Need to Know
25 : 01 : 22

Global – Spotlighting the everyday reasons people break a sweat, the Every Runner Has a Reason campaign reframes what it means to be a runner.

Featuring those dashing to catch a takeaway, chasing the bus or sprinting after a dog, New Balance shows that the act of running belongs to everyone, applauding the small things setting people in motion. Samantha Matthews, New Balance’s senior marketing manager, explains: ‘To us, if you run for any reason, you are a runner, you are part of our community and we want to celebrate you and your reasons for running, whatever they may be.’

In a bid to generate community engagement, while gently encouraging sneaker-wearers to turn their casual runs into a hobby, the brand also teamed up with Strava to challenge users to run 30k in one month. The campaign reflects the ways in which the Pleasure Revolution macrotrend is manifesting in brand communications, giving legitimacy to fleeting moments of pleasure as an antidote to hyper-optimised lifestyles.

Hertfordshire, UK – Taking place among woodland on the outskirts of London, Flesh is the UK’s first LGBTQ+ electronic music and camping festival. With a line-up that features a majority of female, trans+, non-binary and queer artists, when it takes place in May 2022, the event will offer an alternative to the heteronormative and male-dominated music festival sector.

Open to all, Flesh bills itself as a space for LGBTQ+ individuals to unite with friends and allies. Heralding change in the live music industry, the two-day programme includes 100% under-represented artists, with 90% of the line-up showcasing women, trans+ and non-binary artists. There will also be food stalls, pop-up shops and spaces that combine relaxation, play and educational workshops.

Allowing under-represented artists to break through and reach new audiences, Flesh is spearheading change in an industry that has often faced criticism for its exclusionary practices. Elsewhere, we have explored how the LGBTQ+ community is seeking safer and more welcoming hospitality spaces in the travel sector.

Stability is back in fashion for young people. According to research by Sotheby’s and the Center for Generational Kinetics, Generation Z are more interested in home-ownership than their Millennial predecessors.

According to the study, nearly one in three (27%) of Gen Z consumers aged 18–24 say they intend to buy a home in the next two years – a substantial number for a generation that are awaiting a looming recession. Reflecting their internet-first upbringing, these young people are using online platforms to browse and purchase homes. The majority of Gen Z buyers (67%) said they would consider using an online service or app to buy a home, compared with just 39% of millennials.

These figures indicate lucrative opportunities for real estate companies to use social media and innovative fintech platforms to aid young people in their journey to becoming first-time home-buyers.