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On today’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities, LEGO is turning the spotlight on fans and coworkers with non-visible disabilities. That category makes up 80% of the 1-in-6 people globally who live with a disability, and it’s why LEGO is partnering with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower.

Debuting 3 December 2024, three Sunflower-lanyard-themed sets — DUPLO First Time at the Airport (toddlers), Friends Heartlake City Airport (kids) and Icons Tudor Corner (adults) — celebrate inclusivity. 🌻 Why a sunflower? The symbol discreetly signals that someone has a non-visible condition and may need extra time, understanding or space while navigating public spaces. Fans can also customize minifigures featuring the Sunflower symbol at all 55 Minifigure Factories worldwide.

📊 2024 LEGO research across 36 markets revealed nearly 8-in-10 parents believe today’s children care more about diversity and inclusion than their own generation did — and they wish they had better tools to talk about the subject. Kids agree: 88% prioritize equal treatment, while 83% want toys that teach about differences.

🧱 LEGO’s commitment goes beyond bricks. By March 2025, all European stores will be certified sensory-inclusive, expanding on KultureCity certifications in North America. Internally, free branded lanyards and training ensure LEGO employees also feel supported.

💡 The Danish toy brand’s embrace of diversity contrasts sharply with brands like Walmart and Microsoft scaling back their DEI efforts 😥 In 2025, will you stand by your commitments to fair treatment and full participation? How will you build communities where everyone belongs? Click here to scroll through the latest DEI innovations.

🤖 Pro tip: Try our Innovations Expert for a tailored selection from the 31,000+ innovations we’ve featured. Experiment with prompts like ‘the best 2024 innovations to improve the lives of people living with disabilities’ and ask follow-up questions, too.

For its eighth annual campaign, the NFL’s My Cause My Cleats initiative — which sees players express charitable interests through custom footwear designs — is embracing generative AI. Three NFL stars used a tool developed by Amazon’s AWS to create their custom cleats. Using Amazon Bedrock, the technology combines Anthropic’s Claude with Stability AI’s image generation capabilities to transform simple prompts into detailed designs.

Players can select from various artistic styles, including Graffiti, Watercolor, Pixelated and Grunge, and specify up to three colors to guide the AI’s creative direction. Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, for instance, used terms like “pitbull” and “wild” to generate artwork supporting Stand Up for Pits, while Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen collaborated with children from Oishei Children’s Hospital, incorporating their artwork on his cleats for a game against the San Francisco 49ers.

Fans can participate, too, by creating their own AI-generated cleat designs through the My Cause, My Cleats microsite and potentially winning a pair of game-worn cleats. AWS’s design tool allows users to preview their cleats before sharing them on social media and amplifying support for the charitable causes selected by NFL athletes. For Amazon, meanwhile, it’s a hands-on way of demonstrating AWS Bedrock and its AI capabilities — blending B2C, B2B and cause marketing in one fell swoop.

The Thai Health Promotion Foundation and the Women and Men Progressive Foundation have partnered with BBDO Bangkok to launch a campaign against domestic violence with a bold twist. The campaign centers around the late Gigi Supitcha, a Thai public figure who tragically lost her life in 2023. Supitcha had previously survived a near-fatal confrontation with her partner, only to face another incident of violence by the same individual, leading to her death.

The activation began by reviving Supitcha’s dormant Instagram account with a poster for a fictional movie titled Second Chance. Four days later, a video teaser was released on the same account, featuring an AI-generated Supitcha delivering a poignant message: she would never star in another film because she gave a second chance to her abuser. The post went viral, garnering over 100,000 engagements within 24 hours and sparking critical conversations about the challenges of confronting abuse.

The campaign’s unconventional approach raised ethical questions among audiences. Is it acceptable to use AI to ‘resurrect’ figures who have passed away? Who holds the rights to a deceased individual’s likeness, data and digital accounts? This campaign secured consent and collaborated closely with Supitcha’s family. Supitcha’s younger sister also volunteered as a facial reference for the deepfake reconstruction used in the teaser.

While risky, this bold method of communication delivered its message with the weight and impact the topic deserves. Domestic violence continues to be a global issue — according to UN Women, one in three females worldwide will experience gender-based violence in their lifetime, often from intimate partners or family members. Many cases go unreported due to cultural stigmas or fear of retaliation. So, raising awareness and mobilizing support is worth navigating ethical complexities.

Brand experience agency Innocean is embarking on a mission to revitalize public spaces in South Korea. Despite serving essential functions for local communities, many have fallen into neglect due to decreased usage or an aging population. The first public facility to be revamped was Iljuk Mogyoktang, a 27-year-old bathhouse in Gyeonggi Province. First constructed in 1997, the bathhouse now serves a local community comprised mostly of elderly citizens. It was remodeled with the needs of those patrons in mind and equipped with features that reduce the risk of heat shock, drowning and falls.

