Need to Know
28 : 03 : 19

Global – New platform Equal Lens is on a mission to promote women photographers in a bid to redress the gender imbalance in commercial photography.

Created by Jaki Jo Hannan, a producer at Adam&EveDDB, the platform is a response to the fact that women accounted for less than 25% of those represented on the books of 70 leading commercial photography agents.

It was launched with work by 100 women photographers across categories such as conceptual, fashion, humour, sport and technology. ‘We are calling for agencies to pledge to include women and men in every photographers list. We are encouraging clients and agencies to request and produce inclusive lists. And to make these lists easier, we are championing the work of women photographers on our website and beyond,’ reads a statement from Equal Lens.

In due course, the initiative will expand with mentoring programmes and portfolio reviews for female photographers. For more on the brands and individuals rewriting narratives around gender and career progression, explore our Female Futures vertical.

Berlin – This year, audio start-up Endel will release 20 algorithm-powered albums to help listeners sleep, focus and relax.

Endel is an audio eco-system and iOS app that creates personalised, adaptive sound experiences that can improve health, wellbeing and mood. In partnership with the Warner Brothers Group’s Arts Music division, Endel will release a series of albums in the form of one-hour soundscapes which will be available on streaming platforms.

The algorithm-powered technology uses neuroscience and creates tailor-made customised sound frequencies based on personal inputs such as weather, location and heart rate. According to Dmitry Evgrafov, co-founder of Endel, the albums are essentially made just by pressing one button.

The future of entertainment will not only be driven by algorithms, but will merge with the wellbeing sector, helping to alleviate our everyday stresses.

California – The streaming service has tapped some of the biggest names in Hollywood to produce original content.

The ad-free service, which will be launched in 100 countries later in 2019, will focus on original programming in collaboration with celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Steve Carell and Jennifer Aniston.

Apple is also doubling down on its Apple TV app, which lets customers pay for shows from studios such as HBO and Showtime without switching between apps. ‘We designed a new tv experience where you can pay for only the channels you want, all in one app, with the password you already have,’ says Apple’s Peter Stern.

As more corporations take on the entertainment monopoly of Netflix, in a concurrent counter-movement anti-establishment streaming services are appearing on the web that aim to challenge these hegemonies.

The number of people employed by the cannabis industry in the US grew 44% in 2018, according to a new report by cannabis website Leafly and consultancy firm Whitney Economics.

This growth, which equates to just under 65,000 jobs, makes the legal cannabis trade the fastest-growing job sector in the US at present, with an estimated 200,000 people working full-time in the industry.

With 10 US states legalising recreational marijuana and more likely to follow, cannabis demand is likely to continue across North America. In turn, an increasing number of mainstream brands and retailers are exploring the opportunities brought by cannabis, in particular for CBD-based products. Read our new Market to find out more about the brands spearheading CBD in the luxury sector.