Need to Know
17 : 01 : 23

Europe – DesignStudio has given Center Parcs Europe a new look, one that reflects the brand’s founding principles of man and nature. The visual overhaul is part of Center Parcs Europe’s broader strategy to position itself in the travel and hospitality sector as not just a leisure option for families with young children, but also a holiday destination for anyone.

Central to its new visual identity is a tree-shaped logo and illustrations by Fuchsia MacAree that move away from the old green and blue colour palette, instead showcasing a range of rich, warm colours inspired by various qualities of the natural world. The illustrations demonstrate the range of nature-inspired activities -- climbing, canoeing, archery -- available at any of CentreParcs’ 29 holiday destinations across mainland Europe. It also reflects the diversity of clientele that Center Parcs Europe hopes to attract.

In Nature Stakeholders we’ve observed how important integrating nature into a brand’s identity is to consumers. Center Parcs Europe’s mission has always been about giving its guests time and space to reconnect with nature. Its rebranding re-affirms this connection and reinforce consumers’ trust in the brand as a sustainable place to go on holiday.

London – SlowMo is a digital therapy app designed to help treat patients with psychosis. In development for over a decade by Special Projects and King’s College London, SlowMo supports in-person sessions with a therapist. Patients are also encouraged to use it to track their health and access it when they feel a psychotic episode begin. SlowMo contains guided therapy sessions, educational videos, interactive activities and a progress roadmap that allows people with psychosis to observe their worries in spinning grey bubbles. Safer thoughts then appear in coloured bubbles aiming to shift the patient to a healthier thought pattern.

Unlike other health apps SlowMo must be offered through the NHS, can only be downloaded as part of a therapy programme and requires pre-approved access from a healthcare provider. The ultimate aim of the app is that a patient can eventually live healthily without it. ‘‘Success means the user will not need it any more’ was a new concept for [us],’ says Special Projects co-founder and director of technology Adrian Westaway.

UK – Young people are adamant when it comes to wellbeing. Despite their very recent coming of age, Gen Z are already heavily influencing how we approach wellness as a society, and they want brands to level with them.

From Quiet Quitting to Soft Life, in 2022 several youth-led wellness trends emerged, promoting slower and less stressful lifestyles. Marketing firm One Twelve Agency has examined these mindset shifts in its 2023 Trend Report, and concluded that the conventional approach to wellness feels passé and toxic to nearly seven in 10 members of Generation Z.

According to research, all demographic groups now concede that wellness is as much about physical as it is about mental health, but younger consumers put greater emphasis on emotions and commitment to happiness. Gen Z want brands to adopt a discourse aligned with their holistic wellness ideas – 76% believe that advertising has a lot of power to shape how people perceive each other, and that brands should use their platforms to dismantle toxic and unattainable ideals. Gen Z’s feel-good take on wellness culture is already reshaping how the media approaches the topic and is setting the scene for a new wave of wellbeing-boosting digital services.