Bathhouses are a tentpole of Korean culture. Traditional mogyoktangs (목욕탕) started as a necessary public good in the 1960s, when most houses did not yet have access to heated bathrooms or hot running water. Today, in urban South Korea, bathhouses have given way to modern public saunas (jjimjilbang, 찜질방), which have become popular recreational complexes for families, friends and couples. In addition to bathing facilities, jjimjilbangs also offer restaurants, movie rooms, karaoke, massages, nap spaces and more.

Much attention is paid to reinventing traditions to fit modern lifestyles and appeal to younger generations, as with the evolution of mogyoktangs into jjimjilbangs. However, it’s equally important to adapt age-old ways of life so an aging population can hold on to familiar practices. As the silver generation continues to grow in population size and spending power, it will be more important than ever to (re)design public spaces, experiences and services for older consumers.

TikTok is rolling out new restrictions on appearance-altering effects for users under 18. Specifically, advanced beauty filters like Bold Glamour. The move is in response to concerns about how those filters impact teens’ sense of self, including a study conducted with UK nonprofit Internet Matters, which found that while young people and parents were comfortable with comic effects like puppy ears and funny hats, they expressed unease about filters designed to “beautify” the user’s appearance.

Reasons for concern are twofold: teens can become so accustomed to seeing an enhanced, idealized version of themselves — bigger eyes, fuller lips, smoother hair, poreless skin — that they develop intense dissatisfaction with their regular face. Self-objectification and the risk of body dysmorphia are amplified by constant exposure to images of peers with similarly altered appearances.

In addition to age-restricted access to certain appearance effects for under-18s, TikTok is also updating its guidance for developers who create effects through the TikTok Effects House. While the initiative has garnered praise from some advocacy groups, critics argue it may be difficult to enforce. Nonetheless, the move signals a positive step toward addressing the repercussions of leading kids and teens to believe something’s wrong with how they look without a layer of AI and AR magic.

The ninth annual report by McKinsey & Co and BoF Insights, The State of Fashion 2025, reveals a challenging runway ahead. With only 20% of executives predicting improved consumer sentiment and 39% expecting worse industry conditions, brands face mounting pressure to craft creative, agile strategies. We combed through the 154-page PDF 🤓 and these are the standout opportunities to tailor your 2025 playbook:

👛 Consumer caution reigns: Shoppers are tightening their belts, with 70% of executives naming weak consumer confidence as the top challenge. Value-for-money segments like resale and dupes are thriving, and 70% of consumers plan to shop outlet or off-price retailers — even if they have extra cash.

🌏 Asia’s new fabric: As China’s growth slows, India, Japan and Korea emerge as APAC’s new stars. 63% of executives view mature APAC markets as growth hot spots in 2025.

👵 Silver linings: Over-50 shoppers are stepping into the spotlight. By 2025, this demographic will drive 48% of incremental global spending growth.

🛍️ Discovery evolves: Shoppers overwhelmed by choice want smarter solutions. Enter AI-powered curation: 50% of fashion executives see product discovery as the top use case for gen AI in 2025. It’s the personal stylist shoppers didn’t know they needed.

🌱 Sustainability stays: Only 18% of executives cite sustainability as a top growth risk (down from 29% in the 2024 report!), but climate pressures and regulations will demand action. 63% of fashion brands must accelerate emissions reductions to meet 2030 targets. Long-term investments in greener practices promise a competitive edge, even as consumers hesitate to pay a premium.

Why this matters, even if you’re not a fashion brand. Consumer expectations are shaped by the transformations this industry is going through. In the expectation economy, cross-industry benchmarks are the name of the game. And staying ahead means stitching innovation into every thread of your strategy ;)

A bathing innovation from the 1970 Osaka World Expo is making a comeback, reimagined for the digital age. Science Co., Ltd. has unveiled the Future Human Washing Machine, an automated bathing system that will debut at the Osaka-Kansai Expo 2025. Unlike its predecessor, the Ultrasonic Bath displayed in Sanyo’s pavilion over 50 years ago, this next-generation device aims to revive body and mind through an intricate combination of sensors and environmental controls.

The machine monitors a user’s heart rate and other vitals throughout the bathing experience, using the data to control water flow and select visuals projected inside the space. Science Co., Ltd. claims the optimized environment allows people to emerge feeling revived and rejuvenated. Its development team includes Eiji Yamaya, one of the original Ultrasonic Bath engineers.

While the original 1970s concept never achieved widespread adoption, its fine bubble technology made its way into showerheads sold by Science Co., Ltd. Beyond next year’s expo, the Future Human Washing Machine could deliver real value to understaffed care facilities, where time for assisted bathing is frequently under pressure. Given the choice, patients might welcome a gentle and unrushed cleansing experience provided by an automated tub.

