News 27.11.2023

Need to Know

Landor unveils new branding, Vuokkoset launches tampons for trans men, TikTok Shop targets pre-loved luxury consumers and why shoppers are still reluctant to embrace AI in retail.

Landor turns to sonic and AI-powered services with new rebranding

Landor, UK Landor, UK

UK – Branding agency Landor & Fitch, a WPP subsidiary, has undergone a comprehensive rebranding, unveiling its new identity as Landor in November 2023. Driven by new demands from its clients, the firm’s transformation represents the culmination of a five-year strategy, symbolising a profound shift in its services across consulting, design and experience.

Under its new name, Landor, the company has broadened its expertise by incorporating leaders in sonic branding, architectural design and motion specialists into its expanding team. Teemu Suviala, global chief creative officer, says his team will also be looking at how to work hand in hand with AI in upcoming projects.

The revamped brand expression features a striking ultramarine blue colour palette, inspired by the transformative nature of water and honouring the agency’s founding roots established by Walter Landor on a San Francisco harbour ferry.

‘Our refreshed brand, with its ultramarine blue identity, marks a new era in redefining the brand and design category,’ says Suviala. ‘We’ve harnessed our network’s creative talents to craft a brand that encompasses every facet – from visual and verbal to sonic and motion.’

As explored in Elastic Agencies, creative agencies must embrace flexibility like never before to retain clients and attract new talents with expertise in AI, VFX, motion design and more.

Strategic opportunity

Embrace a holistic approach to your branding that encompasses visual, verbal, sonic and motion elements to create a more immersive and engaging brand experience

New tampon line designed to minimise gender dysphoria in trans men

Vuokkoset, Finland Vuokkoset, Finland
Vuokkoset, Finland Vuokkoset, Finland

Finland – Hygiene brand Vuokkoset has collaborated with advertising agency TBWA/Helsinki on tampons designed for transgender men.

In a bid to minimise gender dysphoria experienced by trans men who menstruate, the Tampon for Men has the same functionality as a traditional tampon but uses the tagline ‘For Menstruation’ on dark blue packaging.

‘Menstrual products – from visuality and advertising to store location – are strongly feminine. It’s time to acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals,’ says Sanna Karhu, CEO of Delipap Oy, the manufacturer of Vuokkoset.

The line was launched as a limited edition on 15 November 2023 to coincide with International Transgender Awareness Week, and sales proceeds will be donated to Trasek ry, an organisation focused on gender diversity and sexual health.

The product will inspire essential conversations about gender and menstruation. Vuokkoset could go even further in its commitment to inclusivity by challenging the pink tax. In America, this discriminatory pricing that inflates the cost of goods marketed to women represents £148,940 ($188,000, €171,620) in additional tax throughout a woman’s life (source: The California Senate Committee on Judiciary and Senate Select Committee on Women, Work & Families). Labelling healthcare products such as tampons as ‘gender-neutral’ might be more effective in reducing period poverty and alerting on the costs of menstruating products borne predominantly by cis women amid a cost of living crisis.

On LS:N Global, our Identities topic is an essential resource for tracking directions in diversity, inclusion and more.

Strategic opportunity

Inclusivity goes beyond marketing and branding. Consider introducing reimbursement programmes to help make period care more accessible or offering neutral packing and free home delivery options for those who find buying tampons in-store triggering

TikTok Shop elevates luxury resale with Real Authentication partnership

Coachtopia by Coach, US Coachtopia by Coach, US

US – TikTok Shop, the social commerce arm of TikTok has continued its foray into the pre-owned luxury market, forging a strategic alliance with Real Authentication, a leading US luxury goods authentication firm. This partnership aims to enhance the authentication and evaluation process for used luxury handbags on the TikTok Shop platform in America. The move follows TikTok Shop’s collaboration with Entrupy, an AI-powered authenticator, for a similar service.

Sellers on TikTok Shop now have the advantage of using a hand-held microscope connected to their smartphones, capturing images of their products for evaluation. These images are then submitted to Entrupy’s AI model for authentication, and items passing scrutiny receive a certification. Notably, all second-hand luxury items listed on TikTok Shop are required to have certificates from third-party authenticators like Entrupy or Real Authentication.

This strategic push into the pre-owned luxury market positions TikTok Shop as a formidable contender against established players such as The RealReal and Poshmark, signalling its intent to dominate the luxury resale landscape. It also showcases its potential in capturing the Gen Z Luxury Market as younger generations continue to prioritise second-hand shopping to establish their sustainability credentials.

Strategic opportunity

As explored in Luxury Recrafted, consumers want their luxury products to be certified and live several lives. Consider how to embed digital passports into your products during the manufacturing process to use blockchain technology to supercharge traceability and resale

Stat: Shoppers remain reluctant to embrace generative AI in retail

AI artwork by Samuel Davies for The Future Laboratory AI artwork by Samuel Davies for The Future Laboratory

US – There are many ways in which generative AI could enhance the retail experience, from personalising gift guides to supercharging customer support – but are consumers ready? In October 2023, Morning Consult surveyed 2,200 US adults on how they feel about retailers embracing AI. The study found that consumer interest in AI-powered e-commerce applications has been stagnant since the beginning of 2023. Despite this slowdown, one consumer in five admitted to being willing to pay a reasonable fee to get AI shopping assistance, such as AI-generated gift guides.

Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely consumer groups to use AI for shopping – a quarter of Millennials (26%) reported using an AI retail tool in the past 30 days. Looking at all age groups, shoppers still tend to prefer human interaction over AI assistance, but it appears to be a matter of getting people on board. Those who have taken the leap describe AI tools as helpful and unique.

These findings highlight that while consumers recognise that AI can enable enhanced and more personalised EQ-Commerce experiences, the challenge for retailers lies in organically integrating AI tools into the shopping journey.

Strategic opportunity

Generative AI tools can provide benefits to online buyers and retailers alike. Ease consumers into adopting AI, stressing what AI features add to the experience – from easier navigation and search functions to fine-tuned personalisation

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