LSN : Daily Signals : Black Tomato is making edu-travel a reality

Carhartt pays tribute to manual labourers

Fit For The Next Frontier by Carhartt, US

Michigan – As labour shortages continue to hit global supply chains, apparel company Carhartt is encouraging individuals to join the American workforce with a campaign that pays tribute to the importance of manual labourers.

As Carhartt is one of the oldest workwear companies still around today, the brand is well positioned to join the conversation on the current labour shortage crisis facing post-pandemic North America. In a bid to help fill the 3m job vacancies in the country's manufacturing industry, the Fit for the Next Frontier campaign takes the form of a film featuring over 50 different tradespeople, including a farmer, a mechanic and a solar panel technician, each representing the new realities of a highly misunderstood industry.

Acting as a recruitment drive for skilled workers, the campaign is an example of how companies like Carhartt can use the language of American Values Marketing to reach everyday citizens. ‘We exist to serve and protect all hard-working people, and right now, we need them more than ever. That’s why for us, this isn’t just an ad, it's a call to action,’ explains Brian Bennett, vice-president of creative at Carhartt.

Strategic Opportunity

The pandemic has raised awareness about the importance of essential workers. Companies can use campaigns to pay respect to the valuable members of their workforce – and encourage new ones

Farfetch forgoes trends for longevity fashion

There Was One (TWO) by New Guards Group and Farfetch

UK – Expanding beyond its roots as a multi-brand e-tailer, the luxury company is launching its own label for timeless staple products. The capsule collection, There Was One (TWO), includes high-quality basics such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, trousers and trench coats – offered in a simple colour palette of white, grey and beige.

Farfetch will introduce new items on a drop basis every few months, intentionally avoiding the pace of traditional fashion calendars. By doing this, the retailer is promoting the purchasing of investment items that don't require seasonal updates or adhere to trends – an idea we explore in our Bundled Buys research. ‘Through the course of the pandemic… we were watching these consumer trends shift away from ‘fashion fashion’ and more into investment dressing,’ explains Holli Rogers, chief brand officer at Farfetch.

While such wardrobe basics are more commonly associated with high street retailers, the collection sets an example to the luxury sector in how to support customers in making more conscious, long-term fashion decisions.

Strategic Opportunity

Fashion and luxury brands have a responsibility to guide customers towards items with longevity. Retailers should create programmes that similarly offer investment pieces and avoid reliance on short-term trends

Black Tomato is making edu-travel a reality

UK – Luxury tour operator Black Tomato has expanded its offering of bespoke travel packages with Field Trip, a range of family-friendly educational experiences geared towards children and young adults.

Tapping into the rising demand for purpose-driven tourism, Field Trip allows customers to explore subjects like art, history, science and maths by engaging with cities and cultures in which these topics thrive. For instance, a sustainability course could involve a trip to Zabbaleen, a peripheral city on the outskirts of Cairo that manages the waste of the capital. As with all Black Tomato packages, the programme lets families customise their itineraries, focusing on short 'educational hits' rather than tours lasting days or weeks.

As Scattered Schools become the new norm, travel operators are racing to provide alternative educational experiences that cater for families. ‘Increasingly, we are witnessing at first hand how family travel is a cornerstone of our business and a space that is constantly evolving,’ explains Tom Marchant, co-founder of Black Tomato.

Field Trip by Black Tomato, UK

Strategic Opportunity

Tour operators should create itineraries that explore and respond to societal issues, positioning these experiences as learning opportunities in thier own right

Stat: Britain is not ready for the EV revolution

Autonomous vehicle by PriestmanGoode for Dromos Technologies, London

With the demand for electric vehicles (EVs) set to rise in the coming years, there is a crucial need for more charging points across Britain, according to analysts at New AutoMotive, who suggest that Britain needs to increase its installation of public charging points from 27 per day to 50 in order to meet demand for more eco-friendly vehicles.

Britain’s ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars is set to be introduced in 2030, followed by a ban on hybrid vehicles five years later. With this deadline looming, New AutoMotive claims that between 230,000 and 280,000 charging devices will be needed by 2035.

While large groups of consumers are making the switch to EVs, pain points such as a lack of charging points remain a core barrier to adoption. In response, future urban planners must prioritise convenient charging points as part of infrastructural developments.

Strategic Opportunity

Brands operating outside of the mobility sector can offer support by funding or creating new charging points. For those with a store or warehouse, consider offering public-access charging devices in car parks or outdoor areas