LSN : News : Stat: US research shows men feel isolated amid provider pressure

Instagram champions creative risk-taking with star-studded global campaign

Instagram Presents: Ask It Anyway featuring Tyler, The Creator

Global – As Instagram approaches its 15th anniversary, the platform has launched a new campaign spotlighting creativity on social media. Entitled Anyway, the campaign brings together a cross-disciplinary cast, including Rosalía, Tyler, the Creator, Clint 419, Fred Again… and Nadia Lee Cohen, each reflecting on creative risk and self-expression.

The initiative forms part of a broader strategy to position Instagram as a platform for low-pressure, creativity-first sharing. Alongside new creator tools such as Trial Reels – which lets users share content with non-followers before going public – the company is investing heavily in video editing app Edits, new typefaces co-created with artists like Rosalía and Drafts, a funding programme for emerging talent.

As parents become more aware of the negative impact social media usage can have on children’s mental wellbeing, there is a movement towards creating a healthier, less toxic online world. By encouraging active participation with the app over passive scrolling, Instagram is reframing itself as a platform for creative expression, aligning with Gen Z’s interest in Digital Wellness.

Strategic opportunity

Empower your audiences to engage with your brand through creative expression. Host user-generated content challenges, spotlight community-made content and mentor emerging talent to foster deeper, collaborative brand relationships

Selfridges to open exclusive members’ club at Oxford Street flagship store

Selfridges Unlocked, UK

UK – Selfridges is planning to open its first-ever members’ club at its Oxford Street flagship store in 2026, transforming part of its fourth floor into an exclusive social and shopping space for top-tier customers.

Named 40 Duke, the club is described as ‘an exclusive new shopping and social destination for its most valued customers and members’.

The proposed development, now under review by Westminster City Council, would convert existing office space into a private lounge and bar with 80 covers, a 14-seat private dining room and terrace, and an additional outdoor terrace for 50 guests. Opening hours would run from 8:00am to 12:30am Sunday to Thursday, and until 1:30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

By re-imagining executive office space as a high-end members’ club, Selfridges aims to enhance its luxury positioning while supporting the vibrancy of Oxford Street and London’s West End retail experience.

Read our Luxury’s New Clubhouse Model and Brand Innovation Debrief: Selfridges reports for more insights into the most innovative business strategies in luxury retail.

Strategic opportunity

Luxury brands should move beyond perks to create physical spaces where the most loyal customers feel recognised, valued and culturally connected

Stat: US research shows men feel isolated amid provider pressure

Land Rover is offering a bespoke restoration service for its Classic Defender V8, combining a desire for heritage with the added benefit of sustainability, UK

US – New findings from Equimundo, a research centre for masculinity and social justice, reveal the growing toll that economic stress is taking on American men. Following a survey of 2,454 people across genders, The State of American Men 2025 Report shows that while definitions of manhood may be evolving, men remain burdened by the enduring expectation to be providers.

More than half of the sample (57%) believe that ‘no one cares if men are okay’, a sentiment most strongly felt among younger men aged 18–24.

The study highlighted economic instability as a critical risk factor, finding that men facing financial insecurity are 16.3 times more likely to have had suicidal thoughts in the past two weeks. This correlation is sharpest among Asian men, followed by Black, white and Hispanic men.

Meanwhile, rigid ideas of fatherhood also carry weight – dads who hold more traditional views are 5.2 times more likely to report suicidality, with this trend even more pronounced among progressive voters.

The findings underline a growing mental health crisis rooted in outdated gender norms and economic fragility, echoing ideas explored in our Decoding Masculinity report.

Strategic opportunity

Rethink messaging and product strategies to support men’s emotional wellbeing. Prioritise campaigns or services that challenge provider-only narratives and normalise vulnerability – particularly among younger men and fathers facing financial strain