News 01.12.2023

Need to Know

A subversive sustainability ad starring Olivia Colman, senior foresight analyst Marta Indeka’s Foresight Friday and the not-so-bright reality of the dupe economy in numbers.

Ad uses dark humour to campaign against pension funds investing in fossil fuels

Olivia Colman for Make My Money Matter Oblivion Campaign, UK

Global – Academy Award-winning actress Olivia Colman has taken on the role of Oblivia Coalmine, a latex-clad oil executive, in a campaign video by Make My Money Matter. The campaign highlights the significant investments by UK pension savers in fossil fuel companies, valued at a whopping £88bn ($111bn, €102bn).

In the video, Oblivia Coalmine thanks pension savers for enabling oil and gas companies to intensify environmental damage and spills black liquid over herself while making a toast. The ad aims to encourage individuals to urge their pension schemes to stop investing in fossil fuel projects.

Recent polling aligns with this message, revealing that 66% of pension savers prefer their investments to support renewables, while only 19% support allocations to oil and gas. ‘That’s why it is such an important campaign,’ Colman said about the Subversive Sustainability Ad. ‘I hope everyone who sees this ad realises the shocking, but united, impacts of our pensions and makes their money matter.’

Strategic Opportunity

As eco-anxiety reaches new heights, consumers are less responsive to fearmongering and climate doom. Instead, businesses can turn to satire and humour to connect with audiences in their own language to incentivise positive action

One Good Thing introduces wrapper-free snack bars with edible coating

One Good Thing, UK One Good Thing, UK
One Good Thing, UK One Good Thing, UK

UK – Sustainable food and drink start-up One Good Thing (OGT) is making waves with its innovative approach to snack packaging. The UK-based brand has unveiled what it claims to be the world's first wrapper-free snack bars. Inspired by the environmental impact of discarded wrappers, OGT developed an edible waterproof coating made from natural ingredients, including beeswax.

‘There was a lot of trial and error when it came down to creating the coating as there were so many variables to consider,’ Daniel Bedford, OGT’s head of business development, explains about the challenges faced during development. The coating, applied by hand, replaces traditional plastic wrappers and is easily rinsed under the tap before consumption. Aware of consumers’ possible concerns about hygiene, the brand says the coating is completely safe and supported by microbial tests verified by an external third party. Now available through direct orders on its website, OGT is looking into licensing the coating to other food manufacturers in the future.

To read more about sustainable packaging design futures, take a look at our analysis of Sustainability Packaged: Dieline Forum 2023.

Strategic opportunity

Find inspiration in OGT’s beeswax wrappers. Consider how to incorporate edible coatings for products to reduce environmental impact, enhance consumer experience and address concerns about traditional packaging waste

Foresight Friday: Marta Indeka, senior foresight analyst

Victoria Ling for The Future Laboratory Victoria Ling for The Future Laboratory

Every Friday, The Future Laboratory team offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, senior foresight analyst Marta Indeka discusses beer bouquets, loneliness and lobotomy.

: Are men okay? Articles and essays deploring the state of men’s mental health are proliferating in the media. Raising awareness on this issue, New Zealand-based brewery Yeastie Boys created the Bloke-quet activation. The idea? Gift a beer bouquet to encourage the men in your life to open up.

: The rise of lobotomy core content online also speaks volumes about current wellbeing hurdles. Popularised by content creators like Alexia Delarosa, Carla Bezanson or Braden Wellman, the videos use satire to express mental distress and idealise the numb, empty, post-lobotomy feeling.

: People attempting to feel less lonely are being let down by machines. An article entitled ‘What happens when your AI girlfriend dies?’ reports on how thousands of people were ghosted by AI girlfriends when several virtual companion apps shut down.

: On a brighter note, London-based events venue Drumsheds has launched the Big is Beautiful campaign. The ad celebrates bodybuilders’ individuality and commitment to growing, in a playful nod to the venue’s sheer size –located in a retrofitted Ikea store – and the strong desire for togetherness we are witnessing.

