Signals

Finland – Hygiene brand Vuokkoset has collaborated with advertising agency TBWA/Helsinki on tampons designed for transgender men.

In a bid to minimise gender dysphoria experienced by trans men who menstruate, the Tampon for Men has the same functionality as a traditional tampon but uses the tagline ‘For Menstruation’ on dark blue packaging.

‘Menstrual products – from visuality and advertising to store location – are strongly feminine. It’s time to acknowledge the diversity of menstruating individuals,’ says Sanna Karhu, CEO of Delipap Oy, the manufacturer of Vuokkoset.

The line was launched as a limited edition on 15 November 2023 to coincide with International Transgender Awareness Week, and sales proceeds will be donated to Trasek ry, an organisation focused on gender diversity and sexual health.

The product will inspire essential conversations about gender and menstruation. Vuokkoset could go even further in its commitment to inclusivity by challenging the pink tax. In America, this discriminatory pricing that inflates the cost of goods marketed to women represents £148,940 ($188,000, €171,620) in additional tax throughout a woman’s life (source: The California Senate Committee on Judiciary and Senate Select Committee on Women, Work & Families). Labelling healthcare products such as tampons as ‘gender-neutral’ might be more effective in reducing period poverty and alerting on the costs of menstruating products borne predominantly by cis women amid a cost of living crisis.

On LS:N Global, our Identities topic is an essential resource for tracking directions in diversity, inclusion and more.

US – There are many ways in which generative AI could enhance the retail experience, from personalising gift guides to supercharging customer support – but are consumers ready? In October 2023, Morning Consult surveyed 2,200 US adults on how they feel about retailers embracing AI. The study found that consumer interest in AI-powered e-commerce applications has been stagnant since the beginning of 2023. Despite this slowdown, one consumer in five admitted to being willing to pay a reasonable fee to get AI shopping assistance, such as AI-generated gift guides.

Millennials and Gen Z are the most likely consumer groups to use AI for shopping – a quarter of Millennials (26%) reported using an AI retail tool in the past 30 days. Looking at all age groups, shoppers still tend to prefer human interaction over AI assistance, but it appears to be a matter of getting people on board. Those who have taken the leap describe AI tools as helpful and unique.

These findings highlight that while consumers recognise that AI can enable enhanced and more personalised EQ-Commerce experiences, the challenge for retailers lies in organically integrating AI tools into the shopping journey.