LSN : News : Oxford Economics Global Cities Index launches 2025 report

Oura flips the script on ageing in new Give Us the Finger campaign

Give Us the Finger campaign by Oura, US and Europe

US/UK – Oura is challenging cultural norms around ageing with its latest brand campaign, Give Us the Finger.

The campaign highlights the Oura Ring’s signature placement on the index finger, where it captures optimal health data, but also serves as a symbol of shared identity among users. ‘It’s a statement of identity and an invitation to live with energy, resilience and vigour at every age,’ says the brand. But the campaign also works to reframe ageing as aspirational, rather than something to fear.

Oura chose to cast real people in the ads, including New York streetball artist George Papoutsis and tango dancers Mónica Romero and Omar Ocampo – all of whom are thriving in later life, fully immersed in their passions. ‘This isn’t a pitch for peak performance or the illusion of staying young for ever,’ says Doug Sweeny, chief marketing officer. ‘It’’s a quiet rebellion against perfectionism and a celebration of presence and purpose.’

In a culture obsessed with youth, Oura is offering a counter-narrative: growing older with intention is the real achievement. Through sleep, recovery and readiness insights, the brand encourages a more vibrant, informed approach to health at any age.

This aligns with findings from our macrotrend report, Longevity Lifestyles, and the Silver Sprinters section of our Boomers report, which unpacked the healthy habits senior citizens are adopting to improve quality and length of life.

Strategic opportunity

Move beyond outdated tropes of decline and dependency when it comes to talking about ageing. Instead, position every life stage as a unique chapter of growth, opportunity and vitality

Oxford Economics Global Cities Index launches 2025 report

Global – Global urban influence is shifting, according to the newly released Oxford Economics Global Cities Index 2025. While New York and London retain their top two positions – followed by Paris, San Jose and Seattle – the report reveals a notable ascent of emerging cities poised to reshape the global economic map.

The annual report scores and ranks cities based on several metrics across five categories: economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. This year, Sydney and Boston broke into the top 10, propelled by gains in quality of life and economic strength, respectively. Meanwhile, Los Angeles (11th) and Zurich (16th) fell out of the top 10 this year – in part due to declines in their human capital scores.

More telling, however, is the steady climb of cities in India, Indonesia, parts of Africa and Southeast Asia. Although these markets currently represent a smaller share of global GDP, Oxford Economics forecasts they’ll be among the fastest-growing urban economies over the next 25 years, driving a significant redistribution of global growth.

Our Destination Debrief series on LS:N Global highlights the regions we think hold opportunities for brands and businesses, most recently spotlighting Hainan and Perth.

Photography by Tiff Ng

Strategic opportunity

Future-proof your brand by mapping high-growth cities in India, Southeast Asia and Africa, and developing hyper-local products, services and culturally attuned activations that embed your brand into consumers’ rapidly evolving urban lifestyles in these regions

Stat: Consumer confidence is on the rise in the US

Photography by Ivan Samkov

US – Consumer confidence in the US partially recovered in May after five consecutive months of decline, according to The Conference Board. The Consumer Confidence Index rose by 12.3 points to 98.0, while the Expectations Index, a survey of the short-term outlook for income, business and labour market conditions, jumped 17.4 points to 72.8 – showing reduced pessimism but still falling short of the 80-point threshold that typically signals a recession risk.

The Present Situation Index, a consumers’ assessment of current business and labour maket conditions, also improved to 135.9, despite ongoing concerns about job availability. Notably, confidence gains were broad-based across age, income and political groups, with a marked uptick in sentiment following the 12 May announcement of a partial pause in US-China tariffs.

In our recent Walpole British Luxury Summit event debrief, we reported on Bain-Altagamma’s latest global market study, which found that 75% of consumers expect to maintain or increase their luxury spending in 2025 – underlining that the desire to spend endures, even amid uncertainty.

Spending plans for travel and entertainment also rose, reflecting the ongoing shift towards emotional and experiential value – a key theme covered in our Communities report, The Value Vanguard.

Strategic opportunity

At a time of cautious optimism, adapt brand messaging to emphasise emotional value and experiential reward. Develop campaigns and offers that frame purchases as moments of joy, escapism or connection, rather than transactional acquisitions