Daily Signals 21.10.2025

Signals

The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian video, luxury travellers prioritise value, experience and climate-conscious choices for 2026 and public confidence in UK food safety reaches record high.

The Ordinary exposes beauty industry buzzwords in dystopian new video

The Periodic Fable™ by The Ordinary, UK

Global – In a provocative new campaign, skincare brand The Ordinary is calling out the beauty industry’s reliance on pseudo-scientific language. Developed with Uncommon Creative Studio, The Periodic Fable swaps the chemical elements of the periodic table for familiar skincare buzzwords, including ‘age-defying’, ‘magic’ and ‘wrinkle-erasing’ – exposing the hollow promises that often drive consumer trust.

The dystopian hero film depicts skincare consumers performing repetitive rituals under the glowing light of the buzzword-filled table, illustrating the industry’s cycle of misinformation. On The Ordinary’s website, visitors can click on each ‘element’ to uncover why certain buzzwords are nothing but empty promises.

The campaign forms part of The Truth Should Be Ordinary, the brand’s broader myth-busting platform designed to encourage critical thinking around beauty claims.

The campaign aligns with insights from our upcoming macrotrend The Great Beauty Blur, which delves into how social, technological and cultural forces are reshaping how we define and experience beauty. RSVP about the webinar to learn more.

Strategic opportunity

Audit your product claims and marketing language to remove exaggeration and empty buzzwords. Educate consumers with clear, evidence-backed information to build trust and differentiate your beauty brand in a crowded market

Luxury travellers prioritise value, experience and climate-conscious choices for 2026

Global – Luxury travel is set to evolve in 2026, with affluent travellers seeking deeper meaning, personalisation and sustainable choices, according to Virtuoso’s latest Luxe Report. Based on insights from over 2,400 travel advisers across more than 50 countries, the report reveals that high-end clients are willing to spend more, although with greater intention. 

Top motivators include milestone celebrations, cultural immersion and reconnecting with loved ones. Family and multi-generational travel top the trend list, followed by adventure and wellness-focused getaways. 

Italy, Japan and Greece remain favourite destinations, while Iceland, Antarctica and Morocco are rising stars. Ultra-luxe travel is gaining momentum, with 45% of advisers noting increased demand for privacy, all-inclusive stays and hyper-personalised experiences. 

Climate change is also reshaping travel behaviour: 76% of advisers report clients are shifting to shoulder seasons or moderate climates and favouring responsible travel. ‘Sustainable choices are no longer niche, they’re becoming standard,’ the report states. 

Explore our How Climate Change is Re-routing Travel and Gen Alpha’s Travel Pester Power reports to understand how new destinations, off-peak travel times, safety concerns and next-gen preferences are transforming the future of travel.

Amanoi, Vietnam

Strategic opportunity

Family-focused, milestone and wellness travel are shaping luxury in 2026. Affluent clients seek one-of-a-kind, transformative experiences that engage grandparents and grandchildren, blending cultural depth, adventure and personalised celebration

Stat: Public confidence in UK food safety reaches record high

Fazenda Futuro (Future Farm) and Anitta, Brazil Fazenda Futuro (Future Farm) and Anitta, Brazil

UK – Public trust in the UK’s food system has hit its highest level since 2020, according to the Food Standards Agency’s Food and You 2 survey, conducted by Ipsos between October 2024 and February 2025. The study of 5,690 adults across England, Wales and Northern Ireland found that 94% of respondents are confident the food they buy is safe to eat – up from 88–90% in the previous three surveys.

Confidence in food labelling has also risen, with 86% of people trusting that product information is accurate, compared with 81–83% in earlier surveys. The findings reveal shifting consumer habits too: nearly half (47%) report eating less processed food, while 35% say they’re eating more fruit and vegetables and minimising waste.

With 80% of respondents classified as food secure, these results suggest a growing sense of stability and awareness around food safety, hygiene and healthy eating behaviours among UK consumers, echoing insights from our IFE 2025: Balancing Health and Hedonism report.

Strategic opportunity

Leverage rising consumer trust in food transparency by spotlighting ingredient integrity, sourcing and safety credentials – meeting growing demand for informed, health-conscious choices

Previous Daily Signals Articles
South Africa's Pick n Pay banks on humour for its Christmas campaign

Daily Signals

South Africa's Pick n Pay banks on humour for its Christmas campaign

South African grocery retailer Pick n Pay has unveiled its 2025 Christmas campaign, a South African twist on the classic genie tale that taps into ...
Retail : Branding : Advertising
Why Bombardier is tapping luxury designer Elie Saab for its Global 8000 jet

Daily Signals

Why Bombardier is tapping luxury designer Elie Saab for its Global 8000 jet

As further evidence of our New Era of Gilded Luxury Travel trend, luxury brand Elie Saab has partnered with aircraft manufacturer Bombardier to des...
Luxury : Travel : Hospitality
Stat: UK school satisfaction improves yet disparities persist

Daily Signals

Stat: UK school satisfaction improves yet disparities persist

A new consolidated report from the Department for Education (DfE) reveals that British secondary school pupils are becoming more positive abou...
Youth : Education : School
Why Apple is leaning into artisanal charm for 2025 festive push

Daily Signals

Why Apple is leaning into artisanal charm for 2025 festive push

Apple’s 2025 Christmas campaign, A Critter Carol, puts human craftsmanship front and centre.
Technology : Advertising : Design
ISPO 2025: Innovation, inclusion and community drive sport’s next chapter

Daily Signals

ISPO 2025: Innovation, inclusion and community drive sport’s next chapter

At ISPO 2025 in Munich, talks, panels, activations and events spanned the full value chain of sport – from materials and manufacturing to brands an...
Global Events : Sport : Community
Stat: Young Americans drive growth across emerging social media platforms

Daily Signals

Stat: Young Americans drive growth across emerging social media platforms

A new Pew Research Center survey shows that while YouTube and Facebook continue to dominate the US social media landscape, younger u...
YouTube : Social Media : Facebook
Why smartphone-free is becoming a Christmas gift rule for kids

Daily Signals

Why smartphone-free is becoming a Christmas gift rule for kids

UK grassroots organisation Smartphone Free Childhood has launched a nationwide Christmas campaign urging parents to delay giving smartphones to the...
Advertising : Technology : Youth
Adolescence extends to early 30s, new five-stage brain map reveals

Daily Signals

Adolescence extends to early 30s, new five-stage brain map reveals

New research mapping how the brain’s wiring shifts across life suggests adolescence doesn’t end until around age 32.
Generations : Adolescence : Life Stages
Stat: Security concerns push UK shoppers to abandon digital transactions

Daily Signals

Stat: Security concerns push UK shoppers to abandon digital transactions

Security concerns are now the biggest barrier to completing online purchases, with more than 50% of UK shoppers having abandoned a transaction due ...
Retail : Technology : Security
Why Foam photography institute’s new brand identity is motion-focused

Daily Signals

Why Foam photography institute’s new brand identity is motion-focused

The 25-year-old photography institution Foam has unveiled a new visual identity by Wieden+Kennedy Amsterdam, marking the first time it has used a b...
Design : Museum : Branding
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