06 : 05 : 22 : Weekly Debrief

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Need To Know

This week: A Gen Z wellness platform, embracing sector taboos, a fake video game to get kids outdoors, prenatal supplements for him and her and tackling postpartum pressures.

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6 May 2022

Author: The Future Laboratory

Image: Panasonic Vitrine, Global

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Woo, UK

1. ITV’s Woo is for Gen Z wellness-seekers

UK – The platform comprises editorial content and a wellbeing-focused marketplace, all curated to reflect the interests and values of Generation Z. With backing by ITV, Woo will balance the topic of wellness with other cultural conversations, including music, film and drugs. Its marketplace will sell items such as CBD gummies, sexual wellness products and skincare cosmetics.

The new platform represents a new era for Gen Z media, recognising how underserved young audiences are when it comes to topics around mental health, wellbeing and happiness. By combining products with culturally relevant content, Woo is positing wellness is both accessible and aspirational. As Stephen Mai, CEO and founder, explains: ‘We want our Gen Z audience to engage with wellness in the same way they do music, art or fashion.’

While this generation may be rapidly ageing out of a period of adolescence, their desire to control their emotions has not gone away. Woo spotlights the ongoing opportunities to provide solutions for the Anxiety Rebellion.

Twice rebranded by Concrete, US

2. A toothpaste rebrand embracing sector taboos

The Bahamas – Founded by musician Lenny Kravitz, toothpaste brand Twice is undergoing a visual refresh that embraces an unconventional colour palette for the dental care sector.

While many oral care products focus on minimal design cues and colours associated with hygiene, such as silver, white and blue, Twice bravely opts for a sunshine yellow as the focal point of its brand. Concrete, the Toronto-based design studio behind the rebrand, considers the bold colour choice an opportunity to cut through tired design tropes.

The distinctive yellow is a colour traditionally avoided in the oral care sector because of its associations with yellow teeth,’ explains the studio. ‘But this created an opportunity for us to break away from such literal thinking and connect to the positive emotions associated with the colour.’ By confronting a design taboo in the sector head-on, Twice demonstrates how brands can continue reworking the dental industry to elevate oral care as more of a lifestyle sector.

Tag The Game by Persil, UK

3. Persil creates a fake video game to get kids outdoors

Germany – The latest campaign by laundry detergent company Persil is a spoof video game designed to bring the gaming community together and encourage kids to spend more time outside.

The fast-paced campaign, created by Madrid agency LOLA MullenLowe and Golin London, portrays a group of children fleeing from an unseen enemy. The kids are pictured sliding in the mud, scaling boulders, and sprinting through long grass with game-like visuals. But when a small girl emerges from the bushes and taps one of the kids on the shoulder, it's evident that elaborate activity is a simple game of tag. When the text ‘Only available in real life’ appears, the fictitious game is revealed to be an advertisement for the game-esque excitement of playing outside.

By spoofing gaming marketing while capturing its thrilling energy, Persil has recognised the importance of outdoor play among children and cleverly used video gaming to promote it.

4. A prenatal supplement for him and her

US – While prenatal healthcare is traditionally geared towards women, WeNatal is disrupting the space by offering supplements designed for both men and women. Its hero product, the WeNatal Together bundle, is inclusive of all couples; available in her + him, her + her and him + him. Each supplement features vitamin formulations that promote reproductive health and support overall nutritional health.

Arriving at a time when the importance of men’s fertility is coming into focus, WeNatal is providing a solution for couples to approach pregnancy as a shared journey. ‘We have made it our mission to reimagine the gender paradigms around pregnancy,’ explains Vida Delrahim, co-founder of WeNatal. ‘Co-parenting has to start at the very beginning. We believe we are better, stronger, and healthier together.’

As infertility becomes a more visible issue in modern society, Modern Fertility brands like WeNatal are recognising the need to support both men and women in tracking and optimising their reproductive health.

WeNatal. Photography by Katie Abbott, US
#OneRealPressure by Baby Dove, global

5. Baby Dove wants to tackle postpartum pressures

US – Painting a more truthful picture of early motherhood, Baby Dove’s Under Pressure campaign wants to remove stigma and ease the impact of postpartum depression.

The short film sheds light on some of the obstacles and challenges that new mothers face, such as fatigue, sleep deprivation, body changes, and juggling work and life responsibilities. By showing a more realistic vision of early parenting, the campaign is striving to create a sense of shared understanding and solidarity among mothers.

In addition to the campaign, the beauty brand is encouraging mothers to connect digitally and in real life, identifying loneliness and solitude as key contributing factors to postpartum depression. Baby Dove will use its website to share a variety of resources for mothers, alongside a forum to post questions or discussions.

By sharing an honest picture, Dove is encouraging mothers to ignore the unrealistic standards of parenthood often communicated online and in the media. As a result, the beauty brand is fulfilling the role of a caring Life-Stage Brand.

 
 

 

To future-proof your world, visit The Future Laboratory's forecasting platform LS:N Global for daily news, opinions, trends, sector specific insights, and strategic toolkits.

 

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