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Venus wants women to speak up about pubic hair

Say Pubic by Gillette Venus

US – Personal care brand Gillette Venus is inviting women to reject censored language around pubic hair.

The brand’s new collection, Venus for Pubic Hair & Skin, includes an exfoliant, 2-in-1 cleanser and shave gel, a razor and daily serum. The product range and updated language – which intentionally avoids terms such as ‘bikini’ or ‘down there’ – is inspired by research conducted by the brand, which found that 82% of US women use slang terms to refer to their pubic area.

In response, the brand is promoting its collection through a celebratory and light-hearted campaign that includes the hashtag #SayPubic and a song created for social media, The Pube Song. MyAnh Nghiem, communications director at Gillette Venus, says: ‘Our new collection starts a new conversation about using language that accurately and respectfully represents the female body.’

As body positivity booms, shaving has been rebranded, opening the sector to more inclusive approaches to marketing.

Neighborhood Goods curates a next-gen grocery store

The Marketplace by Neighborhood Goods, US

US – The retailer is moving into the consumer packaged goods (CPG) space with the launch of a new in-store concept profiling a variety of direct-to-consumer (DTC) food and drink brands.

Originally opened in Texas in late 2018 with a curated selection of internet-born brands – and described as a modern alternative to the traditional department store – Neighborhood Goods is now expanding into CPG with its new concept The Marketplace. The food and drink brands on offer include low-sugar DTC gummy BeHave, soft drink brand Just Water and noodle brand Chop Chop. In addition, selected brands will be been re-imagined by chefs at its in-store restaurant Prim and Proper.

‘For so many of these brands, customers become aware of them through fleeting moments on Instagram,’ explains Matt Alexander, co-founder and CEO of Neighborhood Goods. ‘With our restaurants, we saw the opportunity to reframe these products in a more social context, allowing people to enjoy some of the products through an elevated menu or simply while shopping in our space with friends.’

Neighborhood Goods is merging the digital philosophy of Discovery Grocers with the physical nature of the department store, creating a new type of phygital grocery retail space.

Poparazzi is an antidote to selfie-centric social media

Poparazzi, US

US – The social media app encourages users to take pictures of other people, differentiating itself from the pervasive selfie culture on platforms such as Instagram.

Positioned as anti-selfie, the photo-sharing app offers an alternative to overly edited images and curated social media feeds. It's divided into two parts: one shows photos taken by the user of their friends, and the other features photos of the user, taken by their friends. To ensure maximum security, Poparazzi ensures that users must approve those who upload photos of them, with the option to remove unwanted photos. The app also displays who users photograph the most, giving them a ‘pop’ score to encourage regular uploads and engagement.

According to the app, candidness is central to its concept. ‘Poparazzi is all about capturing life’s most authentic moments, instead of the staged ones,’ reads a blog post. ‘It’s about hyping up your friends, instead of competing against them.’

Generation Z are increasingly turning away from narcissistic social media platforms and seeking unfiltered alternatives. Tapping into this, Poparazzi is preparing for the next generation of social capital that we identify in Paradox Personas.

Stat: Plant-based milk gains traction in America

NotMilk by NotCo, Latin America

The popularity of plant-based milk in the US has risen since the beginning of the pandemic, finds a study by grocery delivery service Instacart.

According to the brand’s research, the adoption rate for plant-based milk increased by 27% throughout 2020. In line with their more environmentally conscious attitudes, Millennials tend to opt for plant-based milk more than older shoppers, with one in three of Instacart’s plant-based shoppers aged between 30 and 39.

In particular, oat milk buyers tend to be younger than regular milk buyers, with the majority being younger than 35 years old. On the flip side, those buying soya milk tend to be older than conventional milk buyers, showing the rising popularity of new entrants into the plant-based milk market – such as oat or almond milk. Consumers who are newly seeking milk alternatives are especially likely to opt for almond milk.

Plant-based milks are seeing no end to their surging popularity, as more consumers consider the ethical price tag that comes with their consumption habits. As such, brands in the drinks sector have an opportunity to tap into this market and elevate the dairy aisle with new plant-based innovations.