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Absolut and Tabasco tap into fast-growing demand for spicy spirits

For Those Who Bring The Heat by Absolut and Tabasco, US

US – Absolut Vodka and Tabasco are turning up the heat on brand collaboration, unveiling a vodka infused with the hot sauce brand’s signature pepper flavour.

Set against Iceland’s volcanic landscape, the accompanying campaign playfully depicts volcanoes erupting Bloody Mary cocktails instead of lava, leaning into simple, visually arresting humour. The return to bold, witty storytelling reflects a broader shift back towards attention-grabbing brand codes that can be understood instantly – a shift The Future Laboratory identified in its Cannes Lions 2025 debrief.

At its core, the partnership signals the rise of elastic strategies, where brands seek growth by collaborating with specialists outside their traditional remit. With demand for spicy spirits increasing year on year, and spicy vodka sales forecast to grow by 27% by 2029 (source: Dataessentials), the collaboration allows Absolut to tap into Tabasco’s cultural authority in spice, while enabling Tabasco to extend its presence beyond the plate and into mixology.

For more on how unconventional flavours and unexpected collaborations are redefining the future of food and drink, explore our Flavour Frenzy Market.

Strategic opportunity

As flavour preferences intensify, brands can accelerate growth by tapping into the cultural authority and infrastructure of established partners in adjacent markets, enabling faster experimentation and more credible innovation

Fred Again builds emotional aftercare into live shows

UK – British musician and producer Fred Again is rethinking post-concert care. In a recent Instagram post, the musician reflected on the abrupt ending of live shows, when ‘the lights go up and the music stops and the magic like evaporates more quickly than my emotions have time to realign or to process’.

In response, his team has begun extending the live experience beyond the final track. After recent shows, the full production is left running for 30 minutes, with his album Secret Life played quietly through the speakers. Rather than being hurried out, audiences are invited to sit, pause and ease themselves back into reality.

This signals a wider cultural shift towards nervous system awareness, even in nightlife, and reflects insights from our Social Wellness Market report, which examined how a new care culture is emerging, grounded in intention, shared rituals and emotionally intelligent connection.

 For more on how a new era of nightlife is reframing the dance floor as a space for sonic wellness, head to our Designing Nightlife report.

Club Sol by Imogen Malpas. Photography by Aisha Olamide Seriki, UK

Strategic opportunity

From arrival to departure, design experiences that honour emotional transitions, ensure guests have space to arrive, immerse and decompress – turning pre- and post-moments into curated touchpoints for connection, reflection and long-lasting emotional engagement

Stat: Health concerns are driving food choice in Asia Pacific

Fura Space, Singapore

APAC – New data from PWC’s annual Voice of the Consumer survey reveals that 38% of APAC consumers will switch brands for health benefits, trailing only better value (47%) and better taste (45%).

The survey of 6,325 APAC consumers found that health concerns are broad: two-thirds worry about ultra-processed foods (67%), pesticides (65%) and overall food safety (65%), even more than price (53%).

This anxiety is reshaping consumption; more APAC consumers plan to eat fresh produce (63% vs 56% globally), increase vitamins and supplements (46% vs 41%), and eat more fresh poultry (42% vs 37%). Digital tools reinforce the prioritisation of health: 80% use at least one health wearable, and 94% report it changes daily habits.

Convenience also remains central to regional culture, with almost half buying prepared foods (47%) or ordering delivery (48%), while dining out is also more prevalent than elsewhere globally (41% vs 29%).

The report suggests that brands that can bridge health, convenience and affordability will increasingly define consumer choice, particularly among digitally connected, health-conscious audiences in Asia Pacific.

For more on what’s driving shifting consumer values and driving purchase decisions, head to our New Codes of Value report.

Strategic opportunity

Supermarkets and food manufacturers in Asia Pacific can meet growing demand by pairing nutrient-rich, food-safe products with convenient formats such as ready meals or grab-and-go snacks, helping consumers eat more healthily without sacrificing speed or habits