Travel and Leisure

Despite a decrease in nighttime venues and the financial pressure on people due to the cost of living crisis, partying continues to thrive. This resurgence of rave culture reflects the current disillusionment among British clubbers and serves as an act of post-pandemic expression and escapism.

The City of Las Vegas has launched a campaign for Super Bowl LVIII, encouraging 'excessive celebration' of the city's first Super Bowl, including a Change.org petition. Following years of economic worries, communications around excess and release are growing resonant with sports fans.

Eco scores for products are increasingly common in the food industry, but French toy manufacturer King Jouet is bringing them into the playroom. This transparent approach appeals to French shoppers who are hyper-aware of greenwashing and looking for guidance on purchases that appeal to their values.

Sydney Evan, a fine jewelry brand, and Wequassett Resort have partnered up to offer two exclusive experiences for guests during the resort's inaugural holiday season. HWNI travelers have high expectations for their holidays and are seeking out unique, experiential, and all-inclusive stays.

Silversea is using hyper-personalisation to enhance immersive experiences grounded in local culture. As appetite swells for hyper-customised escapism that supports communities and the planet, Silversea demonstrates how niche offerings can attract travellers seeking engaged and responsible discovery.

McDonald's has revived its McNugget Buddies line of collectibles for the first time in 25 years for a collaboration with artist Kerwin Frost, putting a streetwear-friendly spin on the nostalgic toy. People are looking for brands to merge the old and the new, offering a sense of nostalgic novelty.

JD Sports has forsaken the 'tinsel on steroids' approach to Christmas ads in favour of a focus on relatability and togetherness. Centering the iconic JD Sports plastic duffel carrier bag, the spot focuses on what Britain truly looks like and the things people really do for Christmas.

Hoshino Resorts has begun the process of converting the Nara Prison in Japan into a luxury hotel experience for tourists. The move demonstrates the continued rise of luxurious and experiential travel and also caters to the demand for holiday experiences that value local histories.

Berluti has been announced as the designer for Team France ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. With Dior, LV, and Chaumet also set to be involved, the collaborations demonstrate the continued mingling of the worlds of fashion and sports, with this particular collab prioritising luxury fashion.

Appealing to pet parents in China, McDonald's has released limited-edition delivery bags that allow owners to carry around their furry friends. As people look for small, on-trend ways to treat their pets, the fast-food giant's cat bags seamlessly enable this while riffing off internet culture.

Emirates has launched a limited-edition fashion collection made of upcycled aircraft interiors. The airline spotlights how brands can execute upcycling and circularity to make sustainability accessible and attainable, helping consumers shop with their values front of mind.

KFC and Channel 4 have partnered to produce a social media-first series to support young jobseekers. The series profiles three young people struggling to find jobs, demonstrating the youth's barriers when entering the workforce and showing them how to achieve their goals.

Lego has debuted a transatlantic snowball fight in its flagship locations in London and New York, inviting children in both locations to throw digitized snowballs at each other. Brands are looking to leverage emerging technologies in their holiday campaigns, serving experiential fun.

Taylor Swift’s influence continues to grow with the introduction of a Bahamian cruise called ‘In My Cruise Era’. Hosted by Royal Caribbean, the fan-led cruise pushes the boundaries of fandom-centric holidays from visitation to a level of all-out immersion typically dominated by Disney and LEGO.

Bleacher Report has committed to video podcast content, investing in production and training for star athletes. As sports media becomes a constellation of moments surrounding matches, the investment speaks to adapting forms of sports fandom and expectations of deeper access to sports stars.

In celebration of Pepero Day, convenience stores are dropping exclusive character collaborations to entice devoted collectors from those fandoms. In South Korea, Gen Z and Y are driving a revival in nostalgic characters from their childhood as they seek comfort in uncertain times.

A survey has found that half of Americans plan to spend money on travel this holiday season. The holidays are gearing up to be a busy time for getaways, meaning people will be looking to brands and services for support with more seamless processes – especially after the disruption of 2022.

Micheal's online marketplace allows people to buy and sell handmade goods with lower barriers to entry and expand their craft community. As people explore hobbies as a means of comfort and even a source of income, platforms like these show how brands can support small businesses and crafts.

