A shooter game may not be the first thing that comes to mind when we would like to improve sleep and meditate. Nonetheless, according to a global survey of teenagers and adults commissioned by Xbox, 54% of respondents use video games to relieve stress.
In the wake of this unexpected response, the mental health app Calm is now providing its premium members with the option of listening to the relaxing sounds of Halo Infinite and Sea of Thieves while they meditate or drift off. These are the first game-themed soundscapes to be featured on Calm, thanks to a collaboration with Xbox.
As attitudes toward mental health shift, so do preconceptions about gaming’s negative effects. The University of Oxford conducted a study that revealed that the majority of avid gamers have no negative effects on their mental health.
The collaboration enables both Calm and Xbox to offer their fans new ways to improve their well-being.
This is the story of one mass-market sports brand, one that transforms into a small tailor shop. Better yet, have it both ways.
Decathlon Belgium has integrated the project of Mechelen’s CiLAB start-up, a circular textile laboratory specialising in the repair and recycling of clothing and accessories, into its stores. Consumers in Belgium will be able to have minor repairs done as of the end of 2022, such as broken zippers, torn seams, loose buckles, or missing buttons.
Decathlon’s decision is not intended to create a new financial business, but rather to provide a direct, concrete, ethical and empathetic response to the new market demand. Pre-owned is becoming a statement and a status symbol across all industries, from fashion to furniture to consumer tech, demonstrating many shoppers’ commitment to lead a more environmentally responsible lifestyle and consume ethically.
As things get serious and inflation rises, consumer begin to demand for products and services that allow them to give their most prized possessions a second chance. And brands will need to develop their own strategy for doing more with less.
We all know that the "Take and Throw" mentality is now abolished by all brands aspiring to brand innovation. Millions of consumers are focusing on long-term impact and requesting that all single-use and ephemeral products to be reinvented. Begin with the most basic and everyday items, such as a water bottle.
Cove, market’s first completely biodegradable bottle, has a simple design and is made of PHA, a plastic alternative derived from living organisms that can be found in almost all life on earth — plants, soil, and even our own bodies.
In collaboration with Erewhon, the Los Angeles premium organic grocer, it took the California-based material innovation company five years to develop and is now ready to produce 20 million bottles per year.
Nature will be the ultimate technology.
Banks, too, can be creative, or at the very least support creative initiatives.
HSBC has launched a Metaverse gallery in collaboration with M+, Hong Kong’s global museum of visual culture, that offers an immersive online experience where art meets technology. The project’s goal is to bring the Hong Kong public closer to art and culture.
HSBC’s virtual platform features digital artworks by local artists, bringing the artwork to life in various forms so that the Metaverse can capture a new and vibrant audience. Customers can create and personalise their own avatars with assorted looks, outfits, and accessories.
It enables a giant like HSBC to associate with younger generations, the most relevant customers of tomorrow, with an agile, fast, and youth-oriented brand.
