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This hamburger chain elevates dine-in experiences

Masquespacio, Milan

Milan – Italian hamburger chain Bun has given its Milan restaurant a makeover to appeal to younger customers – and reframe fast food branding.

The interior design project by design studio Masquespacio subverts the retro and industrial visual elements commonly featured in burger restaurants with a pastel coloured walls, flooring and tiles. Combining gold-tone finishes with terazzo tiles, exposed brick and colour blocking, the overall effect communicates a higher-quality dining experience.

To elevate Bun from a fast food restaurant to a desirable destination, Masquespacio has focused on existing spatial elements, integrating additional arcs for a uniform aesthetic. ‘When we saw the beautiful bricks and arcs in the space it was evident to us that we would use these two elements as the starting point of the design,’ comments Ana Hernández, creative director at Masquespacio.

More expressive design is augmenting fast food interiors focused on efficiency, giving way to sensations around nostalgia, escapism and pleasure. We explore this further in our Frivolous Foods design direction.

Lumenate app mimics the effects of psychedelics

Lumenate app, UK

Lumenate app

UK – Start-up Lumenate has created an app that uses the light from smartphone torches to put people into a meditative state.

Lumenate app users are instructed to close their eyes and point the flashlight of their smartphone towards them. The app then creates stroboscopic light sequences that put users into an altered state of tranquility. According to the company, people using the app experience effects akin to taking psychedelics, such as a reduction in body awareness, sense of time and reduction in sense of self, all of which are designed to reduce mental stressors.

Aiming to facilitate an effortless way to explore the subconscious, the company’s founders believe the effects of the app will result in people feeling greater life purpose. Having carried out an internal study, Jay Conlon, co-founder of Lumenate, says: ‘Participants have attributed to experiences with the app [ranging] from changing jobs to pursuing their passions, through finding new solutions to creative challenges, and to getting up earlier each morning to do yoga.'

Discover more start-ups that are applying psychedelic experiences to modern therapy in our Enlightened States macrotrend.

Net-a-Porter localises luxury for the Middle East

Net-a-Porter Middle Eastern platform

Middle East and North Africa – The luxury e-tailer is expanding its global reach with a localised platform for Middle Eastern consumers.

Available on Net-a-Porter's website and via its app, the Middle Eastern storefront allows consumers in the region to shop for a curated selection of garments, specialist beauty brands and fine jewellery. The website’s editorial content also taps into the interests of local shoppers, and is available in both Arabic and English. Dual-language product search and item descriptions, alongside pricing displayed in local currencies further optimise the Net-a-Porter experience for Middle Eastern luxurians.

‘As the leading luxury platform, the launch of the localised Arabic site allows us to celebrate the unique beauty and talent of our community in the Middle East, bringing Net-a-Porter even closer to its customers,’ says Nisreen Shocair, CEO of Yoox Net-a-Porter Middle East.

While we’ve recently been tracking the rise of Micro-mmunity Retail through the lens of bricks-and-mortar stores, this example shows how e-tailers can similarly adapt to better suit the needs of specific consumer groups.

Stat: Social media advertising divides global trust

XR SmartStudio by Royal Lancaster Hotel, UK

A global survey by YouGov reveals that consumers find traditional advertising more credible than social media marketing.

Globally, only 25% of respondents believe social media ads are trustworthy. Almost half of respondents in the US regard radio, tv and print ads as truthful, while only 19% trust social media advertising. In the UK, over half (53%) of participants find radio and tv ads trustworthy, compared to just 10%, for social media-based campaigns.

This divergence in trust seemingly depends on the location of the viewer. According to YouGov, in places such as India, Mexico, Indonesia, and the UAE, advertising on newer media channels is held in higher regard than in the rest of the world. For brands and business, therefore, reliability of advertising mediums should be considered against the backdrop of each country's customer base.

In an era of non-stop digital distraction, many consumers are questioning the reliability of some channels, yet for some, traditional media can provide a slower pace and therefore greater focus on content and messaging.