LSN : News : IKEA sounds out its catalogue in audio format

A crypto campaign to boost US dog adoptions

AdoptaDogecoin by Finn and Ogilvy Social.Lab

US – Pet wellness brand Finn has launched #AdoptaDogecoin – a campaign rewarding people who adopt a dog with a cryptocurrency investment.

Created by communications agency Ogilvy Social.Lab, the campaign takes inspiration from the Doge meme and likens the long-term investment in owning a dog to fiscally investing into crypto. In order to encourage dog adoptions, Finn will donate 500 Dogecoin cryptocurrency to each person who re-homes a dog from the brand’s partnering shelters.

‘Adopting a dog is a life-long commitment, the longer you spend time with a dog the more it becomes part of your family… we wanted to underline this truth with a long-term investment plan, with Dogecoin cryptocurrency,’ explains Tolga Büyükdoganay, executive creative director, at Ogilvy Social.Lab Amsterdam.

As cryptocurrencies edge into the mainstream, brands are looking to them as a way to incentivise behaviour and bolster loyalty. Discover more use cases in our microtrend Crypto-Loyalty.

IKEA sounds out its catalogue in audio format

Ikea audio catalogue 2021, US

US – The furniture retailer is offering its 2021 catalogue as a non-visual audio format, providing an alternative to its traditional paper-based design.

Following on from the brand’s decision to seize the production of its physical catalogue to curb paper use and waste, this one-off project by Ogilvy by New York further acknowledges the changing ways its customers consume media. Available as a podcast on Spotify and AudioBooks.com, as well as a series of visual-free videos on YouTube, the upbeat auditory experience takes the form of a full catalogue read-through– complete with legal disclaimers and entertaining soundbites.

The audio format also offers a level of convenience for consumers, allowing them to connect with the retailer’s content without having to manually browse through a visual medium.

IKEA demonstrates how retailers are experimenting with Multimedia Storefronts to elevate their e-commerce offering. Explore this trend within Feedback Frontiers.

Swell’s voice note social app reframes online discourse

Swell app

US – Social audio network Swell lets users share single voice notes to encourage more considerate discussions online.

The app allows members to post recordings up to five minutes long, dubbed Swellcasts, that can be accompanied with images and links. Other users can respond with their own audio replies, generating an audio-centric forum. Wider features include audio-only group chats for private discussions and a HTML widget that allows conversations to be embedded on any website.

By making the exchanges through single recordings, as opposed to audio chat rooms as seen with Clubhouse, the company hopes to inspire more respectful and thoughtful responses between users.

‘While most social audio companies are focused on real-time audio chat, Swell frees up its users to keep talking on their own time,’ shares Sudha Varadarajan, co-founder and CEO of Swell. [This makes it] easier to stay connected with friends, family and co-workers when you don't have to coordinate schedules.’

Explore more aural-first online spaces that inspire consumers to have more meaningful conversations, in our microtrend Connective Audio.

Stat: UK social inequality worsens amid Covid-19

Quarantine Together , US

Most people in the UK believe Covid-19 has had an impact on the nation’s inequality, according to research by YouGov.

Some 56% of British people believe the pandemic has increased social inequalities. Meanwhile, four in five adults (79%) now believe there is a large gap between different social classes. These figures are also in line with growing evidence that the pandemic is disproportionately affecting those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

‘This poll dramatically underlines public concern about growing social inequality. Government, employers and educators should listen and act,’ says Steven Cooper, interim co-chair of the Social Mobility Commission. ‘The most disadvantaged – at home, school or work – should now be put centre stage in any recovery plan.’

As consumers continue to navigate the inter-Covid period, brands have an opportunity to support society in rebuilding communities and working towards a future of greater equality and connectedness. For more, discover The Dislocated World.