LSN : News : Foresight Friday: Fiona Harkin, director of foresight

JD Sports celebrates modern families in Christmas campaign

'The Family Portrait' by JD Sports, UK

UK – British retailer JD Sports is redefining the meaning of family this holiday season with its 2024 Christmas campaign, Family. The heartfelt film, created by Uncommon Creative Studio, captures the diverse ways people celebrate the festive season and authentically showcases what family means in 2024.

From late-night shifts with colleagues to takeaways with close friends, the film uses a mix of real people and actors to reveal a spectrum of festive traditions, challenging conventional ideas of family. ‘Christmas means different things to different people,’ says JD, inviting viewers to celebrate not only their biological families but also the chosen connections that uplift and support them.

JD Sports’ campaign highlights the diversity and inclusivity of modern families, presenting a raw and genuine look at the rituals that make the season special for communities across the country. Family serves as a celebration of love and connection, and there are many forms it can take during this time of year. For more insights on a diverse array of communities and individuals head to our Identities topic.

Strategic opportunity

Showcasing diverse family dynamics resonates with inclusive audiences. How can your brand use campaign storytelling to celebrate modern connections, sparking emotional engagement while reflecting the evolving meaning of family this festive season?

Louis Le Joly Senoville debuts wearable chess set

HA MAT by Louis Le Joly Senoville, UK

UK – Central Saint Martins graduate Louis Le Joly Senoville has introduced a wearable chess set as his final-year project. Titled Ha Mat, the design aims to revolutionise how the game is played. The set includes 32 rings resembling chess pieces, a silk square game board and a watch that doubles as a chess timer. ‘This design promotes accessibility and modernity,’ Senoville told Dezeen.

Drawing inspiration from objects designed to be concealed, such as silk maps from the Second World War, printed on lightweight fabrics for durability, the chess set combines aesthetics with functionality, allowing enthusiasts to play anywhere without drawing attention. Manufactured in France with certified deadstock silk from LVMH, the components feature brass rings for wearability, while the watch is crafted from aluminium and leather.

With its innovative features, this wearable chess set exemplifies a blend of art and skill, making chess more accessible and stylish than ever before. To find more innovative inventions like Ha Mat, head to our Design sector.

Strategic opportunity

Consider how to tap into the demand for sustainable luxury through deadstock or recycled materials. For instance, can you source from high-end surplus materials to reduce waste and appeal to eco-conscious consumers looking for quality and durability?

Foresight Friday: Fiona Harkin, director of foresight

Google DeepMind, Global

Every Friday, the Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. Here, director of foresight Fiona Harkin wonders whether our ‘age gap autumn’ is more about the boys than the women.

: Bridget’s back. Not sure how I feel about this. It’s as though the entertainment sector has woken up to the muddling middle that Gen X women have found themselves in (see our Generations: Now & Next report for more on this) and then thought fit to process it through a Richard Curtis-style filter of sloganised schmalz. ‘Can you survive?’ ask’s bumbling Bridget’s dad about her new widow status. ‘It’s not enough to survive, you’ve got to live’. Urgh.

: Subtitled Mad About The Boy, 50something Bridget enters the dating scene and comes across 29-year-old Roxter… and boom, here we have the pinnacle of Age Gap-era entertainment. Add it to your Netflix watchlist alongside The Idea of You (developed from Harry Styles-focused fan fic), Lonely Planet and A Family Affair. It’s as though the studios turned to Pornhub’s most searched term and built content all around it.

: I just can’t help feeling we’re all being sold a bit of a lie though. Anne Hathaway is merely an early 40something in The Idea of You while other actresses have an army of plastic surgeons behind them to visually ease us into age gap acceptance. I think we can all do better in serving this generation of women. And men. Whether it’s Kate Winslet’s confidently real turn as mid-life photographer Lee Miller or Nicole Kidman’s Babygirl kink scene, brands would do well to explore the more complex, liberational portrayals of midlife female desire. And then there are the darker sides: see Last Summer and All Fours.

: Yet my favourite remains a charming but prescient 2013 film I saw debut at SXSW written by actor Joseph Gordon Levitt, called Don Jon and featuring Julianne Moore. It’s a treasure, touching on the challenges for young men growing up in a Pornhub world. Maybe, this age gap stuff is actually more about the boys than the women, after all?

: But for most, the reality of age gap romance is perfectly, poetically captured by this Moth Story.

Quote of the Week

‘Playing this character didn’t scare me at all. It captivated me. It pulled me in… But on the first day, I started to go, ‘This is going to be very exposing.’ And there were different points when it was like, ‘I don’t want to be looked at, touched in any way anymore. No more, no more, no more’

Nicole Kidman on her Babygirl character (source: W Magazine)

Stat: Sober Christmas parties are on the rise

Photography by Nicole Michalou

UK – Christmas celebrations are being reshaped because of shifting consumer attitudes to alcohol, with health, inclusivity and experiential elements driving change, according to new research from events platform Togather.

While traditional festive revelry persists, sober parties are rising in popularity: 21% of Christmas parties will be alcohol-free in 2024, up from 19% in 2023. Companies are responding to this by offering alternative beverages such as creative mocktails or warming drinks, such as hot chocolate.

Despite a growing focus on alcohol-free options, drink budgets have increased by 9.4%. This shows that ‘while companies are expanding their non-alcoholic options, they’re also continuing to provide high-quality cocktails, beer, and wine’, the report says.

It also revealed that London remains a hub for celebrations, with 58% of UK bookings taking place in the city. Larger parties with more than 100 guests are increasing, reflecting big-budget entertainment; immersive venues such as trendy bars and industrial spaces remain popular.

Consumers have been increasingly exploring sober curiosity over the last few years. In Sober Bars we explored the emergence of establishments that provide a safe space to enjoy drinking without the pressure of alcohol, while in No-lo Taste Lifts we unpacked the evolution of the non-alcoholic beverage category.

Strategic opportunity

Businesses should diversify company events to be more inclusive and wellness-oriented. Consider introducing wellbeing activities, alcohol-free experiences and healthy dining options to create engaging experiences for all employees