Product scanning app Yuka has launched a new “Call-out” feature that enables users to directly challenge brands on their use of potentially harmful additives in food and cosmetics. The feature, introduced in November 2024, allows consumers to send pre-drafted messages to manufacturers via email or X when they scan products containing any of 81 additives that Yuka has designated as high risk based on current scientific literature. These additives, though legally permitted, are suspected of increasing risks of serious health issues, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

The initiative is initially targeting 3,100 of the most frequently scanned brands in Yuka’s database whose products contain at least one high-risk additive. A counter tracks the number of unique users who contact each brand, with progressive thresholds starting at 100 call-outs designed to build momentum for change. While manufacturers typically use additives for legitimate purposes such as extending shelf life or improving texture, Yuka argues that mounting evidence around “cocktail effects” (the interaction between multiple additives even at low doses) and concerns about cumulative exposure warrant their removal from products. The company plans to update users on any reformulations that result from these collective actions.

Smartphones have turned consumers into real-time researchers — and reporters. They turn to tools like Yuka to find accurate information and reduce ambiguity, but the obvious (and empowering!) next step is action. Is your brand ready to embrace the process, address people’s concerns and regain their trust?

Major bicycle and components brand Specialized is marking its 50th anniversary with an ambitious initiative to get one million bikes back on the road by the end of 2025, regardless of brand. The program, dubbed Reduce, Reuse, ReSpecialized, kicked off with a day of free basic repairs on 26 October 2024, targeting common issues like flat tires and squeaky chains that often relegate bikes to garage storage.

The impact could be significant: if each repaired bike sees moderate weekly use with bike rides replacing car trips, Specialized estimates the initiative will reduce carbon emissions by 438 million kg. That’s equivalent to planting over 7 million trees. As Specialized puts it, it’s time to Pedal the Planet Forward. Additionally, screen time would be cut by 66.6 million hours — the brand focuses on cycling’s cognitive and emotional benefits for kids through its Outride program.

Beyond environmental and mental health advantages, there’s a compelling business angle, too. After a failed experiment with low-quality bikes in the late ’90s, Specialized embraced an innovate-or-die philosophy prioritizing rider experience. ReSpecialized reinforces that ethos while addressing growing consumer demand for sustainability and product longevity. It’s a strategic move that positions Specialized as an industry leader in (semi) circular economy practices while driving foot traffic to retail partners who may gain new customers through the program.

A new certification program is challenging technology companies to prioritize wellbeing by designing products that minimize distraction. Calm Tech Certified evaluates products against principles for creating more mindful technology experiences, and describes itself as “the world’s first standard for attention and technology.”

The certification’s inaugural class includes four products demonstrating how calm technology principles can be applied across different categories. Airthings View Plus, for example, is an air quality monitor that communicates complex data via a minimal and unobtrusive display, while Daylight’s DC-1 is a tablet designed to protect users’ focus and circadian rhythms.

The program arrives as concerns about technology’s impact on mental health continue to mount. For brands, certification offers a way to differentiate their products in an increasingly crowded marketplace. Early results from certified products show promise: the Unpluq Tag, a tool that blocks apps on a user’s phone with a physical key, reports that over 50% of customers remain engaged after one year, with average daily screen time reduced by 1 hour and 22 minutes.

Whether or not your company will be pursuing Calm Tech certification, it’s worth exploring how its principles can be applied to your products.

Last week, Kim Kardashian went viral playing rock-paper-scissors with Tesla’s Optimus robot and posing with Optimus and Cybercab, Tesla’s (very delayed) robotaxi. Beyond the buzz lies a pressing question for brands: when will your customers welcome humanoid robots as their personal assistants and 24/7 servants?

Gartner predicts poly-functional robots as one of its top 10 strategic tech trends for 2025, forecasting that by 2030, 80% of people will engage with smart robots daily, up from less than 10% today. Translation? The robotic revolution may not dominate 2025, but in five years, humanoid workers might just be indispensable.

Consumers are already warming up to AI for daily chores: admin, communication and even shopping. It’s time to prepare for the rise of robots that can truly lighten the load, from multi-talented humanoids that whip up waffles and feed pets to 2025-ready products like stress-relieving pet robot Moflin and AI-powered mobility-assisting pants MO/GO.

Launched this week, Deep Rising’s The World’s Largest Ocean Dispute is raising awareness about deep-sea mining, specifically in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone (CCZ). Spanning 4.5 million square kilometers in the Pacific Ocean, roughly eight times the size of France, the zone is estimated to hold over 21 billion dry tons of critical minerals like copper, nickel, cobalt and manganese — essential components for low-carbon tech like solar panels and EV batteries.

