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The RealReal turns authenticity into luxury currency

The Last Real Man, The RealReal, US

US – Luxury resale platform The RealReal is confronting a growing tension: the erosion of trust in the age of artificial intelligence.

Its new campaign film, ‘L’Ultimo Uomo Reale’ (The Last Real Man), created with agency Team One and director Sebastian Strasser, uses advanced AI-generated visuals to mimic reality before deliberately exposing their artificiality.

The film follows a man on an existential journey to experience reality – journalling, cold water swimming, travelling and making art. Gradually, the narrative turns absurd as his world is disrupted by AI-generated effects. It ends with a green screen reveal, where the only real artefact is a woven leather bag, asking viewers: ‘Isn’t it nice to know some things are still real?’

The playful campaign moves The RealReal’s verification process from the backend into brand currency, reinforcing luxury products as tangible assets in an increasingly digital world.

It is a creative translation of insights explored in our New Codes of Luxury report, which identifies acquisition and discernment as defining values for the next era. Brands must act as entertainers and engines of culture, while positioning craftsmanship and physical products as the ultimate markers of aspiration.

Strategic opportunity

Make credibility visible by turning authentication and verification into cultural storytelling tools that highlight provenance, craftsmanship and tangible products as trustworthy signals of value

Why a positive attitude to ageing might be a powerful longevity tool

US – The narrative that later life is defined by inevitable cognitive and physical decline is being challenged.

A new study, published in Geriatric journal, followed Americans aged 65 or older for up to 12 years and found that nearly half improved their cognition and/or walking speed, with 51% maintaining or improving cognitive function and 37.6% maintaining or improving mobility.

Crucially, the study links these gains to positive beliefs about ageing: older adults who internalised optimistic societal and cultural messages about getting older were significantly more likely to improve, even when starting from normal levels of function. This positions mindset as an underutilised – and free – longevity tool.

The study suggests that ageing can be reframed as a period of potential growth rather than one of decline. The Future Laboratory’s Redefining Mid-life and Reframing Ageing reports track the early adopters who are embracing flat-age thinking as living longer, healthier lives becomes commonplace.

PicPay. Brand imagery by Maltchique, Brazil

Strategic opportunity

Later life is a stage of opportunity: Brands that champion wellbeing, lifelong learning and positive age beliefs can engage an overlooked demographic eager to invest in health and personal growth

Stat: India’s skincare boom is playing out in physical stores

Moxie Beauty, India

India – According to Vyansa Intelligence, offline retail channels dominate the Indian skincare market with nearly 75% share in 2026, reinforcing The Future Laboratory’s I-Beauty report, which positions India as the next global beauty powerhouse.

The numbers reflect a market in significant growth, valued in 2025 at £2bn ($2.72bn, €2.3bn) and projected to grow from £2.2bn ($2.98bn, €2.5bn) in 2026 to £3.8bn ($5.1bn, €4.4bn) by 2032. The I-Beauty report finds that while e-commerce and q-commerce are accelerating access to beauty products across the country, physical retail is evolving to stay relevant, shifting from point of sale to point of experience, with brands investing in faster home delivery and technology-enhanced in-store journeys.

Facial care is driving much of this momentum. Vyansa Intelligence found that facial products – creams, serums, moisturisers and sunscreens – account for approximately 85% of total market share in 2026. The I-Beauty report attributes this to lived pressures. Shifting climate conditions and growing awareness around skin protection are making targeted facial care a daily necessity for Indian consumers.

For more, download the full report here.

Strategic opportunity

For brands and investors, India’s skincare market rewards cultural specificity. Success will come to those who address locally rooted needs and desires – from climate-driven skin concerns and Ayurvedic heritage to last-mile logistics and the in-store experience