Report: Latest

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Deep beauty: doing good, looking good, feeling good

Beauty brands are adapting to a new consumer psyche of technology, ethics and wellness while crafting a deeper narrative about what beauty might mean for 21st century consumption where doing good, looking good and feeling good all play a role.

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New World Order

America is the economic epicentre of the world, accounting for nearly a fifth of the global economy. But with 800 million new consumers joining the middle classes by 2020 – many of them in Asia – the world is undergoing an irreversible shift eastwards.

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Why moderate is the new cool

Individual freedoms are at the heart of Western society, but with economies reeling from greedy bankers, healthcare costs rising, and citizens outraged over media ethics, a new aspiration of control and responsibility has emerged.

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Natural Mindset

People want to get closer to nature mentally and physically, embracing all that’s perceived to be pure and wholesome.

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Beautyligion and the rise of Halal cosmetics

The needs of Muslim beauty consumers, particularly in western cultures, remain relatively unexplored. This article explores the changing relationship between the Muslim faith, Halal lifestyles, and the beauty industry.

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Civic Brands

In a time of economic uncertainty, brands are trying to increase their cultural and civic clout. This report discusses the drivers behind the shift towards Civic Brands, and brings together recent case studies and statistics.

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Brands and their role in society

A surprising range of brands, both large and small, are addressing how they connect with and provide for customers and communities in more socially meaningful ways. This is changing notions around the role that brands occupy in society.

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Global Mindset

A young, aspirational generation of westerners, reared on a diet of diversity, travel, globalisation and foreign food, are embracing a lifestyle with a global outlook that is in contrast to the more nationalist tendencies of their elders.

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The myth of the ethical consumer

Corporate Social Responsibility is not a one-sided system; it requires consumers as well as brands to discover where their priorities lie in terms of values and ethics, and to help each other along in this process.

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Informed Consumerism

People aspire to make well-informed decisions about purchases both prior to and at point of sale, either online, on their mobiles, or in-store. But there is evidence that the emphasis is not necessarily on making ethical or rational choices.

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Nature's laboratory

A growing interest among consumers regarding sustainability, urban agriculture and ethical living should encourage brands to prick up their ears on the topic of biomimicry, which takes inspiration from nature rather than just exploiting resources.

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Conscience Confusion

There is evidence that despite consumers claiming to base their purchasing decisions on ethical issues such as the environment, their actual retail habits do not reflect such strong commitment and indicate a high level of uncertainty.

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The conscientious tourist

Germany is seeing a rise in conscientious tourism. Beyond the superficial 'decay porn' of slum tourism, these travellers seek out holidays with rigorous ethical practices, from involvement in the local community to stringent water management.

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Kawaii kappe: Japanese farming’s youthful new look

Beyond hobby farming on city allotments, Japan's young people are returning to agriculture as a viable career choice, spurred on by cool cultural products, a stagnant job market and smart government initiatives.

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Repackaging luxury

Luxury brands are under increasing pressure to convert environmental efficiencies into real value for their customers. Tom Crawford suggests that innovative packaging design offers exciting opportunities to do exactly this.

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Sustainable Capitalism

As blame for the world's economic, social and environmental woes coalesces around the twin foes of self-interest and short-sightedness, a movement for a new business model built on responsibility and longevity has emerged.

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Religion and brand affinity

A recent US study suggested that devout individuals are less swayed by consumer culture as they are sufficiently fulfilled by their faith. We evaluate the tensions – and opportunities – at the intersection of branding and religion.

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A framework for bottom-up change

In part two, Mark Vanderbeeken and Erin O’Loughlin outline a framework for empowering communities to act ‘green’ – a bottom-up approach that is central to achieving impending sustainability goals.

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Sustainable change: understanding motivation and shared values

Business has long been told that the perfect product should fit people’s contexts, behaviours and attitudes. But what if it could be used to change behaviour rather than adapt to it? Mark Vanderbeeken and Erin O’Loughlin have the answer.

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The eco metropolis, Eastern progress and national greenwashing

The ambitious plans for eco cities in China and Abu Dhabi are the result of both ecological and economical necessity. Given their questionable role in green activities to date, however, how much of this is greenwashing?