During the lockdown, women in heterosexual couples are feeling the burden of childcare and housework more than men. In the UK, one study found that working mums do just 

 for every three hours done by working dads. Meanwhile, in Germany, 

 with at least one child under 14 have had to cut their working hours to look after them during the pandemic, compared to just 16% of fathers. 

 aims to address this imbalance in household responsibilities by offering mums quick fixes to entertain their kids at home, while the 

 app assists parents in sharing an equal load of the housework.

Many parents are taking productivity tools from their careers and implementing them in their homes – a practice that existed well before COVID-19 fundamentally altered everyday habits. In 2018, 

 said they relied on smart tech to help keep their kids safe and well-behaved. As people start treating homes like workspaces, platforms such as Trello are helping mums and dads allocate time to household tasks. Indeed, 40% of Trello subscribers use the app for both work and personal purposes. Digital organising tools such as Remember the Milk, Cozi, and Picniic are offering parents similar home management capabilities.

People are also investing more time and money in their pets, reaffirming their status as important family members. In 2018, 

 said they’d rather reduce the amount of money they spend on themselves than cut back on their pets, while Australians reportedly spend AUD 

 annually on their furry friends. However, with time in short supply, people are favouring brands that help them care comprehensively for their pets without interfering with their schedules. FirstVet is meeting this need by giving the option to book virtual vet appointments, saving time and decreasing the stress animals may experience at clinics.

As people around the world experience lockdown, parents are struggling to keep their children entertained and educated while maintaining their day jobs. Online platform Five Minute Mum provides daily inspiration through games that are quick and easy-to-assemble – and to tidy away.

Five Minute Mum: easy fixes for lockdown fun

Keeping track of kids, errands, and to-do lists is no easy task, so parents are turning to tech for a helping hand. With people increasingly approaching managing their household as they do workplace tasks, how are they leveraging productivity and organizational tools to streamline the everyday?

How are home-management apps optimizing parenting?

The realities of the loneliness epidemic have grown impossible to ignore, with many pointing to digital-first lifestyles as a driving force of social isolation. But could digital connectivity be leveraged for good to help repair human connection? Canvas8 spoke to Brandon C. Bouchillon to find out.

A cure for loneliness?! The science of digital friendships

Kleenex and Amazon have joined forces to launch a playful campaign supporting newly single individuals and the century-old heritage brand’s quest to maintain its relevance. The move is reflective of the need for brands to pivot towards empathy-driven branding to maximise their appeal.

Kleenex and Amazon transform tears into strength 

2024 represented a crucial and deeply divisive year in American politics. As family members across political camps come together over the festive period, a vast majority of adults are seeking to avoid political talks altogether, risking both emotional wellbeing and engagement with difference.

US adults avoiding political discussions over Christmas

InterContinental Hotels Group is enhancing its multigenerational travel offering to boost growth for its luxury portfolio. As high-net-worth travelers prioritize vacations as a collective experience with their loved ones, they’ll expect brands to craft holidays that have something for everyone.

IHG embraces multigenerational holidays in luxury travel

American high schools are seeing ‘healthy masculinity’ clubs crop up as young men search for safe spaces to challenge stereotypes. In the face of growing gender divides, groups like these illustrate how people are taking proactive steps to care for their personal and communal identities.

Masculinity clubs at US schools offer community support

British Gen Z home-buyers prioritise living near pubs, valuing them as hubs for community and emotional connection. The preference signals a broader desire for belonging as younger generations seek homes that integrate social and emotional wellbeing alongside functionality.

UK Gen Z home-buyers prefer properties close to a pub

Timeleft blends dating and friendship, using ambiguous marketing to encourage spontaneous connections. The app addresses rising loneliness, particularly among Japan's Gen Z, by fostering diverse encounters through casual group dinners – reflecting a behavioural shift toward non-romantic connections.

Timeleft app connects strangers over dinner

A recent study links rising income inequality to online dating, where users increasingly select partners within their socioeconomic strata. Financial compatibility has become a key priority for daters, reflecting how love and money are now more intertwined in shaping modern relationship dynamics.

