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Apple’s latest accessibility film champions inclusive athletics

The Relay campaign by Apple

Global – Apple continues to push boundaries in accessibility marketing with its latest campaign film, The Relay, directed by Derek Cianfrance. Following the success of its Emmy-winning film The Greatest, Apple’s new ad shifts focus to the world of sports, with its release just after the Paris Olympics and ahead of the Paralympics.

The Relay is a four-minute film that showcases a diverse group of eight athletes – four with disabilities and four without – competing in a relay race. The film highlights how Apple’s accessibility features empower athletes with disabilities in their training and daily lives. Featured athletes include a cyclist with an upper limb difference, a wheelchair racer, a low-vision swimmer and a blade runner, all using Apple devices equipped with features like AssistiveTouch, Magnifier, Point and Speak, and Wheelchair Workouts.

By demonstrating these tools in action, Apple emphasises the athletes’ determination and the level playing field created through its technology. As with previous campaigns, The Relay is a celebration of inclusivity, seamlessly integrating product promotion with authentic storytelling that resonates with a broad audience.

The film is another example of an effective brand activation from the Olympic and Paralympic games, as highlighted in Five Fashion Activation Taking Olympic Gold.

Strategic opportunity

Take inspiration from Apple and develop campaigns that not only promote products but also demonstrate their real-world impact, reinforcing your brand’s commitment to accessibility and inclusivity

Lisbon’s river pool concept brings urban bathing to the Tagus

Urban swimming pool concept by X Atelier and Atelier Baum, Lisbon, Portugal

Portugal – Architecture and design firms X Atelier and Atelier Baum have proposed a bold architectural project to reconnect the city of Lisbon with the River Tagus.

The Loop Pool Tejo urban pool concept is a response to the city’s need for accessible, central bathing options that bypass the overcrowded beaches and coastal traffic jams.

Designed to resemble a water droplet, the sculptural form of The Loop Pool would function as a self-filtering swimming pool, amphitheatre and solarium, anchored by the existing Braço de Prata pier.

The project aims to transform the river front into a public space for water activities such as rowing and paddle boarding. The circular design offers distinct zones, including a west-facing amphitheatre for sunbathing and a shaded area beneath the pool, ensuring comfort in the city’s summer heat. The structure’s fluid form enhances the connection between the urban landscape and the river, providing a refreshing, multifunctional retreat for residents.

In our Urban Bathing report, we previously analysed how a post-pandemic desire for wellness enjoyed in a communal setting is driving demand for similar urban-friendly wellness and leisure concepts across the globe.

Strategic opportunity

What role can your brand play in bringing blue spaces to grey places – a growing imperative for those living in dense population zones?

Canadian distillery pioneers sustainable aviation fuel from dairy by-product

Mosa Meat, The Netherlands

Canada – Ontario-based Dairy Distillery, known for its innovative Vodkow vodka, is now turning heads by converting cow’s milk into sustainable aviation fuel.

Led by CEO Omid McDonald, the distillery has developed a method to transform unused lactose, a by-product of dairy processing, into carbon-neutral alcohol. This pioneering approach addresses the growing issue of excess lactose due to declining milk consumption and increased cheese and yogurt production.

Dairy Distillery uses a natural yeast to convert milk permeate, the leftover liquid after fats and proteins are separated, into alcohol. This alcohol is then used to produce Vodkow vodka and a range of cream liqueurs made with fresh Canadian cream.

Expanding its vision, Dairy Distillery has formed the Dairy Distillery Alliance in partnership with the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA). Together, they are building an alcohol plant in Michigan, which will convert 14,000 tons of milk permeate into 2.2m gallons of alcohol annually. This alcohol, when blended with transport fuel, is expected to offset 14,500 tons of carbon per year, marking a significant step towards sustainable aviation fuel.

This innovative project highlights how waste can be re-invented – a topic we explore further in Innovation Debrief 2023–2024 – to help redefine the future of sustainable fuel production.

Strategic opportunity

Consider how your brand can turn by-products from existing production processes into sustainable and marketable solutions. Can you transform excess materials into eco-friendly products or alternative energy sources, for instance?

Stat: Hispanic population drives post-Covid US growth

Photography by Cottonbro, Russia

US – The Hispanic population in the US grew by 3.2m from April 2020 to July 2023, accounting for 91% of the nation’s overall gain, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data.

While the US population increased by 3.4m overall during this period, the white population declined by 2.1m, largely due to higher death rates and lower fertility among white women. In contrast, Hispanic and other non-white groups are projected to constitute 44% of the population by 2030, with Hispanics comprising one-fifth of the total.

Notably, in 15 states, including California and New York, populations declined, with the youth population particularly shrinking, while Florida and Texas each gained about 100,000 younger residents.

This demographic shift marks a significant transformation in the American landscape, with demographer William Frey describing it as a ‘diversity explosion’ that will shape the future of US policies and politics (source: Brookings Institution).

In our Identities topic on LS:N Global we’re tracking shifting demographics, diversity, inclusion, women’s futures, evolving masculinity, spirituality, neurodiversity, ability and disability, and how this affects business futures.

Strategic opportunity

Use demographic data to design hyper-localised marketing strategies and optimise advertising spend by aligning with the cultural nuances of distinct US regions. Target the growing youth population in Texas or North Dakota’s fast-growing Hispanic community, for example