LSN : News : Diageo turns to AI to galvanise whisky discovery

Orrery rethinks how menus communicate flavour

Orrery bar menu designed by DutchScot

London – The Marylebone restaurant has a new visual identity inspired by planetary orbits.

Designed by DutchScot, the rebranding centres around the planetary system, playing on the eponymous word orrery – a scale mechanical model of the solar system. As well as a new logo, the studio collaborated with artist Jemma Lewis to create a series of marbled prints for the restaurant’s menus, coasters and wall art.

The prints are inspired by the feel of items on the menu, from cocktails to dishes such as crab and wasabi. The aim for Orrery is to translate the flavours, colours and ingredients of each dish, imagining a new way of representing food and drink in an abstract way that diners will simultaneously understand.

Restaurateurs and designers are experimenting with unusual ways of visualising what we eat and drink, as explored in our design direction Future Foodscapes.

Universal Standard unveils a community clubhouse

Universal Standard 1:1, New York

New York – The concept store moonlights as a free events space for the local community.

Renowned for its inclusive approach to sizing, Universal Standard’s new store on Mercer Street doubles as a community space, with the option for customers to reserve it for free for their own personal use. As well as lending itself to intimate dinners with friends, book clubs, exhibitions or networking events, the brand will curate regular local programming.

Entitled Universal Standard 1:1, the store concept hopes to make shopping an experience rather than simply a transaction. ‘Universal Standard is about access, period. And the community we see coming together in these spaces all over the country is everything we intended to bring into being when we started our company,’ says Alexandra Waldman, co-founder and chief creative officer.

As we enter the 2020s, the retail experience will change as brands are re-imagined as service providers, repurposing their spaces for a civic purpose after hours.

Diageo turns to AI to galvanise whisky discovery

Global – Drinks group Diageo is helping consumers to navigate the world of single malt whiskies with a little help from machine learning.

Debuting in nine markets, the What’s Your Whisky digital platform asks 11 questions in order to understand individuals’ taste and flavour preferences, from sweet and fruity to smoky and spicy. Questions such as ‘do you like piña coladas?’ and ‘how do you feel about chillies?’ are presented on a sliding scale, with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning used to build a personal FlavorPrint for each respondent. A series of corresponding whisky recommendations are then presented from brands including Talisker, Mortlach and Lagavulin.

What’s Your Whisky is also designed to drive curiosity and discovery with a series of QR codes set to appear in bars, restaurants and shops, encouraging consumers to take part in the survey to instantly find their ideal whisky.

As explored in our new food and drink macrotrend Home Eatertainment, artificial intelligence and machine learning could soon shape our flavour preferences, based on what we see others consuming and sharing online.

Diageo

Stat: Second-hand gifting could rise this Christmas

As concerns about mass consumption multiply, used clothing is increasingly becoming an acceptable gift, according to a survey by Accenture. The US study found that nearly half (48%) of consumers would consider giving second-hand clothing as gifts, while 56% would welcome gifts of these kind for themselves.

With a climate emergency imminent, fashion rental is also booming. One third (34%) of older Millennials say they are likely or extremely likely to rent garments for Christmas parties, demonstrating how Americans are taking a more considerd approach to over-consumption this holiday season.

Fuelled by the spending power of eco-conscious Millennial and Generation Z consumers, the market for reselling fashion is on the rise. For more, read our Market.