Quote of the week

‘It’s 2023, it’s okay to not be okay, just make sure that you hide it when you’re around other people because it probably will make them uncomfortable. Otherwise, it’s okay to not be okay.’

Carla Bezanson, content creator

Stat: Young consumers are being scammed by ‘dupe’ products on social media

Fendi Spring/Summer 2024 Menswear, Italy Fendi Spring/Summer 2024 Menswear, Italy

US – A Trustpilot study of 1,000 US Gen Z and Millennial adult social media users has found that 49% of consumers were scammed following the purchase of a viral ‘dupe’ item, a cheaper alternative to a high-end original product.

Issues with dupe goods – such as perfume, make-up and apparel – include the item not being the quality shown or described (38%), arriving damaged (26%), never arriving (24%), causing allergic reactions (14%) and even causing the consumer to seek medical treatment after use (9%). More than half of dupes are discovered through influencers and 49% through promoted posts. Unsurprisingly, these experiences are leading to a lack of trust; 28% of consumers place blame on the brand or retailer and 28% on an influencer.

The disillusionment with influencer-driven dupe culture is likely to contribute to what LS:N Global has termed The Rise of the Expert Influencer. Prioritising information over aspiration, these vetted influencers offer trustworthy content amid a sea of misinformation on the internet.

Strategic opportunity

For long-lasting customer loyalty and positive brand reputation, prioritise high-quality products and authentic influencer partnerships over temporarily going viral

Previous News Articles
Social media star Kai Cenat launches Streamer University

News

Social media star Kai Cenat launches Streamer University

Twitch sensation Kai Cenat has launched Streamer University, a weekend-long experience for aspiring creators to collaborate, learn and produce cont...
Media : Entertainment : Education
De Beers to close its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand

News

De Beers to close its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand

De Beers Group has announced the closure of Lightbox, its lab-grown diamond jewellery brand, signalling a strategic retreat from the synthetic jewe...
Luxury : Sustainability : Jewellery
Financial mansplaining endures for a majority of British women

News

Financial mansplaining endures for a majority of British women

Gender bias in money matters is pushing British women out of financial conversations, according to new research commissioned by digital wealth mana...
Finance : Diversity : Inclusion
Avanade Intelligent Garden gives trees a voice at Chelsea Flower Show

News

Avanade Intelligent Garden gives trees a voice at Chelsea Flower Show

This year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show invites visitors to interact with AI-enabled trees in the Avanade Intelligent Garden.
Technology : Nature : Sustainability
ITV launches deaf-led drama with BSL and silent ad break

News

ITV launches deaf-led drama with BSL and silent ad break

ITV is pushing the boundaries of inclusive storytelling with the launch of its new prime time drama Code of Silence, starring BAFTA-winning actor a...
Media : Diversity : Inclusion
Stat: Boomerang generation return home due to cost of living crisis

News

Stat: Boomerang generation return home due to cost of living crisis

The rising cost of living and unaffordable housing are fuelling a surge in adult children returning to the family home.
Family : Home : Youth
Manchester City brings grassroots spirit to kit launch

News

Manchester City brings grassroots spirit to kit launch

Manchester City Football Club has marked the launch of its 2025/2026 home kit with a short film that playfully blends football fandom, nostalgia an...
Sports : Design : Creative
Vinted tops France’s fashion market as second-hand sales surge

News

Vinted tops France’s fashion market as second-hand sales surge

Second-hand platform Vinted has overtaken Amazon and Kiabi to become France’s top clothing retailer by sales volume, according to new data from the...
Fashion : Sustainability : Retail
Stat: Nearly half of UK shoppers prefer in-store retail – but body image challenges persist

News

Stat: Nearly half of UK shoppers prefer in-store retail – but body image challenges persist

As consumers’ desire for in-person connection increases, nearly half of UK shoppers now prefer to shop in-store, according to new research.
Stats : Stat : Retail
China’s online sports and equipment sales are booming

News

China’s online sports and equipment sales are booming

The sports apparel and equipment sector continues to be one of the highest-growth key consumer sectors in China, according to brand agency Hot Pot ...
China : Sports : HotPot China
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN