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ITV’s Woo is for Gen Z wellness-seekers

Woo, UK

UK – The platform comprises editorial content and a wellbeing-focused marketplace, all curated to reflect the interests and values of Generation Z. With backing by ITV, Woo will balance the topic of wellness with other cultural conversations, including music, film and drugs. Its marketplace will sell items such as CBD gummies, sexual wellness products and skincare cosmetics.

The new platform represents a new era for Gen Z media, recognising how underserved young audiences are when it comes to topics around mental health, wellbeing and happiness. By combining products with culturally relevant content, Woo is positing wellness as both accessible and aspirational. As Stephen Mai, CEO and founder, explains: ‘We want our Gen Z audience to engage with wellness in the same way they do music, art or fashion.’

While this generation may be rapidly ageing out of a period of adolescence, their desire to control their emotions has not gone away. Woo spotlights the ongoing opportunities to provide solutions for the Anxiety Rebellion.

Strategic opportunity

From politics to the environment, all organisations and businesses can take inspiration from Woo and ensure wellness is an inherent part of every youth narrative

A beauty brand takes aim at product ageing

Exponent Beauty, US

San Francisco – While most beauty consumers take precautions to protect their skin from ageing, many are unaware that they should be implementing similar steps with their products. Exponent is a beauty brand that has developed a unique product dispenser to fight deterioration and ensure long-lasting efficacy.

Launched by former Elizabeth Arden executive and beauty veteran Liz Whitman, Exponent has designed a patented product dispenser that generates fresh serums in eight seconds. Instead of relying on jars, tubes or bottles, the brand’s products come in single-dose sachets that can be inserted into the dispenser and activated instantly.

In contrast to water-based skincare formulas, which begin degrading as soon as they are manufactured, Exponent’s Super Serums are sealed until the moment they are activated, ensuring maximum efficacy. The idea for the brand came from observing top aestheticians, who mix their skincare fresh to guarantee peak potency.

By shining a light on the beauty industry’s other ageing problem – product degradation – Exponent is bringing a more scientific approach to skincare to consumers’ homes, something which we'll be discussing in our forthcoming Beauty and Wellness Forum.

Strategic opportunity

How can beauty brands slow down product ageing in other creative ways? Consider developing guides to help educate consumers on the best ways to store products

This fitness bike rewards exercise with crypto

South Korea – Healthcare company Cardio is responding to the rise in gaming and digital currencies with the launch of Metabike. The at-home fitness bike, which can be used with tablets and smart tvs, combines Move-to-Earn (M2E) and Play-to-Earn (P2E) capabilities to reward users up to £24.30 ($30, €28.40) per month in Cardio Points. These digital rewards can be used for in-app healthcare discounts and products, with the option to swap Cardio Points for the platform’s crypto asset Cardiocoin (CRDC).

By incentivising users in this way, Cardio shows an understanding of the evolving fitness and gaming spaces, and the ongoing opportunities to combine exercise and entertainment. Founder and president Daniel Park says: ‘People can exercise on Metabike while competing with global users in racing games… and immerse themselves on leading metaverse platforms like Roblox, all while tracking their workout, receiving rewards for fitness and having actual fun while exercising.’

Looking ahead, metaverse spaces will prove increasingly beneficial for health and wellness brands. For more, explore Dr Arup Paul’s perspective on healthcare in digital realms.

Metabike by Cardio, South Korea

Strategic opportunity

Beyond fitness, consider how gaming spaces can be used to promote awareness and education on healthcare issues such as chronic illness or disabilities

Stat: Gender inequality is rampant in South Korea

The Imagined Landscapes Jeju by Burberry, South Korea

Despite indicators that things are improving, research conducted by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family shows that gender disparity persists in South Korea. Among women in their twenties and thirties, 70% say that the country does not ensure gender equality.

According to the government report, which is performed every five years, the majority of respondents (53.4%) think that South Korea is not a gender-equal country. Only 4.3% of women in their 20s believe they are treated equally to men, compared to 24% of men in the same age group.

Although the statistics are discouraging, they do point to progress since the previous report. In 2016, 53.8% of respondents said that working women should be completely responsible for childcare, compared to 17.4% in 2022. But the report found that women are still responsible for most chores and childcare in the family.

Although there are signs of progress – and an increased awareness among South Korea's Emerging Youth demographic – the research shows that much more needs to be done to reverse the country's entrenched gender ideals.

Strategic opportunity

How can your brand use its platform to dispel harmful gender tropes? Take into account the cultural nuances in each region, recognising how discrimination can vary across the world