Need to know
16 : 08 : 21

US – Responding to the desire for physical touch in the inter-Covid period, hand sanitiser brand Touchland is taking a subversive approach to marketing its latest product line. Its video campaign, Touch Like in the Before, shows an underground party scene with groups of people in intimate positions after applying Touchland hand sanitiser.

In this way, the brand recognises a growing sense of fatigue among consumers in relation to pandemic-induced restrictions and ongoing health anxiety. This alternative approach to communication reflects a shift in mindsets and a yearning for physical touch. ‘We want to enable people to live passionately, curiously and fearlessly, but not recklessly,’ explains Andrea Lisbona, founder and CEO of Touchland.

Such visual narratives echo the ideas we explore in Unrefined Intimacy, with brands embracing sex and pleasure as part of a new era of raw and confrontational advertising. Meanwhile, in Synchronised Care, we identify the importance of Pleasure Health as a key tenet of achieving holistic wellbeing.

New York – E-commerce company Shopify is supporting small business owners through the launch of an entrepreneurial hub in New York’s SoHo area. Dubbed Shopify New York, the two-storey space will offer workshops and events, one-to-one business support and access to on-site podcast and photography studio spaces, among other elements. The space and expert advice are free to access, with bookable services charged at hourly rates.

Shopify is responding to the needs of a growing number of entrepreneurs, recognising that many would benefit from supportive networks to bolster their business operations. ‘Much of NYC’s heart and soul comes from its entrepreneurs,’ says Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify. ‘To keep NYC as one of the most entrepreneurial cities in the world, we’re giving New Yorkers the resources and tools they need to build successful businesses.’

As more people embrace craft culture, there are opportunities for larger brands and businesses to support makers in transforming their personal creativity from being a hobby into owning a fruitful small business.

As the worlds of luxury and gaming continue to collide, there is growing evidence that in-game sales are also translating into physical sales. This insight comes as part of an annual study by Altagamma-Boston Consulting Group that explores global luxury consumer behaviours.

The report finds that among the 39% of luxury consumers who are aware that brands interact with customers in virtual online games, one in two have bought luxury in-game items. Of this group, a majority (86%) have then purchased the corresponding physical version. Consumers in the US and China are most aware of luxury brands interacting with customers in games, with 53% and 51%, respectively, agreeing. Brands could focus on these markets and create targeted campaigns around the fusion of gaming and luxury.

To discover more about the opportunities for phygital luxury activations, join us on 9 September for exclusive debates and discussions on the luxury and hospitality landscape.