The screen-free movement has gained a stylish new champion as KARRI, a voice-messaging device for children, emerges from an extensive redesign by Jon Marshall at Pentagram. KARRI is a phone alternative developed for kids aged 5-13. It offers connection without a screen, relying instead on voice messages, which can be sent from the device to an accompanying app on a parent's phone (and vice versa), as well as between multiple KARRI units. The interface consists of a simple LED matrix display, regular buttons and a slide-to-talk button.

The collaboration with industrial designer Jon Marshall signals a maturing category where alternatives to smartphones for kids are transitioning from niche concern to mainstream necessity. Parents want their children to be reachable, but are worried about handing over devices that grant unfettered internet access. Besides voice messaging, the device also offers GPS tracking and a flashlight. But no screen, no apps, no algorithmic rabbit holes. The KARRI Generation 2 messenger comes in four colors and is on presale at karri.io for launch in early 2026, priced at GBP 49.95 for preorders.

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Movements like Smartphone Free Childhood, which now counts 140,000 parents across 13,500 schools pledging to delay smartphone adoption until age 14, are creating a market for devices that bridge the gap between no-phone childhood and smartphone adolescence. As screen time concerns intensify and digital wellness becomes a family priority, products that offer selective connectivity — communication without distraction or danger — occupy valuable territory.

The question for brands isn't whether to engage with children's digital lives, but how to do so thoughtfully. KARRI's partnership with Pentagram demonstrates that the most compelling child-focused innovations don't add features, but strategically subtract them, creating space for the kind of unfettered childhood that increasingly feels like a luxury.

Related: Tin Can brings back the landline to keep kids connected, not hooked.

Heineken has launched Hijack Socialization, a campaign that disrupts Netflix sessions to nudge audiences toward real-world experiences. Created by Dentsu in partnership with Netflix and Uber Advertising, the initiative targets specific scenes across 75 Netflix productions that feature bars and social gatherings. When these scenes appear, viewers see a message encouraging them to pause their binge-watching and experience the moment in real life, complete with a QR code offering a BRL 25 (USD 4.60) Uber voucher. 

The campaign, which is distributing 10,000 vouchers across Brazil, runs through October and is limited to one voucher per person for those 18 and older. It's part of Heineken's broader #SocialOffSocials global campaign tackling excessive social media use and positioning Heineken as a catalyst for genuine social experiences rather than just another beverage brand vying for attention in crowded digital spaces.

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Heineken's Netflix intervention represents a sophisticated approach to combating "continuous partial attention" — the modern tendency to split focus between multiple screens and platforms. By literally interrupting the streaming experience at emotionally resonant moments, the brand transforms passive consumption into active participation. The campaign's genius lies in its timing and context: rather than competing with entertainment, it uses entertainment as a launching pad for real-world experiences. Could your brand identify similar intervention points where digital engagement becomes a gateway to offline action?

Consumers increasingly see personal care rituals as essential to overall health, not just as beauty routines. New research from Kenvue and Kantar shows that 88% of consumers worldwide believe their personal care habits positively affect their health — a cultural shift that positions skincare, oral care, and hygiene as everyday healthcare.

Key findings from A New View of Care: The Power of Personal Care Routines:
🧖‍♀️ 88% of consumers believe personal care routines positively impact their health
🧼 Despite the popularity of elaborate regimens on social media, 73% spend under 30 minutes a day on personal care
🧴 Consumers who spend 15+ minutes daily report better health
🩺 62% trust healthcare providers most for advice, yet primary sources of information are search engines, social media and product reviews
🤳 Over one in five Gen Z look to social media influencers for inspiration, compared with fewer than 10% of older generations
⏳ 38% plan to spend more time on routines in the next year, while 15% expect to spend less

TAKEAWAY
As personal care becomes more closely tied to health, brands will frame routines as practical wellness tools rather than superficial indulgences. By offering evidence-based guidance, educational resources and straightforward solutions, they can reinforce the idea that daily care rituals represent achievable, everyday actions that contribute to long-term health and wellbeing.

A startup called LYKYN has just introduced what it says is the first consumer-ready smart mushroom-growing chamber. Unlike existing, low-tech kits consisting of a mycelium block in a bag, box or bucket, LYKYN's chamber is a sleek countertop cabinet. The unit's base is outfitted with sensors, fans and a humidifier that work with an accompanying app to automate the often finicky process of mushroom cultivation. Users simply add water, insert a pre-inoculated mushroom block, select their variety through the app and wait for harvest.

