News 21.05.2025

News

Nature finds its voice at Chelsea Flower Show, ITV sets new standard for entertainment inclusion and why Gen Z are moving back in with their parents.

Avanade Intelligent Garden gives trees a voice at Chelsea Flower Show

The Avanade Intelligent Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, London, UK
The Avanade Intelligent Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, London, UK
The Avanade Intelligent Garden at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025, London, UK

UK – This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show invites visitors to interact with AI-enabled trees in the Avanade Intelligent Garden. Twelve trees, fitted with environmental sensors, respond via an AI tool called Tree Talk – and in this parched spring, their message is clear: thirsty.

The installation, designed by Tom Massey and Je Ahn in partnership with Microsoft and Avanade, monitors soil pH, moisture and air quality in real time. Visitors can engage in text-based conversations with the trees, receiving live updates on their health and alerts on issues such as under-watering.

Addressing the low survival rates of urban trees – around 30% die within a year, according to research from the Woodland Trust – the project shows how AI can enhance urban biodiversity and environmental stewardship.

This initiative reflects a broader shift towards symbiotic technologies that foster more meaningful, reciprocal relationships between human and non-human life, as explored in our Symbiotic Symbols microtrend.

Strategic opportunity

Use AI-driven, nature-responsive tech to turn environmental data into emotional, shareable storytelling – giving eco-systems a voice and inviting consumers to actively engage in protecting and sustaining the world around them

ITV launches deaf-led drama with BSL and silent ad break

Code of Silence on ITV, UK Code of Silence on ITV, UK
Code of Silence on ITV, UK Code of Silence on ITV, UK

UK – ITV is pushing the boundaries of inclusive storytelling with the launch of its new prime time drama Code of Silence, starring BAFTA-winning actor and deaf campaigner Rose Ayling-Ellis.

The recently premiered (18 May 2025) six-part crime drama centres on a deaf lip-reading analyst, Alison Brooks, who is drawn into a covert police surveillance operation watching a gang planning a high-stakes heist. Created by Catherine Moulton, who has personal experience with hearing loss, the series goes beyond representation in plot alone – each episode will also be available in British Sign Language (BSL) on ITVX.

The debut episode was also accompanied by a silent ad break; during the three-minute and 20-second commercial slot, brands including The National Lottery, Virgin Atlantic, Boots Hearingcare, Cupra, Hellman’s, Ikea, Walkers, Aldi and the Scottish Government (on STV) ran subtitled and/or signed ads without sound.

Rather than treating inclusion as a side note, ITV embeds deaf culture into both content and advertising, moving from tokenism to cultural fluency. Code of Silence shows that authentic representation doesn’t limit reach; it drives relevance. By backing the right talent and prioritising creative integrity, the network sets a new precedent for meaningful, accessible programming.

For more on how the media landscape is adapting to increasingly diverse and engaged audiences, explore our Pop Culture & Media sector.

Strategic opportunity

Future-facing media brands should build the creative infrastructure and talent pipelines that make inclusive storytelling the norm – not the exception – driving deeper, more authentic audience connection

Stat: Boomerang generation return home due to cost of living crisis

Photography by Askar Abayev Photography by Askar Abayev

UK – The rising cost of living and unaffordable housing are fuelling a surge in adult children returning to the family home, with the average boomerang age now 26, according to a new survey of 2,000 people across the UK, conducted by Yonder Consulting for NatWest.

Nearly a quarter (23%) of parents with adult children have seen them return home after first moving out. One in five returnees is over 30, and nearly a quarter move back just two years after initially leaving. Some even bring partners or children with them, reshaping the traditional notion of the empty nest. 

Parents are adjusting, too, with 55% having given up home offices or guest rooms to accommodate returning children, and 60% charge or would charge rent. 

‘Many children across the country are having to return to the homes that they grew up in well into their 20s and 30s to give themselves the financial headroom to save for a deposit,’ said Barry Connolly, managing director of home-buying and ownership at NatWest. 

With rental demand rising and fewer landlord listings, the strain on younger adults continues. According to figures from the Office for National Statistics, 28% of UK 20–34-year-olds now live with their parents, highlighting a growing generational shift in living patterns. 

In our Gen Z Now and Next: From Vision to Contradiction macrotrend report we analyse how Gen Z are entering adulthood burdened by global crises and contradictions. Lacking clear role models or tools for change, they face a paralysis by paradox despite a strong desire to make an impact. 

Strategic opportunity

Rethink home and lifestyle product and service strategies for multi-generational living – from adaptable furniture and shared workspace solutions to financial tools and wellbeing activations designed for households navigating the boomerang generation

Previous News Articles
Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

News

Polaroid champions an analogue way of living amid AI hype

Polaroid has launched The Camera for an Analog Life, a campaign designed to push back against screen fatigue and AI overload. The initiative celebr...
Technology : Design : Advertising
Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

News

Zalando shifts from algorithm discovery to beauty expert authority with Insider’s Edit

Zalando is rethinking how it sells beauty with the launch of Insider’s Edit, a new shoppable content series that blends expert advice with curated ...
Beauty : Retail : Fashion
Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

News

Stat: AI’s impact on traditional search is already impacting ad spend

As AI agents begin making purchases on behalf of consumers, retailers must redesign websites and rethink advertising strategies to remain visible a...
Technology : Retail
Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

News

Iris van Herpen unveils Sympoiesis at Paris Haute Couture Week

At Paris Haute Couture Week, Iris van Herpen unveiled Sympoiesis, a collection steeped in material innovation.
Couture : Fashion : Bioluminescent Algae
Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

News

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about.
Fashion : Luxury : Pop Culture & Media
Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

News

Stat: Global spending on leisure travel will triple by 2040

A new report by Boston Consulting Group reveals that the global leisure travel market is set to triple in value, growing from £3.51 trillion ($4.25...
Travel : Hospitality : Tourism
Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

News

Tripadvisor rebranding elevates travellers’ voices

Tripadvisor has unveiled a major rebranding led by creative studio Koto, marking its evolution from a pioneering travel guide into a global booking...
Travel : Hospitality : Design
Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

News

Atlanta’s first women’s sports bar Jolene Jolene redefines the game

Jolene Jolene, Atlanta’s first-ever women’s sports bar, is proof that interest in women’s sports is reshaping the traditionally male-dominated spor...
Hospitality : Sports : Leisure
Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

News

Stat: Gen Z aren’t quitting alcohol after all

New research challenges the narrative that Gen Z are the sober generation.
Statistic : Generation Z : Alcohol
Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

News

Pattern Beauty brings authenticity and curl culture to tv with first-ever commercial

Tracee Ellis Ross has launched Pattern Beauty’s first ever tv commercial, a 60-second spot that blends humour, nostalgia and a celebration of textu...
Haircare : Pattern Beauty : Beauty
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN