News 22.05.2023

Need to Know

Dove highlights the over-sexualisation of women in gaming, Aizome turns waste water into skincare and why Gen Z crave phone breaks more than Boomers.

Dove campaign highlights over-sexualisation of women in gaming

Real Virtual Beauty by Dove and Epic Games

US – After a first instalment in autumn 2022, Dove, Epic Games’ Unreal Engine education team and Women in Games have unveiled the sequel to their Real Virtual Beauty video campaign.

Viewers will recognise an avatar inspired by Argentinian gamer Cinthia, chosen by Dove as one of the inspirations for its diverse range of inclusive gaming avatars. The new clip shows her character represented as a fierce fighter wearing tight armour, enhancing her breasts. As she looks at her reflection after taking it off, she realises her curvaceous body does not need to be trapped inside a digital corset.

The campaign, which aims to ‘make virtual beauty real’, is in response to worrying figures from a 2022 Dove study claiming 74% of girls feel under-represented in video games. On top of a series of videos and activations, the Real Virtual Beauty initiative built a curriculum to train game developers to avoid unconscious bias across the stages of avatar and character development.

In Affirmative Avatars, we previously looked at how, as 92% of people agree that ‘customisation is important when creating virtual avatars’, the market for creative and authentic ways to design and dress up online avatars is booming.

Strategic opportunity

Businesses strengthening their presence in the virtual world should consider how to make their skins – a purchasable item changing the appearance of a character in gaming – more inclusive with larger sizing, various ethnicities or gender-fluid options

Aizome introduces skincare range made from dye waste water

Aizome Aizome
Aizome Aizome

Japan – Japanese-German start-up Aizome has teamed up with creative agency Serviceplan Innovation and New York-based design studio Workbyworks to create Wastecare, the world’s first skincare range made from waste water collected at its textile dyeing factory. Aizome claims that since it uses only plants, water and ultrasound in the dyeing process – instead of synthetic chemicals – its waste water offers natural health benefits, including anti-inflammatory, pain-relief and skin rejuvenation qualities.

According to the UN, chemical use in the dyeing process is the second biggest cause of water pollution. Aizome hopes to show that if its waste water is clean enough to be certified for skincare use, the processes and materials used in its factories are truly natural. A single, limited-edition Wastecare product will be available for purchase in its upcoming Aizome Indiegogo drop, which will be followed by pop-up stores, trade fairs and conferences.

In Clean Water Market, we previously analysed how a new generation of innovators are stepping in to reshape consumers’ beauty and wellness routines radically by channelling growing concerns over clean water supply and toxicity.

Strategic opportunity

As a rising number of sceptical consumers call out greenwashing practices, evidence-based products such as Wastecare offer a new kind of green credibility and authenticity while building a loyal community of eco-conscious consumers

The first baby with three biological parents born in the UK

EctoLife is a conceptual artificial womb facility created by biotechnologist and film producer Hashem Al-Ghaili, Germany EctoLife is a conceptual artificial womb facility created by biotechnologist and film producer Hashem Al-Ghaili, Germany

UK – Thanks to a cutting-edge IVF (in vitro fertilisation) procedure, a baby conceived with DNA from three people has been born in the UK.

The ground-breaking IVF technique, mitochondrial donation treatment (MDT), has been developed to allow women carrying incurable and fatal disorders at a cellular level to have children without passing on genetic mutations.

The MDT is based on the finding that adding a third parent’s DNA can avoid mitochondrial mutations. In practice, this means tissue is taken from a healthy woman donor’s eggs and used to create IVF embryos.

On a genetic level, although three different sets of DNA can be found in the baby, some 99.8% belong to the mother and father.

While the success of the process is yet to be determined, the achievement is an important milestone for the future of artificial reproduction.

