LSN : Daily Signals : Stat: Physical music sales increase for first time in 20 years

Morrama launches mindful AI tools to support children’s mental health

Mindful AI by Morrama, UK

UK – Design consultancy Morrama has introduced a set of innovative AI tool concepts aimed at supporting children aged six or older to manage emotions, explore creativity and build connections. This initiative responds to NHS data revealing that one in five young people have a mental health disorder.

Designed in collaboration with a child psychiatrist, each of the four tools meets a different mental health need. Calm is a fidget spinner that uses motion, heart rate and perspiration to monitor mood; Comfort is a sunflower-shaped AI companion that asks the child questions; Create is a tube-like printer that uses voice prompts to generate line drawings to colour in, and Comfort projects soothing sounds and images onto nearby surfaces, also via voice prompts.

In our AI Edu-play-tion microtrend report, we discussed the rise of generative AI-powered solutions to encourage screen-free, educational play time for children.

Strategic opportunity

Step away from the digital and explore how you can integrate AI into physical products that assist in mental health monitoring, education and creativity support for children

McDonald’s celebrates 50 years in the UK with nostalgic birthday campaign

McDonald's 50th birthday celebration campaign, UK

UK – McDonald’s is celebrating 50 years since its first UK opening with a nostalgic campaign that brings back the joy of childhood birthday parties. The 60-second ad, created by Leo Burnett and filmed at the original Woolwich McDonald’s location, perfectly recreates the restaurant’s 1980s look.

Directed by Fenn O’Meally, the ad features a dance scene set to the 80s hip-hop song Know How by Young MC, and includes retro elements such as cheeseburger stools and an apple pie tree. The campaign extends beyond tv screens, with retro-themed out-of-home posters by illustrator Sofie Birkin, social media content, a limited-edition menu, a digital party bag activation and 50th birthday merchandise.

Matt Reischauer, McDonald’s UK&I marketing director, said, ‘Our campaign celebrates our 50th birthday by tapping into the countless memories we’ve made with our fans and invites everyone to make new ones. From exclusive merch to our digital party bag and special-edition menu, we wanted to make it possible for everyone to celebrate.’

For more insights on the latest developments in the Food & Drink industry, check out our macrotrend report Functional Feasting.

Strategic opportunity

Use nostalgia to create emotionally engaging campaigns that resonate with long-time customers and attract new ones by tapping into unique, retro aesthetics

Foresight Friday: Simar Deol, foresight analyst

AI imagery by The Future Laboratory, UK

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, foresight analyst Simar Deol looks at the many convergences of fashion and sport ahead of the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.

: As Vogue Business notes, football might be over, but fashion’s obsession with football jerseys endures. Google searches for ‘England jerseys’ surged by 623% ahead of the Euro finals, while celebrities including Sabrina Carpenter and Dua Lipa have been spotted wearing jerseys, highlighting fashion’s ongoing embrace of sport. The Blokette trend, derived from #blokecore, remains robust. As highlighted in our Cannes Lions 2024 report, this truly is the year of sport.

: Similarly, it’s not just fashion adopting the sports aesthetic – sport itself is rebranding. English football club Arsenal has partnered with Labrum London to design its 2024/2025 away kit jerseys. The brand was selected for its strong commitment to showcasing African design, aligning with Arsenal’s dedication to honouring its extensive African diasporic fanbase.

: Fashion and sports converge prominently with the uniforms revealed for the Paris Olympics 2024. While some, like Mongolia’s, received praise for their creativity, others faced backlash. Ralph Lauren’s Team USA navy blazers were criticised online, likened to ‘Karens’ and ‘people on vacation in Newport’, begging the question about how nationhood can be depicted through fashion.

Quote of the week

‘Given the attention paid to the style component of the Paris Games – they are taking place in the heart of the fashion world – it seems like a missed opportunity to telegraph to the world a more creative, inclusive version of ‘American’’

Vanessa Friedman, fashion director and chief fashion critic, The New York Times

Stat: Physical music sales increase for first time in 20 years

Renaissance World Tour, Beyoncé, Global

Global – Data from The Official Charts Company and BPI reveals that in the first half of 2024, more than 8 million physical album units have been sold, marking a 3.2% increase. This is the first time that the sector has grown since 2004, when people switched to streaming digital music.

Taylor Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department album has led the growth, shifting 254,241 copies. Other top sellers include Billie Eilish’s Hit Me Hard and Soft (45,434 copies) and The Last Dinner Party’s Prelude to Ecstasy (42,352 copies). Vinyl sales also saw record highs in April 2024, selling 306,791 units thanks to Record Store Day and the release of Swift’s album (source: NME).

Despite the growth, some are voicing environmental concerns over multiple album variants becoming commonplace in the industry.

In our Web Summit Lisbon 2023: Music Futures event coverage we analysed how, in an era dominated by Web3 and AI where algorithms guide our every move, consumers are pushing a resurgence in analogue formats to challenge the digital tide. 

Strategic opportunity

Consider how your brand can tap into the current analogue trend by publishing a print magazine, hosting vinyl listening parties at your next event or creating content with camcorders and film cameras