The next step for synergies between gaming and food and drink has started, with brands now attempting to transcribe digital recipes into real-life flavours, using phygital food as commercial tools to grow revenues and embracing nerdiness and oddity like never before.
From Pac-Man’s fruits and Super Mario Bros’ mushrooms to Fortnite’s slurp juice, food and drink have always played a critical on-platform role in video games.
Today, multiple industries – from showbusiness to fashion and beauty – are now eyeing gamers and collaborating with video game developers. Hypebeast even defines Fortnite as the ‘go-to platform for collaborations’ for fashion, film and art partnerships.
Several fast food chains have followed McDonald’s and have evolved from toys and branded soda cups to being featured within the game with branded clothing, avatars or items – creating a cross-promotional experience for players and brands.
Beverage specialists like Monster are even sponsoring both real-life and e-sport competitions. In July 2023, KFC’s own chef, Colonel Sanders, joined Street Fighter 6 as an exclusive character ready to battle and unlock KFC gift cards to be used in real life. Merging brand awareness and entertainment, hot sauce specialist Frank's RedHot even introduced its own game, The Floor is Flava, on Fortnite in January 2023.
France – Dior Science has revealed ambitions to become a powerhouse in reverse ageing research. In July 2023, the LVMH-owned brand’s science arm launched the first international scientific advisory board dedicated to the study of reverse ageing in Paris.
The board comprises 18 scientists and 600 Dior science researchers, including sociologists, psychologists, dermatologists and ethnobotanists. Together, this body of experts will collaboratively study the ‘twelve hallmarks of ageing’, defined by a recent study as biological mechanisms that occur in a normal ageing process – think stem cell exhaustion or chronic inflammation.
‘We are convinced that getting older does not mean getting old,’ explains Virginie Couturaud, scientific communication director at Dior.
In our Longevity Lifestyles macrotrend report, we previously analysed how players in the beauty, health and wellness industry must find solutions that allow consumers to live longer but, more importantly, better.
France – Luxury powerhouse LVMH will sponsor the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, cementing the group’s presence in sports and entertainment.
If it feels like LVMH is muscling into every sector, it is because the French conglomerate is. After developments in travel, hospitality and culture, LVMH will be a Premium Partner of the world’s most influential sporting event. The luxury conglomerate wants to be the Artisan of All Victories for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will kick off in July 2024 in Paris, by means of a multi-faceted partnership.
So far, the group has confirmed that jewellery house Chaumet will oversee medal design, Moët Hennessy will be a partner for wines and spirits, and Sephora will host activations for the public during the Olympic torch relay. LVMH is also committed to working with French NGOs to fund programmes giving access to sports to underprivileged children.
The grand ambitions of the luxury conglomerate, promoting French excellence and getting involved in a wealth of initiatives, spotlights how luxury is reaffirming its power through cultural clout.
While Gen Z champions inclusivity and authenticity, a competing narrative is emerging, shaped by the TikTokification of beauty and this cohort's propensity to embrace fluid, ever-changing identities.
Setting themselves apart from their elders, Gen Z are reshaping their views on non-surgical ‘tweakments’ and surgical treatments, and creating a demand for minimally invasive and preventative procedures that align with their approach to beauty and wellbeing.
According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery 2022 members’ survey, Gen Z are booking cosmetic procedures at higher rates than ever before. Consistent with 2021, almost 75% of facial plastic surgeons reported increases in the number of patients aged under 30 requesting cosmetic surgery or injectables in 2022.
Among all age groups, the top three minimally invasive treatments were neurotoxins, fillers and topicals, such as chemical peels. The top three surgical procedures were facelifts, blepharoplasties and rhinoplasties. The latter remains the single most requested surgery among patients under 34.
Global – YouTube’s newly released 2023 Culture and Trends Report has unveiled an intriguing trend among its users. According to the report, 54% of surveyed individuals prefer to watch content-creators offer commentary on major events like the Oscars or Grammys, rather than watch the events themselves, showing the strength of the Live-stream Market.
Conducted by YouTube’s culture and trends team in collaboration with Ipsos, the survey included responses from online adults aged 18–44 and Gen Z online users aged 18–24 from 14 countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, India, Japan and Mexico. The study delves into fandom levels, distinguishing casual fans from more active ones, and even identifies a group of ‘professional fans’ who create content for a wider audience. Fans of Star Wars, for instance, might remix the content, using AI to envisage how the film would look if directed by a film-maker like Wes Anderson.
In addition, the report shows the impact of technologies and trends on content consumption. Closed captioning, multilingual content and AI-driven enhancements like improved pronunciation are changing how users experience videos.
In this eighth longlist of our 2023 Futures 100 Innovators, we reveal The Future Laboratory’s chosen change-makers who are set to disrupt the lifestyle categories in 2023 and beyond. July’s future-shapers include a synthetic biologist, a radical-luxe gardener and the world’s first AI designer.
Each month, we profile 10 brands, businesses and people that our team of researchers and analysts have identified as driving forward innovation across multiple industries, ranging from beauty and wellness to luxury, design, retail and travel.
In October 2023, our complete Futures 100 Innovators list will be presented to a panel of industry judges who will select and award their 10 leading innovators.
You can nominate your own innovators via: futures100innovators@thefuturelaboratory.com
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