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Marni unveils a hyperphysical installation

Vehicular installation in Marni flagship store, Milan

Milan – The luxury brand is injecting a hit of creativity into its flagship store, with a vehicular installation hosting a roster of rotating artists. Created by London design studios Brinkworth and The Wilson Brothers, the installation features a caravan-shaped artist studio and a sculptural structure suspended vertically through a void in the ground floor ceiling.

Taking inspiration from nomadic travel and utilitarian vehicles, the aim of the in-store activation is to enhance the retail experience and boost shopper dwell time. ‘The project was born out of a desire to offer something more to the modern-day consumer: an experience, a creative interaction as opposed to a mere retail transaction,’ the brand explains. ‘In this digital-first post-Covid era of shopping, it promises Marni’s community and customers something different.’

In this way, Marni tunes in to the tenets of Hyperphysical Stores, a shift that explores the ways that changing consumer needs are driving retailers to rethink bricks-and-mortar stores to be more engaging, sensorial and memorable.

Strategic opportunity

To generate excitement in store environments, retailers can host immersive performances, discussions and community events that align with brand values

Stix bolsters access to emergency contraception

Restart by Stix, US

US – Amid fresh anger about abortion laws in America, healthcare start-up Stix has introduced an emergency contraception pill for £31 ($38, €36). The pill, called Restart, is also being offered to women in need as part of a fund by Stix. To access the pill for free, women can either reach out directly to the brand or go through one of its non-profit partners, which currently include Jane’s Due Process in Texas and the Utah Abortion Fund.

Along with the pill and access fund, Stix is also rolling out a series of billboards near crisis pregnancy centres in America. Through this multi-faceted approach, the company aims to raise both national and global awareness of issues surrounding women’s abortion rights. While it recognises that emergency contraception isn’t a solution for anti-abortion laws, the pill and accompanying campaign aim to empower health decisions on an individual basis.

In this way, Stix is establishing itself as an essential life-stage brand that is taking measures to protect women's futures.

Strategic opportunity

Companies outside of the medical space should also take action to support women’s rights. Consider creating access funds or offering to pay for your employees’ travel to abortion centres

Los Angeles switches gears on unsustainable petrol stations

Los Angeles – As a city that has come to rely on cars for daily transport, Los Angeles is confronting its unsustainable habits and taking steps to prohibit the construction of new petrol stations. Its proposed policy, now being developed, will stop the building of fossil fuel infrastructure and move towards all-electric construction.

The policy proposal takes inspiration from the city of Petaluma, California, which last year became the first in the world to ban new petrol stations. By introducing such a policy, Los Angeles sets an example to other car-reliant urban areas in creating more environmentally friendly transport solutions. Paul Koretz, the Los Angeles council member who is working on the policy, said: ‘Our great and influential city, which grew up around the automobile, is the perfect place to figure out how to move off the gas-powered car.’

Through this initiative, the city aligns with the shift towards Urban Wellness, with more metropolitan areas making infrastructural changes to better support residents.

Renault

Strategic opportunity

Urban planners should take note of this initiative and similarly work towards policies that ban the building of unsustainable new developments

Stat: US adults embrace the health benefits of cannabis

Feelz by Chloe at By Chloe, US

While cannabis use is still largely seen as a recreational habit, a new study dispels this myth. The research, conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of cannabis products company Curaleaf, reveals that a majority (91%) of US adults aged 21 and over who consume cannabis do so for health and wellness purposes.

When asked about their health-related reasons for consuming cannabis, the top answers from respondents were: to relax (52%); to help with sleep (49%); to reduce stress (44%); and to reduce anxiety (41%). Interestingly, 62% said they would prefer to use cannabis rather than pharmaceuticals to treat a medical issue. These figures point to a future when cannabis use in medical environments will be increasingly embraced and accepted.

As more US states legalise cannabis consumption – and adopt it into medical practices – such findings help to shift the narrative around the historical stigma surrounding the plant. In a similar vein, we’ve previously explored how psychedelics are making waves in the wellness sector.

Strategic opportunity

Health and wellness brands have an opportunity to partner with medical companies to explore ways that cannabis can be officially accepted into pharmaceutical environments