Need to Know
08 : 12 : 21

Italy – In a bid to connect audiences with cultural events in new ways, online platform ITsART is working with cultural organisations to stream content from operas to museum exhibitions. With backing by the Italian Ministry of Culture, the platform’s library is divided into three sections: Stage, for performance arts shows, Sites for virtual tours to historic locations and museums, and Stories for films and documentaries.

Much of the content will come from a partnership with cultural institutions in Italy, including Galleria Borghese and Fondazione Prada. By centralising Italy’s cultural content in this way, ITsART is promoting its public venues, as well as new revenue streams. ‘Our aim was to provide a common platform that can reach a growing audience of consumers of Italian art and culture around the world, while importantly, supporting the performing and visual arts sector,’ says Guido Casali, CEO of ITsART.

We’ve previously explored how Germany’s RTL+ platform is similarly leveraging local content as an alternative to existing media giants. For more entertainment insights, look out for our upcoming Future of Engagement report.

UK and UAE – YouTube supergroup The Sidemen has made its first foray into food with the launch of Sides, an at-home dining concept that combines eating with entertainment. Although the collective is famous for its food challenge videos and reviews, it’s the first time that the group has launched a real-life menu.

Available across delivery platforms including Deliveroo and Uber Eats, Sides specialises in fried chicken dishes that have been developed personally by the seven members of the collective. Created in collaboration with Virtual Hero and Hero Brands, customers are given a choice between vegan and meat-based options as well as a range of different sauces. ‘At Virtual Hero we are responding to emerging consumer trends in this fast-growing market and building the virtual brands of the future,’ explains Robin Mehta, chief operating officer of Virtual Hero.

Operating from ghost kitchens in the UK and the UAE, the delivery service is a response to the rising trend for Media Kitchens that positions social media tastemakers as the next frontier of cuisine.

Concerns about frivolous shopping are interfering with people’s Christmas spirit, with research by Gumtree showing that 61% of British consumers are worried about the environmental consequences of over-consumption this holiday season.

Although 28% of those surveyed believe that over-consumption is one of the biggest threats to the environment, only 41% of respondents said they are willing to reduce their spending this Christmas. Of those surveyed, 48% said that COP26 did not inspire them to host more eco-conscious Christmas gatherings. When asked why they refused to change their behaviour, 31% said that Christmas was too important to cut back on, while 25% said they planned to purchase specific items that are new.

‘We’ve found that people do truly care about climate and environmental issues; however, there’s a disparity between this and their actions,’ explains Hannah Rouch, chief marketing officer of Gumtree.

Although consumers are reluctant to abandon certain festive rituals and traditions, the research by Gumtree also suggests that shoppers are feeling increasingly worried about the environmental impact of their purchases. With this in mind, there is scope for brands to adopt the tenets of Eco-venience Retail to assuage shoppers while not compromising on value and experience.