LSN : News : Stat: More Chinese students are applying to UK universities

Something & Nothing makes seltzer for all occasions

Something & Nothing, UK

London – Something & Nothing has officially launched three flavoured seltzers that double as mixers for premium spirits.

The products were created to serve what the brand refers to as the ‘modern contradiction’ – or the balance between striving for a healthy lifestyle and still enjoying the occasional drink. ‘You can drink a can post-yoga, on the sofa while you watch Netflix, or at a bar with friends mixed with mezcal,’ says co-founder Rupert Pugsley.

Its Cucumber, Yuzu and Hibiscus & Rose flavours are each made with botanicals and juices, and offer an alternative to tonic and soda waters laced with lemon or lime. The brand also suggests alcohol pairings for each flavour, recommending Cucumber be mixed with mezcal and a squeeze of lime, Yuzu with vodka and pink grapefruit, and Hibiscus & Rose with gin.

Something & Nothing reflects how our Tonic & Tonic microtrend is evolving as brands continue to create versatile mixers with flavour nuances.

Inspirato launches a subscription for luxury travel

Inspirato Pass

Global – The high-end hospitality company has launched the Inspirato Pass, offering access to more than 60,000 global homes and experiences.

The pass is available to customers for £1,992 ($2,500, €2,203) per month, granting access to luxury holiday homes, hotels, resorts and experiences around the world, with no nightly rates or taxes. The company, which is known for its premium rentals and private destination club, is targeting luxurians who travel as frequently as every week or month.

Each pass includes a dedicated travel specialist, who plans itineraries for trips such as African safaris, multi-generational family retreats or a 10-day New Zealand adventure. ‘Pass gives affluent travellers the freedom to book a wider variety of trips and experiences on a more frequent basis, without the burden of nightly rates all at tremendous value,’ says Brent Handler, co-founder of Inspirato.

With luxurians no longer feeling the need to be tied to one place, these nomads are seeking access to meaningful travel experiences anywhere in the world.

Chobani energises its range with nut butter yoghurts

New York – The dairy company has unveiled a new product line pairing low-fat Greek yoghurt with nut butters to create a nutritious, energy-rich snack.

Featuring options such as Honey Greek Yogurt with Almond Butter and Chocolate Greek Yogurt with Hazelnut Butter, Chobani will roll out the five varieties across the US this month. In addition to offering a low-sugar, high-protein snack with added healthy fats, the range marks a departure from fruit-flavoured yoghurts, which dominate the category.

‘It’s incremental innovation that will bring more excitement and consumption to the yoghurt category that continues to be under-penetrated in the US,’ says Peter McGuinness, Chobani’s chief marketing and commercial officer, who adds that Chobani holds a nearly 20% share of the US yoghurt market.

Furthering the company’s commitment to use only natural, non-GMO ingredients with no artificial flavours, sweeteners or preservatives, the launch is the latest in a wave of new products, following its first plant-based offering and a line of kids’ yoghurts called Gimmies.

Chobani nut butter range

A nightclub rebrand that draws on emotion

WHP19, created by Studio Moross & Nic Hamilton

Manchester – Studio Moross has rebranded The Warehouse Project nightclub as it prepares to open its new venue in a disused railway depot.

Working with artist and director Nic Hamilton, the studio created a new identity for The Warehouse Project (WHP), drawing inspiration not only from the 10,000-capacity venue, but from the sight, sounds and emotions experienced when clubbing.

The resulting visual identity includes a series of films, which imagine digital animations that move through the empty building. These conceptual videos transform the industrial space into a blank canvas, which comes alive with colour and texture. According to Studio Moross, the rebrand aims to capture ‘the destruction of reality as you lose yourself in a rave’.

In this way, the project diverges from the typical marketing strategies of nightclubs, with Studio Moross planning to work with a different artist each season to keep the creative aspect moving forward. For more on how this sector is being transformed, read our Nightlife Market.

Stat: More Chinese students are applying to UK universities

Since 2018, the number of undergraduate applications from Chinese students to study at UK universities has increased from 15,240 to just under 20,000, according to the university admissions agency UCAS. The 30% increase marks the first time that numbers have exceeded applications from Northern Ireland, with tensions between China and the US thought to be one contributing factor.

‘International students bring huge cultural and economic benefits to the UK,’ said the universities minister, Chris Skidmore, who welcomed the figures. ‘These figures show we are making good progress in our ambition to open up world-leading higher education to anyone who has the potential to benefit from it and I’m confident that we can go even further.’

As international students flock to the world’s wealthiest cities in pursuit of a superior education, the Luxury Student Market presents new growth opportunities.

Thought-starter: What does the future hold for wellness?

Through the lens of a fictional future scenario, we ask how brands in 2030 will redefine wellness, negate collective burnout and help us embrace our mortality.

It’s the weekend and Jane is delighted. It’s been a stressful week and she’s looking forward to her much-needed three days off. Since the government decreed that businesses move to a four-day working week, Jane has felt more motivated and productive at work, maximising her time in the office so she can savour her weekends for rest and relaxation.

After yoga, she heads to her weekly death doula training. Jane had her death predicted at the doctor’s surgery – a free service now offered with every annual check-up – and knowing her precise death day has made her want to become comfortable with the idea of dying.

In the coming years, consumers will be more sensitive to brands that only offer a superficial approach to one’s health, especially at a time when more and more are confronting the inevitable reality of death.

To prepare for this far future, read the Scenario here.