Despite inflation, many Americans want to stick to their usual Thanksgiving meal plans this year. As people search for deals on their usual favourites to indulge at a lower cost, brands offering attractive deals and discounts are poised for success during the holiday season.

Appetite is an app that aims to make it easy to plan dinner with friends by avoiding diary-based barriers through the power of AI that syncs calendars and personalises restaurant recommendations. As attitudes towards AI are still being formed, iterations that offer convenience are seeing engagement.

Adidas has unveiled the first signature shoe of NBA star Anthony Edwards. The accompanying campaign stirred up a debate for being raw and slightly abrasive in its critique of other brands. Combining star power with personality can imbue sports brands with a greater sense of authenticity.

Luxury hotelier Six Senses has inaugurated a resort located in the Arabian desert. As global warming intensifies alongside the climate crisis, extreme weather will deter some travellers but also appeal to a growing pool of bucket listers with an appetite for last-chance tourism.

Japanese sports media company B& is partnering with femtech brand Otte c. to develop absorbent activewear for athletes who menstruate. Beyond generic calls to destigmatisation, brands can consider engaging with the diverse spectrum of period experiences across different contexts and cultures.

Milanese bookshop and café Colibríis is using its platform to amplify the voices of Palestinian journalists on the ground in Gaza. The Italian bookshop highlights how utilising brand voice with transparency and authenticity can build trust among consumers during times of crisis.

The Hospitality for Humanity pledge asks restaurateurs to acknowledge their role in standing for justice through food. As people spend in ways that align with their values and call out tokenistic brands, collective action like this leads the way in genuinely rallying for social and political issues.

Quality sportswear is often a luxury many families can't afford, so The DRIP Foundation is redistributing used kit to make sports more inclusive. This adoption of circular principles appeals to many people's eco-values of prioritising repairs and revival over recycling or discarding.

The Louvre is modernising its Ancient Egypt exhibition with augmented reality technology from Snap. The art institution is using AR to bring exhibits back to their former glory – capturing the attention and imagination of museum visitors and boosting their knowledge and engagement.

SKIMS has struck a multi-year partnership deal with the NBA as the organization’s first underwear sponsor. The move is the latest in a long line of cross-industry collaborations as the worlds of fashion and sports grow increasingly intertwined in attempts to reach fresh audiences.

Chipotle has announced it is testing new automated robots with the potential to change how food is served throughout the industry. Eaters, however, are wary of changes and may view mechanization as a sign of cost-cutting behavior or, worse, negligence for consumer safety.

A growing awareness of fragile food systems and experimental eating mindsets are creating new opportunities for meat alternatives. Yum Bug is on a mission to make bug-based meats mainstream by collaborating with chefs from BrewDog, MasterChef, and Nandos in its new restaurant.

Swimming can be an essential life skill, but some adults just aren't confident in the water. Allianz has launched a Swim Club in Australia, aiming to create a safe space for adults to learn to swim without judgement – providing customers with support by closing the gap with education and empathy.

An Adidas Original documentary about the aesthetic influence of its Samba shoe follows a tight-knit group of friends who have bonded over skateboarding and street culture. With men often struggling to form meaningful connections with one another, the film showcases the power of shared passions.

With eating out becoming a luxury amid the cost of living crisis, young Americans are choosing to cook at home to save money. This budgeting choice is made in the hope that it will help them achieve financial success, offering a chance to support young people in their long-term financial goals.

Dove has partnered with Nike and Venus Williams to launch a coaching program to help young female athletes build body confidence. With low body confidence listed as the number one reason why teenage girls in the US quit sports, the initiative looks to combat these dropout rates.

Tiffany & Co. has partnered with the National Women's Soccer League for the first redesign of its championship trophy since the league was founded. Seeing its rising popularity, more brands are looking to partner with women's sports, but people call for concrete, committed support.

Research has uncovered a $1 billion opportunity for Australian pubs and restaurants to coax patrons back through their doors. However, with the cost of living still high and Aussies more socially isolated than ever, comms strategies should be framed to tackle both needs simultaneously.