Daily Signals 13.12.2021

Signals

A music video offers an introduction to coding, Nissan tests its vehicles on moon-like terrain and Thai consumers adopt healthier lifestyles.

Doja Cat’s latest music video teaches girls to code

Girls Who Code Presents Doja Cat Woman
Girls Who Code Presents Doja Cat Woman
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 Burger King, Poland
Burger King, Poland 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 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

Previous Daily Signals Articles
Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête du Temps stars in Louvre exhibition

Daily Signals

Vacheron Constantin’s La Quête du Temps stars in Louvre exhibition

Luxury Swiss watchmaker Vacheron Constantin has unveiled La Quête du Temps at the Louvre, a monumental automaton clock to celebrate the brand’s 270...
Luxury : Watches : Retail
Mandarin Oriental to open first golf and wellness resort in Dubai

Daily Signals

Mandarin Oriental to open first golf and wellness resort in Dubai

Mandarin Oriental is expanding its luxury footprint in Dubai with its first dedicated golf resort and branded residences, set to open in 2030.
Travel : Hospitality : Luxury
Stat: Medical misinformation is a growing concern for US Women

Daily Signals

Stat: Medical misinformation is a growing concern for US Women

A recent survey by Clue reveals that 82% of US women are concerned about encountering medical misinformation online, with over half (55%) reporting...
Stats : Statistic : Statistics
Netflix’s Famous Last Words signals a new era of digital legacy

Daily Signals

Netflix’s Famous Last Words signals a new era of digital legacy

Dr Jane Goodall, the renowned ethologist and conservationist passed away this week. An interview she recorded for Netflix’s new series Famous Last ...
Technology : Legacy : Longevity
Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

Daily Signals

Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, foresight analyst Seyi Od...
Foresight Friday : Content Creation : Media
Stat: Americans’ trust in media declines to record low

Daily Signals

Stat: Americans’ trust in media declines to record low

Media : Trust : Consumer Behaviour
London welcomes the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture

Daily Signals

London welcomes the world’s first Museum of Youth Culture

The world’s first permanent museum dedicated to youth culture is set to open in Camden, London, in December 2025.
Youth : Culture : Museum
Swedish insurer hacks social media algorithms with mental health anthem

Daily Signals

Swedish insurer hacks social media algorithms with mental health anthem

Swedish insurer Länsförsäkringar Göteborg och Bohuslän has launched Detoxify, a subversive campaign that uses music to retrain harmful social media...
Sweden : Social Media : Algorithms
Stat: Gen Z shuns the values most desired by hiring managers

Daily Signals

Stat: Gen Z shuns the values most desired by hiring managers

New research from behavioural-science company Becoming You Labs reveals that only a small fraction of American Gen Z hold the three main values tha...
Youth : Gen Z : Work
Stella McCartney debuts plant-based feathers at Paris Fashion Week

Daily Signals

Stella McCartney debuts plant-based feathers at Paris Fashion Week

At Paris Fashion Week, Stella McCartney unveiled a striking alternative to bird feathers: plant-based Fevvers.
Stella McCartney : Fevvers : Feathers
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