Strategic opportunity

As society moves beyond the nuclear family unit, businesses and workplaces must ensure they are catering for new – albeit often unfamiliar – family dynamics and models, from external communications to internal policies and services

Stat: Gen Z crave phone breaks more than Boomers

Sophie Pagès, Paris. Photography by Diaba Touré Sophie Pagès, Paris. Photography by Diaba Touré

Global – According to a new study by website-building company Squarespace, digital natives Gen Z are more willing to take a break from their devices than Baby Boomers.

On its 20th anniversary, Squarespace surveyed 4,000 adults in four countries (US, Canada, UK and Australia) on their digital behaviour. It found 50% of Gen Z would like to take a break from their phones – the most of any generation. By contrast, only 20% of Baby Boomers want to do the same.

Overall, 62% of people agree that the flexibility of having a smartphone outweighs the downside of always being accessible. In addition, 53% of respondents value a digital presence as a way of staying connected or sharing their life with friends and family.

As we’ve recently observed in our Youth culture is entering its flat age future opinion piece, technology, once considered primarily a tool for young people, is now increasingly embraced by older consumers.

Strategic opportunity

Online spaces often prioritise the needs of young consumers. But as our future becomes increasingly post-demographic, businesses will stay ahead by creating platforms that encourage intergenerational connection

Previous News Articles
Nike changes Just Do It to Why Do It? in new campaign

News

Nike changes Just Do It to Why Do It? in new campaign

Nike has re-imagined its iconic Just Do It slogan for today’s athletes with the launch of its latest campaign, Why Do It? 
Visual : Nike : Campaign
New Zealand’s Department of Conservation merges sustainability and local pride

News

New Zealand’s Department of Conservation merges sustainability and local pride

The Department of Conservation in New Zealand has unveiled a three-year campaign with Deloitte Digital and Deloitte’s Sustainability and Climate te...
Conservation : National Branding : New Zealand
Stat: The majority of Gen Alpha consumers buy clothes to create content

News

Stat: The majority of Gen Alpha consumers buy clothes to create content

Clothing retailer PacSun’s study of more than 6,000 Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers in the US reveals how fashion purchases are increasingly made for...
Gen Alpha : Fashion : Retail
John Lewis celebrates 100 iconic products for its centenary

News

John Lewis celebrates 100 iconic products for its centenary

John Lewis is marking 100 years of its Never Knowingly Undersold promise with a new multi-media campaign created by advertising company Saatchi &am...
Brand Heritage : Heritage : Branding
Monzo tackles financial literacy with The Book of Money

News

Monzo tackles financial literacy with The Book of Money

British online bank Monzo has launched The Book of Money in response to research showing that half of Britons (51%) feel they are not reaching thei...
Finance : Gen Z : Education
Stat: Light preventative personal care routines on the rise

News

Stat: Light preventative personal care routines on the rise

Kenvue, owner of brands including Neutrogena, Aveeno and Listerine, has launched A New View of Care: The Power of Personal Care Routines, a global ...
Stat : Statistic : Health
Depop campaign reframes second-hand fashion as secret to personal style

News

Depop campaign reframes second-hand fashion as secret to personal style

Fashion resale platform Depop (now a subsidiary of Etsy) has launched its largest US campaign to date.
Fashion : Sustainability : Resale
Dermalogica launches digital community for skincare professionals

News

Dermalogica launches digital community for skincare professionals

Dermalogica has launched its Pro Community hub, a digital space designed by skin therapists, for skin therapists, with the ambition to become the U...
Dermalogica : Neo Community : Community
Stat: US study suggests Gen Alpha are fuelling cinema revival

News

Stat: US study suggests Gen Alpha are fuelling cinema revival

A new US survey from entertainment researchers NRG found that 59% of Gen Alpha prefer watching films in cinemas rather than at home, comp...
Stat : Stats : Statistic
Volkswagen puts authenticity first in new social storytelling campaign

News

Volkswagen puts authenticity first in new social storytelling campaign

Volkswagen has launched a social-first campaign, YourVolkswagen, spotlighting the authentic stories of real owners and their enduring connection to...
Visual : Mobility : Volkswagen
You have 1 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN