Need to Know
14 : 11 : 18

US – Men’s pharmaceutical brand Hims is applying its direct-to-consumer model to the women’s health market, addressing concerns around skin, hair and sex.

Rather than focusing on beautifying, Hers is a female wellbeing brand and e-commerce store for medical products that – as with Hims – support specific types of personal care. It will soon offer products such as acne cream, a treatment for melasma, a formula for women experiencing hair loss, and Addyi, the only FDA-approved medication for hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Hers customers can also order birth control following a consultation with doctors.

Similarly to Hims, which offers a fresh perspective on issues such as male baldness and erectile dysfunction, Hers focuses on affordable, medical-grade products that cater to a range of life-stages, from teens to women going through the menopause. Female consumers are increasingly looking to brands to guide them through the biological inconveniences that come with being a woman.

New York – The permanent retail space is populated by ‘offline editors’ who encourage customers to use the store as a place to experiment with beauty.

Opening last week, the store represents a new physical destination for fans of the digital-first beauty brand. The two-storey space in New York’s SoHo district was originally a shoppable showroom attached to its office, but Glossier and design agency Gachot Studios have transformed it into a brand experience and community space. ‘It’s encouraging people not to shop the space but use the space,' says Christine Gachot, co-founder of Gachot Studios.

The flagship offers a sensory way to shop and socialise. Its interior taps into Glossier's Millennial pink branding, while its Wet Bar and Boy Brow Room allow visitors to test out products without restrictions. Building on the hype for Instagrammable retail spaces, it also features a selfie-ready 23ft-long red sofa that doubles as a communal relaxation space for shoppers.

For more, discover the four retailers swapping return on investment in favour of return on inspiration.

UK – When the budget supermarket’s advert was banned for being too political, frustrated consumers took to social media, calling for regulators to lift the restriction.

Amid the annual slew of festive tv ads, Iceland was reportedly planning to broadcast Greenpeace’s short film Rang-tan as its own Christmas offering. In line with Iceland’s recent commitment to eliminate the use of palm oil from its own-brand products, the animated film follows a young girl who finds a baby orangutang in her bedroom, relaying the story of how its rainforest home has been destroyed by humans harvesting palm oil. However, due to the political nature of the ad, it was blocked by regulation company Clearcast.

While blocked from being aired on tv, Iceland took a brandstanding decision to publish the No Palm Oil ad on its social media channels, encouraging followers to share it instead. It has since received more than 30m aggregated views via social channels. In addition, almost 700,000 consumers have signed a petition to lift the advertising restriction.

Clearcast’s decision to block the ad has resulted in mass publicity for Iceland as its viewers and followers react and share the campaign. To explore the impact of brands taking a political stance, subscribers can read our macrotrend Backlash Brands.

Obesity has long been a major health concern for Americans. According to a report by IHRSA Global, the rate is still rising; prevalence of adult obesity in the US increased by 17% between 2007 and 2017. However, US consumers appear to be getting fitter. The report also found that there has been a 21% increase in gym membership over the same period.

The IHRSA Global report puts this discrepancy down to bad eating habits, citing that one in three Americans eat fast food every day, while only one in 10 eat their recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables. In response, food brands must consider how they can provide healthier eating options for these consumers, whether this means creating a new breed of convenience store, or offering more Accessible Premium foods.