LSN : News : Skincare specialist The Ordinary sells eggs in food price protest

Glossier unveils immersive experience for Fleur fragrance launch in Paris

Glossier and Random Studio, Paris

France – US beauty brand Glossier has partnered with design studio Random to create an AI-driven brand experience for the launch of its Fleur fragrance at Galerie Joseph in Paris. Each visitor entering the immersive, interactive fragrance pavilion has their expressions and posture analysed in real time. The technology then generates personalised poetry, transforming the scent experience into a unique encounter.

‘Blending machine learning, emotional recognition and generative content, this spatial AI redefines retail engagement,’ said the design team. The venue, located in Le Marais, transforms into a dreamlike landscape where pastel flowers bloom and lilac petals shift with each guest’s movement, reflecting the essence of the Fleur campaign.

The three modernist scent pavilions combine colour, sound and light to express Glossier’s perfumes, with the Fleur pavilion serving as the poetic centrepiece. The installation allows visitors to engage with the fragrance before exiting through a gift shop, leaving with a tactile memory of the brand’s world.

Explore our Scent Retail Futures report to understand how luxury fragrance retailers are creating immersive experiences powered by AI.

Strategic opportunity

Consider using AI, machine learning and emotional recognition in your retail stores to create hyper-personalised, hybrid experiences that blend physical and digital worlds, delivering awe-inspiring and artistic experiences with tools such as AR and virtual try-ons

Skincare specialist The Ordinary sells eggs in food price protest

US – Skincare label The Ordinary teamed up with US art collective MSCHF to sell cartons of eggs for just £2.66 ($3.37, €3.13) per dozen as a reaction to rising food prices in the US. Sold exclusively at its Nolita and 5th Avenue stores on 22 and 23 March, the initiative swapped serums for staples, aligning with MSCHF’s irreverent reputation for stunts as social commentary.

Packaged in The Ordinary’s signature minimalist style, the eggs were limited to two cartons per customer. The move sparked online debate, with one user commenting: ‘The fact that it takes a beauty brand to provide affordable groceries is sad.’ Others noted the irony of a Canadian skincare brand stepping in to aid US residents.

In the US, egg prices have surged more than 65% in the past year due to avian flu and supply issues, peaking at £6.45 ($8.17, €7.60) per dozen. While costs have recently fallen to around £3.87 ($4.90, €4.56), supermarket prices remain high – making The Ordinary’s eggs an unexpected bargain in an inflated grocery market.

For more insights on how brands are getting creative to attract and retain consumers amid the cost of living crisis, read our New Codes of Value macrotrend report.

The Ordinary Eggs, US

Strategic opportunity

Break free from your category’s boundaries to deliver value in unexpected ways. If a skincare brand can sell eggs, what could you offer that surprises and supports your audience in daily life?

Stat: Indian government is investing in new tourism infrastructure

Ananda, India

India – The government in India has earmarked almost £366m ($474m, €440m) to develop 116 new tourist destinations. Forty of these will be marketed in other countries to elevate India’s appeal to travellers, including an adventure retreat in Arunachal Pradesh and a film city in Chhattisgarh.

Yet, despite these investments, India’s international marketing budget remains low, having been cut by 97% last year, and is now a meagre £279,000 ($361,000, €335,000) annually. The lack of global promotion is exacerbating existing barriers to tourism including complex visa processes, safety concerns and pollution.

The country is struggling to regain the number of visitors who were attracted pre-pandemic: while 2023 saw 9.5m foreign tourists – 90% of pre-pandemic figures – data for the first six months of 2024 looks sluggish, at 4.8m. Tourism officials are not predicting a full rebound until 2028–29, highlighting an urgent need for strategic global outreach (source: Skift).

Our Future Forecast 2025: Travel & Hospitality and ITB Berlin 2025: Six Trends to Watch reports highlight the growing number of affluent Indians who are travelling to destinations including Europe and the UAE. The Indian government will be keen to reroute affluent citizens, and global tourists, to domestic hotspots instead.

Strategic opportunity

With affluent Indians increasingly travelling abroad, there’s a prime opportunity to create premium domestic experiences (luxury retreats, wellness escapes, adventure lodges) that rival international offerings. Focus on world-class service, sustainability, and Instagrammable aesthetics