Issue #057

Welcome to your weekly dose of TooXToo, this week featuring IKEA’s helping hand in ‘escaping the clutter’, B&Q’s promise for Spring, Wholefoods X Headspace & a return to nostalgia.  

IKEA help us to ‘Escape the Clutter’ 

We are all, at this point, pretty sick of staring at the same four walls so to combat this, IKEA has created a Snapchat Lens shoppable AR game to engage those stuck at home.  

On opening the lens in Snapchat, users simply point their camera at a surface to view a typical bedroom. To win the game, they must use Ikea products to tidy up.  

The game also features a ‘Shop Now’ button which takes players directly to IKEA’s online store, where they can purchase items featured in the game.  

Ikea also recreated the experience in real life with US media company Buzzfeed. Buzzfeed video hosts took on tasks that mimicked the AR game in a physical space, giving consumers a real-life look at the products on show. 

B&Q’s ode to resilience   

With lockdown easing slightly in the UK this week and signs of Spring finally making an appearance, B&Q is once again tapping into the mood of the nation with an emotive ode to the power and hope that Spring brings. 

The campaign, ‘We Will Grow Again’ confronts the long, tough winter we have spent in lockdown.  

With Spring comes some hope for a sense of normality to resume, and so, B&Q are taking a moment to salute the resilience of the UK public as we look forward to a more hopeful future. 

https://vimeo.com/527942710 

 

Wholefoods X Headspace 

As consumers look to increase their physical and mental wellbeing as the pandemic continues, Wholefoods and Headspace have teamed up to create a video series which spotlights mindful eating.  

The series explores how we can cook, eat and shop in a more mindful way. Each video showcases a different mood - such as joy, energy, focus and relaxation.  

As people look at their health more holistically, prioritising health over weight loss, these videos offer a space to celebrate food culture and the joy it can bring. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1jRaHrpokA 

 

A return to Nostalgia  

As the pandemic continues, time has become a focal point for many of us. Roadmaps to freedom are key on the agenda but whilst we remain in lockdown many have looked to new ways to pass time and endure long periods in isolation.   

Over the last year people took up stress-baking (global flour sales rose 238% YoY), gardening or hosting virtual cocktail parties and a vast majority of people have spent time reflecting on the good old days.  

Nostalgia has played a huge part and uptake in vinyl, old style video games and ‘comfort viewing’ old classics such as The Golden Girls & The Fresh Prince of Belair have been huge. 

Data also shows it was a similar story for food, with supermarkets seeing higher demand for retro items. In the UK, Waitrose reported a 67% increase in rice pudding sales since pre-lockdown, while Marks & Spencer recorded a 187% rise in sales of Bird’s Custard Powder.