Companies are racing to convert the zone into the world’s largest mining site, but the planetary cost could be steep. In addition to being a critical carbon sink, the deep seabed is also the most expansive habitat for life on Earth. A 2023 study found that the CCZ alone is home to over 5,000 species not previously known to science, and deep-sea mining has been shown to shrink underwater life density by up to 56%. Inviting global citizens to take a stand against corporate lobbying, Deep Rising has divided the CCZ seabed into 8.17 billion GPS coordinates, representing the number of people on the planet, and invites each person to claim a coordinate to protect.

Every participant will be issued a unique DEEPSEA NFT stamped with the GPS coordinates they’ve claimed. Available in 90 languages, the NFTs feature depictions of deep sea creatures and are designed to be shared on social media. Notably, they’re offered at no cost. Users are sent a blockchain transaction verifying their claim, but a smart contract ensures the NFT can’t be transferred or speculated with. “Just as you wouldn’t share or sell your passport, this Birthright Certificate is yours alone.”

The CCZ is designated as a UN site of ‘common heritage of humankind’ to be held in trust for future generations. It’s meant to belong to all humans, not a property that private corporations can call dibs over. Leveraging web3’s principles of decentralization, Deep Rising’s NFTs allow people to stake their claim to this collective ownership — and collective responsibility. Whether that impacts the actions of corporations remains to be seen, but it’s a powerful message and reminder of our shared stewardship of the planet. The campaign is a pro-bono effort between Australian creative agency Emotive and the makers of the documentary Deep Rising, directed by Matthieu Rytz and narrated by Jason Momoa.

Men’s care brand Harry’s is leveling up mental health access with Talk Squad, an initiative blending therapy with gaming. In collaboration with mental health service Shout, Talk Squad offers UK gamers free and confidential counseling sessions while they play Fall Guys, Apex Legends or Halo. All they need to do is fill out a Google form to book a 1-on-1 session with a qualified Shout clinician, during which they’re invited to talk about anything that’s bothering them.

Harry’s and Shout are taking aim at two of men’s biggest mental health barriers — accessibility and stigma. Embedding support into a gaming environment makes therapy feel less like an intimidating leap and more like an easy power-up. Talk Squad launched with a Twitch livestream where UK gaming influencers showcased the service in action, helping normalize mental health conversations in gaming culture.

The bigger picture? While the sessions are only on offer from 28 November through 18 December 2024, this is no one-off CSR play. Harry’s has an ongoing commitment to men’s mental health, donating 1% of its sales to organizations supporting that goal. With Talk Squad, the brand is showing up in a space where its audience already gathers. Cause if you want to connect, you’ve got to play the game ;)

A Colombian eyewear brand has transformed what many would consider a limitation into a competitive advantage. Soul Optic employs blind artisans who handcraft sophisticated, screw-free frames in darkness, leveraging their heightened tactile sensitivity. Each pair of sunglasses and prescription glasses is meticulously assembled using a system inspired by Braille writing slates. The frames’ distinctive bridge design draws inspiration from bats — creatures who, like the artisans, navigate their world through heightened non-visual senses.

Rather than treating inclusivity as an afterthought or marketing angle, Soul Optic has embedded it into its core production process and brand identity. By developing a product and production process adapted to its workers, the company can provide economic opportunities for visually impaired individuals from disadvantaged communities. Besides forming a connection that’s clear as day for consumers to grasp — eyewear made by people who can’t rely on vision — Soul Optic is tangible proof of how assumed limitations can spark innovation when brands leverage purpose as their driver of creativity.

A new whitepaper from WARC Advisory and MSQ uncovers the untapped magic of rituals in people’s lives: Ritualized: where marketing meets meaning. Of 4,000 consumers surveyed (🇩🇪🇬🇧🇫🇷🇺🇸), 72% weave brands into their rituals, 70% are open to adopting new rituals, and 39% feel more positively about brands that become part of their rituals.

Rituals aren’t just (sometimes pseudo-religious) routines — they’re emotionally charged behaviors with transformative potential. By syncing with these moments, brands can spark lasting loyalty and boost emotional value. The paper defines four principles to guide brands as they explore the role of rituals in the lives of their customers:

1️⃣ Rituals are deeply personal: 1-in-4 consumers say rituals give life purpose, with strong ties to mindfulness and self-care.

2️⃣ Rituals support the individual: In today’s atomized world, rituals nurture the self and relationships – 56% focus on personal care or connecting with others.

3️⃣ Rituals provide structure in chaos: They stabilize, offering structure (33%), control (31%) and escape (32%).

4️⃣ Rituals balance meaning and efficiency: As hyper-efficiency reigns, rituals bring emotional depth, adding soul to their schedules.

In 2025, could your brand engage with rituals that help people find purpose or pause? As MSQ and WARC repeatedly point out: ”Consumers create their own rituals and decide whether and how to incorporate brands — not the other way around. A truly customer-centric approach is necessary to make the most out of this opportunity. The advice? Observe, facilitate, participate.”