Need to Know
17 : 08 : 18

Barcelona – Illustrator Mariano Pascual has turned his website into a gamified portfolio.

The website, which was created by design agency Achos!, mimics the format of the desktop computer, allowing users to navigate applications, a toolbar and settings, gradually making the screen busier with Pascual’s playful illustrations. The gamified experience lets users personalise the website themselves, moving blocks around and adjusting the background colour.

When redesigning his website, Pascual decided that traditional online portfolios such as Behance, or the grid format of many stock website designs, didn’t suit his creative style. But he saw an opportunity to use his illustrative abilities to create a unique online portal. ‘Actually you don’t need to see any of my projects to have an idea of my skills… the website turned out to be a piece of art itself,’ he told It’s Nice That.

As explored in our microtrend Digital Store Fronts, gamified websites designed to increase dwell time are maturing from the personal portfolios of creatives to the world of e-commerce.

US – The biometric platform digitally measures data using a smartphone to let users track and share their daily emotions with those around them.

Created by Rachael Donalds as a way to monitor her high stress levels, BioSay records an individual’s pulse and heart rate, and analyses facial expressions using smartphone sensors to measure their physical and emotional state. This data is also combined with environmental cues, which helps to identify situations that increase or decrease stress.

With this data, the app creates a Bioji, a visual representation that represents emotion with colour and movement. Users can then share their Biojis with others, and recommend places that positively or negatively affect their wellbeing in order to help other app users. Users can explore recommendations using map view or augmented reality (AR), which reveals the Biojis in close proximity.

BioSay imagines a future in which we wear our emotions on our sleeves, sharing tips on how to maximise our health. Read our Certified Wellness report to find out more about how biometrics will transform how we interpret our own health data.

New York – The newspaper’s Monday edition, emblazoned with Supreme’s logo, became an instant must-have accessory for streetwear fans.

The partnership was a first-of-its-kind for the daily newspaper, which sold out around the city by as early as 7.30am. Supreme teased the collaboration on its Instagram account early on Monday morning, which led to streetwear fans seeking out the newspaper with the same dedication they would a typical Supreme clothing drop.

Since selling out of copies, the edition has become a collector’s item among fans, with some people reselling the $1 newspaper for up to $100. While the New York Post does not usually allow brands to take out a full front page ad, Supreme is known for its unorthodox collaborations. In 2017, it released a branded Metrocard, which saw chaos ensue at New York’s subway stations as fans queued for ticket machines in the hope of receiving the rare cards.

All-too-aware of the frenzy its logo can create, Supreme is a purveyor of the Hype Market and continues to find new ways to induce excitement and brand loyalty among its fans.

A new study by Gallup has revealed that three-child families are becoming more popular, contrary to recent reports that suggest middle children may be going extinct. The share of people who believe three or more children is ideal is the highest since 1997, when the number sat at 42%.

The number of people who place value on four or more children has also risen. While only 9% of US adults believed this in 2007, today 15% see four or more children as the perfect number. Amongst reports that less women are choosing to give birth, Gallup’s research goes to show the fluidity of what the future family will look like.