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Asics subverts weight loss content with body positivity campaign

15 Minute Weight Loss campaign by Asics

UK – Asics has launched a new campaign in response to rising demand for weight loss content on social media. Using the clickbait headline 15 Minute Weight Loss to attract those searching for weight loss content, Asics partnered with media agency Golin and body positivity influencers to create a series of 15-minute exercise videos focused on the mental health benefits of movement.

According to the sportswear company, searches for ‘quick weight loss’ have increased by 581% in the past year, despite the growing body positivity movement. Asics wants to shift the narrative around exercise towards the mental health benefits of working out, based on a global Asics study conducted by Professor Brendon Stubbs from King’s College London, which found that just 15 minutes and nine seconds of physical activity triggers positive mental health benefits.

The campaign comes at a time when weight-loss drugs discourse is louder than ever and it feels like we’ve re-entered a Body Hostility Era. By taking a leaf out of Subversive Sustainability Ads’ book, Asics puts an unexpected spin on a delicate topic to cut through the noise and revive body-positive thinking.

Strategic opportunity

Consumers respond well to campaigns that humorously subvert industry norms. Promote your brand values organically by embracing a satirical campaign approach, creating engaging content that resonates with your audience and distinguishes your brand from competitors

Mytheresa and Flamingo Estate open collaborative pop-up in the Hamptons

Mytheresa and Flamingo Estate pop-up in East Hampton, UK

US – Luxury fashion retailer Mytheresa and lifestyle and food brand Flamingo Estate have opened the Summer Railroad Racetrack pop-up in East Hampton. The temporary store will feature a curated selection of women’s, men’s,and children’s fashion, accessories, fine jewellery and watches from brands such as Khaite, Valentino and Etro. Flamingo Estate’s Inconvenience Store will offer a range of apothecary and pantry products, including candles, soaps and gourmet items.

Adding to the excitement, Porsche joins as an official sponsor, showcasing its all-electric SUV, the Macan, and offering test drives of the Taycan sedan. The space also includes a miniature racetrack garden, customised arena seating, a games room and a VIP lounge. The pop-up will also host events such as product customisation sessions, energy readings, cocktail events and designer meet-and-greets.

In our Functional Feasting macrotrend report, we forecast how, in 2025–2026, food will become a new status symbol as consumers fill their posh pantries with canned goods and luxurious olive oil available from brands such as Flamingo Estate. It’s interesting to see Porsche and Mytheresa already jumping on this food opportunity to attract affluent consumers.

Strategic opportunity

Tap into the trend of food as a status symbol by offering high-end, curated pantry items and gourmet products. Could you launch exclusive culinary events or limited-edition branded food products?

Copenhagen introduces CopenPay to reward tourists for going green

Wise. Identity by Ragged Edge

Denmark – Copenhagen’s tourism board has launched CopenPay, an initiative that rewards eco-friendly actions with unique experiences. Visitors bringing plastic waste to the National Gallery of Denmark, for instance, can join a workshop to transform it into art, while those using public transport or bikes to reach CopenHill get to ski down its rooftop slope.

Residents also benefit from the programme, with perks like free kayak rentals for collecting litter from the water and complimentary vegetarian lunches for volunteering on urban farms. Running as a pilot scheme from 15 July to 11 August 2024, CopenPay currently includes 24 attractions. Depending on its success, Visit Copenhagen hopes to expand it all year round.

In our Post-conscious Travel report, we explored the ever-growing importance of sustainable travel and the need for fresh thinking on how to enact slow, intersectional and regenerative initiatives in the industry. CopenPay is a fitting example of how cities can promote sustainable tourism without sacrificing cultural experiences, with the potential to change travel into a positive force for change.

Strategic opportunity

Establish your brand as an eco-leader by launching a scheme that partners with cultural spaces in the local community to reward consumers for making greener choices in their day-to-day lives

Stat: Millionaires are increasingly moving away from the UK

Celine Van Heel captures her grandfather, also known as The Spanish King, in his prime senior years, Spain

UK – According to a July 2024 report by Swiss bank UBS, the UK is projected to lose the most millionaires globally by 2028. The report predicts a 17% drop in the number of UK dollar millionaires, from 3.06m in 2023 to 2.54m in 2028. This decline contrasts with a global rise in millionaire numbers in 52 out of 56 countries analysed.

Paul Donovan, UBS Global Wealth Management’s chief economist, attributes this trend to shifts in the global economy and nomadic global wealth seeking new destinations. Factors include Russian sanctions affecting wealthy Russians in London and the allure of low-tax jurisdictions like the UAE and Singapore.

Economic nationalism and changes in supply chains are prompting millionaire entrepreneurs to relocate closer to their businesses. While modifications to non-dom tax rules have influenced some departures, UBS emphasises its impact is only minor.

The report also estimates a significant wealth transfer of £64.3 trillion ($83.5 trillion, €76.5 trillion) over the next 20–25 years. For more insights on how this wealth will be distributed and how Gen Z heirs plan to use it, head to our Great Wealth Transfer macrotrend report.

Strategic opportunity

From luxury hospitality to retailers, consider how to enter markets such as the UAE and Singapore to build a local presence and reach the increasing number of high-net-worth individuals relocating there