News 01.04.2025

Need to Know

Estée Lauder blends comedy and science to elevate beauty credentials, the Four Seasons announces its own tennis tournament series and how UK shoppers are increasingly using AI agents to buy clothes.

Estée Lauder claims Advanced Night Repair mimics beauty sleep

US – Estée Lauder is harnessing the viral appeal of beauty dupes with its latest advertising campaign, positioning its Advanced Night Repair serum as the ultimate skincare essential. Fronted by actress Kristen Bell, the ad playfully challenges the notion of budget-friendly dupes by making the bold claim that nothing truly compares to a good night’s sleep – except, of course, Estée Lauder’s hero product.

In the campaign film, Bell, a self-proclaimed ‘chronically awake’ mum, uses her comedic timing to underscore the serum’s promise: achieving the appearance of eight hours of beauty sleep, even if you didn’t get it. By tapping into the ongoing dupe conversation, the campaign reinforces Estée Lauder’s brand value, appealing to a market increasingly focused on accessible alternatives, even for those with significant purchasing power. This aligns with the New Codes of Value where consumers expect more than just products – they demand authenticity and expert-driven authority, with a preference for relational engagement over mere transactional interactions.

Timed to coincide with Sleep Awareness Week, the campaign also highlights the brand’s deeper commitment to science-backed beauty. This is underlined by the appointment of renowned neuroscientist and sleep expert Matthew Walker as Estée Lauder’s first-ever global sleep science adviser, reinforcing the brand’s focus on rest and recovery as critical components of self-care.

Strategic opportunity

The campaign’s approach mirrors that of CeraVe’s recent Michael Cera campaign, in which humour and scientific expertise were seamlessly combined to enhance credibility and relatability – a strategy that resonates strongly with Gen Z’s new value system

Four Seasons launches exclusive tournament series with tennis legends

Global – Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced The Road to The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic, a first-of-its-kind doubles tennis tournament held at some of the most stunning Four Seasons properties. World-class tennis champions will serve as coaches for the occasion.

The exclusive tournament series will offer participants the chance to train with tennis legends, culminating in semi-finals and finals at London’s prestigious Hurlingham Club during The Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic from 26 to 28 June 2025. The club, known for its 25-year waiting list, has hosted icons such as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. 

‘At Four Seasons, we craft experiences that are as personal as they are luxurious,’ said Marc Speichert, executive vice-president and chief commercial officer, in a press release. ‘This collaboration blends world-class hospitality, sport and style, offering participants an unparalleled opportunity.’

The tournament stops include Juan Martín del Potro in the Bahamas, Venus Williams in Palm Beach, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in Cap-Ferrat in France, and Goran Ivanišević in Hampshire, UK. The winning teams will advance to the Hurlingham Club, competing under the guidance of tennis legends to be announced at a later date. 

Explore our macrotrend report, Game-Changers: The Future of Sports Fandom, to discover how emerging technologies, new markets and evolving audiences are expanding the world of sports.

Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanišević will host the Giorgio Armani Tennis Classic at the Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire, England

Strategic opportunity

Luxury hospitality businesses should consider creating exclusive VIP sports packages by partnering with major events and legendary athletes, offering behind-the-scenes access, meet-and-greets and co-branded luxury products that engage passionate fans

Stat: UK shoppers embrace AI assistants for fashion finds

AI-powered humanoid robot Miroki designed to support medical staff by Enchanted Tools, France AI-powered humanoid robot Miroki designed to support medical staff by Enchanted Tools, France

UK – British consumers are increasingly turning to AI assistants for online shopping, with fashion emerging as the top category, according to new data from Adobe Analytics.

A February 2025 survey of 2,000 UK shoppers reveals that 76% of consumers have used AI assistants at least once, with 27% using them regularly and 11% using them every day. Traffic to retail sites sourced from AI assistants even increased by 500% between October 2024 and February 2025. 

During the shopping journey, AI is used for research (46%), product recommendations (44%), creating shopping lists (38%), gift inspiration (37%) and finding the best prices (29%). Notably, 35% of Britons surveyed have already used AI for online shopping, rising to 48% of Gen Z and 44% of Millennials.

Interestingly, clothing is the most popular retail category for AI use (39%), while health and beauty (31%) ranks third. But in the US, Adobe found that electronics and jewellery had the highest conversion rates – with the lowest ones in the apparel, home goods and grocery categories.

For more insights on e-commerce supercharged by AI, head to our EQ-Commerce macrotrend report.

Strategic opportunity

Treat AI assistants like a new SEO frontier. Audit your product data to ensure it’s structured, tagged and described in a way that’s easily found by AI interfaces

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