News 17.03.2025

Need to Know

YSL Beauty launches domestic violence campaign, Revolve takes Bellemint shoppable gaming app worldwide and Japan’s service robot market is set to triple by 2030.

YSL Beauty subverts luxury advertising to highlight domestic violence

Don't Call It Love. Abuse Is Not Love by YSL Beauty, France

France - YSL Beauty is challenging the conventions of luxury advertising with its latest campaign, Don’t Call It Love, which raises awareness of intimate partner violence, a global issue affecting one in three women (source: World Health Organization). 

Released in time for International Women’s Day, the film initially presents a glamorous Parisian romance, unfolding through elegant, cinematic scenes. However, as the story progresses, unease creeps in. The final scene stops abruptly asking the viewer, ‘Did you see signs of abuse in this film?’ The story then rewinds, revealing hidden signs such as stalking, control and manipulation. 

Manon Ergin, vice-president of global communications and image at YSL Beauty, explains the brand’s stance, ‘Intimate partner violence goes against women’s freedom, strength and empowerment and therefore stands in direct opposition to our values.’ 

The campaign is part of YSL Beauty’s Abuse Is Not Love programme, which was launched in 2020 and works with non-profit organisations to prevent intimate partner violence. By subverting traditional luxury storytelling in this campaign, YSL Beauty aims to spotlight abuse that is hidden in plain sight and empower viewers to recognise the signs before it escalates. 

In response to an ever-creeping ‘manosphere’, future-facing brands such as YSL are seeking to decode modern masculinity and bro-ism, providing new routes forward for men who are at risk of radicalisation. Head to our new Decoding Masculinity report to find out more.

Strategic opportunity

Take a stand on gender equality and domestic violence by integrating authentic, educational content into campaigns. Collaborate with advocacy groups to create purpose-driven storytelling that challenges norms and drives meaningful impact

Revolve’s shoppable gaming app Bellemint is expanding globally

Global – Revolve is taking its shoppable styling game Bellemint worldwide. Launched in the US in October 2023, the app is now available globally, tapping into a digital-first consumer base that spends more time gaming than on social media.

With Bellemint, players – or ‘stylists’ – curate outfits using real-world items from Revolve’s inventory, participate in challenges and unlock loyalty perks. More than 1.4m looks have been styled on the app, with an average order value of £195 ($252, €231) per purchase. Revolve’s in-house brand Lovers + Friends is the most shopped, with dresses leading category sales.

With 97% of users identifying as female and the majority aged 18–34, Bellemint is deeply aligned with Revolve’s core demographic. As the platform expands, it will leverage predictive analytics to anticipate consumer demand and optimise inventory.

In X-tended Retail we explored how digital experiences and gaming have integrated e-commerce opportunities, providing consumers with new layers of retailtainment and extended reality versions of real-world retail spaces.

Photography by Shvets Production, Global

Strategic opportunity

Partner with interactive fashion games to seamlessly integrate branded digital wardrobes so players can style and shop real-world products, boosting engagement and brand awareness among digital native consumers

Stat: Japan’s service robot market set to triple by 2030

Neo Gamma by 1X, Norway and US Neo Gamma by 1X, Norway and US

Japan – Japan’s service robot market is projected to nearly triple by 2030, reaching a valuation of £2bn ($2.7bn, €2.5bn), according to research firm Fuji Keizai. As the country grapples with a labour shortfall of 11m by 2040 and an ageing population where nearly 40% will be over 65 by 2065, businesses are turning to automation to fill workforce gaps.

In the restaurant industry, robots are becoming a crucial solution. Skylark, Japan’s largest table-service restaurant chain, has deployed around 3,000 cat-eared robots to assist staff. At one Tokyo location, 71-year-old employee Yasuko Tagawa told Bloomberg she estimates that half her job now involves working with robotic assistants. ‘Thanks for your hard work. I’ll be counting on you,’ she told one robot.

Beyond hospitality, service robots are expanding into aged care, retail and logistics. For more insights on robotic retail, read our Future Forecast 2025: Technology report.

Strategic opportunity

Consider exploring how service robots enhance customer interactions, from automating check-ins to personal shopping assistants across retail, hospitality and healthcare

Previous News Articles
Jameel Motorsport turns Fortnite into environmental wake-up call

News

Jameel Motorsport turns Fortnite into environmental wake-up call

Jameel Motorsport and Serviceplan Arabia have launched The Treeless Map, a Fortnite experience designed to raise environmental awareness by removin...
Gaming : Sustainability : Technology
Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

News

Foresight Friday: Seyi Oduwole, foresight analyst

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 Seyi Od...
Japan : Travel : Travel And Hospitality
Stat: Personalisation, pop-culture and social media are reshaping travel

News

Stat: Personalisation, pop-culture and social media are reshaping travel

Personalised recommendations and digital inspiration are reshaping travel, according to Data Axle’s 2025 survey of 1,000 US consumers. As the sprin...
Travel & Hospitality : Stats : Stat
Kia Europe turns road trips into sound journeys for visually impaired people

News

Kia Europe turns road trips into sound journeys for visually impaired people

Automobile manufacturer, Kia Europe and creative agency Innocean Berlin have launched Soundscapes, a creative experiment that transforms the tradit...
Soundscapes : Mobility : Pimp My Ride
Diriyah gets its own Pantone colour as part of cultural revival

News

Diriyah gets its own Pantone colour as part of cultural revival

The historic Saudi city of Diriyah now has a shade to call its own: Diriyah Tan.
Saudi Arabia : Diriyah : Diriyah Biennale
Stat: Consumers sacrifice dining and takeout amid inflation

News

Stat: Consumers sacrifice dining and takeout amid inflation

Amid growing economic uncertainty and inflation concerns, consumers in the US and UK are scaling back on discretionary spending, with 63% cutting b...
Stat : Stats : Spending
O Boticário launches sensual guide for female pleasure

News

O Boticário launches sensual guide for female pleasure

Brazilian cosmetics brand O Boticário has launched Her Touch, a digital book that aims to dismantle taboos around female pleasure by reframing the ...
Beauty : Wellness : Brazil
Trendmood translates online clout into physical retail

News

Trendmood translates online clout into physical retail

Instagram beauty scoop account @trendmood1 is making its first foray into physical retail with a Los Angeles pop-up set to open this summer.
Retail : Beauty : Pop Culture & Media
Stat: UK gym market hits record as Gen Z fuel sign-ups

News

Stat: UK gym market hits record as Gen Z fuel sign-ups

The UK gym market reached a record valuation of £5.7bn ($7.6bn, €6.6bn) in 2024, up 8.8% year on year, according to UKactive’s latest report.
Sports : Health : Wellness
Zendaya wears spacesuits by On to champion movement for all

News

Zendaya wears spacesuits by On to champion movement for all

Zendaya and Swiss sportswear brand On have launched Zone Dreamers, a fictional film trailer turned campaign spotlighting the emotional power of mov...
Fashion : Advertising : On
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