LSN : News : Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Corona constructs world’s first sun reserve in Brazil

Corona's sun reserve, Brazil

Brazil – To mark its centenary, beach-born beer brand Corona has unveiled the world’s first sun reserve at Piedade Beach in Pernambuco, Brazil.

The initiative, developed in partnership with Grey agency, seeks to protect sunlight on public beaches. The company is leasing beachfront land so that height restrictions can be placed on new buildings, thereby limiting the amount of urban development that could cast shadows over shorelines. With more than 50% of Brazil’s population living along the coast and coastal development on the rise, it’s a timely and purposeful activation.

The initiative aims to spark global awareness around preserving natural elements in public spaces, with plans to expand the sun reserve concept to other countries, including South Africa.

‘Corona is a brand that encourages life outside and believes that there is nothing as special as feeling the sun on your skin, your feet in the sand and the sea breeze on your face,’ commented Gabriela Gallo, Corona Brazil’s marketing director.

In Subversive Sustainability Ads we unpacked the power of humour and unexpected brand campaigns in delivering important messages about complex issues around climate change and environmental protection.

Strategic opportunity

As urbanisation threatens access to natural resources, brands can step in as custodians of environmental experience by investing in placemaking initiatives that protect or enhance public access to nature

Foresight Friday: Dan Hastings, deputy foresight editor

Every Friday, we offer an end-of-week wrap-up of the topics, issues, ideas and virals we’re all talking about. This week, deputy foresight editor Dan Hastings explores trend forecasting in the US, NASA’s erasure of female astronauts and AI being used for good.

: How does one do trend forecasting and strategic foresight in the US right now, amid chaos and uncertainty? There are many things we anticipated: rising individualism, protectionism, a post-truth society shaped by algorithmic bubbles, the erosion of common ground and a growing paralysis around climate action. These weren’t surprises. But what’s next? That’s the question I’ve been trying to answer all week, jumping on calls with four US brand strategists to hear their thoughts on what brands can, can’t, should and shouldn’t do under this new Trump administration. We talked authenticity, trust, citizen brands, language, culture and brand values. I loved this quote from Brandarchy Reimagined’s founder, Gary J Nix: ‘The difference between pandering and doing the right thing is a level of trust the outside world has in you.’ Coming soon on LS:N Global.

: While I won’t dwell on the astronomic distraction of Katy Perry and her crew travelling to space, it’s worth noting that NASA has quietly removed its First Woman: NASA’s Promise to Humanity graphic novel from its website. Published in 2021, the story followed commander Callie Rodriguez as she led a diverse space crew to the Moon. NASA has also walked back on its earlier pledge to ‘land the first woman, first person of colour and first international partner astronaut on the Moon’, amid mounting pressure from the Trump administration to scale back DEI efforts across all US government departments and agencies.

: In other news, pole dancing is breaking stereotypes in India; I love Moroccan photographer Zineb Koutten’s series WLAD CHA3B (People of the Country), which celebrates Morocco’s working class; and I’m deeply moved by the My First Voice initiative, which uses AI to give parents the gift of hearing their non-verbal children’s voices for the first time.

On, Switzerland

Quote of the week

‘These are my people, my friends, my roots. The working class are the backbone of society. They create culture, but they’re rarely celebrated. I want to change that.’

Zineb Koutten (source: Scene Now)

Stat: Coachella’s payment plan reflects cultural repricing

Courtesy of Netflix, US

US – This year, around 60% of general admission ticket buyers at Coachella used the festival’s payment plan, which requires just £37.78 ($49.99, €43.94) up front, according to data shared by Billboard.

The figure spotlights a broader shift in how audiences are funding leisure experiences, with high-ticket events increasingly feeling the weight of economic precarity. While Coachella once stood as a symbol of carefree cultural capital, the rise in payment plan adoption hints at a more cash-strapped – yet still experience-driven – festival-goer. Rather than skipping the event altogether, many are opting to spread the cost, even if it means incurring future financial risk.

It’s a notable pivot for a brand that we previously observed showing signs of losing its cultural edge – amid a wave of ‘Coachella fatigue’ and waning Gen Z interest. But as live music continues its post-pandemic renaissance, with concerts experiencing a surge in demand, festivals may be riding the coat-tails of this renewed appetite for IRL connection and sonic escapism.

The embracing of payment plans also reflects a growing 'buy now, enjoy now' mindset among younger audiences who are prioritising experience over financial planning, on their own terms. For Coachella, it could signal not just a comeback, but a recalibration. By blending accessibility with aspiration, brands like these discover how to remain relevant in the era of financial fragility and high cultural expectations.

Explore how rising economic anxiety is reshaping entertainment choices in our New Codes of Value macrotrend report.

Strategic opportunity

Consider how to reframe premium experiences through the lens of accessibility. Flexible payment models – once reserved for essentials such as apparel – are now becoming gateways to aspiration, especially for younger, experience-driven consumers