LSN : News : Fast food giants come together for charitable causes

Doja Cat’s latest music video teaches girls to code

Girls Who Code Presents Doja Cat Woman

US – The musician has partnered with non-profit organisation Girls Who Code to launch a codable music video, Planet Her. Trainee coders are given Doja Cat’s music video for Woman to work with, using either CSS, Javascript or Python. It plays as the original music video would, but viewers are able to make decisions throughout using the various coding programs.

By bringing coding to the mass market in an accessible and interactive way, the initiative shows how popular cultural voices can support Women's Futures. ‘Learning to code enables you to change the world around you, and we’re thrilled to partner with global superstar Doja Cat, beloved by young people everywhere, as we invite girls to experience Planet Her, a place where they get to be in control,’ says Tarika Barrett, CEO of Girls Who Code.

Such projects also provide insight into the future-facing evolution of education, and the ways that learning methods will need to adapt in line with the needs of society in 2030 and beyond.

Strategic opportunity

Brands working across the media and entertainment sectors have an opportunity to support educational initiatives and create engaging ways for people to learn new skills, such as coding, through entertaining content

Fast food giants come together for charitable causes

Burger King, Poland

Poland – Fast food giants McDonald's and Burger King are setting aside competition and joining forces for a worthy cause. In the unusual instance of inter-brand collaboration, Burger King is enticing its customers to buy food from McDonald’s to support the Ronald McDonald House Charities, which supports the families of sick children.

For one weekend in Poland, McDonald’s will donate one Polish zloty from every portion of fries sold to help unite children with their parents in hospitals around the world. To encourage people to support this cause, Burger King is offering its customers a free Whopper Junior if they purchase fries from its competitor. To redeem the burger, consumers can bring their McDonald's receipt to the nearest Burger King chain and receive a free burger.

By setting aside the fast food brands' long-standing rivalry to benefit a philanthropic cause, this is a clear example of Symbiosis Strategies in action, demonstrating how inter-brand collaboration can help boost the profiles of both companies.

Strategic opportunity

Even long-standing competitors stand to gain from collaboration when it comes to charitable initiatives. Companies should consider inter-brand recycling centres to support climate-conscious consumers

Nissan looks to space tech for mobility innovation

Japan – In a bid to develop vehicles suitable for a variety of terrains, the car manufacturer is partnering with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) on a research and prototyping project. Its Lunar Rover concept applies Nissan’s e-4ORCE all-wheel control technology – which JAXA is developing to improve vehicle performance in harsh conditions.

Through this joint research, Nissan and JAXA aim to advance vehicle technology by testing designs on the dusty and treacherous terrain on the Moon, which in turn will inform design decisions for its cars to withstand various conditions on Earth. Ikkoh Funaki, director of the Space Exploration Innovation Hub Center, says: ‘By conducting research with Nissan, which has expertise in electrified technologies, we hope to apply our findings to the development of higher-performance lunar rovers.’

Looking ahead, vehicle manufacturers will increasingly need to develop future-fit Mobility solutions that can withstand the planet’s uncertain climate conditions.

Nissan and JAXA, Japan

Strategic opportunity

Space innovation can inform progress across a number of sectors. Consider partnering with space experts to test and develop products that can withhold extreme conditions on Earth and beyond

Stat: Thai consumers seek preventative health solutions

Karana

As new Covid variants emerge, individual consumers are adapting their diets and wellbeing routines to protect themselves from illness and boost their immune systems. In Thailand alone, consumers are now spending 42% more money on health products and services, according to new research by Mintel.

Among other findings in the report, 46% of Thai consumers agree that diet plays the biggest role in overall health. In response to this, 70% of Thai consumers say they are aiming to achieve more balanced diets, prioritising food and drinks that boost wellbeing. Mintel notes that working women and seniors would be particularly receptive to tailor-made products such as functional beverages, vitamins and supplements.

By creating functional products for specific social groups, brands can cater for often overlooked audiences. Indeed, as Age Becomes the New Diversity Issue, companies have a chance to capitalise on the growing silver pound while championing the visibility of ageing demographics.

Strategic opportunity

Products tailored to certain age groups are likely to perform better in different contexts. Companies should investigate the health opportunity for working women in Thailand