As a new generation join the ranks of key consumers, brands are keen to leap out of our screens and connect to us. This week, a food brand is boasting questionable copy on a label while a sports giant is giving back to communities through an innovative initiative that merges sustainability and community.
Luxury fashion legends are also strategising on new ways to appeal to a fresh market, sculpting diamonds or duds for campaigns in the process.
And to top it all off, we check out some of the biggest lockdown purchase regrets.
Diamonds and Desperation
Luxury brand Tiffany’s has been making a very desperate visible effort to be relevant to a new generation of fashion junkies – but in doing so could be losing its traditional, older, market. In their latest campaign, Tiffany’s is shouting from the rooftops ‘Not Your Mother’s Tiffany,’ a bold (clumsy) attempt to become a hype label. This follows other recent brand activity including a partnership with high-end streetwear label Supreme, and a collab with Beyonce and Jay Z which features a never-before-seen Jean-Michel Basquiat artwork.
The whole thing feels a bit forced… as if someone closed their eyes, opened a book on pop-culture from 2010 – 2020 and blindly pointed a finger to the page. Tiffany’s is a timeless brand and should embrace its heritage while appealing to younger consumers. Take Chanel for example. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the brand’s most famous No. 5 fragrance and Chanel is celebrating in effortless style. The luxury powerhouse has installed a gigantic perfume bottle installation at Harrods in London, launched a classy ‘Finding No. 5’ treasure hunt for customers, an immersive shopping experience while also opening Factory 5 doors to celebrate the heritage and story of the brand. It’s a modern, energetic and youthful take, that they achieved without upsetting anyone’s mother. What else would you want?
Saucy bottle leaves a stain on reputation?
Pizza Hut has come under fire from outraged customers this week as a new ketchup label has been deemed ‘highly sexualised’. Needless to say, the public are divided.
This label in question features the type “Tomato Ketchup – Shake, Squeeze and Squirt” on its front label.
Those concerned claim that it is inappropriate for children and argued that it is “not innocent”. Others see nothing wrong with the label as it quite simply provides the correct instructions to customers who wish to use the condiment. If your mind takes you to a sexual place… maybe that is a you problem?
Shockingly – Pizza Hut has since issued a sort-of apology for the ketchup bottle, stating that “The wording on our ketchup is not meant to cause offence and sorry if this was interpreted this way”.
A.K.A chill the f**k out people. Whether or not Pizza Hut intended for the ketchup bottle to be sexualised remains to be seen but one thing we know for sure is that it has the world talking about the product and that’s an epic marketing success in our books!
Zero to Hero: A recycling Slam Dunk
Off the back of Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ initiative – moving towards a zero carbon and zero waste future – they have built a basketball court and playground out of 20,000 recycled trainers.
The project took place in New Belgrade, where 20,000 trainers were donated by the local community with the goal of repurposing shoes that were headed to landfill. Collection bins in local stores and public areas used the same design vernacular as Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ campaign and were surrounded by plinths made of worn-out sports shoes at their various stages of upcycling.
Using stylized Serbian lettering and respecting the existing community space known as Block 70, designer and typographer Nigel Cottier used bright vibrant colours and abstract shapes to create an eye-catching communal space for all to enjoy.
While we know people are often quick to judge companies in their efforts to be more sustainable, we love to see brands like Nike using their sustainability to give back to the communities that support them. If you want to read more about Nike’s ‘Move to Zero’ initiative you can do so here.
Lockdown lies we told ourselves
Research findings this week revealed the lockdown purchases people are now regretting as consumers lose interest in pandemic hobbies. Gaming equipment, DIY tools, home gym equipment, bikes, musical instruments, pizza ovens and hot tubs all appeared on the black list of consumer regrets.
Throughout the pandemic, high levels of enthusiasm, boredom and restlessness all kicked in at different stages, resulting in a deluge of self-improving, one-off purchases. While most of these will remain regular features of people’s lives, some of us were just lying to ourselves, and the guitars and exercise bikes are now lying idle. Hopefully, some of these items will make their way to another home, a recycling centre or a charity shop.
One thing is for sure – most of these items served a purpose and kept us sane, entertained and active, for a while at least! We deserved to feel the thrill of a little self-indulgence in exchange for everything else that was missed out on.
Now excuse me while I fire up the pizza oven and get ready for a quick dip in the hot tub!