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Symbol’s rebranding tunes into vinyl nostalgia

Symbol identity by High Tide, US

US – Tapping into the revival of the vinyl music market, storage company Symbol has updated its branding to broaden the appeal of its home products. The company has hired creative studio High Tide to develop a brand identity that reflects the timeless, hand-crafted quality of its vinyl storage solutions, positioning these items as alternatives to ‘fast furniture’.

To create the visual identity, High Tide looked to heirlooms – items that are passed down from one generation to the next. The rebranding takes inspiration from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s while avoiding the obvious design tropes associated with any one of these eras – aiming to prevent looking overly nostalgic. The result is a visual identity that combines bold graphics and striking imagery to create an appearance that conjures feelings of both nostalgia and forward thinking.

Ushering the vinyl market into a new era, Symbol is offering an alternative to disposable furniture design by using its visual identity to communicate a sense of longevity and heritage. In the Avant Abodes section of the Innovation Debrief, we explore how design companies are attracting younger consumers with visual rebrands.

Strategic opportunity

How can your company take inspiration from the past without adopting an overly nostalgic visual identity that cannot evolve for future generations?

A private jet takes luxurians around the world in 24 days

Cultural Treasures: Around the World by Private Jet 2023 by Abercrombie & Kent, US

Global – UK-based luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent is inviting 48 exclusive travellers onto its private Boeing 757 jet to experience some of the world’s most culturally rich destinations and dining experiences.

The three-week trip, Cultural Treasures, takes off in May 2023 and will take fliers from Seattle to Sicily, with stops in Japan, Nepal, Bhutan, India, Uzbekistan, Jordan and Abu Dhabi. At each destination, guests will be guided by local experts and take part in exclusive food and cultural experiences, from sake tastings in Kyoto to a private orchestra concert on Samarkand’s Silk Road.

In between stops, the luxury experience only continues. The customised jet comes equipped with fully lie-flat leather seats and built-in massage systems. As one might expect, the experience-collecting adventure is targeted at high-net-worth consumers, with a price tag starting at £127,375 ($153,900, €151,350) per person.

Such next-level exclusive experiences are informing the future of the luxury sector. To find out what else is driving the attitudes of UHNWIs, tune into our Luxury & Hospitality Futures event on 8 September.

Strategic opportunity

Ensure travel experiences centre on local cultures, no matter whether they’re for high-end or budget travellers. Communities should always have a say in how such tours are operated

Tiffany & Co launches a social impact platform

US – Fine jewellery company Tiffany & Co is developing a social impact platform to support historically under-represented creators and help diversify the jewellery industry through mentoring programmes, leadership training and community-building.

The Tiffany Atrium initiative will offer students and institutions access to opportunities that foster their long-term growth and development. The programme includes a two-year apprenticeship at the house’s core facilities for eight diverse candidates, an auction art sale with all the proceeds benefitting The Last Resort Artist Retreat, and a chance for students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to take advantage of professional and educational opportunities sponsored by the luxury company.

Given the cost-prohibitive nature of the jewellery industry, this is an illustration of how companies can break down barriers to serve as incubators for more diversified talent. ‘At Tiffany & Co, we have a responsibility to enact positive change in our world. Tiffany Atrium will allow us to streamline and scale the necessary processes in doing so,’ says Anthony Ledru, CEO at Tiffany & Co.

Tiffany Atrium by Tiffany & Co, New York

Strategic opportunity

How can your business ensure that the changes it makes are long-lasting? Consider working with educational institutions to help build a new talent pipeline

Stat: Nearly half of UK women do no vigorous exercise

Summer 2019 Yoga Collection by Nike, US

Women are lacking motivation when it comes to keeping up their fitness regimes, according to the 2022 Healthier Nation Index by healthcare charity Nuffield Health. The report found that nearly half of UK women (47%) have done no no vigorous exercise in the past 12 months, with most saying they lacked motivation. While for many the pandemic inspired new rituals for at-home fitness, 38% of women say they got out of the habit of exercising during lockdown periods, and 14% gave up fitness completely.

While numbers are lower for men, the lack of motivation is still pervasive – 28% of men said their physical health declined in the same period. The survey results are part of Nuffield Health’s mission to get Britons moving again, no matter how mundane these new fitness rituals can be. ‘We’re urging everyone to #find5 and do whatever workout feels good for them – it could even include carrying heavy shopping from the supermarket or dancing around your kitchen,’ says Nigel Owens, a mental wellbeing ambassador for the Healthier Nation Index.

Where Nuffield’s marketing push is one way to get consumers fit again, media content is another route to improving physical wellbeing. Last year, we showcased the New Sportswomen Media platforms on a mission to make fitness accessible to all women.

Strategic opportunity

Identify the consumers who require motivation the most and highlight the simple ways they can get more movement into their everyday routines, from dancing to cleaning