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Mey induces sleep with social media ads

Zzzomnia by Mey and Jung von Matt/NECKAR, Germany

Germany – Recognising that smartphone usage is a major cause of insomnia, sleepwear brand Mey is tapping into this behaviour in a bid to help people sleep better.

Using data harvesting, the brand has created a series of psychedelic visuals designed to lull social media scrollers into a sense of sleepiness. The Zzzomnia campaign is running on Facebook, targeting insomniacs looking at their phones between midnight and 5:00am.

Mey has taken inspiration from symmetrical patterns found in nature, which the company says have been proven to reduce stress by up to 60%. The playable, interactive ads have been cleverly designed to use colours and shapes deemed to be relaxing. Boreum Kim, art director at Jung von Matt/Neckar, the agency behind the campaign explains: ‘We recreated this symmetry digitally with warm-coloured patterns and reduced blue light, which also helps you calm down.’

Mey’s campaign is in response to recent reports that 25% of Germans suffer from sleep disorders. And with sleep having become a vital focus of the wellness market, the campaign is demonstrating how technology can be used as a positive tool to Retrain Sleep.

Beautitation is an app for meditative skincare

Beautitation by Respekt by Eewee Production

California – Beauty brand Respekt has launched Beautitation, a meditation app designed to be used in conjunction with daily skincare routines.

Created to aid skin concerns and reduce lifestyle stress, Beautitation incorporates over 200 guided meditation sessions, ranging from moisturising meditations to one-minute affirmations and anti-ageing practices. Coinciding with the creation of the app, the brand has launched a new collection of plant-based skincare products including a foam cleanser, toner, moisturiser, face mist and sheet masks – all contributing to its overall vision of holistic beauty.

Heyyoung Kim, CEO and co-founder of parent company Eewee Production, says: ‘Stress affects 30% of our skin condition but the current beauty industry focuses only on surface solutions with skincare products.’ By creating Beautitation, it is building mindful moments into the daily routines and rituals of beauty consumers, while demonstrating an awareness of how lifestyle and emotional wellbeing can affect appearance.

Merging therapy with skincare, psychodermatology is a growing field that treats stress-related skin issues. Discover more about how psychotherapy is shaping the future of skincare in our interview with expert Charlotte Ferguson.

The Body Shop hires those quickest to apply

US – As part of an ongoing push for more inclusive hiring, the US arm of The Body Shop is piloting the practice of ‘open hiring’.

Beginning at its North American distribution centre, the process means the company hires people based on them being the first to submit their application for a role. The Body Shop first used the system to hire over 200 seasonal staff in the fourth quarter of 2019. In a statement released by the retail brand, the results of the pilot scheme have so far indicated positive results, with monthly staff turnover dropping by 60%.

The Body Shop plans to begin using open hiring for its stores, in particular for customer consultant positions. Unlike most hiring processes, the open hiring concept avoids interviews, background checks and drug tests, giving more people access to opportunities. Andrea Blieden, general manager of The Body Shop in the US, says: ‘When you give people access to something that they’re struggling to find, they’re very committed to working hard and keeping it.’

With people’s expectations of work continually changing, brands are having to innovate not only through their HR processes, but also to meet the needs of their employees. For more, explore our Workplace vertical.

The Body Shop, UK

Stat: British women seek meaningful work

A survey by YouGov shows that more than a quarter (26%) of British workers find their jobs lack meaning. The research reveals that many people’s overall happiness is dependent on how they feel at work – 54% say their job affects their happiness 'a lot'.

Women, in particular, care about their jobs offering them a sense of meaning. Of those surveyed, 51% say it is very important to them to be in a meaningful job. Another key factor identified in the research was age, with three in five employees aged between 25 and 34 saying work affects their overall happiness.

With gender and family roles continually in flux, women in particular are focusing more on their careers and pursuing work that has greater purpose. For more, explore the key trends and case studies in our Female Futures series.