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As geopolitical tensions intensify following president Trump's return to power, European shoppers are looking to support products from their own continent. Three signals of a larger movement:

⭐️ Danish retail giant Salling Group is introducing a new labeling system across its Bilka, føtex and Netto stores. Starting this month, electronic price tags will feature a small star indicating European-owned brands. The company emphasized that while they will continue to stock products from around the world, the star simply offers "an extra service for customers who wish to buy products from European brands."

🛒 Created on 16 February 2025, the Reddit community r/BuyFromEU already has over 122,000 members dedicated to supporting European-made goods and services. The forum serves as a hub for consumers looking to discover locally produced fashion, technology and food, with solidarity with Ukraine playing a significant role, alongside resistance to the Trump administration's policies.

🚗 Unsurprisingly, given Elon Musk's role in the new US government, the automotive sector is also affected. In January 2025, the Volkswagen ID.4 overtook Tesla's Model Y to become Europe's best-selling electric vehicle, with registrations surging 195%. While part of Tesla's 46% sales drop may be attributed to anticipation of a new model, analysts also point to "the declining popularity of Tesla in Europe overall." European manufacturers are capitalizing on this sentiment, with Volkswagen's ID.7 securing third place and Skoda's Enyaq rounding out the top five best-selling EVs.

February 2025 saw Roblox unveil the first graduate collection from its Digital Fashion Program, developed in collaboration with Tokyo's Bunka Fashion College and Dentsu Group. Students' virtual fashion creations were exhibited in a Roblox experience where visitors can try on, vote for and purchase outfits for their avatars. As part of the course, designers were tasked with creating digital fashion items based on a 'My Brand' theme using Roblox Studio, as well as accompanying physical pieces. The initiative expands on a previous partnership with Parsons School of Design. Roblox also plans to exhibit student works in galleries across Japan and globally, while expanding the digital fashion program in the coming years.

As consumers spend more time in digital worlds, more value and significance are ascribed to their digital personas. Consumers see their virtual avatars as an extension of themselves, a canvas to represent their identity, tastes and preferences. Roblox found that 56% of Gen Z users on the platform consider their avatars' digital style more important than their style in the physical world. And they're backing this sentiment with action — the platform earned USD 1.1 billion from in-game spending in Q3 2024, much of it from the purchase of virtual items, with 82% of adult gamers on Roblox having spent money in games. 

The Digital Fashion Program is the latest step towards establishing a well-rounded economy around virtual products. It is time to consider how your brand might play in the space. How might you create products, not just for your consumers' IRL selves, but also for their digital twins?

Kleenex and IMDb teamed up to launch The Kleenex Score, a rating system that helps moviegoers prepare for inevitable crying sessions. Unveiled just in time for the Oscars, this system ranks films based on their tear-jerking potential — finally answering the age-old question: "Should I bring one tissue or the entire box?" The partnership features a curated list of "Tearjerker Titles" spanning nostalgic classics and contemporary weepers, giving film buffs a heads-up before they find themselves in the awkward position of wiping tears on their sleeves.

It's a cleverly simple concept for a brand mash-up: check the score, gauge the emotional damage a film might inflict, stock up on Kleenex Ultra Soft accordingly and click through to watch on Amazon Prime (IMDb is an Amazon company). The collaboration demonstrates one thing that hasn't changed since the time of silent movies: brands can create value by tapping into cultural moments and emotional experiences — whether that's a moment of joy or the cathartic release of a good cry.

The independent adult entertainment makers at Erika Lust have launched what they claim is the first-ever erotic immersive experience. Dubbed House of Erika Lust, the installation integrates digital art, audiovisual storytelling and virtual reality to explore human sexuality in an interactive setting. Held in a 1,000-square-meter secret venue in the Barcelona neighborhood of Poblenou, disclosed 24 hours before visitors arrive, the exhibition spans four themed rooms, including a 20-minute VR segment with varying levels of explicitness. Running in Barcelona through April 2025, tickets start at EUR 24 (USD 25), with plans for touring to London and Berlin.

Immersive experiences have gone from novelty to expectation. House of Erika Lust expands those expectations by applying them to erotic content and transforming the traditionally private — and often secretive — into a shared experience. Redefining where and how eroticism can be explored, it's creating a safe, inclusive space where visitors can engage with sexuality on their own terms. The experience is designed to encourage curiosity without discomfort, making room for a broader audience to take part, for example, by allowing visitors to choose between an explicit and an erotic tour. The rooms also reflect a growing demand for representation and inclusivity in adult content, moving beyond mainstream narratives and stereotypes to present a more diverse and nuanced view of sexuality.

By framing erotic content within a curated, branded environment, House of Erika Lust challenges social stigmas while establishing clear boundaries that prioritize psychological safety. For other companies navigating taboos and cultural sensitivities, the experience offers a blueprint for balancing openness with control — for brands, opportunities abound in reshaping how people engage with complex topics.

The 7th annual CX report from Zendesk is in! A global survey across 22 countries reveals five key trends shaping the AI-powered future of CX:

1️⃣ Autonomous service accelerates: 90% of companies report positive ROI from AI-driven agent tools
2️⃣ Trust in AI depends on personality: 64% of consumers are more comfortable with AI that’s engaging and human-like
3️⃣ Personal AI assistants take the wheel: 67% are eager to hand off customer service tasks to AI
4️⃣ Voice AI is turning up the volume: 51% have interacted with it, 60% want brands to adopt it and 67% believe more natural-sounding AI would enhance experiences
5️⃣ Personalization is the loyalty play: 61% now expect AI-powered, hyper-personalized service

🗣️ Let’s talk Voice AI. Your brand has likely implemented its first text-based LLM — yet 90% of CX business trendsetters say voice-driven interactions are the future. And while Alexa and Siri still fumble, conversational AI is continuously raising consumer expectations. No surprise — people spend hours talking to ChatGPT, sometimes more candidly than with their therapists. A recent study confirms it: lower AI literacy increases receptivity, meaning many engage with AI without hesitation. At this point, LLMs might know more about consumers than most insight teams. 😉

💬 So, forget bots that simply react — voice-based LLMs can initiate, anticipate and engage in real conversations. This shift unlocks vast opportunities, but it also demands responsibility. Trust isn’t just about AI sounding human — it’s about knowing how, where and when to use it. So, where does Voice AI fit into your brand’s consumer journey?

🔊 And just as importantly, where do people still need — and even crave — human interaction to build true human-to-human connections, not bot-to-human ones? With digital-first everything, how can your brand act as a stepping stone to help people bridge the gap between online comfort and face-to-face confidence? 

Mount Tai in China’s Shandong province is a popular tourist destination, famous for over 7,000 steps to its peak. To help struggling hikers, local tourism authorities have introduced robotic exoskeletons for rent. Available for a fee of RMB 60-80 (about USD 8-11) per use, the ‘robotic legs’ track user movements with AI and provide synchronized support. The device, weighing 1.8 kg, is designed to be worn around the waist and thighs, and requires another person’s help to put on and take off. Each unit runs on two batteries lasting five hours.

Co-developed by Taishan Cultural Tourism Group and Shenzhen-based Kenqing Technology, the robotic exoskeletons were soft-launched on January 29th during the Chinese New Year holidays. A full commercial release is expected in March 2025. In the meantime, the device’s developers plan to boost its battery life and set up battery replacement stations along the Mount Tai trail, which is generally a six-hour climb.

The Taishan Cultural Tourism Group is no stranger to robotic innovations. Last November, the organization introduced trash-hauling robotic dogs to address the area’s waste disposal challenges. Beyond Mount Tai, however, the hiking exoskeleton fits a broader global shift: the mainstreaming of AI-powered hardware that augments humans’ physical abilities. Previous innovations in this space include Hyundai and Kia’s wearable robotic shoulder and Skip and Arc’teryx’s exoskeleton knee attachment for hiking pants.

Specific groups — including seniors and people with disabilities — will benefit most from democratized access to this technology. However, there are various lifestyle application opportunities, too. Time to rethink the role your brand can play in augmenting consumers’ physical (and mental) prowess.

It would also be interesting to explore what this shift could mean for consumer status. Completing a demanding physical activity, like climbing a mountain, has long been a status symbol — in some cases, an experience only a handful of people could achieve, signaling an aspirational level of physical fitness, mental fortitude and overall sense of adventure. If AI-powered exoskeletons were to make these experiences more accessible to a broader audience, what will consumers aspire to next?

Belmond has entered the growing field of ambient content with Long Shots, the first slow TV series from a major hospitality company. The series features 60-minute high-definition videos capturing destinations like Portofino, Rio de Janeiro and the Scottish Highlands, providing immersive experiences that align with the company's ethos of enjoying travel at a leisurely pace. Besides appealing visuals, each video also features a carefully calibrated soundtrack. Waves lapping a beach, cafe bustle, the brown noise of a boat's motor — all creating the gentle, non-distracting background hum familiar to anyone who uses focus playlists or concentration apps.

For the LVMH-owned leisure brand, which operates luxury hotels, train services, river cruises and safaris worldwide, the content serves as both a marketing vehicle and a genuine contribution to the ambient video landscape. The launch comes amid surging interest in long-form ambient content, which research suggests can facilitate focused work, reduce anxiety and create a sense of calm in viewers and listeners. Notably, Belmond's Long Shots are extremely short on marketing and branding — the videos don't feel like extended commercials.

Originally pioneered in Norway in 2009 with a seven-hour broadcast of a train journey, the slow TV format has evolved into a significant YouTube phenomenon. Belmond's entry into this space reflects both market awareness and strategic alignment with current wellness trends, as more consumers seek mindful digital experiences that counterbalance the rapid-fire content dominating social platforms.

Taking a powder-fresh approach to climate protection, a new initiative assigns monetary value to snow, framing it as a critical natural resource for Canada's economy. Found at snowmethemoney.ca, Foreca$ter calculates the dollar value of predicted snowfall, with each centimeter worth approximately CDN 25.5 million. This valuation is based on the CDN 9.1 billion contributed annually by the snowsports industry divided by the average 358 centimeters of snowfall in Canadian ski areas. At the local level, this translates to about CDN 93,000 per centimeter of snow at each of Canada's 275 ski resorts.

The initiative emerges against a troubling backdrop — projections suggest snow seasons could shorten by up to 25 days by the 2050s without significant emissions reductions, with the outdoor industry already having lost more than CDN 5 billion over two decades due to climate impacts. The stakes are considerable: Canada's broader outdoor recreation economy generates CDN 101.6 billion in annual spending and supports 1.1 million full-time jobs, rivaling the economic impact of the fossil fuel and agricultural sectors.

The campaign frames powder days as literal paydays and aims to mobilize support ahead of federal elections in October 2025. Foreca$ter was developed by Sid Lee for POW (Protect Our Winters Canada), a community of outdoor enthusiasts, athletes and brands focused on fighting climate change. The group is calling on political parties to protect natural spaces while safeguarding the outdoor recreation economy from accelerating climate risks. By quantifying snow's economic value, the initiative creates tangible metrics for what's at stake in Canada's warming winters — turning abstract climate concerns into concrete financial impacts.

A new experimental product from Google Labs, Career Dreamer is an AI-powered tool that helps people identify and pursue job opportunities. After analyzing an individual's skills and interests, it matches them with relevant career paths based on job market data from Lightcast and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The tool visualizes potential careers in an interactive web, enabling users to explore roles they may never have considered.

Career Dreamer's integration with Google's AI assistant Gemini allows users to hop over to Gemini at any point in their journey for assistance with drafting cover letters, refining resumes and brainstorming new career ideas. When users click through, the Gemini chatbot seamlessly picks up the conversation using information shared with Career Dreamer, positioning itself as a highly personal, all-knowing career guidance counselor.

As workers increasingly view education as a continuous journey rather than a one-time investment, they'll welcome new pathways to career reinvention. Career Dreamer addresses this by analyzing an individual's existing capabilities — including soft skills like curiosity — and mapping them to emerging opportunities. The platform's emphasis on certifications and experience over traditional degrees aligns with a broader shift toward skills-based hiring, while its AI-driven approach delivers the customized advice people are coming to expect.

Screen time limits? Gen Alpha says game over! Gen Alpha is spending 4+ hours a day on mobile devices, and they’re not just scrolling and gaming — they’re shopping. From in-app purchases to BNPL and social commerce, digital spending has become second nature to the youngest consumer cohort. But as screen time surges, so do concerns about digital dependence and unchecked spending. A new Qustodio report, analyzing data from 400,000 households across the US, UK, France, Spain and Australia, reveals how young users (ages 4-18) are reshaping the digital economy:

🎮 Roblox takes two crowns: the most-played and most-blocked app of 2024. Kids now spend an average of 139 minutes per day on Roblox, 9 minutes more than last year. While the platform has introduced more safety measures, its business model still thrives on in-app monetization, with some virtual items hitting jaw-dropping prices — like USD 20K for a necklace. 💎

💰 Gen Alpha isn’t logging off, and brands are cashing in; Alpha’s spending power is set to hit USD 5.5 trillion by 2029. With the oldest Alphas turning 15 in 2025, brands must rethink their strategies — marketing not just to millennial parents but also to pre-teen shoppers migrating from Roblox to TikTok and beyond. These young consumers are shaping the future of commerce, and their loyalty resides in virtual worlds where they can create, play and socialize. And interact with brands like Purina, which promotes virtual pet fostering as part of its engagement strategy. 🐶

💡 As Gen Alpha’s screen time and spending power continue to rise, ask yourself: is your customer journey Gen Alpha-proof? From product discovery to aftercare, how will your brand connect and co-create with Robloxians?

Spring Festival, the holiday period around Chinese New Year, has always been China’s busiest travel season. Millions journey home for family reunions or take advantage of the extended break for leisure trips. In 2025, the festive season saw a record 2.3 billion trips, with travelers collectively spending RMB 677 billion (USD 94 billion) on tourism and leisure. Amidst the holiday surge, savvy travelers looking to avoid peak season hotel costs are turning towards a community-driven, wallet-friendly alternative: house-swapping.

The movement started as an informal social exchange on Xiaohongshu (Red Note) and first gained traction around Spring Festival last year. Since then, new platforms have cropped up to serve as formal marketplaces, such as the House Exchange App (换房APP) or House Swap Travel (换房旅游). Users can upload or browse listings, chat with potential swap partners, pay safety deposits and finalize agreements via the app. The platforms also provide a safety net by vetting all users through identity verification, property certificates and facial recognition.

House swapping isn’t a new concept, of course, but it’s enjoying a surge in popularity. HomeExchange, the biggest industry player globally, reported a 51% membership growth in 2024. Drivers for that growth? Hotels from Shanghai to San Francisco increasingly look the same while prices continue to climb in response to heightened demand. Meanwhile, influencers tout the same handful of TikTok-viral, must-go spots. In response, travelers looking to save money while searching for more authentic travel experiences are turning to local communities for unfiltered alternatives.

Beyond the obvious economic benefits, there’s a sense of adventure in connecting with a stranger to swap homes and exchange local tips, a direct antithesis to the algorithmic experience of booking yet another hotel chain and scrolling social media for travel recommendations. Some Chinese house-swapping platforms are gamifying the process, too. Good community behavior — such as maintaining a detailed listing or uploading local tips — is incentivized through platform currencies that can be used to offset the cost of future bookings.

Could your brand benefit from fostering a barter community? Which segment of your audience would be most eager to join?

In a powerful reimagining of historically exploitative industries, Memphis-based coffee company Cxffeeblack and sustainable textile brand COMOCO Cotton have joined forces to create a limited-edition t-shirt that transforms cotton and coffee into vehicles for Black economic empowerment. The God Don't Make No Junk t-shirt combines COMOCO's cotton, grown by Black farmers, with natural dyes made from Cxffeeblack's Ethiopian-sourced Guji Mane coffee.

The partnership brings together two organizations working to reshape their respective industries from the ground up. COMOCO Cotton operates within a 150-mile radius for its entire production process, from farm to finished garment, boosting the local economy while drastically reducing energy consumption. Meanwhile, Cxffeeblack established the first entirely Black coffee supply chain from Ethiopia to Tennessee and runs educational initiatives like a barista exchange program between Africa and the United States.

"Cotton and coffee built global economies on Black labor. It's time for them to build Black futures," says Stephen Satterfield, founder of COMOCO Cotton and host of Netflix's High on the Hog. The project aims to demonstrate how Black creatives can reclaim supply chains and reshape industries through ownership and cultural autonomy. The t-shirts are available for preorder now and are priced at USD 85, which includes a small bag of Guji Mane coffee and a free download of the Cxffee Makes You Black album.

A new party concept in Montreal is reimagining nightlife by moving it to the morning hours, blending coffee culture with dance music. Croissound, launching this week, transforms local cafes into daytime dance venues where DJs spin tracks from 11 AM to 2 PM, taking inspiration from similar parties in Los Angeles and other cities.

The format represents a significant shift in how people engage with music and club culture. By hosting events in neighborhood cafes rather than traditional nightlife venues, Croissound wants to create an accessible and inclusive atmosphere while spotlighting local DJs and hidden-gem venues. 

The concept taps into people's changing attitudes towards alcohol-centric socializing, driven by health consciousness, budgetary constraints and after-dark safety concerns. Habits are evolving, and more consumers — particularly Gen Z — are seeking alternatives to late-night partying. The first Croissound event will take place on 22 February 2025 at Cass Café, with its organizers using a pop-up model to explore cafe spaces across Montreal.

While it may seem like social media is dominated by filtered reality and AI-generated perfection, Avène and We Are Social tapped into a cultural counter-shift to promote a new product promising to reduce pimples by 92% in two weeks. The brand invited people to test its Cleanance Comedomed Peeling for 15 days and post daily selfies on BeReal, where filters aren't an option. The result? A transparent and real-time demonstration of the peeling's effectiveness.

But #TheRealestAd did more than showcase a product. By documenting real skin transformations on real people, Avène acknowledges that Gen Z's skepticism of traditional beauty advertising isn't just about mistrusting overhyped claims; it's also rooted in a fundamental desire to reclaim human authenticity in digital spaces.

Teens face unprecedented pressure to maintain impossible standards and feel compelled to present an idealized version of themselves online. By choosing BeReal as its platform, Avène demonstrates brands can move beyond surface-level authenticity pledges to celebrate being perfectly imperfect in an increasingly artificial world.

From London to Istanbul to Sydney, rents are skyrocketing while homeownership drifts further out of reach. For most Gen Z and Millennials, buying a first home remains a distant dream. A recent Zillow report confirms the struggle: single-family home rents in the US are up 41% since pre-pandemic times, while multifamily rents have jumped 26%.

Ipsos' latest Housing Monitor provides a deep dive into global sentiment across 30 countries:

📉 71% of respondents believe that even with hard work and good jobs, young people today will struggle to find suitable housing

🏠 70% of under-35s say it's harder for their generation to buy or rent a home than it was for their parents, though 64% of older respondents (60-74) also find it's more challenging to buy a home than before, showing it's a cross-generational concern

📈 67% expect house prices to climb in the next year, and 71% predict rising rents

💸 37% already worry about making rent or mortgage payments (rising to 57% in Turkey), and nearly the same number fear affordability will worsen over the next year

It's time to ditch outdated stereotypes. Younger generations don't just crave freedom and flexibility; they want stability and security, too. Which milestones are your youthful stakeholders chasing? Whether it's a sabbatical or a starter home, how could you help them get there?

From tokenized homeownership and intergenerational co-living to financial literacy boosts — there's room for innovation. Will your brand be part of the solution?