LSN : Daily Signals : 16 : 09 : 24

Gentle Monster expands Haus Nowhere concept in Shenzhen

Gentle Monster's Haus Nowhere Shenzhen with RIIZE, China

China – South Korean eyewear brand Gentle Monster has unveiled its largest immersive retail concept yet, Haus Nowhere, in Shenzhen, China’s booming tech hub. Following similar launches in Seoul and Shanghai, this ambitious project spans 7,000 square metres over three floors in the MixC World shopping mall.

Themed Insect Kingdom, the store presents a surreal narrative exploring the 10,000-year-old relationship between humans, beasts and insectoids. Upon entering, visitors are greeted by the Colossal First Human, a two-storey-tall resting figure seated in a demolished structure inspired by 3D artist Frederik Heyman. The first floor is dominated by insectoids, arachnids and silkworms, completing the Beginning of Insect Kingdom storyline, set against a monumental mural painted by Dutch artist duo Freeling Waters.

Video art from international artists including Ada Sokol and South Korea’s Yeon Yeoin plays on a three-storey LED screen, which dominates the store’s façade. Expanding beyond eyewear, 85% of the second and third floors are dedicated to local and South Korean brands, cafés, bookstores and plant shops, making it a collaborative retail testing ground aligning with our hyper-local store insight from World Retail Congress 2024: Let’s Get Hyperphysical.

Strategic opportunity

Create immersive, narrative-driven retail experiences that blend art, technology and brand collaborations to transform shopping spaces and engage customers on a sensory and emotional level

Hormel and General Mills debut Cinnamon Toast Crunch bacon

Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch bacon, US

US – Hormel’s Black Label Bacon has teamed up with General Mills’ Cinnamon Toast Crunch to launch the company’s first co-branded bacon product.

The limited-edition Black Label Cinnamon Toast Crunch combines thick-cut bacon with a hand-rubbed coating of General Mills' Cinnadust – a blend of cinnamon, sugar and salt – delivering a sweet and savoury flavour.

Set to hit Walmart shelves on 16 September 2024, and Kroger stores shortly after, this collaboration taps into both brands’ loyal fanbases and growing consumer interest in adventurous flavour pairings. ‘Sweet and savoury is a classic combination, and blasting Black Label bacon with Cinnadust was a no-brainer,’ commented Brandon Tyrrell, senior marketing communications manager for Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

With more partnerships expected in 2025, Hormel is positioning Black Label as a leader in flavour innovation, rebranding meat as a more fun and experimental category at a time when many people and eateries are putting meat back on the menu.

Strategic opportunity

Partner with brands outside your category to create unexpected product mash-ups. This will expand brand reach and introduce new audiences to your products through the fanbase of your partner brand

Oxfam and Vinted tie up for London Fashion Week

thredUP, US

UK – Non-governmental organisation Oxfam partnered with online marketplace Vinted for its Style for Change runway show at London Fashion Week. Every outfit from the show will be available at Oxfam’s online shop on Vinted and all the earnings from the sale will be donated to charity. This will make Oxfam the first charity in the UK to run a wardrobe shop on Vinted.

The runway show is part of the charity retailer’s Second Hand September campaign which was launched in 2019 and aims to encourage people to donate and buy second hand items. All outfits on the show will be pre-loved fashion and are styled by author, acclaimed stylist and proponent of the second hand clothing movement Bay Garnett.

‘Vinted has captured the mainstream and championed pre-loved fashion like no other online marketplace has,’ said Kehinde Brown, Oxfam’s strategic communications lead in a statement. She added that the objective was to ‘prove that second hand does not mean second best’.

In Resale Redux we analysed how fashion retailers can appeal to consumers’ growing circular mindset by rebranding second hand fashion as an opportunity to advocate for sustainability.

Strategic opportunity

Retailers should consider how to leverage Gen Z’s interest and demand for pre-loved, resale and repair

Stat: Only half of Gen Z plan to vote despite having significant political power

AI imagery by The Future Laboratory, UK

US – Gen Z has a reputation for political apathy, and this is underlined by a new survey showing that only 53% of 18–29-year-olds ‘definitely’ plan to vote in the upcoming US election, compared to nearly 70% of Baby Boomers – but their influence is undeniable.

Following President Biden’s endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris, her campaign saw a surge in support from young voters. Harris gained a 20-point lead among voters aged 18–34 in polls and there were 100,000 new voter registrations, with 84% of them being people under 34.

Despite stereotypes, Gen Z care deeply about key issues such as climate change, gun safety and the cost of living, and they will act when they feel threatened. More than 40m Gen Z are expected to vote, and their influence is growing, not just at the polls but on social media where they shape narratives and pop culture.

Businesses and political campaigns alike must recognise that while Gen Z may not always vote, they are influential in shaping public opinion and culture, making them a vital audience to engage with.

LS:N Global discussed how voters are placing more trust in their local communities and online social media groups in The Power of Precision Micro-Influencing report.

Strategic opportunity

Gen Z is highly active online. Businesses should prioritise digital-first strategies by utilising social media platforms, memes, influencers and viral content to engage this generation