LSN : Daily Signals : The Big Idea: Branding in the Age of Elasticity

The Trend: Human by Design

Polaroid The Campaign for Analog Life, US; Pastane Bakery, Azerbaijan; KFC and Fiesta by PS21, Spain; mud™, UK; Slide Tackle Font, Columbia

As flawless, AI-generated aesthetics spread across industries, human-made content is gaining value. Meet the creatives embracing messy, nostalgic and kinetic design that reflects the human touch.

As we step into The Synthocene Era – a near AI-powered future where the lines between what is natural and what is artificial are blurred – creatives will cut through the AI noise by channelling what makes and keeps us truly human.

But this isn’t just a cultural shift, it’s also a creative one. ‘‘Authentic human content’ now carries a premium, not because it is necessarily better, but because it is scarce, unscalable,’ writes Luca Morena, co-founder and CEO of insights platform Nextatlas. ‘The signature of a living hand, the imperfections of process, have become selling points.’ As a result, creatives are translating inherently human characteristics such as imperfection, messiness and emotion into design principles.

To counterbalance the flawless aesthetic popularised by the rise of generative tools, the design sector is embracing a more kinetic, messy, nostalgic and tactile design language. Clumsy compositions, crafted texture, wonky wording and visual scribbly cues mark human presence.

Explore the brands and creatives championing humanised design and unpack the full Design Direction.

The Big Idea: Branding in the Age of Elasticity

How does one conduct trend forecasting and strategic foresight in the US right now, amid chaos and uncertainty? There are many things LS:N Global anticipated: The Dislocated World hinted at rising individualism, Positive Patriotism predicted a rise in protectionism, Cracking the Algorithm Code analysed a post-truth society shaped by algorithmic bubbles and the erosion of common ground while The Paralysis Paradox explored growing unease around climate action. 

These weren’t surprises. However, as Trump’s second term sends shockwaves through America’s institutions, brands are entering a high-stakes era of public scrutiny and cultural reckoning. With the help of four US brand strategists with decades of experience, we outline how businesses can prepare and navigate the next three years with clarity and resilience.

Between consumers’ thirst for authenticity, the neutrality myth and buying boycotts, we unpack four areas of improvement for brands operating in a landscape where instability and polarisation are the new normal.

Read the full Big Idea to see which brands are authentically leading with purpose.

Liberation bath bomb by Lush, UK

The Campaign: New Forest’s rebranding turns tourists into custodians

The New Forest by Studio Glass, UK

Studio Glass unveiled a brand identity for the New Forest in the summer that weaves local stories, seasonal colour palettes and community voices into a single, cohesive positioning.

A unified platform has been introduced to replace the previous messaging which varied between B2B and consumer campaigns. The branding is now rooted in the motto ‘Old, Yet Ever New’, which was first used by the forest in 1976. Research with historians, local business owners and National Park representatives grounded the identity in misty walks, ancient legends and fungi-inspired colour.

A palette of beech green, heather purple and mushroom cream reflects the landscape and supports four narrative pillars that invite visitors and residents to act as custodians of the forest.

In addition, a printed New Forest Guide blends strategy with storytelling and is designed for first-time visitors and locals. By connecting the brand to real stories and seasonal rhythms, the rebranding turns every visit into a shared act of preservation.

In Rebranding Nature, we analysed how, to lure Gen Z outdoors and engage them in conservation and climate activism, nature itself is getting a rebranding.

The Viewpoint: Rehumanising 3D Design

Karina Bond autumn/winter 2025. Photography by Jude Black, London, UK

Karina Bond is forging a fashion future without fabric. The designer uses a hand-held 3D pen, a tool now so integral to her work that she links to it directly from her Instagram biography in an act of radical democratisation. At the core of the Sarabande Foundation scholar’s practice is a dedication to reshaping luxury craftsmanship, fusing emerging technologies and artisanal skill to handcraft designs in 3D.

To create her garments, Bond uses TPU filament, a flexible and durable material often used in items such as hospital gloves. ‘It’s non-toxic and safe for the skin,’ explains Bond. The material combines the elasticity of rubber with the strength of plastic, meaning it can’t tear like fabric. ‘You’d have to cut it with scissors… and if something breaks, you can reprint that part and fix it.’

This kind of innovation opens the door to responsive, on-demand production and could potentially make way for supply chains with far less waste.

In May 2025, LS:N Global sat down with Karina Bond to find out about how she is redefining couture with a printing pen. Access the full interview now.

The Space: Glossier unveils immersive experience for Fleur fragrance launch in Paris

Glossier and Random Studio launched the Fleur Fragrance with an AI-powered pavilion that creates personalised poetry from visitors’ expressions, France

US beauty brand Glossier partnered with design studio Random to create an AI-driven brand experience for the launch of its Fleur fragrance at Galerie Joseph in Paris during the spring. Each visitor entering the immersive, interactive fragrance pavilion had their expressions and posture analysed in real time. The technology then generated personalised poetry, transforming the scent experience into a unique encounter.

‘Blending machine learning, emotional recognition and generative content, this spatial AI redefines retail engagement,’ said the design team. The venue, located in Le Marais, transformed into a dreamlike landscape where pastel flowers bloom and lilac petals shift with each guest’s movement, reflecting the essence of the Fleur campaign.

The three modernist scent pavilions combined colour, sound and light to express Glossier’s perfumes, with the Fleur pavilion serving as the poetic centrepiece. The installation meant that visitors could engage with the fragrance before exiting through a gift shop, leaving with a tactile memory of the brand’s world.

Explore our Scent Retail Futures report to understand how luxury fragrance retailers are creating immersive experiences powered by AI.