LSN : News : The Orient Express will head out to sea in 2026

DesignStudio rebrands Center Parcs Europe to re-align with nature

Center Parcs Europe identity by DesignStudio, Europe

Europe – DesignStudio has given Center Parcs Europe a new look, one that reflects the brand’s founding principles of man and nature. The visual overhaul is part of Center Parcs Europe’s broader strategy to position itself in the travel and hospitality sector as not just a leisure option for families with young children, but also a holiday destination for anyone.

Central to its new visual identity is a tree-shaped logo and illustrations by Fuchsia MacAree that move away from the old green and blue colour palette, instead showcasing a range of rich, warm colours inspired by various qualities of the natural world. The illustrations demonstrate the range of nature-inspired activities -- climbing, canoeing, archery -- available at any of CentreParcs’ 29 holiday destinations across mainland Europe. It also reflects the diversity of clientele that Center Parcs Europe hopes to attract.

In Nature Stakeholders we’ve observed how important integrating nature into a brand’s identity is to consumers. Center Parcs Europe’s mission has always been about giving its guests time and space to reconnect with nature. Its rebranding re-affirms this connection and reinforce consumers’ trust in the brand as a sustainable place to go on holiday.

Strategic opportunity

Consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that make their connection with nature explicit, especially if those brands are confident in helping consumers connect with the natural world.

SlowMo app helps patients with psychosis manage their health

SlowMo by NHS in partnership with Kings College London and Special Projects, UK

London – SlowMo is a digital therapy app designed to help treat patients with psychosis. In development for over a decade by Special Projects and King’s College London, SlowMo supports in-person sessions with a therapist. Patients are also encouraged to use it to track their health and access it when they feel a psychotic episode begin. SlowMo contains guided therapy sessions, educational videos, interactive activities and a progress roadmap that allows people with psychosis to observe their worries in spinning grey bubbles. Safer thoughts then appear in coloured bubbles aiming to shift the patient to a healthier thought pattern.

Unlike other health apps SlowMo must be offered through the NHS, can only be downloaded as part of a therapy programme and requires pre-approved access from a healthcare provider. The ultimate aim of the app is that a patient can eventually live healthily without it. ‘‘Success means the user will not need it any more’ was a new concept for [us],’ says Special Projects co-founder and director of technology Adrian Westaway.

Strategic opportunity

Tech has become a safe place for consumers to confide in and help manage all aspects of life, including health. This is especially true when apps are built to be collaborative and sensitive to patients’ particular conditions and needs

The Orient Express will head out to sea in 2026

Global – The Orient Express is entering uncharted waters. The legendary train service has announced plans to build the world’s largest sailing ship and expand its catalogue of luxurious journeys to luxurious cruises.

Ideated back in 2018, this new chapter of maritime travel for The Orient Express started with a partnership with French hospitality group Accor and shipbuilding company Chantiers de l’Atlantique. Together they are developing the Orient Express Silenseas, a 220-metre-long sailing yacht inspired by the Golden Age of the French Riviera.

The cruise ship was conceived as a celebration of the art of travel and rooted in the history of the Orient Express, prompting guests to idle and dream while enjoying the essence of luxury and hospitality. Among the Silenseas’ many features are 54 suites, two swimming pools, a speakeasy bar and a spa area.

While culturally the ship is reminiscent of the age of exploration and mythical cruises, the technology behind the master yacht is anything but ancient. Powered by a hybrid propulsion formula, the Orient Express Silenseas will be part of the next generation of cruises, which meld hyper-luxurious crafts with tech-enabled sustainability features.

Orient Express Silenseas by Accor in partnership with Chantiers de l’Atlantique, France

Strategic opportunity

Affluent travellers demand more than comfort and opulence. The direction taken by the Orient Express highlights the importance of cultural clout, strong storytelling and environmental responsibility for the high-end travel and hospitality offerings of tomorrow

Stat: Young people urge brands to do more than pay lip service on wellness

The Feel Good Marketplace by Woo, UK

UK – Young people are adamant when it comes to wellbeing. Despite their very recent coming of age, Gen Z are already heavily influencing how we approach wellness as a society, and they want brands to level with them.

From Quiet Quitting to Soft Life, in 2022 several youth-led wellness trends emerged, promoting slower and less stressful lifestyles. Marketing firm One Twelve Agency has examined these mindset shifts in its 2023 Trend Report, and concluded that the conventional approach to wellness feels passé and toxic to nearly seven in 10 members of Generation Z.

According to research, all demographic groups now concede that wellness is as much about physical as it is about mental health, but younger consumers put greater emphasis on emotions and commitment to happiness. Gen Z want brands to adopt a discourse aligned with their holistic wellness ideas – 76% believe that advertising has a lot of power to shape how people perceive each other, and that brands should use their platforms to dismantle toxic and unattainable ideals. Gen Z’s feel-good take on wellness culture is already reshaping how the media approaches the topic and is setting the scene for a new wave of wellbeing-boosting digital services.

Strategic opportunity

For brands, it is important to take note of the shifting notions of wellness. While young people initiated this big wellness reboot, the inclusivity and emotional awakening they preach resonates with a much larger – and growing – crowd