News 03.02.2025

Need to Know

Britannia debuts tree-friendly billboards in India, Australian Open turns real-time tennis into animated live streams and why people aged 18–34 see violence as an acceptable tool for change.

Britannia’s tree-friendly billboards redefine outdoor advertising

Britannia, Shaped By Nature for Britannia Industries, campaign by Coral Media, India

India – Food product manufacturer Britannia and creative agency Talented are turning the traditional approach to billboards on its head with their latest campaign, Nature Shapes Britannia. Instead of treating trees as obstacles, the campaign embraces them with billboards that fit into the natural surroundings.

Deployed across Hyderabad, Kolkata, Meerut and Pune, the billboards bend and curve around urban trees, reinforcing Britannia’s sustainability commitments. Each display highlights the company’s environmental initiatives, including plastic neutrality, waste management and water stewardship.

‘Executing the campaign required a complete reversal of traditional billboard site selection,’ Aabhaas Shreshtha, creative and founding member of Talented, told Afaqs. The team scouted locations where trees significantly overlapped with ad space, ensuring the billboards complemented rather than competed with nature.

Beyond innovative design, the billboards use 100% biodegradable cotton, exceeding environmental regulations. ‘Bangalore is the only city which has a mandate that your billboard material has to be biodegradable. But we went all out on that anyway,’ said PG Aditiya, co-founder and CCO of Talented. 

For more fresh perspectives on eco-conscious advertising, head to our Rebranding Nature design snapshot.

Strategic opportunity

Consider turning sustainability compliance into a compelling brand story

Australian Open adopts animated live streams to transform sports viewing

Australia – The Australian Open 2025 is pioneering a new era of sports broadcasting with animated live streams reminiscent of Wii Sports.

Originally devised as a workaround for YouTube’s copyright restrictions, the tech-driven broadcasts have become viral, offering fans a fresh, playful way to experience tennis.

Powered by 12 tracking cameras and 29 motion points, the system captures players’ real-time movements with a slight delay, translating stars including Novak Djokovic and Coco Gauff into cartoonish avatars. Despite its imperfections – the avatars don’t yet have fingers – the animation closely mirrors reality.

Whether gimmick or game-changer, this animated experiment proves that digital-era sports coverage is only just getting started. Our Game-Changers: The Future of Sports Fandom report unpacks the opportunities in the convergence of sports and gaming as how we watch and engage with sports evolves.

Australian Open Wii Sports-style coverage, Australia

Strategic opportunity

Experiment with gamifying sports broadcasts by integrating AR, animation and interactive elements to enhance fan engagement and offer multi-view experiences tailored to younger, tech-savvy audiences

Stat: Violence increasingly seen as an acceptable tool for change

ShareWithCare by Deutsche Telekom, Germany ShareWithCare by Deutsche Telekom, Germany

Global – The 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a seismic shift in public sentiment, with worldwide trust in institutions crumbling and grievance replacing fear as the dominant emotion. The survey, spanning 32,000 people across 28 countries, highlights growing frustration with business, government, media and NGOs, with many feeling alienated and willing to push for change by any means necessary. 

There has been a ‘significant change’ in employees being worried that their job security is threatened by globalisation and technology. International trade conflicts were cited by 62% of respondents, while automation or lack of training were concerns for 58%.

Alarmingly, 53% of those aged 18–34, many of whom are members of Generation Z, see violence as an acceptable tool for change. The report also identifies global trust inequality, finding that people from low income groups are ‘far less trusting’ of institutions than those with high incomes.

Edelman CEO Richard Edelman stresses the urgent need to rebuild economic optimism: ‘When people see solutions, they’re more hopeful and willing to sacrifice for the greater good,’ he wrote in an opinion article for Fortune.

The findings from the new Trust Barometer were explored at an online event held during the recent World Economic Forum, featuring leaders from Microsoft, Heineken and Suntory Holdings. 

Explore our Gen Z Now and Next: From Vision to Contradiction macrotrend report for the latest insights on this cohort.  

Strategic opportunity

Businesses must rebuild trust through transparency, ethical leadership and fact-based decisions while addressing AI fears and misinformation through fact-checking partnerships and verified communication

Previous News Articles
Key takeaways from Live Retail Week and The Grocer 2025

News

Key takeaways from Live Retail Week and The Grocer 2025

At Ocado, the three key principles driving its double-digit growth ambitions are clarity, culture and collaboration, according to Amit Chitnis, chi...
Retail : Food & Drink : Events
Equinox and Stripes Beauty launch luxury menopause spa experience

News

Equinox and Stripes Beauty launch luxury menopause spa experience

The Spa by Equinox Hotels has partnered with pro-ageing beauty and wellness brand Stripes Beauty to introduce a high-tech, luxury wellness spa circ...
Health & Wellness : Luxury : Travel & Hospitality
Stat: Teens say Victoria’s Secret Pink is one of North America’s coolest brands

News

Stat: Teens say Victoria’s Secret Pink is one of North America’s coolest brands

According to YPulse’s annual Cool Brands Report, released in early 2025, 71% of North American teenagers say it is important that the brands they p...
Fashion : Youth : Society
LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

News

LS:N Global Just Got Smarter

Meet our new AI tool, Ember.
The Future Laboratory
The Ordinary’s new platform shatters skincare myths

News

The Ordinary’s new platform shatters skincare myths

The Ordinary is dispelling skincare myths with its new platform, TheTruthShouldBeOrdinary.com.
Advertising & Branding : Beauty : Health & Wellness
Stat: Super Bowl smashes viewership records

News

Stat: Super Bowl smashes viewership records

Fox’s broadcast of the 2025 Super Bowl LIX drew a record-breaking 126m viewers across platforms, cementing its place as the most-watched Super Bowl...
Sports & Leisure : Advertising & Branding : Pop-culture & Media
Harrison Ford brings Hollywood charm to Glenmorangie whisky

News

Harrison Ford brings Hollywood charm to Glenmorangie whisky

Scotch whisky distillery Glenmorangie has unveiled actor Harrison Ford as its new global ambassador.
Advertising & Branding : Food & Drink : Pop-culture & Media
Hims & Hers takes on obesity crisis in provocative Super Bowl ad

News

Hims & Hers takes on obesity crisis in provocative Super Bowl ad

Telehealth brand Hims & Hers made a bold debut at the Super Bowl with a provocative 60-second ad addressing the US obesity epidemic.
Health & Wellness : Society : Advertising & Branding
Women less confident in Bank of England amid inflation pressures

News

Women less confident in Bank of England amid inflation pressures

New research from the University of Oxford reveals that women trust the Bank of England (BoE) less than men and feel more financially squeezed by i...
Finance : Society : Identities
Stat: US wellness economy surpasses £1.6 trillion milestone

News

Stat: US wellness economy surpasses £1.6 trillion milestone

The US wellness economy has officially surpassed £1.6 trillion ($2 trillion, €1.9 trillion) for the first time, according to a new report from the ...
Finance : Health & Wellness : Society
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