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Three imagines a vibrant future powered by 5G

Three, Hey UK, The Real 5G Future is Here

UK – UK phone network Three is envisaging a vibrant, multi-layered future of living in the UK – all thanks to the power of 5G.

Created by Wieden + Kennedy London, the experimental ad promotes Three’s 5G network. In the three-minute campaign, Three images a bright, post-Brexit future for the UK, and the ways in which 5G could transform everything from corner shop interactions to air travel and immersive music experiences.

The sci-fi style ad features many familiar British references, including the red London bus, Greggs’ vegan sausage rolls and a London skyline brimming with digital advertising. In one scene, a boy orders an 'emoji water’ from behind the counter of a shop, using a face filter to make him look older. On a flight to the moon, meanwhile, a passenger encapsulates herself in a pod so she can watch content in ‘binge mode’.

The vibrant campaign echoes the themes of our 2019 macrotrend Programmable Realities, with new technologies and connectivity allowing brands to become increasingly integrated into every element of consumer life, creating individual versions of reality. And as we enter a new decade, daily living will be amplified by 5G – offering new possibilities in industries ranging from retail to healthcare.

Hobbi is a platform for crafty types

Hobbi

Global – Facebook's has revealed a new app, Hobbi, to enable crafty side-hustlers to document their personal projects.

One of a series of experimental apps from Facebook’s NPE team, which is focused on developing apps and experiences centred on communities, Hobbi offers craft-makers and casual hobbyists a space to document their creations and share their progress with others. Functioning in a similar way to mood-board platforms like Pinterest, Hobbi allows users to share photos and videos of their personal projects, with the ability to organise images, share key steps of their journey or create shareable highlights.

'Save photos of the projects you’re working on and the activities you love to do. Whether it’s cooking, baking, DIY, arts [and] crafts, fitness or home decor,’ reads a description on the app’s App Store page. With a focus on personal project progression and hands-on hobbies, the app is running with the hashtag #DoMoreHobbies.

As we will uncover at Trend Briefing on 25 March 2020, people are increasingly interested in engaging in or re-igniting craft-led interests – and using technology to enable instead of distract them from their favourite pastimes.

Chemberry reveals best and worst cities for skin

Global – Chemberry has released the findings of a global study that shows the impact of urban living on the quality and health of our skin.

With a focus on nine environmental and lifestyle factors, the beauty ingredients company draws on data from 80 of the world’s most populous cities. Chemberry examined the dermatological impact of average yearly humidity and overall city temperature, revealing the American city of Phoenix as the best city in the world for skin, with its average temperature of 22.2°C (72°F), and low traffic congestion. The Canadian cities of Vancouver and Montreal were also ranked in the top five for skin health, along with the European cities of Oslo and Munich.

Mumbai was ranked as the worst city in the world for skin health, owing to the high levels of stress associated with traffic congestion, low air quality and high humidity – all factors that decrease the skin's natural barriers. As well as environmental factors, Chemberry also considered dermatological health in relation to people’s lifestyle habits such as smoking and average weekly working hours.

With consumers learning more about Sensitised Living and how to better care for their skin, they’re also thinking more holistically about urban living and the impact of harmful airborne pollutants.

Polluted Beauty by Clean Air Now. Photography by Andrew McGibbon

Generation Z shoppers seek human customer service

A report by Gladly focused on customer service expectations in the US shows that Generation Z and Millennials are more inclined to reach out and interact with customer service teams than older generations.

The research also reveals that consumers increasingly crave a more human experience from the agents they speak with. Some 85% of respondents said they want human customer service agents to be aware of their past conversations with the brand, even when these might have been with a chatbot. Another 50% of consumers want this kind of recognition of past FAQ searches on a brand's site.

Despite being described as digital natives, much of Generation Z take a more old-fashioned approach to shopping, and in particular want to build more personal relationships with vendors. In response to this desire for more human connection, brands and retailers are using SMS as a personal service that goes beyond monetary transactions.