LSN : News : French beauty firms invest in inventory of African cosmetics

TV channel Dave’s rebranding embraces everyday messiness

Dave rebranding by Output and UKTV Creative, UK

UK – Award-winning British entertainment channel Dave and UKTV Creative have brought in branding agency Output to create a brand identity that captures the essence of the channel. Dave has long been a hallmark of British tv, offering comedy hits from the UK’s favourite stars, and is known for being the first broadcast disruptor. But the channel has evolved past its television roots and its branding no longer reflects its current tone.

Having successfully produced cross-platform brand systems before, Output’s direction aligns with the channel’s popular original podcasts and YouTube commissions, reflecting its new content and appealing to new audiences. Inspired by Dave’s brand belief that ‘humour is a damn good antidote to the awkward mess that is modern life’, the rebranding celebrates the mundanity of everyday life, using quotidian visual cues like a popping toaster or an office printer.

The new branding system reflects how the business aims to encourage new behaviours, celebrating the loose rules and co-creation that subverts the conventions of linear tv. In our Local TV Market, we track entertainment disrupters on a global scale, identifying key regional alternatives to streaming giants.

Strategic opportunity

As traditional entertainment businesses have to adapt to new, digitally driven, non-linear models, new branding systems are essential in order to remain relevant across multiple platforms while protecting a brand’s essence

Swiss overhauls cabins with warm minimalism

Swiss Senses by Swiss International Air Lines, Switzerland

Global – Swiss International Air Lines has unveiled the new look of its long-haul cabins that will be introduced in its fleet of Airbus A330 by the end of 2025. According to the airline, its biggest product redesign to date aims to create a brand experience that showcases a warm, minimalist style.

The new first-class cabins will feature natural oak doors, burgundy interiors, soft lighting and a large bed for a serene flight experience. The business-class seats will offer heating and cooling features while the premium economy cabin will have more spacious seating with a hard shell for privacy. Economy cabins will also be fitted with ergonomic seats and a larger inflight entertainment screen.

Such enhancements in the airline sector come at a time when consumers are looking for a calm travel experience in the post-pandemic world. We evaluated this trend in our report looking at how airports are bringing humanity back into travel by focusing on pre-departure wellness and prioritising human-centric experiences.

Strategic opportunity

Offering a comfortable and seamless travel experience that feels like an extension of one’s home can help incentivise anxious travellers to take long journeys again

French beauty firms invest in inventory of African cosmetics

Global – French luxury firm LVMH is investing in West African cosmetics conservation project Cosmetopoeia.

The project is a partnership with Cosmetic Valley, a beauty coalition of French perfume and cosmetics companies that counts LVMH, Puig France, L’Oréal and Guerlain among its members.

As part of the French beauty industry’s broader push to support conservation efforts in the region, the project aims to study, catalogue and preserve key cosmetics ingredients found in West African forests.

Ingredients will include plants such as Padouk, a large tree found in Gabon from which a powder is created to be used as a traditional mask, and Moabi seeds, which are collected to make cosmetics.

The project was announced at the One Forest Summit hosted in Gabon by the Gabonese and French presidents.

Cosmetic Valley hopes to to use the preservation of Africa’s heritage as a tool for local economic development. The coalition is investing £441,550 ($538,195, €500,000) to fund the study of Cosmetopoeia in the Congo Basin.

In Ancestral Beauty we looked at how beauty brands can take ownership of heritage in meaningful ways. By celebrating traditional ingredients and rituals they can cater for diverse consumers more intuitively.

The Greens Girl Co and Takoma by Leah Thomas

Strategic opportunity

In this current era of Accredited Beauty, consumers are increasingly conscious of the provenance of their beauty ingredients. Beauty brands should pay homage to, and invest meaningfully in, cultures that create diverse beauty products

Stat: Robots to take over nearly two-fifths of domestic tasks by 2033

Tin & Ed and Space10, Denmark

UK/Japan – After interviewing 65 artificial intelligence (AI) experts, Oxford Internet Institute and Ochanomizu University researchers have predicted that robotics and AI will automate 39% of everyday household tasks within the next decade. Robots won’t be taking over all kinds of chores completely, however.

Some 60% of the time spent grocery shopping could be saved through automation, while 40–50% of the time spent household cleaning, washing dishes and laundry could also be cut. Caring for children, pets or older adults remains a challenge for robots, with only 20–35% automation predicted.

In our Home and Family series, we forecast how tech will affect households’ futures. As women still bear the burden of most domestic tasks, automation will change our daily habits and prompt a rethink of gender roles. But access to robots and this additional free time will remain reserved for those who can afford it.

Strategic opportunity

As automation items dedicated to domestic tasks make their way into our homes, all industries should question whether their product design and online stores are ready to be manned and managed by robots and AI