar, multidisciplinary studio Here Design has borrowed inspiration from King Edward VII – nicknamed ‘Bertie’ – and his ‘hedonistic love of opulence’. The whisky bar has been unveiled as part of the reopening of The Fife Arms, an iconic luxury hotel in Scotland’s highlands, and the space highlights the evolution of No-bar Bars, in which the disappearance of the back bar allows for more serendipitous interactions.

As such, visitors to Bertie’s Whisky Bar are encouraged to meander, turning to taste cards to learn more about the history of the drams they’re drinking. Hence why the bar has been labelled a ‘library’ by the design studio, building on the ambient and intimate spatial design.

Strategic opportunity

As hospitality spaces reopen, on-trade spirits brands should look to intimacy, opulence and discovery as key pillars in which to centre the post-pandemic drinking experience

Lollipop's AI closes the gap between recipes and retail

UK – Lollipop is a new British online grocery marketplace that enables shoppers to build meal plans from recipes and assemble the ingredients automatically into their shopping baskets. As its URL suggests, the start-up’s AI assistant has been developed to automate and streamline grocery shopping in various ways.

Offering a new level of hyper-convenience, Lollipop is looking to cater to the 80% of UK households it claims spends more than an hour per week meal-planning and online grocery shopping. To achieve this, the marketplace will be partnering with retailers such as Sainsbury’s and BBC Good to offer a recipe-based shopping experience. Tom Foster-Carter, founder and CEO, also envisions partnering with online retailers, direct to farm and organic suppliers, recipe boxes and rapid delivery services to boost the offering.

Amid soaring online grocery sales, nascent food-shopping services such as Lollipop are stepping up to offer a higher level of speed and speciality. For more insights, read our Next-gen Grocery Market.

Lollipop AI Online Grocery Marketplace, UK Lollipop AI Online Grocery Marketplace, UK
Lollipop AI Online Grocery Marketplace, UK Lollipop AI Online Grocery Marketplace, UK

Strategic opportunity

With the growth of online grocery, the food and drink sectors have a chance to evolve algorithmic shopping recommendations into new services that provide a clear alternative to established retail models

Stat: Beauty consumers reject the anti-ageing narrative

Babor and All Woman Project campaign, US Babor and All Woman Project campaign, US

The beauty landscape has significantly shifted, according to research from the global beauty brand, Avon. Its Future of Beauty report considers why tomorrow's product innovations and marketing needs to address new consumer priorities following the pandemic.

The end of anti-ageing is among the key post-pandemic beauty insights, with 2 in 5 women aged 55 and older no longer considering wrinkles and fine lines as one of their biggest skin insecurities. ‘The end result for skincare and beauty is that the story is not about simply anti- or pro-ageing, but about authentic ageing,’ explains Anthony Gonzalez, Avon’s director of global skincare and trend innovation.

The research reflects the extent to which the pandemic has not only highlighted the fragility of life but also considerably shifted attitudes to ageing as a result. With people increasingly rejecting these societal stereotypes, the market for Flat Age Beauty continues to grow.

Strategic opportunity

In their communications and campaigns, beauty brands should focus on reframing ageing as a positive experience that reflects good health and longevity over aesthetics

Previous News Articles
 Cannes Lions 2025: Elf Beauty’s recipe for co-creation and Unilever wants to make marketing sassy

News

Cannes Lions 2025: Elf Beauty’s recipe for co-creation and Unilever wants to make marketing sassy

Day three of Cannes Lions 2025 featured panels on everything from Chinese social media to late-night tv and YouTube’s 20th anniversary.
Pop Culture & Media : Beauty : Cannes Lions 2025
Heineken 0.0 partners with F1 The Movie to champion moderation in the fast lane

News

Heineken 0.0 partners with F1 The Movie to champion moderation in the fast lane

Heineken 0.0 has been named an official partner of F1 The Movie, a collaboration with Apple Original Films and Warner Bros.
Heineken : Food And Drink : F1
Stat: Gen Z turn to social media before search engines

News

Stat: Gen Z turn to social media before search engines

Social media platforms are fast becoming the primary gateway to online discovery for younger consumers, according to Sprout Social’s latest Q2 2025...
Stat : Statistic : Social Media
Cannes Lions 2025: Mustafa Suleyman on AI ‘garbage’ and why trust will set brands apart

News

Cannes Lions 2025: Mustafa Suleyman on AI ‘garbage’ and why trust will set brands apart

On day two of the festival, Serena Williams was announced as Reckitt’s first entrepreneur-in-residence.
Global Events : Technology : Pop Culture & Media
eBay and Small Business Britain back UK’s side-hustle economy

News

eBay and Small Business Britain back UK’s side-hustle economy

As side hustling cements itself as the UK’s dominant route into entrepreneurship, Small Business Britain and eBay have launched a free six-week onl...
EBay : Small Business Britain : Side Hustle Economy
Stat: Global worries increase as crime rises, but Canadian optimism at three-year high

News

Stat: Global worries increase as crime rises, but Canadian optimism at three-year high

The latest Ipsos What Worries the World survey, spanning 30 countries, reveals a shifting global mood, but Canadians are showing signs of renewed o...
Canada : Selling Happiness : Stat
Cannes Lions 2025: Unshittifying the customer experience and the future of Duolingo

News

Cannes Lions 2025: Unshittifying the customer experience and the future of Duolingo

The 72nd edition of Cannes Lions marks a return to the French Riviera with a programme featuring major names in marketing and branding. LS:N Global...
Pop Culture & Media : Global Events : Cannes Lion 2025
Gen Z reverse the gender pay gap

News

Gen Z reverse the gender pay gap

A subtle but significant shift is emerging among young men and women in the UK.
Gen Z : Gender : Gender Pay Gap
Stat: US gamers turn to esports to boost athletic performance

News

Stat: US gamers turn to esports to boost athletic performance

New findings from the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) reveal that 205.1m Americans aged 5–90 are regular gamers, with 60% of US adults eng...
Gaming : Stat : Statistic
Brazil pilots world-first data wallet to let citizens profit from digital footprint

News

Brazil pilots world-first data wallet to let citizens profit from digital footprint

Brazil is launching a groundbreaking pilot that could transform personal data into a national asset. The dWallet initiative means that citizens can...
Technology : Data : FinTech
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