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Gymshark is addressing a significant but often barrier for Black people aiming to get into the habit of getting physically active: hair. The athletic apparel brand recently opened Twist n Sets, a pop-up salon and hair supplies shop in Londons Shoreditch neighborhood, after research revealed that 45% of Black women avoid exercise to keep their hairstyles intact. The space offered complimentary hair treatments, styling advice and products from black-owned hair brands like Ruka Hair and TreasureTress, alongside Gymsharks own sweat-wicking headband designed for curly and coily hair.While a temporary installation cant solve systemic inequities in fitness spaces, the initiative demonstrates how brands can take meaningful action by engaging with a specific demographics needs. Rather than sidestepping a complex issue, Gymshark created a practical solution that simultaneously validates the experiences of Black women and provides pragmatic support. The pop-up also serves as a blueprint for how other brands within and beyond the fitness space can make their communities more inclusive by focusing on overlooked barriers.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
As clean technology faces renewed political headwinds, heat pump maker Quilt is taking an unconventional approach to building consumer advocacy. The California startup, which caught our attention earlier this year with its design-forward heating and cooling units, just launched a capsule collection of retro-style branded apparel, including sweatshirts, pants, socks and hats.The move represents a savvy pivot in how climate-tech companies engage with end users. While heat pumps have traditionally been viewed as utilitarian background infrastructure equipment is often selected by HVAC contractors rather than homeowners, so incumbent manufacturers historically focused on trade relationships Quilt is positioning its products as consumer-facing lifestyle choices worthy of declaration. The apparel line transforms an invisible home upgrade into a visible statement of values, tapping into the rise of climate dads and others eager to advocate for clean energy solutions.The timing is particularly pointed given the uncertain future of clean energy incentives. With Donald Trump vowing to dismantle the Inflation Reduction Acts tax credits and rebates in his second term in line with populist politicians in other parts of the world companies like Quilt are racing to build mainstream momentum for heat pump adoption while government support remains. By making climate action fun, communal and identity-driven rather than merely sensible and the right thing to do, brands can ensure that sustainable choices maintain their appeal even as policy tailwinds shift.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
With the design for its 2024-25 shirts, Rio de Janeiro-based soccer club Vasco da Gama is spotlighting its anti-racist heritage. When the jerseys come in contact with sweat or water, they reveal excerpts from a landmark 1924 letter in which the clubs then-president José Augusto Prestes took a bold stand against racism and classism in Brazilian soccer.Known as the Resposta Histórica, the letter was written after a newly formed league demanded Vasco exclude 12 working-class Black and mixed-race players from its championship-winning team a demand the club firmly rejected, choosing instead to withdraw from the league entirely.The jerseys reveal mechanism creates a powerful connection between the physical effort of todays players and fans soaked in sweat after a game or a hot day in Rio and the clubs century-old commitment to equality and inclusion. As soccer continues to grapple with racism globally, Vasco da Gama's innovative design serves as both a celebration of a specific clubs progressive legacy and a reminder that the fight for equity in sports remains ongoing.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Recognizing the growing popularity of allotments and other back-to-the-land aspirations, plus the possibilities created by remote working, Japans and farm Co., Ltd. just launched and farm Kleingarten. The concept combines a shared vacation home with a farming experience think timeshares with individual vegetable gardens. For a fixed monthly fee, city dwellers can slow down and enjoy life in the countryside for up to four consecutive days at a time.and farm Kleingarten is designed with a focus on natural materials, blending Nordic design with Japanese minimalism to create a Japandi style. The accommodation is fully furnished and equipped, with solid Wi-Fi for those who want to work remotely. Members have access to farm tools for working on their personal 30-square-meter vegetable plots, and workshops are available to those without prior gardening experience. For an additional fee, members allotments are tended to in their absence, with the option of having harvests home-delivered.By adopting vacant houses and abandoned farmland on the outskirts of Nirasaki City, Yamanashi Prefecture, the concept not only provides users with an affordable second-home experience but also helps revitalize a rural area by fostering a new community of regular visitors. and farm Kleingarten soft-launched in October 2024. Monthly fees are JPY 55,000 (USD 360/EUR 335) for weekday stays, or JPY 88,000 to include weekend and holiday bookings, too.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Transforming the simple act of returning a shopping basket into a tool for engagement, WWF Japan recently launched a Shopping Basket Voting initiative. The idea is to let shoppers vote on sustainability initiatives by returning their baskets to designated Yes or No areas in response to specific questions from retailers. For example, whether people support adding doors to coolers to save energy, or removing plastic trays from meat packaging.The concept addresses a critical challenge: while Japanese consumers want to live more sustainably, 50% find sustainable options too expensive, 38% dont know what actions to take, and 28% believe their individual actions dont matter. Implementing a voting mechanism creates a low-effort way for shoppers to influence a stores practices. And its a cost-effective method for retailers to gauge customer support for sustainability investments, helping them make informed decisions and ensure buy-in.Theres a powerful nudging effect at play here, too. The visible accumulation of shopping carts in voting areas creates social proof, potentially influencing other shoppers behavior and creating a collective sense of impact. The binary choice simplifies decision-making, while the public nature of voting creates accountability for retailers to act on the results.Shopping Basket Voting was developed in partnership with The University of Shiga Prefecture. Following a pilot a grocery store in Tokyo, WWF Japan has made the systems design and implementation guidelines freely available through its website.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising