News 07.10.2022

Need to Know

Futures 100 Innovators Awards 2022 announced, Olssøn Barbieri playfully rebrands a Bordeaux winery, and hotels are more carbon-intensive than hostels.

Futures 100 Innovators Awards 2022 announced

Dr Catherine Nakalembe, US Dr Catherine Nakalembe, US

NASA Harvest’s Dr Catherine Nakalembe is the winner of The Future Laboratory’s first ever Futures 100 Innovators Awards, which took place on Thursday 6 October at London’s Royal Academy of Arts (RA).

Dr Nakalembe triumphed over 100 innovators whose work cut across 14 lifestyle sectors – from fashion and beauty to finance, retail, luxury and biotech – and introduced as many game-changing technologies, ideas and innovations to consumers in the US, the EU and Africa.

Nakalembe’s work – which focuses on using satellites and machine learning to future-proof African farming against the impact of drought and climate change – was described by judges from the worlds of design, tech, branding, retail and social media as ‘an idea that delivers long-term generational impact’, the ‘big idea that links technology with the provision of food’, and from Platform13’s founder Leila Fataar, an innovation that is ‘game-changing, societal, environmental, impactful and innovative’.

Second place in our Futures 100 Innovators Awards went to entrepreneur Harsha L’Acqua, for founding Saira Hospitality, her non-profit platform and academy that partners with leading hospitality brands globally to give marginalised people access to skills and knowledge as a gateway to new careers development, while our special merit runners-up award went to sisters Alexia and Margot de Broglie for developing Your Juno, a one-stop shop for women’s financial education.

Strategic opportunity

Many of our innovators are still seeking co-funding and venture capital partnerships to further their innovations in terms of next-stage development and longevity. Why not consider speaking to them about how you can get involved with their future success?

Olssøn Barbieri playfully rebrands a Bordeaux winery

Château Picoron. Identity by OlssønBarbieri, France Château Picoron. Identity by OlssønBarbieri, France
Château Picoron. Identity by OlssønBarbieri, France Château Picoron. Identity by OlssønBarbieri, France

France – Norwegian studio Olssøn Barbieri has devised a new brand identity and packaging for the Château Picoron winery – playful and modern yet a nod to the strict regulations of the Bordeaux winemaking region.

The 16th-century château commissioned Olssøn Barbieri for the rebranding, aiming to break with traditional aesthetics and highlight how climate change is challenging winemaking’s future. The new design employs variations on a single font, and all wines were renamed using palindromes (words that read the same backwards and forwards), playfully referencing Bordeaux’s strict rules.

‘Home to some of the world’s most prestigious wines and strictest self-imposed regulations, Bordeaux has begun to lose its appeal to new generations,’ says Olssøn Barbieri. ‘The goal was to create an inclusive brand identity by shaking the snobbery of the region, making wines more fun while honouring their legacy.’

We are beginning to see brands pouring wit into wine branding and steer away from conventions by playfully bending the rules, such as Château Picoron's updated identity which resonates with younger wine enthusiasts and takes legacy to a new era.

Strategic opportunity

Even in heavily regulated and stuffy industries, brands can find ways to stay fresh and relevant – a necessary update to appeal to younger luxury consumers

RCVRY, a cannabis brand designed for gamers

US – A new brand is creating synergy between the burgeoning gaming and cannabis industries, an unexplored yet promising association of two intertwined worlds.

RCVRY is the brainchild of YouTuber and esports mogul FaZe Rain and The Parent Company, a California-based cannabis platform. The brand will focus on supporting lifestyles centred on wellness and creativity, a choice guided by FaZe Rain’s own experience with cannabis easing his recovery from nerve damage.

‘I saw a need to further the potential of the industry by helping to advance the mainstream acceptance of cannabis. RCVRY was created to further that goal and change opinions on cannabis while providing a consistent source of top-tier flower to community members,’ FaZe Rain said in a statement.

The initial launch includes an exclusive Rainz Runtz cannabis strain and merchandise, which will be sold in limited quantities in a West Hollywood dispensary.

Like Houseplant’s playful rebranding presents cannabis products breaking away from a wellness-orientated image, RCVRY is the industry's first step into the gaming world, a sizeable potential market largely unexplored by cannabis brands until now.

RCVRY by The Parent Company, US

Strategic opportunity

The RCVRY project further highlights the power of communities and the commercial potential of tailor-made concepts catering for a specific community or niche

Stat: Hostels are an environmentally conscious alternative to hotels

The Standard hotel, Thailand The Standard hotel, Thailand

Global – A new study by leading sustainability specialist Bureau Veritas, commissioned by go-to travel agent for hostel-seeking travellers Hostelworld, has found that hotels in Europe are 75% more carbon-intensive than hostels.

The study analysed data from 27,509 beds in hostels and hotels across Europe to calculate the average tCO2e (tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent) per bed. It found that the carbon emissions per bed in hotels averages 1.18 tCO2e, compared to 0.30 tCO2e in hostels, showing that hostels are a climate-friendly alternative to hotels.

According to Gary Morrison, CEO of Hostelworld, travellers are increasingly looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint, with 53% of customers saying sustainability plays a role in the travel planning process.

As consumers’ concerns about the impact of mass tourism and climate change increase, sustainable tourism choices will become more desirable.

Strategic opportunity

Encourage collaborative living spaces and consider how shared spaces could help attract a growing market for environmentally conscious travel

Previous News Articles
AI-generated images of animals in plastic help WWF-Korea raise awareness about pollution

News

AI-generated images of animals in plastic help WWF-Korea raise awareness about pollution

WWF-Korea has launched Animal Trash Fashion, a powerful out-of-home campaign using AI to starkly illustrate the devastating impact of plastic pollu...
Sustainability : Design : Advertising
Rixo launches pre-loved resale platform

News

Rixo launches pre-loved resale platform

British fashion brand Rixo is expanding its circular ambitions with the launch of Rixo Pre-Loved, a resale platform where customers buy and sell it...
Retail : Fashion : Sutainability
Stat: Global business travel spending hits historic high

News

Stat: Global business travel spending hits historic high

Business travel is set to reach a record £1.18 trillion ($1.57 trillion, €1.36 trillion) by the end of 2025, according to ...
Stat : Statistic : Global Travel Market
Axe gamifies fragrance sampling with arcade-inspired bus stop activation

News

Axe gamifies fragrance sampling with arcade-inspired bus stop activation

Axe is making fragrance sampling fun again with a new campaign for its Cherry Fizz body spray.
Advertising : Fragrance : Retail
New wearable tracks hydration levels in real time

News

New wearable tracks hydration levels in real time

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin have developed a non-invasive wearable that continuously monitors hydration levels in real time.
Wearable Technology : Healthcare : Hydration
Stat: Online resale is booming in Britain

News

Stat: Online resale is booming in Britain

Online resale is booming in Britain, with pre-owned shopping now worth £4.3bn ($5.8bn, €5bn) annually and is set to rise to £4.8bn ($6.4bn, €5.5bn)...
Retail : Fashion : Technology
Prada’s 2025 Qixi campaign turns Shanghai’s bridges into a stage for love

News

Prada’s 2025 Qixi campaign turns Shanghai’s bridges into a stage for love

Prada’s campaign for the 2025 Qixi Festival – often referred to as Chinese Valentine’s Day – reimagines China’s legendary love tale through an...
Luxury : Fashion : Chinese Folklore
M&S tracks plastic’s afterlife with invisible UV packaging tags

News

M&S tracks plastic’s afterlife with invisible UV packaging tags

M&S : Sustainability : Retail
Stat: Britons are increasingly turning to biohacking through wellness supplements

News

Stat: Britons are increasingly turning to biohacking through wellness supplements

According to a July 2025 YouGov poll, one in five Britons (21%) have taken a wellness supplement in 2025 – pointing to the rise of personalise...
Health And Wellness : Supplements : Stat
Ocado’s Shopping List Stories campaign finds emotional value in the weekly shop

News

Ocado’s Shopping List Stories campaign finds emotional value in the weekly shop

Ocado is reframing grocery shopping as an emotional experience with Shopping List Stories, a new campaign by Uncommon Creative Studio.
Food And Drink : Supermarket : Branding And Advertising
You have 0 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN