News 02.06.2020

Need to Know

An interactive brand-to-media show for the outdoor industry, Deliveroo taps into CBD stress relief and Covid-19 breeds luxury guilt among Americans.

Thin Air is a world-first virtual trade show

Thin Air Trade show

Colorado – Thin Air is the outdoor industry’s first fully interactive brand-to-media trade show.

The new interactive gathering, which will take place on 24–26 June 2020, promises to unite brands in an unprecedented virtual format. Departing from established virtual presentation styles, such as webinars or Zoom conferences, Thin Air is fully immersive. Taking the form of hyper-realistic avatars, attendees will be able to engage with exhibitors through chat, talk and video over three days.

‘Outdoor industry brands have been seeking a fresh, cost-effective way to connect with media and retailers,’ says Erik Boles, CEO of Gearmunk, the community-driven and video-based review platform behind Thin Air. ‘The recent cancellation of trade shows made now the right time to bring this to life.’

As businesses continue to explore digital formats for industry events and trade shows, fashion brands in particular are pushing to digitise the runway and buying process.

An on-demand CBD store comes to Deliveroo

Trip and Deliveroo, UK Trip and Deliveroo, UK
Trip and Deliveroo, UK Trip and Deliveroo, UK

UK – The food delivery service has partnered with CBD brand Trip to bring its cannabidiol products to consumers’ homes.

The partnership between Deliveroo and Trip will allow consumers across London, Manchester and Leeds to order CBD oils and infused drinks – such as cold brew coffee and botanical mixers – to their homes. Intended for the creation of cocktails as well as direct consumption, the adaptogen products use natural botanical extracts to stabilise physiological processes in the body, as well as alleviate stress and improve immunity.

The launch of the service coincides with the fact that more consumers are seeking stress relief at home, as the line between work and leisure time becomes increasingly blurred. ‘Since the lockdown we have seen the demand for Trip skyrocket,’ says Olivia Ferdi, Trip’s co-founder. ‘When people aren’t feeling themselves, often anxious or stressed, there’s a huge desire for immediate relief.’

Our obsession with CBD has spiralled in recent years, as Melisse Geluda explains, with its health benefits now being positioned as an antidote to current stressors.

Covid-19: A chatbot to help track busy supermarket times

Ireland – Lidl Ireland has launched a chatbot so customers can check the best times to shop at their local store.

Created in response to Covid-19, the WhatsApp-based tool uses real-time data and customer transaction numbers to determine the quietest and busiest hours of the day – enabling customers to plan their shopping trips accordingly. The chatbot is the first of its kind of any Lidl store in the world, according to the supermarket chain.

Using customised software, customers can text the bot with the day of the week and time they intend to visit their local store. The service is the latest addition to Lidl’s existing Covid-19 protective measures rolled out to all stores in Ireland.

By offering a new touchpoint, the chatbot also reflects how brands are adapting their communications to fit multiple formats. For more, read our new retail macrotrend, Feedback Frontiers.

Lidl and Whatsapp

Stat: Quarantined Americans feel guilty about luxury purchases

Nendo in collaboration with Up To You Anthology, Japan and Italy Nendo in collaboration with Up To You Anthology, Japan and Italy

Wealthy Americans are harbouring feelings of guilt about luxury spending in the Covid-19 age, according to a new study by YouGov.

The 2020 edition of the annual Affluent Perspective found that nearly half (48%) of affluent consumers in the US agree with the statement: ‘I feel guilty purchasing luxury goods in the current economic climate’. However, these concerns are not necessarily halting purchases of high-end products. In fact, 42% of those in self-quarantine still plan to buy personal luxury personal goods online. While online shopping was previously not associated with high-spenders, 43% of these consumers plan to shop online more often, even after the pandemic ends.

The current economic climate has only exasperated the concerns of the Uneasy Affluent, who are increasingly reminded of their social and financial privileges.

Previous News Articles
The Faroe Islands bring back the joy of getting lost

News

The Faroe Islands bring back the joy of getting lost

As algorithm-driven travel fuels overtourism, a new initiative is challenging travellers to let go of planning and control.
Travel : Tourism : The Faroe Islands
Thai perfume brand Journal turns fragrance samples into NFC collectables

News

Thai perfume brand Journal turns fragrance samples into NFC collectables

Fragrance brand Journal is rewriting the rules of scent sampling with a wearable fragrance tester that doubles as a social connector.
Beauty : Fragrance : Technology
Stat: Survey finds hardening stances on office attendance are impacting UK staff wellbeing

News

Stat: Survey finds hardening stances on office attendance are impacting UK staff wellbeing

Hardening return-to-office mandates are fuelling anxiety among UK workers, with 38% reporting that media coverage of stricter attendance policies i...
Office : Workplace : Stat
Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 report goes live

News

Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 report goes live

Discover the top 50 innovations acknowledging, driving and anticipating change in our new Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 report. 
Innovation Debrief 2024-2025 : Future Trends 2026 : Cultural Foresight
Joe Wicks’ Activate turns movement into play for kids

News

Joe Wicks’ Activate turns movement into play for kids

Fitness trainer Joe Wicks is swapping live-action workouts for animation with Activate – a lively new series of five-minute fitness bursts designed...
Fitness : Health And Wellbeing : Gen Alpha
IKEA creates open-air library along the Seine in Paris

News

IKEA creates open-air library along the Seine in Paris

IKEA has unveiled the Billyothèque, a pop-up outdoor library transforming a stretch of Paris’s Seine riverbank into a space for slow, serendipitous...
Ikea : Reading Room : Reading Experience
Stat: US teens turn to AI companions for life advice

News

Stat: US teens turn to AI companions for life advice

A new study by Common Sense Media reveals that 72% of US teens aged 13–17 have tried AI companions, with over half now using them regularly.
Technology : AI : Stat
DressX debuts fashion-forward Roblox game with Puma

News

DressX debuts fashion-forward Roblox game with Puma

Digital fashion platform DressX is expanding its creative universe with DressGo, its first game on Roblox.
Technology : Fashion : Gaming
EcoBeautyScore unveils science-backed beauty scoring system

News

EcoBeautyScore unveils science-backed beauty scoring system

EcoBeautyScore, the first science-based environmental scoring system for cosmetics and personal care, has officially launched with support from ove...
Beauty : Accredited Beauty : Beauty Scoring System
Stat: UK adults increasingly feel ultra-processed foods are hurting their health

News

Stat: UK adults increasingly feel ultra-processed foods are hurting their health

A new survey by digital wellness platform Lifesum finds that 68% of UK adults believe ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are negatively impacting th...
Food : Drink : Health
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