News 10.01.2022

Need to Know

A tax service for a new wave of gig workers, a platform for the crypto-curious and Britain’s workers must adapt to remain relevant.

TurboTax seizes a new reality of gig work

You Do Your Thing by TurboTax in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy, US

US – With Tax Day looming on the horizon, financial service TurboTax is appealing to a new generation of gig workers with its You Do Your Thing campaign. Capitalising on the rise of self-employed workers in 2021, the playful campaign highlights the unconventional professions that have gained ground during the pandemic.

Shedding light on the shifting nature of self-employment, the campaign includes a crypto-investor, gamer, musician and influencer. By catering for professions that aren’t normally associated with – but are not exempt from – tax filing, the campaign is aiming to capture the 16% of Americans that have earned money for a ride-hailing app or delivering groceries during 2021. With 31% of current or recent gig workers relying on independent employment as their main source of income over the past 12 months, self-employment is becoming a more prominent feature of the American economic landscape.

By appealing to freelance workers that might need help navigating the complicated process of tax filing without the support of a traditional employer, TurboTax is aligning itself with the rise of Accredited Influencers.

Strategic opportunity

The nature of the gig economy is changing. Consider the different services that might be needed by this new wave of self-employed workers

CES 2022: Picoo is a games console for the great outdoors

Picoo, Las Vegas Picoo, Las Vegas
Picoo, Las Vegas Picoo, Las Vegas

Las Vegas – The device, which is being launched in the US market at the 2022 edition of CES, combines children’s love of video gaming with exposure to nature. Created as a set of hand-held devices that mirror the design of typical gaming controllers, Picoo uses coloured lights, haptics and sounds to bring outdoor games to life without the need for a screen.

To use Picoo, kids scan a card associated with a specific game – including Hide-and-seek, Zombierun and Spy Hunt – before the device springs to life. The concept, according to its founders, is to get kids off their screens and rediscovering the joys of playing outside and making social connections, albeit in a more interactive way than traditional schoolyard games. Originally launched in The Netherlands and now expanding into the US, it’s aimed at both at parents and schools.

Next-gen toys such as Picoo represent the need for brands to take inspiration from the gaming world and apply this interactivity to physical play. Find out more about how Gen Alpha are pioneering Edu-play-tion in our microtrend.

Strategic opportunity

Millennial and Generation Z parents will want their children to experience life with a balance digital connectivity and physical, nature-led exploration. What are the ways that nature can be integrated into your brand offering or services?

A platform helping newcomers enter the NFT space

US – Billing itself as a ‘passport for the metaverse’, Islands is a new platform by Tiffany Zhong and Nikhil Srinivasan that aims to help initiate newcomers into the world of NFT art, crypto-assets and communities.

With the backing of Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, whose venture capital firm led a £2.6m ($3.5m, €2.9m) seed round in the company, Islands is aiming to drive new users into the realm of Web3 by centralising and aggregating its participants. As it stands, the non-fungible token (NFT) community is dispersed over various social media platforms such as Discord and Twitter, without a platform dedicated entirely to its own users. As a result, communication can be lost among different channels, and joining an NFT community can appear counter-intuitive as an outsider. ‘We wake up to Discord and NFT Twitter very anxious, with a ton of unread messages, and that can’t be the best way,’ explains Ohanian.

By helping onboard new users and catering for beginners as well as established players, Islands is aiming to persuade people from a variety of backgrounds to join a Crypto-clique. ‘Our goal is to help get more people into Web3, because clearly it’s so nascent and early,’ explains Tiffany Zhong, co-founder of Islands.

Islands

Strategic opportunity

While many companies launch NFTs, the general public still needs more resources to understand the phenomenon. Consider a project or campaign that can provide a relatable introduction

Stat: British workers see upskilling as necessary

PHYD and Il Prisma PHYD and Il Prisma

According to research from Natwest, British employees increasingly recognise the need to adapt in order to remain relevant. A majority (94%) of Britons agree that workers are likely to need a more diverse skillset in the businesses of the future.

Meanwhile, almost two thirds (64%) said their jobs would need to adapt within the next 10–15 years to keep up with new developments, but only 4% said that they thought their job would become totally obsolete. Interestingly, more than half of those polled (52%) said they would like to work with robots in 2036.

While global employees have previously shown reticence about automation and robotics in workplaces, these figures indicate people’s changing mindsets. To prepare for the changing needs of work environments, platforms such as The Internet of Skills are democratising work – and enabling remote collaboration – through 5G.

Strategic opportunity

When hiring new talent, you can attract more diverse groups by offering training and development for technologically enhanced operations. Be transparent about any plans to embrace robotics, and involve your employees from the start

Previous News Articles
Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

News

Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

Polaroid has launched The Camera for an Analog Life, a campaign designed to push back against screen fatigue and AI overload. The initiative celebr...
Technology : Design : Advertising
Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

News

Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

Zalando is rethinking how it sells beauty with the launch of Insider’s Edit, a new shoppable content series that blends expert advice with curated ...
Beauty : Retail : Fashion
Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

News

Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

As AI agents begin making purchases on behalf of consumers, retailers must redesign websites and rethink advertising strategies to remain visible a...
Technology : Retail
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
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