News 14.04.2025

Need to Know

Saintly brings humour and elegance to toilet hygiene, India’s coffee rave scene is booming and why k-pop remains South Korea’s top cultural export.

Saintly rebrands toilet hygiene with Renaissance-inspired identity

Saintly by Universal Favourite, US
Saintly by Universal Favourite, US
Saintly by Universal Favourite, US
Saintly by Universal Favourite, US

US – Toilet care brand Saintly is taking a bold step into taboo-breaking territory with a Renaissance-inspired rebrand that upgrades the humble flushable wipe. Its new Divine Dispenser, developed with Doris Dev, is positioned as a cleansing foam alternative with a ‘heavenly fresh’ identity created by design studio Universal Favourite. With a simple press, the elegant dispenser releases a dollop of foam onto regular toilet paper, offering a more sustainable and sophisticated hygiene option.

Rooted in the idea that ‘cleanliness is truly next to godliness’, the brand turns daily routines into rituals of confidence – promising, in its own words, ‘that new butt feeling, every time.’

Inspired by Renaissance art and Italian fresco culture, the identity includes a sculptural ‘s’ logo reminiscent of the poop emoji, custom calligraphic typography and a golden-yellow and khaki palette that breaks from the sterile whites of the category.

The tone of voice, shaped with copywriter Cat Wall, channels ‘the Fresh Prince of Florence’ – a cheeky bon vivant guiding the brand’s irreverent charm. Anchoring the launch is The Lake of Revitalisation, an illustrated fresco featuring floral motifs, butt-shaped hedges and toilet roll statues, elevating bathroom care into an art form.

For more innovative rebrands, head to our Design sector.

Strategic opportunity

Consider using humour or beauty to destigmatise taboos and turn discomfort into engagement. Other taboo sectors, such as menopause, death, debt and digestion are ripe for rebranding

India’s coffee rave scene brews a new way to socialise

India – A new kind of party is percolating across India, with Gen Z embracing caffeine over cocktails, as reported by Elle India. DJ Tanishq’s viral coffee rave at Corridor Seven Coffee Roasters in Nagpur kicked off a movement that swaps nightclubs for cafés, spinning house and Afro beats for sober crowds sipping iced matcha and espresso shots.

‘I was just bored with the nightlife,’ Tanishq explains. ‘Coffee is something I love, and I wanted to share that with my audience.’ His More Coffee, More Rave tour has since travelled nationwide, drawing in fans who prefer daytime parties without alcohol.

‘A café or coffee rave is about energy, connection and authenticity,’ says Vidur Mayor, founder of FES Café in Gurugram. ‘It’s not about excess or partying till you drop – it’s about enjoying great music, meeting like-minded people and being part of something new.’

While some café owners see it as a passing fad, others believe it marks a cultural shift. As Kareena Bulchandani founder of Mokai Café notes, ‘It has a lot to do with how alcohol is on a massive decline and the newer generation prefers maintaining a healthy lifestyle and not falling for hangovers.’

In our Sober Social Fix report, we analysed how, as the sober-curious movement strengthens in the US, younger generations are redefining how to enjoy going out with friends, opening up opportunities for hospitality and nightlife brands.

Club Sol by Imogen Malpas. Photography by Aisha Olamide Seriki, UK

Strategic opportunity

Sober partying is no longer niche. Consider how to develop branded events, merch, playlists and drinkware tailored for caffeine-fuelled connection rather than alcohol consumption

Stat: K-pop remains South Korea’s top cultural export

Blackpink: Light Up the Sky, Courtesy of Netflix, Global

South Korea – K-pop continues to lead perceptions of South Korea according to the 2025 Global Hallyu Survey. Based on responses from 26,400 people in 28 countries, the findings show that 17.8% of those who had experienced South Korean culture identified K-pop as the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the country.

This was followed by food (11.8%), tv dramas (8.7%) and beauty products (6.4%). For the first time since 2012, South Korean IT products and brands fell from the top rankings in the survey carried out by the nation’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange.

BTS remains the most popular K-pop act for the seventh year running (24.6%), followed by Blackpink (12.3%). Respondents now spend an average of 14 hours monthly watching Korean content, with dramas and reality tv topping viewing habits.

For more insights into popular and digital culture, and the commercial opportunities relevant to consumer engagement and connection across the world, head to LS:N Global’s Pop Culture & Media sector.

Strategic opportunity

Leverage South Korea’s international momentum by partnering with creators and brands from the country to craft culturally relevant campaigns that drive brand discovery and resonate with increasingly global, K-culture-savvy audiences

Previous News Articles
TikTok top-selling beauty brand P.Louise to open immersive flagship store

News

TikTok top-selling beauty brand P.Louise to open immersive flagship store

Make-up brand P.Louise is set to open its first fully immersive store in Manchester Trafford Palazzo in autumn 2025.
Retail : Beauty : Pop Culture & Media
Kiehl’s teams up with Fortnite to make suncare part of play

News

Kiehl’s teams up with Fortnite to make suncare part of play

Cosmetics brand Kiehl’s is breaking new ground with a four-week activation inside online video game Fortnite, aiming to embed sun safety into gamin...
Kiehl’s : Suncare : Suncare Market
Stat: High churn rates threaten subscription services

News

Stat: High churn rates threaten subscription services

According to a new survey in the US and Europe from Recurly and Hanover Research, 66% of all cancellations occur within the first 12 months of a su...
Retail : Technology : Subscriptions
The Future Laboratory unveils Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 at Breakfast Briefing

News

The Future Laboratory unveils Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 at Breakfast Briefing

The Future Laboratory, alongside the team behind its trends intelligence platform LS:N Global, hosted its quarterly members-only Breakfast Briefing...
The Future Laboratory : Innovation Debrief 2025–2026 : Breakfast Briefing
AI physiotherapy clinic halves waiting time for back pain treatment

News

AI physiotherapy clinic halves waiting time for back pain treatment

A 12-week NHS pilot of Flok Health’s AI-powered physiotherapy clinic has cut waiting lists for back pain by 55% and overall musculoskeletal waits ...
AI : Ai Therapy : Healthcare
Stat: Young US adults turn to AI for daily brainstorms

News

Stat: Young US adults turn to AI for daily brainstorms

About six in 10 US adults under 30 have used AI to come up with ideas, compared with just two in 10 of those aged 60 or older, according to a study...
AI : Stat : Statistic
BBH Singapore creates the country’s first legal chewing gum for more than 30 years

News

BBH Singapore creates the country’s first legal chewing gum for more than 30 years

Creative agency BBH Singapore has developed Unthinkables, a hyper-chewy flavoured candy designed to mimic gum but made without a gum base to bypass...
Singapore : Advertising : Pop Culture & Media
Carebot GR-3 brings emotional intelligence to humanoid robotics

News

Carebot GR-3 brings emotional intelligence to humanoid robotics

Robotics company Fourier has unveiled its first full-sized humanoid companion robot, the Care-bot GR-3, to transform emotional interaction in care ...
Technology : Companionship : Robotics
Stat: Almost half of Substack publishers are using AI tools

News

Stat: Almost half of Substack publishers are using AI tools

Almost half of Substack publishers (45%) are using AI tools, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 of its writers, artists and podcasters.
Stat : Statistic
NYX turns beauty into game play for back-to-school on Roblox

News

NYX turns beauty into game play for back-to-school on Roblox

NYX Professional Makeup is amplifying its digital-first strategy with a bold return to Roblox by taking over the platform’s most popular high schoo...
Nyx Professional Makeup : NYX : Metaverse
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