News 29.11.2023

Need to Know

Project Yellow Canteen uses yellow paint to repel flies, Thai spa launches Blue Zone-inspired longevity retreat and UK and US adults admit using cannabis or alcohol to sleep better.

Project Yellow Canteen uses yellow paint to repel flies

Yellow Canteen, Indonesia
Yellow Canteen, Indonesia
Yellow Canteen, Indonesia
Yellow Canteen, Indonesia

Indonesia – If colour in living spaces can positively affect mental health, Project Yellow Canteen demonstrates how savvy use of colour can improve physical health too. The corporate social responsibility project, carried out by creative agency Innocean Indonesia and paint producer Dulux, aims to make dining rooms healthier and safer in school canteens across Indonesia.

Due to the hot and humid climate, open spaces like school canteens in Indonesia are prone to droves of flies, representing a health hazard as they carry diseases including typhoid fever, cholera and more. Drawing on research that showed that flies avoid the colour yellow, the project experimented with painting tables, benches and walls in yellow. The pilot experiment was successful in confirming the efficacy of yellow’s fly-repelling powers, prompting Dulux to decorate dining spaces in more schools.

Project Yellow Canteen makes the case for simple yet innovative preventative solutions. Repelling flies and brightening school canteens in the process, the initiative echoes the increasing demand for collective public health solutions, explored in the Urban Wellness Market.

Strategic opportunity

This project is a prime example of the effectiveness of using aesthetics for tangible health benefits. Consider how your business – whether it is the work environment, products or services – could enhance collective wellbeing without compromising on design

Thai spa launches Blue Zone-inspired longevity retreat

Blue Zones Group Retreat, Kamalaya, Thailand Blue Zones Group Retreat, Kamalaya, Thailand
Blue Zones Group Retreat, Kamalaya, Thailand Blue Zones Group Retreat, Kamalaya, Thailand

Thailand – Kamalaya, a holistic spa and wellness sanctuary on Koh Samui in Thailand, is launching a Blue Zone group wellness retreat for guests to discover the secrets to longevity and wellbeing from the world’s longest-living regions.

Blue zones are regions across the world such as Okinawa, Japan, and Ikaria, Greece, with high rates of centenarians and low rates of chronic disease. While Koh Samui is not a blue zone itself, the retreat has been designed in collaboration with the official Blue Zones organisation and draws on 20 years of research into these zones and the factors contributing to long, healthy and happy lives.

For six nights in May 2024, guests will undertake a programme filled with meditation, movement, massage, cooking classes and nutritional guidance sessions, in addition to activities such as tea ceremonies, walks, local temple tours and games nights.

By collaborating with Blue Zones, Kamalaya is setting the standard for a new genre of wellness retreats focused on longevity over rejuvenation or relaxation. This is a smart move as interest in Longevity Lifestyles grows and improving and elongating lifespans becomes the mainstay of the wellness industry.

Strategic opportunity

Hospitality venues such as spas, gyms and hotels should consider incorporating the key lifestyle concepts of the Blue Zones into their offerings to elevate wellness credentials and appeal to health-conscious consumers

KIKI World creates NFC-embedded press-on nails

Chipped by Kiki, US Chipped by Kiki, US

Global – KIKI World, a beauty brand embracing crowdsourced product development, has introduced Chipped, a range of NFC-embedded press-on nails. Breaking free from the conventional exchange of contact information, Chipped nails enable wearers to effortlessly share their details with a simple tap.

Each set of Chipped nails features built-in NFC chips akin to those in contactless credit cards. Before application, users pair the NFC chips with their smartphones, linking them to their KIKI World profiles, which can seamlessly integrate with social media platforms like Instagram, LinkedIn and Telegram.

In a collaborative effort with Winny.eth, a blockchain consultant and early KIKI World member, Chipped aligns with KIKI’s co-creation ethos, determined by customer polls. Users even get to vote on the initial colour release, with options like the iridescent Celestial, lavender Miuccia and fiery orange Feu. Chipped emerges as a stylish and tech-savvy alternative to traditional business cards, reflecting KIKI World’s commitment to innovation especially among younger users who are more tech-literate, as revealed in Neo-wealth Wears.

Strategic opportunity

Gen Z hate hassle, so brands should take a cue from KIKI World’s press-on nails and consider how to integrate technology into everyday products that offer younger audiences streamlined, multi-level experiences

Stat: UK and US adults admit using cannabis or alcohol to sleep better

Veri, Finland Veri, Finland

US, UK – In its Snooze Report released in October 2023, meditation and sleep app Calm suggests that US and UK consumers struggle to get a good night’s sleep to such an extent that they use conventional and unconventional sleep aids.

Based on a survey of 9,500 adults aged 18–65 living in 10 cities in the US and 10 cities in the UK, Calm concludes that over half (55%) of consumers surveyed turn to medication, cannabis or alcohol to sleep better. Over three in four say they do not want to depend on sleep aids, but almost half (42%) can’t sleep without them.

The report highlights the impact of poor sleep on mental health, with 78% of respondents agreeing that their quality of sleep affects their mental health. More than two in three adults (69%) also said they need over seven hours of sleep to improve their mental health.

Hinting at opportunities for health and wellness services to enable better sleep, the report also reveals that almost three in four surveyed are open to trying new things to improve their sleep (73%).

As explored in our analysis of the Sleep Enhancement Market, brands are answering consumers’ need for the perfect night’s rest by turning to technology, sound and space innovations.

Strategic opportunity

As an alternative to medication, cannabis and alcohol, food and drink brands should consider how to develop new products designed as sleep aids for consumers and promoted as healthier alternatives

Previous News Articles
Burberry revives archival outerwear for National Geographic documentary

News

Burberry revives archival outerwear for National Geographic documentary

Burberry’s latest archival display at its London Regent Street store celebrates Sir Ernest Shackleton’s legendary 1914 Antarctic expedition.
Luxury : Pop-culture & Media : Fashion
Gob launches mycelium-based earplugs

News

Gob launches mycelium-based earplugs

Gob is revolutionising the earplug market with a mycelium-based alternative that promises to eliminate the environmental impact of traditional disp...
Sustainability : Health & Wellness : Design
Brenda Lee’s holiday classic enters the AI era with Spanish re-release

News

Brenda Lee’s holiday classic enters the AI era with Spanish re-release

Brenda Lee’s iconic holiday song, Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, has been re-imagined as Noche Buena y Navidad in a Spanish-language release po...
Technology : Pop-culture & Media : Society
Stat: US Gen Z are the most likely to hide their voting choices

News

Stat: US Gen Z are the most likely to hide their voting choices

An October 2024 Axios Vibes survey by The Harris Poll reveals that nearly half of Gen Z voters (48%) in the US have lied about their voting prefere...
Society : Youth : Politics
Camdom is the world’s first digital condom for safer intimacy

News

Camdom is the world’s first digital condom for safer intimacy

This Sexual Health Awareness Month, condom brand Billy Boy and creative agency Innocean Berlin unveiled Camdom, an app that acts as a digital condo...
Health & Wellness : Technology : Pop-culture & Media
Resting Reef memorialises pets as eco-friendly marine reefs

News

Resting Reef memorialises pets as eco-friendly marine reefs

Eco-friendly funeral company Resting Reef has launched a pet memorial service that blends pet ashes with crushed shells to create eco-friendly unde...
Design : Health & Wellness : Sustainability
Netflix new unveils Moments feature to save and share scenes

News

Netflix new unveils Moments feature to save and share scenes

Netflix has launched a new feature called Moments, allowing subscribers to bookmark, save and share their favourite scenes from shows and movies.
Technology : Pop-culture & Media : Society
Stat: Mars’ study reveals strong pet devotion

News

Stat: Mars’ study reveals strong pet devotion

Mars has unveiled ‘the largest global pet parent study to date’ of more than 20,000 pet owners across 20 countries.
Pets : Society : Retail
Samsonite’s new durable suitcase can survive travelling to the edge of space

News

Samsonite’s new durable suitcase can survive travelling to the edge of space

Samsonite has unveiled its latest innovation, the Proxis Space collection, setting new standards in travel gear with sustainability and advanced te...
Luxury : Travel & Hospitality : Design
The Saudi Investment Bank celebrates national identity with bespoke typeface

News

The Saudi Investment Bank celebrates national identity with bespoke typeface

The Saudi Investment Bank and creative agency Impact BBDO have launched I am Saudi, a campaign celebrating national heritage with a bespoke typeface.
Design : Advertising & Branding : Finance
You have 2 free News articles remaining. Sign up to LS:N Global to get unlimited access to all articles.
BECOME A MEMBER
SIGN IN