LSN : News : Need to Know 19 : 01 : 18

1. Zappos creates a buzz around female streetwear

The Ones by Zappos, New York

New York – Online shoe and clothing company Zappos is driving the hype surrounding female streetwear with the launch of its new editorial platform The Ones. The brand will publish weekly articles on its microsite, featuring interviews with female artists and style influencers, discussing their work and their favourite type of shoes.

The launch is in response to research by the company that shows a massive discrepancy between male-dominated sneaker-marketing and the expansive size of the sector’s female audience.

‘We’re also focused on firing up the more casual, feminine and gender-fluid side of the sneakerhead world – the fashionista/sneakerista who dabbles in sneakers, increasingly considering them wardrobe staples,’ a representative from the brand tells LS:N Global.

2. Daily Harvest expands beyond smoothie bowls

Harvest Bowls by Daily Harvest, US

US – Daily Harvest, the frozen food delivery service, which until now has focused on lighter breakfast options and snacks, is diversifying its offer with the launch of a new, more substantial range of vegetarian food bowls. Consisting of six dishes, the new line incorporates an eclectic mix of exotic ingredients such as chimichurri, kimchi, kitchari and tahini .

‘We’re setting out to prove that a convenient meal and a nutrient-rich meal aren’t mutually exclusive,’ founder Rachel Drori told Well + Good. 'Frozen allows you to have it all.'

Time-pressed consumers are increasingly prioritising convenience when it comes to eating, and this is driving growth in the frozen food market, which in the UK exceeded £6bn ($8.3bn, €6.8bn) for the first time at the end of 2017, according to Kantar Worldpanel. For more on the consumer quest for ease, see our Convenience Culture Markets 1 and 2 .

3. Revolut is set to revolutionise travel insurance

Global – Revolut Bank wants to streamline the way people buy travel insurance through geolocation technology.

Using customers’ mobile phone geolocation data, the brand can ascertain where in the world someone is and automatically calculate the cost of basic medical and dental insurance, covering them for their travels.

The pay-per-day service offers basic insurance from £0.88 ($1.22, €1) a day, but additional cover can be added through the app in accordance with the user’s needs.

‘We wanted to create a type of insurance that uses technology to help our customers and only cover you on the days you actually need to be covered – all for the best price,’ says CEO and co-founder Nikolay Storonsky. By using technology, online banks are helping to change the way that people access their products and service, an idea examined further in our Mobile Money microtrend.

Pay-per-day Travel Insurance by Revolut

4. BE TIME brings mindfulness to all with mobile studio

BE TIME, New York

New York – In order to better serve New York's residents, BE TIME is a new meditation studio on a bus. Founded by Carla Hammond, the service will be launched on 22 January with a free event open to the general public, after which meditation classes will be charged at £15.86 ($22, €18) for a 30-minute class. In addition to instructor-led classes, the bus will be available as an Open Space for people to lead their own practice.

‘BE TIME invites people to come in, and take a breath from the urban hustle while in a serene space that incorporates self-care bonuses: aromatherapy, light + chromotherapy and weighted blankets to add to your meditation experience,’ explains Hammond.

In our Drop-In Mindfulness microtrend, we examine how a growing interest in self-care practices such as mindfulness and meditation are encouraging brands to provide easy access to studio space.

5. Lyft helps give the sharing economy a boost

Global – Research by ride-share company Lyft demonstrates the significant impact that it and others like Uber have on the way that people get around. The report shows that some 50% of Lyft passengers report using their car less because of Lyft, while 25% said that owning a personal vehicle is now less important to them.

6. Thought-starter: Should we rely on technology as much as we do?

In light of the news that contraception app Natural Cycles has been reported to Swedish authorities owing to a number of unwanted pregnancies, Foresight editor Daniela Walker questions whether we have given over too much trust to technology.

Natural Cycles was certified as a contraception in late 2017, but recently, one of Sweden's largest hospitals reported the app to the authorities. It found that from the 668 women who had an abortion between September and December 2017, 37 had been using Natural Cycles as birth control. But how many of those abortions were due to the failure of other contraceptives?

Natural Cycles doesn't claim to be 100% effective. It asserts 99% efficacy when used perfectly. The standard goes down to 93% when women take the risk of having unprotected sex on 'likely fertile' days as is designated in the app. We have to then ask, did these women put too much trust in a smartphone therapy? As consumers, we tend to believe in the sanctity of technology, but as with everything in life, we need to take responsibility for our own actions.

Read the full opinion piece here.