Need to Know
03 : 05 : 23

Canada ­– Condom brand Jems has launched a campaign targeting an unusual target audience when it comes to safe sex advocacy – seniors.

Jems is a body-safe condom brand committed to making the industry more inclusive and has dubbed its latest campaign, F#cking Old. It aims to provoke uncomfortable but necessary conversations about sexual health in an age group seeing a rise in STIs. Jems has created boxes of condoms and sweets featuring conversation-starters on safer sex on their wrappers. ‘Ultimately, the candies are a sweet prompt to help bridge the gap and promote healthy sexual habits among seniors,’ explain Whitney Geller and Yasemin Emory, co-founders of Jems. ‘Instead of your grandma giving you a hard candy, this is a chance for you to give her one and ignite a conversation.’

Jems notes that in the past decade, STI rates among Canadians over 65 have increased by 267% for chlamydia and 340% for syphilis, as many seniors are ending decades-long monogamous relationships and discovering modern dating culture, all while seemingly unaware of the risks of unprotected sex among their generation.

US – Fast casual salad restaurant Sweetgreen is tackling cautious consumer spending by launching a paid loyalty programme that will offer its customers discounts and access to salad-themed merchandise. The loyalty scheme costs £8 ($10, €9) a month and gives subscribers £2.40 ($3, €2.73) off daily orders and delivery perks as well as the ability to earn rewards and menu exclusives.

The new loyalty programme was introduced to help boost growth after Sweetgreen was left with a lower-than-expected sales revenue at the beginning of 2023. The chain is positioned in the market as a lunchtime staple for office crowds and the slowdown is in large part due to people working from home more frequently. In our Inflationary Loyalty Market report, we reveal how inflation is hitting consumer spending, forcing brands to develop innovative new strategies to boost loyalty. This scheme from Sweetgreen aims to re-incentivise consumers to make it their go-to lunch choice again.

France – Luxury conglomerate LVMH’s market value surpassed £400bn ($500bn, €459bn) at the end of April 2023, the first European company to reach this number. This can be attributed to booming sales of luxury goods in China and a strengthening euro. Its first quarter sales also pushed the brand into the ranks of the world’s top 10 biggest companies.

Hermès International, one of LVMH’s rivals, has also published strong numbers, reinforcing the importance of China’s re-opening from pandemic lockdowns to fuel growth across the luxury industry. Demand for LVMH products including handbags, Moet & Chandon champagne and Dior gowns have risen despite surging inflation and cost of living, according to Bloomberg.

An early investor in the Chinese market, LVMH opened its first Louis Vuitton store in Beijing in 1992. The conglomerate is also adjusting its strategy for this region by moving resources out of Hong Kong, previously considered to be Asia’s premium shopping hub. Instead, it will focus its investments on the burgeoning cities of Shanghai, Chengdu, Guangzhou and Shenzhen as Chinese consumers move towards shopping in key domestic markets – as discussed in our State of Luxury China market report.