Signals

US – Brian Bordainick, co-founder of Starface and Julie, is launching Overdrive to destigmatise drug testing and promote harm reduction. Overdrive’s mission is to address drug safety in a way that resonates with Gen Z, starting with its debut product: a £9.91 ($12.99, €11.76) fentanyl testing kit. Packaged in neon orange, the kits are designed to be eye-catching and approachable, making them suitable for parties rather than clinical settings.

Beyond the product, Overdrive focuses on building a content-first lifestyle brand that spotlights authentic voices, aiming to foster community and trust while encouraging safer drug use and partying. ‘We want the first time someone encounters Overdrive to be a moment where we’re giving them something cool, not hard-selling,’ Ryan Weaver, Overdrive’s creative lead, said in a statement.

Overdose deaths continue to devastate the US, with over 112,000 recorded in 2023 alone, and fentanyl poisoning is now the leading cause of drug-related deaths. Bordainick emphasises the urgency: ‘Overdrive aims to normalise harm reduction practices and reach more young consumers.’

For more insights into how your brand can adopt a more civic-minded approach, check out our Civic Brands macrotrend report, where we analysed how brands are stepping in where governments are falling short.

UK – An average of 50 pubs a month were forced to shut down permanently across England and Wales in the first half of 2024, according to an analysis by real estate intelligence company Altus Group. By the end of June, the total number of pubs had fallen to just over 39,000, a figure that includes pubs that are vacant and being offered to let. This would make the number of operational pubs even lower. 

Inflationary pressures and the withdrawal of business rates relief are expected to drive further closures in 2025, Alex Probyn, president of property tax at Altus Group, told The Guardian. 

The British Beer and Pub Association highlighted the ‘priceless’ contribution of pubs to society and the billions of pounds they generate for the UK economy, emphasising the ‘devastating’ impact of these closures. 

The current rate of closures is lower than in the first half of 2023, when an average of 64 pubs shut down every month. In our Cost of Living Crisis topic, we explore how people’s eroded spending power is pushing the hospitality sector as a whole to innovate in order to survive.