News 04.12.2019

Need to Know

Silo raises the bar for zero-waste dining, Facebook unveils an app to harvest consumer insights and electric vehicle sales stall in Australia.

A dog food brand for dogs, not fur babies

itsdogfood.com branding by Robot Food, UK
itsdogfood.com branding by Robot Food, UK
itsdogfood.com branding by Robot Food, UK

UK – Itsdogfood.com is fighting back against the patronising nature of modern pet food branding.

When designing the brand identity, creative studio Robot Food wanted to address the ‘barking’ pet food industry head-on by marketing its products as no-nonsense and transcending typical dog food campaigns that focus on buzzwords such as artisanal, organic and holistic. Instead, the brand is straightforward in its messaging, offering a more nutritious alternative to manufactured protein-based wet food, while keeping prices competitive with a direct-to-consumer subscription model.

‘Our competitors seem to over-justify their high price points by patronising and guilt-tripping dog owners with cutesy animations referring to ‘fur babies’ or describing dogs as ‘ancestral wolves’ that require a primal diet,’ says founder Craig Wallace. ‘We wanted to remove the BS and democratise better quality dog food as the main barrier to trading up until now has been price.’

In a market in which consumers spend billions on their pets, the brand is demonstrating an Anti-authenticity Marketing approach to pet food branding.

Silo elevates the zero-waste restaurant

Silo, London. Photography by Clare Lewington Silo, London. Photography by Clare Lewington
Silo, London. Photography by Clare Lewington Silo, London. Photography by Clare Lewington

London – Chef and zero waste pioneer Doug McMaster has relocated his acclaimed Brighton restaurant Silo to London, taking a more high-end approach to sustainable eating.

Taking over a warehouse space in The White Building in London’s Hackney Wick, the restaurant’s zero-waste ethos is threaded throughout its dishes and food supply chains, trading directly with farmers for ingredients and composting leftover scraps.

While Silo seeks to close the loop in the food production process, it also aims to speak to Uneasy Affluence diners. As part of its move, its interior space has been redesigned by Nina Woodcraft, with a focus on high-end, eco-friendly design. Its plastic and leather furniture is made from post-industrial materials, while the counters are formed from upcycled plastic packaging by Smile Plastics.

Silo is just one restaurant thinking on a planetary scale to ensure it does not contribute to the climate emergency.

Facebook is paying users for wellbeing surveys

US – Facebook Viewpoints is a new market research app to improve the social network’s portfolio of products.

The app rewards users for participating in surveys, tasks and research. To take part, users sign up and are invited to join programmes. Facebook will then inform them of what information will be collected and how it will be used.

By taking part in the surveys, users will gain points, which eventually translate into a £3.85 ($5, €4.50) reward paid via PayPal. The first programme launched is a wellbeing survey, which, according to Facebook, will enable the company to better understand how social media affects people’s emotions and how it can ‘limit the negative impacts of social media and enhance the benefits'.

As explored in our microtrend Brand Redemption, technology companies such as Facebook are finding ways to account and atone for their wrongdoings.

Facebook Viewpoints

Stat: Eco-conscious Australians still struggle to change habits

Australians rate the environment as a more important social issue than mental health, education, the ageing population and obesity, according to a new report by Nielsen. The study found that the number of nationals who have a growing concern for the environment increased by 31% in the past year to a total of 1.8m people.

Although Australians have a strong desire to reduce their carbon footprint, their willingness to change habits is weak. To illustrate this, Nielsen reports that just 1,352 electric vehicles (EVs) were sold in Australia in 2018, compared to 1.2m in China, 360,000 in the US and 3,682 in New Zealand. As a result, there is an opportunity for automotive manufacturers to inform consumers about the benefits of their vehicles and help them on their sustainability journey, while city planners can do more to improve EV infrastructure.

To see how the mobility sector will transform further to reach eco-conscious consumers in the 2020s, explore our Far Futures series.

Previous News Articles
NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe: Unified commerce and inspirational entertainment

News

NRF 2025 Retail’s Big Show Europe: Unified commerce and inspirational entertainment

On the opening day of NRF 2025: Retail’s Big Show Europe, the spotlight turned to unified commerce and the evolving role of physical stores in omni...
Retail : NRF : Pop Up Store
The Future Laboratory presents The Synthocene Era macrotrend at Première Vision

News

The Future Laboratory presents The Synthocene Era macrotrend at Première Vision

The Future Laboratory’s co-founder and chief creative officer Christopher Sanderson presented The Synthocene Era macrotrend at the fashion industry...
Global Events : Technology : The Synthocene Era
Gen Z in China are using AI to transform themselves into collectable merchandise

News

Gen Z in China are using AI to transform themselves into collectable merchandise

Gen Z in China are using AI art tools and 3D printing to transform themselves into ‘guzi’ – personalised collectable merchandise.
China : Kidults : Kidult Craze
Stat: Gen Z stay indoors for days as screen time replaces nature

News

Stat: Gen Z stay indoors for days as screen time replaces nature

Two-thirds of Gen Z in Britain confess they can go days without stepping outside, according to new research by Super, Natural British Columbia.
Gen Z : Nature : Health And Wellness
Big W embraces the beautiful chaos of parenting in new campaign

News

Big W embraces the beautiful chaos of parenting in new campaign

Department store chain Big W is shaking up family advertising with a bold new campaign celebrating the chaos, meltdowns and small wins of everyday ...
Advertising & Branding : Parenting : Retail
George at Asda unveils new adult adaptive clothing range

News

George at Asda unveils new adult adaptive clothing range

George at Asda has launched a 28-piece adult adaptive clothing collection, designed in collaboration with the late breast cancer campaigner Nicky N...
Retail : Fashion : George At Asda
Stat: Girls’ sport participation could unlock leadership potential at work

News

Stat: Girls’ sport participation could unlock leadership potential at work

Girls who play extracurricular sport in the UK are 50% more likely to go on to achieve senior professional roles at work, according to Game Changin...
Sport : Women's Sports : Teenage Girls
Vattenfall and Samuel L Jackson’s seaweed snack is grown on wind farms

News

Vattenfall and Samuel L Jackson’s seaweed snack is grown on wind farms

Swedish energy company, Vattenfall has teamed up with actor Samuel L Jackson to launch Wind Farmed Seaweed Snacks, a limited-edition delicacy grown...
Visual : Sweden : Energy
Happy Head debuts DNA-based system for personalised hair growth

News

Happy Head debuts DNA-based system for personalised hair growth

Happy Head has launched StrandIQ, the world’s first dermatologist-developed hair growth system powered by genetic analysis, giving patients tailore...
Health : Wellness : Happy Head StrandIQ
Stat: Luxury consumers’ optimism is improving amid global slowdown

News

Stat: Luxury consumers’ optimism is improving amid global slowdown

Saks’ latest Luxury Pulse survey shows rising confidence among luxury shoppers, with more than half planning to maintain or increase their spending...
Stat : Statistics : Statistic
You have 0 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN