News 06.10.2021

Need to Know

Crown Royal uses the Alternet to reach young drinkers, the Young V&A encourages experiential play and why British Gen Z want a socialist system.

This whisky campaign is a nod to the metaverse

It’s A New World of Cocktails by Crown Royal, New York

Canada – Whisky brand Crown Royal is targeting younger audiences with a metaverse-inspired ad campaign promoting its ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails. The video campaign, It’s A New World of Cocktails, presents an immersive fictional world, which the brand has created using 3D printing technology. In it, 3D models enjoy Crown Royal RTD cocktails while gaming with friends, playing basketball and socialising at a rooftop party.

According to Crown Royal, the campaign will be supported by a fully immersive platform. By using these marketing techniques, the brand is tapping into the aesthetic associated with gaming audiences who will already be socialising in metaverse playgrounds, and introducing them to the traditional world of whisky.

As a sector more commonly associated with heritage and provenance, whisky brands are rapidly modernising; showcasing the ways in which the spirit can be made more accessible and fun for younger audiences.

Strategic opportunity

Across sectors, brands can take inspiration from metaverse environments by applying familiar aesthetic conventions to their communications. Consider pushing this idea a step further by inviting audiences to interact with one another virtually

The Young V&A embraces immaterial play

The pre-walker and toddler zone of the Play Gallery. Image by Picture Plane © Victoria and Albert Museum, London The pre-walker and toddler zone of the Play Gallery. Image by Picture Plane © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
The Stage area of the Imagine Gallery © Victoria and Albert Museum, London The Stage area of the Imagine Gallery © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

London – Responding to the isolation that young people have faced during the pandemic, London’s V&A museum is transforming its existing Museum of Childhood into a space that fosters creativity and play. Set to open in 2023, the East London site will now be known as the Young V&A, and will host three new galleries called Play, Imagine and Design.

Each gallery space will take an unconventional and immersive approach to a children's museum – complete with an amphitheatre-style stage, a free-play construction area and a working design studio. By encouraging touch and interaction, the V&A is recognising the importance of offline activities to aid development in young people. This vital investment – working to counter the ongoing effects of Covid-19 on young people’s access to creative education, collaborative play and artistic inspiration – is more urgent than ever,’ explains Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A.

To discover how future generations will navigate the offline world, and become known as IRL inhabitants rather than digital natives, join us for our Youth and Media Futures online event on 2 December.

Strategic opportunity

Young people are craving real-life experiences and opportunities for socialising. Brands and organisations should facilitate this through engaging events, immersive spaces and escapist environments

Twitter wants fans to tip with bitcoin

Global – The social media giant is expanding its money donation feature – Tips – to welcome the use of cryptocurrencies. Through this update, users can now tip their favourite Tweeters using Bitcoin payments application Strike – offering a seamless method for supporting individual profiles and small businesses.

In the future, Twitter also plans to allow users to connect their cryptocurrency wallets to the platform, as well as verify non-fungible token (NFT) ownership. By doing this, the company taps into the post-social creator movement emerging within decentralised Alternet Economies.We want everyone on Twitter to have access to pathways to get paid, says Esther Crawford, staff product manager at Twitter. Digital currencies that encourage more people to participate in the economy… help us get there.

By facilitating token exchanges through its existing platform, Twitter showcases a practical application of how cryptocurrencies can be integrated into our everyday interactions and help bolster the fan economy.

Twitter Tips with Bitcoin, US

Strategic opportunity

Apps and social media platforms should integrate digital currencies into existing services, future-proofing their paths to payment in preparation for a world in which money will be purely virtual

Stat: British youth strive for socialism

Youth in Power by Ryan McGinley Youth in Power by Ryan McGinley

Young people in Britain are increasingly turning their backs on capitalism, with a study by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) finding that the majority of young people aged 16–34 would like to live in a socialist system.

The research reveals that two-thirds (67%) of young people in Britain would like to live under an explicitly socialist economic system. Meanwhile, nearly eight out of 10 (78%) say they blame capitalism for the housing crisis, while 75% of those polled believe the climate emergency is specifically a capitalist problem. A further 75% also agree with the statement that ‘socialism is a good idea, but it has failed in the past because it has been badly done’.

With Generation Z increasingly displaying activist mindsets, such figures solidify this group’s continuing desire to re-assemble, decentralise and decolonise our outdated systems.

Strategic opportunity

When targeting young citizens, be hyper-aware of their social and politicised mindsets. Highlight how your brand is supporting equity-driven causes through long-term initiatives, instead of relying on tokenistic campaigns

Previous News Articles
NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe: Unified commerce and inspirational entertainment

News

NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe: Unified commerce and inspirational entertainment

On the opening day of NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show Europe, the spotlight turned to unified commerce and the evolving role of physical stores in omni...
Retail : NRF : Pop Up Store
The Future Laboratory presents The Synthocene Era macrotrend at Première Vision

News

The Future Laboratory presents The Synthocene Era macrotrend at Première Vision

The Future Laboratory’s co-founder and chief creative officer Christopher Sanderson presented The Synthocene Era macrotrend at the fashion industry...
Global Events : Technology : The Synthocene Era
Gen Z in China are using AI to transform themselves into collectable merchandise

News

Gen Z in China are using AI to transform themselves into collectable merchandise

Gen Z in China are using AI art tools and 3D printing to transform themselves into ‘guzi’ – personalised collectable merchandise.
China : Kidults : Kidult Craze
Stat: Gen Z stay indoors for days as screen time replaces nature

News

Stat: Gen Z stay indoors for days as screen time replaces nature

Two-thirds of Gen Z in Britain confess they can go days without stepping outside, according to new research by Super, Natural British Columbia.
Gen Z : Nature : Health And Wellness
Big W embraces the beautiful chaos of parenting in new campaign

News

Big W embraces the beautiful chaos of parenting in new campaign

Department store chain Big W is shaking up family advertising with a bold new campaign celebrating the chaos, meltdowns and small wins of everyday ...
Advertising & Branding : Parenting : Retail
George at Asda unveils new adult adaptive clothing range

News

George at Asda unveils new adult adaptive clothing range

George at Asda has launched a 28-piece adult adaptive clothing collection, designed in collaboration with the late breast cancer campaigner Nicky N...
Retail : Fashion : George At Asda
Stat: Girls’ sport participation could unlock leadership potential at work

News

Stat: Girls’ sport participation could unlock leadership potential at work

Girls who play extracurricular sport in the UK are 50% more likely to go on to achieve senior professional roles at work, according to Game Changin...
Sport : Women's Sports : Teenage Girls
Vattenfall and Samuel L Jackson’s seaweed snack is grown on wind farms

News

Vattenfall and Samuel L Jackson’s seaweed snack is grown on wind farms

Swedish energy company, Vattenfall has teamed up with actor Samuel L Jackson to launch Wind Farmed Seaweed Snacks, a limited-edition delicacy grown...
Visual : Sweden : Energy
Happy Head debuts DNA-based system for personalised hair growth

News

Happy Head debuts DNA-based system for personalised hair growth

Happy Head has launched StrandIQ, the world’s first dermatologist-developed hair growth system powered by genetic analysis, giving patients tailore...
Health : Wellness : Happy Head StrandIQ
Stat: Luxury consumers’ optimism is improving amid global slowdown

News

Stat: Luxury consumers’ optimism is improving amid global slowdown

Saks’ latest Luxury Pulse survey shows rising confidence among luxury shoppers, with more than half planning to maintain or increase their spending...
Stat : Statistics : Statistic
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