More than ever, brands need to be seen to be adding value rather than simply profiteering. And in a world where movement will be more limited (at least for the short term), it’s important for brands to help close to home.
It’s time to rethink how we do what we do, because none of us wants to be ordinary. Human Brands is one of nine trends from our full trend report that we compiled with our friends over at Trendwatching. This is an excerpt from our larger report ‘9 trends that are shaping the future of our brands’, that you can download at the bottom of this article.
Glenmorangie
Glenmorangie unveiled plans to restore the oyster population and reefs in Scotland’s Darnoch Firth bay. It’s part of the whisky brand’s ongoing DEEP environmental programme, which is introducing 20,000 oysters into the sea next to its factory, where the reefs were overfished and now extinct. They’ve also used 20 tons of discarded mussel and scallop shells to reconstruct the reef (for the first time in Europe). The initiative is partly funded by sales of Glenmorangie Dornoch, a special edition whisky.
What we think: It’s always good to see big brands helping good causes, particularly when it’s close to home. We’ll raise a dram to this.
Ikea & Tom Dixon
IKEA’s collaboration with UK industrial designer Tom Dixon explores urban farming and encourages food growing at home. IKEA and Dixon shared their ideas at 2019’s Chelsea Flower Show and examine how nature and technology-driven farming can be approached at a local level in an urban environment. IKEA will launch a series of gardening and urban growing products in its stores in 2021.
What we think: It’s good to see that standout model of global homogenisation help us get our hands dirty and fingers green.
Starbucks
Starbucks joins a consortium on international players, whose combined efforts (and clout) are reviving Puerto Rico’s coffee industry, which was devastated by hurricanes in 2017. The five-year initiative aims to increase the long-term resilience and economic performance of the island’s coffee sector by diversifying the coffee seed, introducing training and best business practices, and establishing networks and market opportunities for small farmers.
What we think: It’s all too easy to criticise the global behemoths, but they need to look after the people who helped get them there in the first place.
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