LSN : News : 04 : 01 : 19

Nakamura.ke serves bioluminescent food and drink

Nakamura.ke by Zoo as Zoo, Atlanta. Courtesy of Dashboard

Atlanta – The new experiential dining concept has been designed so that everything edible will glow, from luminous shochu and sake cocktails to glow-in-the-dark ramen.

Housed in an intimate inside space that only seats six people at a time, Nakamura.ke will run for two weeks in Atlanta, before travelling to Los Angeles, London, Miami, New York, Tokyo and Seoul. Each sitting will adhere to a strict 30-minute policy inspired by Tokyo’s hyper-efficient ramen restaurants.

The concept is the brainchild of Ami Sueki, a former industrial designer for Coca-Cola, who collaborated with food artists and culinary events studio Bompas & Parr to figure out how to safely make luminescent food with all-natural ingredients. The dining experience will also involve elements of theatre and Japanese folklore, played out by actors who interact with guests. By combining spectacle and narrative, Nakamura.ke shows how immersive consumer experiences are continuing to evolve – an idea we explore in Experience 2020.

Pura Still is a new spiked still water

Pura Still, US

New York – A new brand of alcoholic still ‘water’ plays on the trend for spiked seltzer by offering health-conscious consumers an uncarbonated, low-alcohol drinking option.

Pura Still is a clear malt drink that contains about as much alcohol as a light beer (4.5%), but tastes like flavoured water. Made using a triple filtration process that removes all aroma and colour, the drink is available in blackberry, mango and mandarin orange flavours. With the tagline ‘anything but flat’, the brand aims to fill a gap in the low-abv market for beverages without the fizz.

‘Bloating is a big thing,’ says brand manager Jennifer McCauley. ‘The fact that Pura Still is non-carbonated is definitely a huge benefit.’ And as clear drinks grow in popularity, Pura Still’s clarity could prove to be another draw for the brand. While many drinks marketers have turned to the unusual use of colour to make their products stand out, others are attracting consumers with clear versions of typically colourful drinks.

An audio-wellness festival that wants people to un-mind

London – Samantha Moyo, the founder of Morning Gloryville, is the brain behind the multi-sensory Soft Landings event.

The festival, which will take place on 1 February, is described as a place where ‘your name, title and occupation do not matter’. Visitors are invited to attend a morning symphony with a live orchestra and yoga, a lunchtime session with Basement Jaxx and an evening wind-down with live folk, soul and jazz bands.

Wellness drop-ins including meditation, movement and an apothecary are designed to break up the day, encouraging visitors to slow down and ‘un-mind’. The event is part of a larger fitness and wellness festival, Strong Island, which aims to improve wellbeing in the Canary Wharf community.

While festivals have traditionally focused on music, festival-goers are increasing swapping hedonism for mindfulness. For more, read our Festival Market.

Soft Landings curated by Samantha Moyo, London

Skiing gets kids off video games, says this resort ad

I Miss You by TDA Boulder for Copper Mountain, Colorado

Colorado – A new advertising campaign by Copper Mountain pitches the ski resort as an antidote to gaming and social media.

Created by advertising agency TDA Boulder, the campaign, It’s Better Outside, was created to teach parents and children to appreciate unplugging and escaping. In the film, a video game avatar waits for his gamer to return home, counting down the days until he can get back on the battleground. Meanwhile, the boy is outside enjoying the slopes.

The campaign also comprises a series of witty print and billboard ads that include the taglines ‘keeping kids off social media since 9am’ and ‘providing legal highs before getting high was legal’.

Switching off is becoming an ever-more important part of consumers’ travel experiences, as people increasingly seek destinations where they can detach from their digital devices. For more, read our round-up of the travel and hospitality brands leading a movement towards extreme escapism.

Stat: Treadmill workouts are gaining traction

According to new data released by ClassPass, which draws on the more than 60m reservations made by its subscribers last year, treadmill bookings increased more than any other type of fitness class in the US. In contrast to running alone, treadmill-based classes often place an emphasis on being social, and many combine cardio, strength training and resistance.

‘Running has always been a popular form of exercise and combining that with the same team atmosphere, awesome playlists and motivating instructors we love in cycling and HIIT classes, has made running inside more appealing than ever,’ said Shari Castelli, director of national brands and empowerment funding at ClassPass.

As consumers look for a variety of ways to engage their body and mind, running is becoming a more holistic wellbeing pursuit. For more, explore our Precision Running microtrend.

Thought-starter: What’s next for high street modest wear?

Beyond luxury apparel, fashion brands and retailers are winning over modern Muslim customers with new iterations of modest clothing, writes deputy foresight editor Kathryn Bishop.

In our first Modest Wear Market report at the beginning of 2017, we discussed the rise of Muslim influencers and the modest wear brand collaborations that offered an exciting opportunity for brands and retailers.

Now, nearly two years later, high street fashion brands and emerging streetwear and sports labels are assimilating modest silhouettes into their collections to provide a balance between self-expression and considerate dressing for young, fashion-conscious Muslims.

With the number of Muslims expected to increase by 70% by 2060 to account for three in 10 of the world’s population (source: Pew Research Center), Muslim consumers are becoming increasingly important in the world of fashion. ‘Designer brands and boutiques have recognised that modest fashion is à la mode, and are developing new lines and Ramadan collections,’ says Haroon Latif, director of strategic insights at DinarStandard.

Read the Modest Wear Market 2019 here.