LSN : News : Best Buy and Apple team for elderly assistive tech

A streetwear lookbook on Google Street View

Street It All by Zalando and Google Maps, Spain

Spain – Fashion e-commerce site Zalando is using Google Street View for its latest campaign, Street it All, transforming the platform into an interactive retail space.

Users can click through the geolocated lookbook on Google Maps to discover and buy clothing. The pieces are worn by Spanish influencers in major cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga and Valencia. Billboards have also been erected in these cities, each of which features a QR code that can be scanned to reveal the location on Google Street View and specific fashion pieces chosen for each city.

‘Taking into account the pandemic, we wanted to make use of technology by moving the campaign to a virtual environment, hand in hand with Google Street View and Google Maps, reaching our consumers in a totally innovative and creative way,' explains Riccardo Vola, general manager of Southern Europe at Zalando.

In our macrotrend Community Commerce, we explore other fashion brands that are embracing unconventional online spaces like Google Street View, as a way to re-imagine the path to purchase as a Phygital Quest.

L'Oréal’s fictional eco-activist targets Chinese shoppers

Mr Ou by L’Oréal Group, China

China – L’Oréal Group is introducing its first virtual influencer in China, with the aim of opening up sustainability and trends conversations among new and younger audiences.

Known as Mr Ou, the anime-style character takes the persona of a 24-year-old Chinese-French entrepreneur who cares for the environment and works in the beauty industry. Mr Ou will feature in content across L’Oréal’s social media channels, exploring beauty trends, ingredients, sustainability initiatives and interviews with local key opinion leaders (KOLs).

Through Mr Ou, the beauty group wants to elevate its digital presence while providing an iconic mascot with human behavioural traits. Indeed, this virtual influencer lands at a time when such fictional characters are growing across Chinese streaming platforms such as iQiyi and Bilibili.

In this vein, we have previously tracked the rise of Avatar Influencers in the worlds of fashion, retail and even journalism.

Best Buy and Apple team for elderly assistive tech

Best Buy Apple Watch

US – Retailer Best Buy has launched the Lively app, providing health and safety services for older people via their Apple Watch.

The app turns each watch into a personal safety device, and features include an Urgent Response alert that puts the wearer in contact with an agent for emergency care. The app's Urgent Care option similarly allows the user to converse with a registered nurse or doctor at any time of day through their Apple Watch. Both of these software tools can be added as quick buttons on the device, in turn reassuring the wearer's family and friends. Tuning into this, the Lively app's GreatCall Link keeps loved ones informed about the wearer's location, device battery life and daily steps.

‘By offering these powerful safety features on Apple Watch, we’re creating a new way to achieve a greater sense of connection and independence for older adults and added peace of mind for them and their families,’ explains David Inns, president of active ageing at Best Buy Health.

Best Buy’s latest tech venture builds on its Assured Living service, a device that helps elderly people live more securely in their homes. Uncover more examples in Domestic Guardians, part of our Subconscious Commerce macrotrend.

Stat: Microdosing prevails in Switzerland and South Africa

Camper AW 15-16 campaign imagery, art direction Romain Kremer, photography Daniel Sannwald

According to the Global Drug Survey 2020, a growing number of people are using psychedelic drugs as a form of self-treatment for mental health conditions.

Of 110,000 worldwide respondents, some 20,000 reported using LSD and magic mushrooms. Of these, about 6,500 completed a section on self-treatment of psychiatric conditions and distress using psychedelics. The most common reason cited for taking LSD (52%) or magic mushrooms (55%) was to enhance wellbeing, while 32% of respondents used LSD or mushrooms, respectively, to deal with a specific emotional worry or concern.

In terms of microdosing, LSD is most popular in Switzerland (38.5%) and Greece (37.5%), while magic mushrooms reign in South Africa (45.8%) and the US (32.9%). Of note, taking psychedelics in 'a legally regulated and approved treatment system', was positively received by almost 90% of respondents. In turn, the report states: ‘This suggests rapid implementation of these novel and potentially life-changing therapies will find a highly responsive market.’

Explore our Psychedelic Wellness Market for more on how psilocybin and ayahuasca ceremonies are being embraced for their transformative and creative potential.