Need to Know
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Italy – Luxury brand Bottega Veneta has launched a virtual residency featuring different creatives from a range of disciplines, aiming to provide comfort and respite from negative headlines during Covid-19 isolation.

The residency brings together the voices of writers, artists, musicians and other creators to host sessions across multiple channels including Instagram, YouTube, Weibo and Spotify, alongside a dedicated mini-site. Each week, the residency will feature content from friends and muses of the brand, further bolstering the cultural reach of Bottega Veneta.

Described by the brand as ‘a theatre of joyous distraction’, its first virtual ‘resident’ is Daniel Lee, the brand’s Millennial creative director. He says: ‘In this highly distressing time, we feel a responsibility to celebrate those values and ignite a sense of joy and hope in our community and beyond.’

As creatives navigate their way through the current period of isolation, they are tuning into content that helps them stay stimulated and inspired while working remotely. In turn, luxury brands offering audio-visual content in addition to a main product offering can provide further touchpoints for discovery and education. We explore this further in Auralux Experiences.

Los Angeles – Maha's range of organic hard seltzers are targeting people who lead active lifestyles but are still keen to socialise.

With overall wellbeing a key tenet of the brand, the seltzers, launched in partnership with Anheuser-Busch and Golden Road Brewing founder Meg Gill, are both low in calories and alcohol content. They mark the brand’s move into the active lifestyle and wellness space, with the drinks featuring a blend of vitamins and minerals including potassium, calcium and magnesium, organic fruit juice and sea salt.

With a 4.2% abv and flavours such as raspberry, tangerine yuzu and black cherry, the seltzers offer an alternative to drinks with a high alcohol content. ‘Maha was created for a balanced lifestyle, whether you’re celebrating with friends at a sporting event or unwinding after a tough workout, Maha Organic Hard Seltzer is a refreshing way to reset,' explains Meg Hill.

As more consumers begin to adopt habits of healthy hedonism, they’re seeking new ways of having a good time without avoiding alcohol altogether. For more, read Alco-health.

New research by Kantar has revealed key insights about brands' responsibilities during the global Covid-19 pandemic.

A survey of more than 25,000 people across 30 markets reveals that, in terms of communication strategies, 77% of consumers want to hear how brands are being helpful 'in the new everyday'. Others want brands to be regularly communicative, with 75% wanting to feel informed about companies’ reactions to Covid-19, while 70% expect them to offer a reassuring tone.

But respondents also noted that brands should be careful not to exploit the current situation to promote their own products and services – 40% of those surveyed said brands should avoid using humour during this time.

Particularly during periods of global uncertainty, Post-purpose Brands are those doing well to avoid bandwagon activism or lacklustre campaigns, instead seeking to play a meaningful role in the daily lives of consumers.