News 18.05.2021

Need To Know

SK-II unveils a virtual city for brand experiences, Mattel launches free toy upcycling and which sectors are happiest working from home.

SK-II invites shoppers into a branded virtual city

SK-II City Immersive Website SK-II City Immersive Website
SK-II City Immersive Website SK-II City Immersive Website
SK-II City Immersive Website SK-II City Immersive Website
SK-II City Immersive Website SK-II City Immersive Website

Singapore – The prestige skincare company has created a Tokyo-inspired digital city filled with branded experiences.

The SK-II City allows visitors to navigate a bustling intersection based on the iconic Shibuya Crossing. There, they can enter a virtual cinema and be immersed in six ‘VS’ Series films created by SK-II, each of which explore different societal pressures faced by women. Visitors can also cross the street and enter the SK-II Studio for behind-the-scenes footage from the film series.

The city marks a new milestone in how the skincare brand is transforming the beauty retail experience into a playful virtual alternative. ‘In these times of the pandemic, as international travel is still restricted, we want to be able to provide our consumers a gamified experience that she can gain inspiration and shop in a safe yet entertaining and meaningful way.

Brands such as SK-II are taking inspiration from the experimental nature of the Metaverse an interconnected series of virtual realms, creating new routes for customer interactions.

Mattel’s PlayBack makes plastic toys circular

Playback Mattel Program Playback Mattel Program
Mattel PlayBack programme Mattel PlayBack programme

Europe – Toymaker Mattel is responding to the growth in eco-conscious mindsets among children and parents with a plastic toy upcycling scheme.

PlayBack is launching initially in the UK, Germany and France, allowing parents and carers to return outgrown, broken or worn-out Mattel toys for upcycling into new materials. After selecting the toys they want to return – be it Barbie dolls, Matchbox cars or MEGA Bloks – a free shipping label is generated, which families can print out before packaging up.

Once received, Mattel is working with TerraCycle to separate the toys by material, clean them if necessary, and then extrude the materials into plastic pellets to make new recycled products and toys. ‘By keeping Mattel toys out of landfills and reusing the materials in them or appropriately converting from waste to energy where recycling is not an option, we are taking a big step to build a waste-free future for our products and packaging,’ reads a brand statement.

In our Conscious Play microtrend, we further examine the toy brands and schemes supporting parents and carers in their quest to make play more environmentally friendly.

Tiffany & Co debuts engagement rings for men

New York – The Charles Tiffany Setting ring intends to pave the way for new traditions in modern marriage.

Named after founder Charles Lewis Tiffany – who introduced the women’s solitaire diamond engagement ring back in 1886 – the men’s version also includes a bold solitaire diamond, along with a signet silhouette in either a titanium or platinum setting, marking a contemporary departure from the traditional wedding band.

Available at its flagship stores from May 2021, the ring showcases a larger shift away from gender norms and traditions for Tiffany & Co. ‘The Charles Tiffany Setting honours the jeweller’s long-standing legacy in love and inclusivity, paving the way for new traditions to celebrate our unique love stories and honour our most cherished commitments to one another,’ explains the brand in a press release.

The fine jewellery and wedding industries – both steeped in tradition – are recognising the changing notions of gender in today’s fluid world and diversifying the way they approach New Masculinity.

Engagement rings for men by Tiffany & Co, New York Engagement rings for men by Tiffany & Co, New York

Stat: WFH happiness could be sector-dependent

UV Light by Frank Chou, China UV Light by Frank Chou, China

A survey of 3,500 people working from home (WFH) in the UK reveals vast differences in their happiness – with their sector potentially shaping their level of satisfaction. Data from a poll by insolvency firm Hudson Weir shows that, overall, the average employee in the UK rates their happiness working from home at 6.6/10.

A closer look shows that IT and tech workers are happiest working from home, scoring 7/10, which Hudson Weir links to possible familiarity with remote working before the pandemic. media workers rate their WFH happiness at 6.8/10, dropping to 5.9/10 for those in advertising. For roles where human interaction is essential, workers tend to have the lowest happiness scores: lawyers are among the least happy at 4.9/10, while charity workers scored 4.3/10.

The survey also highlights that 54% of people take fewer breaks during the day than they would if they were in the office, while 85% of employees say they have taken fewer sick days while WFH.

With some businesses embedding remote working into their operations, employees are seeking interiors and home furnishings that place wellbeing at the fore. For case studies, explore Fulfilment Furnishings.

Previous News Articles
The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

News

The Fashion Innovation Agency debuts 3D garment volumetric capture service

The Fashion Innovation Agency at London College of Fashion has launched Reskinning Reality, the UK’s first 3D garment volumetric capture service ai...
Fashion : Technology : Virtual Fashion
Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

News

Elemis brings beauty trackside with new Aston Martin F1 collection

Premium beauty brand Elemis is stepping further into the world of Formula 1 with the launch of four exclusive skincare collections in partnership w...
Aston Martin : Elemis : Formula 1
Stat: US cinema execs predict the end of traditional moviegoing within 20 years 

News

Stat: US cinema execs predict the end of traditional moviegoing within 20 years 

Over half of cinema executives in the US believe the traditional cinema model will no longer be viable within the next 20 years, according to a new...
Movies : Entertainment : Stat
 New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

News

New clubhouse for women’s sports retail opens in London

A new retail concept is putting women’s sport centre stage this summer.
Sports : Retail : Fashion
Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Rose Coffey, senior foresight analyst

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offers an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, ...
Foresight Friday : Fashion : Sustainability
Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

News

Stat: Nearly half of women feel misunderstood by brands

Despite driving an estimated £25 trillion ($31.8 trillion, €29.4 trillion) in global discretionary spending, nearly half of women worldwide say bra...
Branding & Advertising : Brands : Retail
Modem’s Dream Recorder turns sleep into spatial storytelling

News

Modem’s Dream Recorder turns sleep into spatial storytelling

Dutch design studio Modem has unveiled Dream Recorder, an AI-powered device that transforms spoken memories of dreams into cinematic video se...
Technology : Modem : Dreams
Australia approves nation’s first lab-grown meat for high-end menus

News

Australia approves nation’s first lab-grown meat for high-end menus

Australia has approved its first lab-grown meat products, with Sydney-food-tech start-up Vow set to serve cultured quail dishes in upscale restaura...
Cultivated Meat : Lab-grown Meat : Lab Grown
Stat: America’s millionaire class is growing faster than ever

News

Stat: America’s millionaire class is growing faster than ever

According to UBS’s 2025 Global Wealth Report, more than 1,000 people became millionaires every day in America in 2024.
Wealth : Society : The Great Wealth Transfer
Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

News

Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

As Instagram approaches its 15th anniversary, the platform has launched a new campaign spotlighting creativity on social media. Entitled Anyway, th...
Instagram : Social Media : Creativity
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN