LSN : Daily Signals : 20 : 08 : 20

Fortnite’s aggro-tising fights the App Store monopoly

#FreeFortnite by Epic Games

Global – #FreeFortnite is a new social media campaign from Epic Games that highlights how Apple is blocking iOS users from installing and updating Fortnite's latest release.

The campaign subverts an old Apple advertisement that in itself was a play on the dystopian novel 1984 by George Orwell, with Fortnite calling gamers to ‘join the fight to stop 2020 from becoming 1984’. It is a response to Apple blocking Fortnite from being downloaded or updated on iOS devices owing to a dispute between Epic Games and the tech giant relating to in-app purchases.

By allowing direct in-game payment features that circumnavigated Apple receiving a 30% cut, it retaliated by removing Epic Games updates. Responding with its own take on aggro-tising, Epic Games believes that ‘all players should have a choice in payment providers’, appealing to gamers to join its fight against the App Store monopoly.

Companies are increasingly choosing to stand their ground in public, even if it means going against popular global brands or viewpoints. For more, explore what it means to be a Backlash Brand.

This transparent tv embodies discreet tech

Mi TV LUX Transparent Edition by Xiaomi, Beijing

Beijing – Technology company Xiaomi is launching a transparent television, ushering in new ways of consuming visual content at home.

Reported to be the first tv of its kind, its streamlined, see-through design means it appears like a pane of glass when switched off. When in use, the pictures it displays appear to be floating in the air. While traditional televisions include a back panel, Xiaomi’s design embeds the processing units into its base, which doubles as a stand.

The television also features in-built artificial intelligence (AI) that allows it to detect the type of content being played and select the most suitable audio setting. According to Xiaomi, owing to its transparency, the tv is suitable for both homes and public spaces such as galleries, museums and theatres.

With modern homes increasingly designed to be clutter-free spaces, consumers are calling for Discreet Tech that blends seamlessly into the background.

Pinterest’s AR tools amplify inclusive beauty

Global – Pinterest is responding to users' growing interest in inclusive beauty with enhanced search and augmented reality (AR) try-on tools for cosmetics.

Designed to bolster the platform’s shopping features, its new features include skin tone ranges, an improved search functionality for users in the UK, Canada, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. The tool both simplifies and widens the discovery of beauty products and tutorials based on users’ individual skin tone preferences.

Pinterest has also advanced its AR beauty tool, Try On, a virtual lipstick experience that now offers user the chance to try on 10,000 shoppable lipstick shades on the platform from brands including NARS, Cle de Peau and Thrive Causemetics. According to Pinterest, Try On-enabled pins are five times more likely to show purchase intent than standard pins.

‘With these updates, Pinterest is becoming a more inclusive place to discover and shop for beauty ideas. No one should have to work extra hard to uncover personalised ideas, and all should feel welcome,’ says Annie Ta, product manager of Pinterest.

As we reveal in Shoppable Social, in-platform features are increasingly transforming the way consumers interact with products.

Pinterest, UK

Stat: Beauty consumers crave ingredient explanations

Better Not Younger, US

A survey from British health and supplements retailer Holland & Barrett reveals that the majority (97%) of UK beauty consumers would like brands to be more transparent about the ingredients they use.

Of 2,000 respondents, most agreed that beauty brands should drop the jargon they use altogether, with 90% saying that companies should be clearer with the language used on packaging. As a result of confusion over ingredient messaging, 92% of women say they actively look for natural ingredients over 'household beauty brand names' when searching for new products.

Pointing to a more positive mindset around beauty and skincare, Holland & Barrett also notes that product claims such as 'natural' and 'cruelty-free' were more popular among respondents than 'anti-ageing', 'tightening' and 'line reduction'.

With today’s beauty consumers looking for transparency from the brands they invest in, Honest Products are increasingly coming to the fore.