The device targets both functional wellness and culinary crowds, supporting varieties such as lion's mane and reishi for cognitive benefits, as well as oyster and shiitake for the kitchen. LYKYN designed the chamber as a home appliance rather than a garage hobby project — compact and minimal in aesthetic. The timing aligns with surging consumer interest in mushrooms, driven by growing awareness of their health benefits. Designed in California and manufactured in Turkey, the kit is selling for EUR 225.95.

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LYKYN (and its Hungarian competitor Shrooly, which started shipping a similar product a year ago) reframe indoor mushroom growing from a fiddly DIY project to a sleek home appliance. Think of what Nespresso did for coffee or SodaStream for sparkling water: they turned a complex process into a stylish countertop ritual.

By doing the same for fungi, LYKYN and Shrooly are tapping into the desire for health, freshness and food security. But the products' appeal extends beyond mere nutrition. Since mushroom cultivation is slow, visible and a little magical, consumers will likely be as drawn to the process — and the satisfaction of growing their own food — as to the final harvest.

Bangkok's commuters are taking an unexpected pause in their daily rush. Frasers Property Thailand has transformed the 43-meter MITR Direct Link Tunnel into MasterPeace Pain-ting, a giant coloring book in the form of a sprawling mural by artist Tent Katchakul that passersby can color in. The initiative, running through 20 September 2025, invites residents to grab a marker and add color to illustrations of iconic Bangkok landmarks, turning a functional walkway into what the company calls a "feel-good space."

The project represents a shift in how property developers position themselves within urban ecosystems. Rather than simply constructing buildings, Frasers Property Thailand is partnering with Bangkok's Metropolitan Authority and transport officials to address the stress of city living through community engagement. By embedding creative expression into public transit infrastructure, the company demonstrates how brands can become facilitators of shared experiences rather than merely providing shared spaces.

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Urban residents are looking for more than efficiency from their cities — they want moments that soften the grind. By reframing transit corridors, plazas and waiting areas as sites for shared expression, brands can create everyday rituals that satisfy both the need for calm and the craving for connection.

The coloring tunnel's appeal is two-fold: it offers people a creative pause while also inviting them to contribute alongside strangers — a form of gentle social interaction that feels increasingly rare. For brands, the opportunity lies in identifying overlooked public spaces where collaborative creativity can address both individual wellbeing and a longing for connection, turning routine interactions into moments of meaning.

ASICS is taking a new approach to keeping girls engaged in physical education with its Undropped Kit, a reimagined physical education uniform designed to address comfort issues that contribute to 64% of UK girls abandoning sports before age 16. Working alongside Inclusive Sportswear and mental health charity Mind, ASICS conducted extensive research through focus groups, surveys and a school trial in Burnley, where PE engagement is just 38.2%. Their study revealed that 70% of girls would be more likely to participate in PE if their kit made them feel more comfortable, and only 12% are completely satisfied with their current uniforms.

The Undropped Kit concept tackles this issue head-on with sportswear that accommodates different body shapes, weather conditions and personal styles (and even includes an emergency hair tie). While not available for purchase, the prototype serves as a powerful demonstration of how thoughtful design can eliminate distractions and discomfort during physical activity. "With this new kit, you're not thinking about what you're wearing, you're just thinking about having fun and enjoying the sport you're doing," explains Tilly Taylor, a school ambassador for the initiative.

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"Our kit is itchy, see-through and makes you really sweaty." "We worry period leaks will show." "Our kit is baggy and shapeless. It feels like it was made for boys." Teen girls aren't dropping out because they don't like sports. They're dropping out because kit makes them feel exposed, uncomfortable, or "different." By reframing gym clothes as confidence-enablers, ASICS taps into a wider consumer desire for apparel that’s not only functional, but emotionally supportive (think: period-proof underwear, adaptive fashion, modest swimwear).

The link between physical activity and mental wellbeing is well-established, yet barriers to participation often go unaddressed. ASICS is zooming in on the fragile transition years when teenage girls often disengage. That shift puts the focus on keeping girls in the game, not just celebrating star athletes who rise to the top. As sportswear brands navigate the intersection of physical and mental health, expect more companies to recognize that groundbreaking design isn't limited to performance enhancement, but could start with removing barriers to participation.

MIT students Jacob Payne and Ayah Mahmoud have developed Kitchen Cosmo, a kitchen gadget that transforms cooking from rigid recipe-following into collaborative improvisation based on whatever ingredients someone has on hand. A webcam scans the available items, dials allow a cook to indicate their mood and skill level, and analog switches can be flipped to set dietary preferences. 

Kitchen Cosmo combines those inputs to generate personalized recipes and send them to its thermal printer, creating a tactile, screenless interaction that feels more like consulting a knowledgeable kitchen companion than operating a digital device. The prototype's retro-futuristic aesthetic evokes an earlier era of computing, complete with analog dials and paper printouts that make AI's contributions visible and tangible. 

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As AI becomes ubiquitous, designers are exploring more intimate and tactile ways for people to interact with machine intelligence. Kitchen Cosmo exemplifies that shift with its helpful household presence. Rather than providing abstract cloud-based assistance, the appliance domesticates artificial intelligence, transforming it into something human-sized and approachable.

This suggests a new category of AI-powered analog appliances that help people feel both futuristic and grounded. Beyond cooking, one could imagine screenless AI sewing machines, gardening assistants or even music tutors. The key is a blend of tactility and AI intelligence, with a dash of charm and delight.

Pinterest just launched Thrift Shop, a dedicated set of boards on Pinterest Shop. The curated, shoppable boards offer a new way for users to discover and purchase vintage and secondhand items. Running through September 26th, the initiative sees Pinterest partnering with over 30 vintage retailers globally. Boards feature curated drops from industry tastemakers and Pinterest offers tools like collage templates that help users create thrift wishlists, bridging the gap between online inspiration and both digital and in-person shopping.

The timing aligns with Pinterest's 2025 Fall Trend Report, which shows surging searches for terms like "dream thrift finds" and "vintage autumn aesthetic," especially among Gen Z, who now make up over 50% of Pinterest's users. Pinterest is essentially formalizing what users were already doing organically — using the platform to find inspiration, plan purchases and curate personal style through preloved pieces.

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Gen Z is tired of the “TikTok-ification” of fashion, where trends collapse into sameness. By curating thrift and vintage finds, Pinterest positions itself as the antidote: a platform where style is anchored in scarcity and story. Buying thrift is as much about identity as affordability and sustainability. Every piece is a narrative artifact, making shoppers feel like co-creators instead of mere consumers.

Expect those shoppers to start asking mainstream brands: why should I buy new when preloved is more original, more sustainable and often more stylish? As people increasingly seek unique pieces, brands that can authentically connect to that desire for surprise and self-expression will find themselves ahead of a curve that shows no signs of flattening.

A comprehensive modeling study published in Earth reveals the staggering scope of humanity's disconnection from nature. Having tracked the evolution of "nature connectedness" from 1800 to 2020, researchers find that restoring humanity's relationship with nature isn't simply about planting more trees and creating more parks.

KEY FINDINGS

🏢 Massive decline: Nature connectedness dropped approximately 60% since 1800, closely tracking urbanization rates that increased from 7.3% to 82.7% of the population
⛓️‍💥 Disconnection across generations: Parents' relationship with nature emerged as the strongest predictor of their children's connection (80% weighting), creating a self-reinforcing cycle
🧒 Intergenerational payoff: Because disconnection is handed down through families, early childhood interventions are disproportionately impactful; they ripple through society over multiple generations
💪 Recovery requires transformation: Only the most ambitious combined interventions — radical increases in nature access paired with targeted family-based programs — will trigger self-sustaining recovery after 2050

OPPORTUNITIES FOR BRANDS: FOUR ROUTES TO PURSUE

If society fails to act, disconnection from nature could undermine sustainability and mental health for the rest of the century. But if organizations invest in systemic interventions now, they can trigger a self-sustaining cultural recovery. Corporate programs act as cultural multipliers: strengthening parents' connection, and giving them confidence to help their children engage with nature.

🌳 1. Green the workplace
— Biophilic design: natural light, plants, green walls, outdoor workspaces
— Dedicated green breaks: encourage short daily outdoor time, not just lunch breaks
— Company policy: buildings must include green spaces (think rooftop gardens, courtyards), preferably also accessible to the general public

📄 2. Integrate nature engagement into benefits packages
— Nature days: extra paid leave for outdoor volunteering or family time
— Subsidized memberships: national parks, urban farms, wildlife trusts
— Green prescriptions: walk-and-talk therapy, mindfulness in parks, forest bathing

👭 3. Family nature transmission
— Family-focused weekend events, for example "Nature Discovery Days" for employees and their children
— Parent workshops on nurturing children's nature connectedness
— Partner with schools: sponsor outdoor classrooms or nature play areas

🏅 4. Cultural storytelling
— Internal communications highlight employees' nature experiences, making nature engagement visible and valued
— Annual nature-at-work awards  recognizing teams or individuals for innovative engagement with nature
— Tie company values to stewardship: "our sustainability goals begin with connecting people to the nature we depend on"

Alcohol consumption in the US has hit historic lows as health concerns climb to unprecedented levels. According to Gallup's latest data, just 54% of US adults now identify as drinkers — the lowest percentage since Gallup began tracking the stat over eight decades ago.

🥤 This downward trajectory coincides with mounting health concerns, as 53% of Americans now believe that moderate drinking (one or two drinks a day) is harmful, which is a dramatic increase from just 28% in 2018

🧋 There's a significant generational divide in believing drinking is bad for one's health: 66% among those 18 to 34, vs. 50% for the 35-54 cohort, and 48% for those 55 and older

🧉 The number of drinks is down, too. Among those who drink, less than a quarter reported having had a drink in the previous 24 hours, which is a record low. The average number of drinks consumed in the past week is 2.8, which is the lowest Gallup has recorded since 1996

While plant-based protein maker Better Nature secures GBP 1.1 million in funding to accelerate growth, category pioneer Beyond Meat continues its downward trajectory. The divergent fortunes reflect a shifting market where consumers increasingly favor clean protein alternatives over ultra-processed options.

Better Nature, founded in 2020 and now the UK's leading tempeh brand with 38.1% market share, saw solid growth with Q2 sales up 128% year-on-year. The brand's minimally processed, gut-friendly tempeh — with similar protein content to chicken but more fiber — resonates with health-conscious consumers seeking clean-label options, as well as with those seeking an easy and affordable alternative to slaughtered meat. With its "Give chicken the night off" campaign, Better Nature is deliberately positioning tempeh as a savvy swap for the UK's most widely eaten meat.

The funding round will fuel marketing initiatives and innovation as Better Nature expands beyond its current distribution through Tesco, Asda, Whole Foods, REWE, Knuspr and other retailers in the UK, Germany and Austria. Meanwhile, Beyond Meat announced a 6% workforce reduction as its quarterly revenue plunged nearly 20%, with US retail sales declining by 26.7%.

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What's happening, in plain terms:

🫛 Better Nature is leaning into natural, gut-friendly, protein-rich tempeh with a short ingredient list, cultural authenticity (the brand is UK-based but has Indonesian roots), and a halo of health credibility. It's selling a nutritional upgrade story, not a "just-like-meat" one.

🧪 Beyond Meat is facing the backlash against ultra-processed products, coupled with price sensitivity and waning novelty. Its "we can trick you into thinking it's beef" proposition is losing steam as consumers aspire to eat more whole and minimally processed foods.

The plant-based boom of 2018–2021 was fueled by early adopters and flexitarians chasing new options, sustainability and ethical eating. But that wave is now breaking. The winning brands in the next phase of alternative protein will be those that shift the conversation away from mimicry and toward nutritional superiority and ingredient integrity.

Booking.com recently polled 37,325 people across 33 markets "to better understand how people around the world are using, trusting and responding to AI in both everyday life and travel."

A few highlights from the Global AI Sentiment Report:
🛳️ High adoption: overall, 67% of travelers already use AI tools when planning or going on trips
🤔 Geographic trust divide: Latin American and Asia-Pacific regions lead in AI enthusiasm and trust, with 51% and 38% of consumers, respectively, trusting AI fully or mostly. By contrast, North America (30%) and Europe (28%) show greater skepticism despite developing many of today's dominant AI technologies
🧳 Good-bye, watercooler, hello ChatGPT: AI assistants (24%) have surpassed work colleagues (19%) and influencers (14%) as reliable sources for travel planning advice

So, what exactly are people turning to AI for?
🏝️ 71% of travelers want recommendations to avoid overcrowded destinations
✌️ 60% seek experiences that positively impact local communities
🌍 38% want help researching new destinations

But they're not without concerns:
📿 47% worry AI could reinforce stereotypes or discrimination
💰 38% fear the technology will deprioritize budget travelers

The message for brands is clear: consumers are starting to rely on AI for planning and exploring (potential) purchases, but building trust through transparency and ethical implementation remains essential for long-term success.

Two recent news items signal the emotional, legal and cultural elevation of pets:

⚖️ Australia's Family Law Amendment Act 2024, which came into effect this June, acknowledges pets as more than mere property in family disputes. The legislation introduces a framework that considers factors like caregiving responsibilities and emotional bonds when determining who gets pet custody; the amendment recognizes animals as "sentient beings" rather than objects to be divided like furniture.

💼 Corporate benefits packages are similarly transforming to accommodate this cultural shift. Empathy, a technology company specializing in life's difficult transitions, recently launched a first-of-its-kind Pet Loss Support service as part of its bereavement benefits portfolio. The timing seems apt: 62% of Americans now live with pets, with 97% of pet owners considering them family members. More telling is that three in five employees have seriously contemplated leaving their jobs for better pet-related benefits, even at the cost of reduced pay.

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What’s emerging is a deep societal recalibration around how pets are perceived. Not just in sentiment, but in policy, law and workplace culture. These two developments, seemingly unrelated, both recognize one core truth: 🐾 Pets are not property. They're emotional beings with social, legal and psychological significance.

For brands and other innovation leaders, this shift creates opportunities to develop products and services addressing the full spectrum of the human-animal relationship. The most successful offerings will recognize that modern pet owners don't just want products for their animals, but services and experiences that enhance and honor their shared lives. Companies that authentically speak to this emotional dimension will find receptive audiences in a massive global market.

Back in March, we asked: Could AI productivity gains unlock the future of 4-day workweeks for all? Flash forward to July, and the answer is looking more like a resounding YES. Bernie's on board, too, arguing that the time saved by AI should be given back to workers, allowing them to spend more time with their families instead of managing their inboxes.

🔁 Following up: A UK four-day workweek trial run by the 4 Day Week Foundation just wrapped — and all 17 companies involved are sticking with it. That's a 100% success rate. And these weren't just startups or niche players. The trial spanned sectors from finance to science.

🚀 Results? Less burnout. Happier teams. No dip in productivity. In fact, many reported gains in efficiency and revenue. BrandPipe, a London-based software firm, saw revenue jump nearly 130%. And they didn't need AI to pull it off.

AI may deliver the tipping point to make shorter workweeks mainstream. From teachers saving six weeks a year on lesson planning thanks to chatbots, to robot arms and digital twins transforming factory floors — AI is quietly reshaping time. If AI can help everyone work smarter, shouldn't everyone, from truck drivers to UX designers, get a slice of that saved time? Forward-thinking innovation isn't just about adopting AI. It's about carefully considering how to spend the time that AI frees up.

A 4-day workweek isn't a perk; it's fast becoming a cultural expectation and a competitive edge. Given the potential for higher revenue, productivity boosts, happier workers and lower employee turnover, rational organizations will:
✂️ Reinvest AI-driven time savings into real flexibility for workers
🧠 Recognize rest as generating ROI
🎯 Sync with Gen Z's rhythm of pause → pivot → purpose (hello, micro-retirements)

According to the Ipsos Pride Survey 2025, more people than ever are identifying openly as LGBTQ+, with Gen Z leading the charge from NYC to Budapest. But while identity expands, acceptance hasn’t kept pace. Here’s your round-up:

🌈 Identity, expanded: Across the 26 countries polled by IPSOS, 9% of adults identify as LGBTQ+. Among Gen Z, that number jumps to 14%.

📉 Rainbow fatigue? While visibility is climbing, support is slipping — especially in Western countries. Since 2021, backing for same-sex marriage dropped by 8% in Italy and 6% in Canada.

🧑‍💻 Gen Z’s gender divide: While 59% of Gen Z women support LGBTQ+ individuals being open about their identity, just 38% of Gen Z men agree — mirroring Millennial (43%) and Gen X (44%) men.

What’s next for brands? As more people live out loud, backlash grows louder, too. Performative allyship? Obsolete. Gen Z expects brands to go beyond rainbow capitalism — be fluent in fluidity, and fearless in the face of pushback.

Your inclusive innovation checklist:

1️⃣ Go structural. Let Pride shift from performance to policy. Nearly 2 in 5 Fortune 500 and Global 100 brands pulled back Pride Month activity this year, signaling fear over solidarity. Flip that.
🇨🇦 Like Egale Canada’s powerful campaign linking historical hate to modern-day violence — a visceral reminder that Pride is protest, not just party.

2️⃣ Rethink representation. Move beyond rainbows. Reflect lived complexity, not clichés.
🇵🇭 Like Home Credit Philippines, where mirrored installations helped employees reflect, literally and metaphorically, on their own Pride stories.

3️⃣ Co-create × queer. With LGBTQ+ creators hit hard by ad spend cuts, your budget can be a force for visibility.
🇺🇸 Like NYX’s Pridemix campaign, amplifying queer music artists during Pride Month.

4️⃣ Create safe spaces. Too often, queer people are misrepresented, or missing entirely, in representation. Build online and IRL experiences where they’re not just included, but centered.
🌍 Like Taimi, the LGBTQ+ dating app whose new Taimi In-Person feature helps users discover real-world LGBTQ+ events — already powering 77+ events in its pilot.