Need to Know
19 : 11 : 21

China and Spain – Santo Cielo, a Chinese delicatessen brand that imports Spanish products into China, has rebranded to celebrate Spain’s culture. Combining bold and contrasting colours with oversized text, the striking visuals are complemented by its playful use of language. Its name ‘¡Santo Cielo!’, for example, is a phrase that's similar to ‘Oh my God!’ in English.

The updated visual identity by studio Pràctica is designed to be suitable in both physical and digital mediums. ‘Coming from the nature of the naming, the packaging system is made out of two parts: one reserved for the sacred use of the brand, and the other used to reinforce the Spanish character through the diverse use of typefaces and colours,’ explains Anna Berbiela, co-founder of Pràctica.

By presenting Spain’s identity in a way that will appeal to Chinese audiences, the brand shows how vibrant branding can elevate global cuisine.

UK – As part of the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI), His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales and Sir Jony Ive have teamed up to launch the Terra Carta Seal. To reward private sector companies that are helping build a more sustainable future, the seal was developed to recognise industry-leading organisations that place the environment at the heart of their operations.

Taking its name from the Magna Carta, the Terra Carta aims to centre nature, people and the planet in the private sector. Made with hand-made paper that is 100% sustainable and traceable, the botanically inspired seal features oak leaves, fern, magnolia, swallows, honeybees, a monarch butterfly and magnolia. As it stands, 45 companies, including L’Óreal and Natura & Co, have been rewarded with the Terra Carta Seal for their commitment to limit global warming to 1.5°C by 2050.

Updating the idea of preservation and conservation for the 21st century, the Terra Carta Seal is a continuation of the Heritage Refashioned trend which positions heritage as something youthful and evolving.

Normally seen as a discount bonanza, Alibaba’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival is paving new ground for sustainable shopping. With a dedicated vertical for greener lifestyle products, the festival raked in a record-breaking £62bn ($84.5bn, €74.6bn) in gross merchandise volume on 11 November this year.

With 900m Chinese consumers shopping from 290,000 brands, this year’s festival was Alibaba’s largest to date. Recognising its role, however, in perpetuating a more positive approach to consumption, Alibaba launched a dedicated sustainability vertical to spotlight energy-efficient appliances, organic foods and fuel-saving cars. Of note, Tesla sold more charging stations for its electric cars within the first minute of 11.11 than it had during the entire festival last year. Furthermore, for every green purchase that was made, customers also earned energy points that would go towards the platform’s tree-planting initiative.

In one of the festival’s most profitable years, it’s clear that Alibaba’s more thoughtful approach is resonating with consumers. By placing sustainability and inclusivity at the heart of its operations, Alibaba is catering for China’s Green Retail Market.