News 13.06.2021

Need To Know

Greener Barbie dolls made from ocean-bound plastics, Nude is a fintech app for aspiring home-buyers and US shoppers rethink health benefits of canned fruits.

Mattel transforms ocean-bound plastics into Barbies

Barbie Loves the Ocean by Mattel, US

California – In its latest sustainability push, toy brand Mattel has introduced a line of Barbie dolls made from recycled ocean-based plastic.

The brand’s Barbie Loves the Ocean collection includes three dolls whose bodies are made from 90% recycled plastic parts. The accompanying accessories and play set are also created using plastics that would ordinarily be polluting the ocean. To promote the line, Mattel has also launched a campaign, The Future of Pink is Green, using the brand’s association with the colour pink along with the sustainable connotations of green.

Through this initiative, the brand is both supporting parents with greener toy options and educating children about environmental issues. Richard Dickson, president and chief operating officer at Mattel, says: ‘This Barbie launch is another addition to Mattel’s growing portfolio of purpose-driven brands that inspire environmental consciousness with our consumer as a key focus.’

With Millennial parents hyper-aware of the impact of plastic waste – the material typically used in toy manufacturing – brands are stepping up to provide eco-friendly alternatives, something we explore in Conscious Play.

Finance app Nude motivates aspiring home-buyers

Nude app, UK Nude app, UK
Nude app, UK Nude app, UK

UK – Recognising that saving for a house deposit can feel like an overwhelming task, money-saving app Nude is stepping in to motivate aspiring home-owners.

Designed to help people save a deposit for a house, the app uses time as a motivator – featuring an in-app countdown for tracking financial progress. Once users input how much they need to save for a deposit, Nude will give them a time estimate of how long it will take to raise that amount. To incentivise users, the app also provides personalised ideas and habit-building challenges to help reduce their predicted saving time.

‘By transforming ‘how much you need’ into ‘when you’ll buy your home’ we’re making it real,’ explains Crawford Taylor, co-founder of Nude. ‘The design of the app also creates a more accessible approach to mortgage saving, avoiding conventional fintech cues and instead taking inspiration from lifestyle brands.’

Fintech brands are increasingly borrowing cues from the lifestyle industries to engage consumers. Previously, we identified how mortgage brokerHabito is using unexpected branding to reframe the home-buying experience.

Givaudan’s innovation lab creates fragrances in four weeks

Pur Oud by Louis Vuitton, France Pur Oud by Louis Vuitton, France

China – Scent manufacturer Givaudan has teamed up with retailer Tmall to create an innovation laboratory boosting fragrance creation opportunities in China.

The laboratory, called T-Lab, will combine Givaudan’s fragrance solutions and production capabilities in China with Tmall’s expansive consumer data. Through the partnership, both companies aim to shorten end-to-end product development timelines to just four weeks. At ideation stage, Givaudan will benefit from Tmall’s brand eco-system and customer insights to inform product formulations.

The first-of-its-kind collaboration has already produced a new series of fragrances inspired by the Chinese classic novel Journey to the West. ‘We have witnessed the fragrance market in China mature over the past 30 years to reach today's peak demand for locally tailored products,’ says Yaling Li, head of fragrances at Givaudan China and Korea. ‘Our T-Lab partnership enables us to pre-empt consumer trends by using behavioural data to innovate new, unique and timely product offerings.’

Through this partnership, Givaudan is decentralising its operations as a method of Reactive Relevance – allowing it to monitor market shifts and quickly respond. Explore this trend within Elastic Brands.

Stat: US shoppers change opinion on packaged fruit

Misfits Market by Garnish Studios Misfits Market by Garnish Studios

While canned food often has a bad reputation for being less nutritious than fresh produce, US shoppers are beginning to change their view as a result of the pandemic.

New data from Morning Consult finds that 39% of people who ate more packaged fruit during lockdown now consider it healthier than they did before the pandemic. This compares to 52% who say that their views of the item remain unchanged. More generally, 78% of Americans consider packaged fruit as just as healthy, while only 12% newly perceive these products as healthy.

This behavioural change seems to be related to increased product exposure among consumers, with canned and packaged produce brand Del Monte Foods reporting a 200% year-on-year increase in sales in March 2020. ‘We experienced a double-digit increase in demand for our products over the past year, and we continue to see positive demand,’ says Bibie Wu, chief marketing officer at Del Monte.

We’ve been tracking a change in attitude towards the nutritional value of frozen foods, and this data shows that a similar mindset may be emerging when it comes to canned produce.

Previous News Articles
Disney unveils first-ever Middle East theme park on Yas Island

News

Disney unveils first-ever Middle East theme park on Yas Island

In a landmark moment for the entertainment and tourism sectors, The Walt Disney Company, in partnership with Miral, has announced the first-ever Di...
Abu Dhabi : Saudi Arabia : Travel And Hospitality
New data set helps identify culturally specific biases in LLMs

News

New data set helps identify culturally specific biases in LLMs

A new dataset called SHADES is helping researchers uncover how AI models internalise and reproduce harmful stereotypes in multiple languages.
AI : Technology : LLMs
Portugal tops list as Americans seek freedom abroad

News

Portugal tops list as Americans seek freedom abroad

In a recent survey of over 100,000 Americans considering emigration, Portugal has emerged as the top relocation destination. 
Travel : Society : Wellness
Electrolux launches campaign based on Swedish culture and values

News

Electrolux launches campaign based on Swedish culture and values

Multinational home appliance manufacturer Electrolux has launched a campaign celebrating core Swedish design values.
Home : Appliances : Advertising
Sober living meets social connection at NYC’s new members’ club The Maze

News

Sober living meets social connection at NYC’s new members’ club The Maze

New York City is set to welcome its first alcohol-free members’ club, The Maze, in autumn 2025.
Hospitality : Sober : Luxury
Stat: Brits Spend £439m a month to skip ads on top streaming platforms

News

Stat: Brits Spend £439m a month to skip ads on top streaming platforms

UK consumers are spending more than £439m each month, over £4.8bn annually, on ad-free streaming, according to new data from finance comparison sit...
Media : Entertainment : Streaming
AirCar readies for launch, ushering in an era of casual air mobility

News

AirCar readies for launch, ushering in an era of casual air mobility

Slovakia’s Klein Vision has announced that its AirCar – a road-legal vehicle that converts into a certified aircraft in under two minutes – will be...
Mobility : Air Travel : Transport
Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, 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 : Gen Z : Gen Beta
British Gen Alphas are listening to CDs and vinyl

News

British Gen Alphas are listening to CDs and vinyl

Nearly half of Generation Alpha are turning to physical music formats, according to new research from Key Production.
Gen Alpha : Music : Media
Social media star Kai Cenat launches Streamer University

News

Social media star Kai Cenat launches Streamer University

Twitch sensation Kai Cenat has launched Streamer University, a weekend-long experience for aspiring creators to collaborate, learn and produce cont...
Media : Entertainment : Education
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