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Mars Petcare's Temptations brand is teaming up with People magazine to introduce a Sexiest Cat Dad category in the annual Sexiest Man Alive Readers' Choice Poll. The initiative follows research showing that 63% of Americans think cat-owning men face unfair stereotypes, while two-thirds of Gen Z believe Cat Dads make better partners.The campaign builds on Temptations' earlier collaboration with cultural figure Kordell Beckham. Readers can vote for their favorite Cat Dad in People's poll, with results revealed in the October 31st print issue and additional coverage in the November 7th Sexiest Man Alive edition.TREND BITEMasculinity markers have been shifting for years, with Millennials and Gen Z increasingly valuing emotional intelligence, nurturing behavior and vulnerability over stoic independence. Men who care for cats animals historically associated with femininity represent this cultural pivot toward softer masculinity.As younger generations push for broader definitions of what it means to be masculine, brands across categories have an opportunity to reframe traditionally "feminine" associations as universally appealing traits. What outdated stereotypes does your brand inadvertently reinforce, and how could challenging them unlock new market segments?
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Refurbished electronics marketplace Back Market has turned Microsoft's planned obsolescence timeline into a provocative marketing moment with The Obsolete Computer. The initiative spotlights a stark reality: when Microsoft ends Windows 10 support in October 2024, nearly 400 million functional laptops will effectively become electronic waste overnight not because they've stopped working, but because they won't receive security updates.Rather than simply critique the system, Back Market is offering these soon-to-be-discarded devices a second life. The company professionally refurbishes Windows 10 laptops and installs alternative operating systems like ChromeOS Flex or Linux Ubuntu, then gives them away through a contest running until 20 October 2025. It's part stunt, part education campaign and part genuine attempt to redirect perfectly good hardware away from landfills.TREND BITEBack Market is taking sustainability messaging beyond abstract environmental promises toward concrete action that consumers can see and understand. By positioning planned obsolescence as "Big Tech's dirty trick," the company frames refurbishment not as a budget compromise but as an act of defiance against wasteful corporate practices and invites consumers to see themselves as part of a bigger movement.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Insurance company Länsförsäkringar Göteborg och Bohuslän has launched "Detoxify," a campaign that weaponizes the iPhone's voice control feature to cleanse social media feeds of harmful body image content. The initiative centers around Algorithm Cleansing Song by Detoxify (performed by Swedish artist Dotter), whose lyrics are designed to trigger voice-activated interactions with positive content on TikTok and Instagram.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
With its new AI-powered pocket-sized companion, Sharp is pushing technology into the realm of emotional intimacy. The Japanese electronics giant has unveiled Poketomo, a meerkat character that promises to be "a friend that makes every day more fun." Launching this November, the 12-centimeter-tall robot comes equipped with Sharp's proprietary CE-LLM AI technology, enabling personalized voice conversations that adapt to individual users over time.What sets Poketomo apart from AI chatbots is its deliberately intimate approach to artificial companionship. The device remembers conversations, visited locations and shared experiences, gradually building what Sharp describes as a deeper understanding of its human partner. Users can carry the robot in their pocket or hang it from their bag, while a companion smartphone app ensures continuity when the physical robot isn't present.The system's emotional intelligence extends to physical expressions the robot gestures during conversations and illuminates its belly with rainbow-colored lights to convey joy. This multi-modal approach to AI interaction suggests Sharp recognizes that successful AI companions need narrative context and emotional resonance to forge genuine connections with users.TREND BITESharp's Poketomo ("pocket friend") is a case study in kidult culture, emotional AI and the growing consumer desire for companionship tech. Three underlying trends:1. Kidulting and emotional companionshipThe rise of "kidult" products products for adult consumers seeking joy, nostalgia and play continues to reshape toys into lifestyle accessories.Poketomo bridges plush toy cuteness with real-time emotional AI, addressing loneliness, stress and the need for everyday micro-moments of joy.2. The next phase of AI consumer productsUnlike chatbots or disembodied apps, Poketomo gives AI a physical presence a portable companion with gestures, expressions and continuity between robot and app. People increasingly expect AI to "remember" them, share experiences and evolve. This aligns with a broader shift: from transactional AI tools relational AI companions.3. Everyday mental wellnessBy offering comfort in lonely or boring moments, Poketomo doubles as a low-key mental health support system. Consumers are normalizing small, ambient pieces of technology for self-soothing, much like Tamagotchi in the 90s, but updated with AI smarts and personalization.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
With a beta launch in Germany, Gore-Tex has introduced a subscription-based rental service that addresses a persistent pain point for parents: children outgrowing expensive outerwear before it wears out. The program offers premium jackets for kids aged 512, for EUR 25 per month. Parents can swap jackets every three months for a new size, style, or color, with full damage coverage included to account for everyday wear and tear.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
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