Study finds online dating is deepening income inequality

In Australia, Valentine’s Day has transformed from a celebration of love between couples into an occasion to cherish friendships. How have evolving cultural norms and pervasive loneliness fuelled this shift? And how can brands engage with the new rituals and moments surrounding the day?

How do Aussies celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Society’s definition of masculinity is ever-changing. But as progressive interpretations of manhood spread, some people are moving to protect what they see as an important traditional identity. Canvas8 spoke to Toms Kreicbergs to understand the responses to brands’ depictions of masculinity.

Man up! The science of masculinity in advertising

The number of single women and female couples having fertility treatment in the UK has risen over the past decade. With family structures evolving and becoming more diverse, people are seeking greater access and choice – but barriers remain for those who fall out of 'traditional' norms. 

More single women and female couples are utilising IVF

IKEA has announced an exhibition in London celebrating its iconic blue shopping bag, the FRAKTA, exploring its evolution and personal stories shared by enthusiasts. As people seek new routes to connection, IKEA’s democratic design offers learning opportunities through the cult of everyday items. 

IKEA lures heritage lovers with blue bag exhibit

Korean luxury hospitality group Josun Hotels & Resorts has launched a store to expand its online presence via its distinctive food and lifestyle products. With people searching for accessible indulgences, premium hotel-branded products can bring luxury escapism into homes.

Josun Hotels & Resorts launches online lifestyle store

Disney's 2024 holiday ad, directed by Taika Waititi, showcases the magical friendship between a boy and an octopus. Emphasising emotional resonance, it joins other Christmas spots offering joyful escapism and genuine connection amid difficult times, reflecting a growing desire for heartwarming ads.

Disney's Xmas ad spotlights joyful, escapist fairy tale

Loneliness is sadly common among new parents, especially mothers. As social apps emerge to combat the issue by providing supportive communities and peer-to-peer guidance, how can brands tap into the trend authentically and appeal to a new digital-native generation of mums?

How social apps help mums find friendship and community

Amid a birth rate crisis driven by economic strain, China has launched a 'marriage school' in Changsha promoting parenting. However, it's faced backlash for pushing outdated gender roles, which, together with high parenting costs, are leading many women to shun marriage and pursue child-free lives.

Backlash to Chinese marriage expo sparks gender debate

CareYaya aims to connect those searching for caregivers with students in healthcare to create a mutual system of affordable care and learning experiences. The platform facilitates people demand for tech-based networks of support as they look to balance high costs of living.

CareYaya matches students to elders seeking care

Camden County's NOS program uses peer support to aid prison leavers, reducing recidivism and supporting successful reintegration. Recognizing the limitations of top-down strategies, it prioritizes the experiences of formerly incarcerated individuals – something often lacking in traditional programs.

Peer-led program supports prisoners rejoining society

With rents skyrocketing in major cities worldwide, committing to shared accommodation can feel like a decision not to be approached lightly. Tapping into this, SpareRoom is launching a 'Speed Flatmating' experience in London to help people meet and befriend potential flatmates over a pint.

SpareRoom helps Londoners find the right flatmate

China's 'home bars' are thriving, with these intimate gatherings in private homes offering a cozy alternative to traditional nightlife. As people seek casual socialising and meaningful connections, such personalised experiences can foster community and counter high loneliness rates.

Home bars provide a sense of community in China

Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is surging in popularity among young men in the US. Amid desires for an idealized version of manhood – characterized by high energy, strong libido, and a muscular physique – young men are hoping hormone therapy will be the key to unlocking their potential.

Young men are optimizing their bodies with testosterone

Americans will soon have a not-so-new pantry staple in the form of Chilean Sea Bass – Goldfish’s temporary rebranding of the 62-year-old cracker’s name. Nostalgia and kidulting ideals continue to be a driving force for people looking to hark back to their simpler childhood days.

Goldfish crackers temporarily renamed to attract adults

AI role-playing app Character.AI is facing a lawsuit after a teen user’s suicide. While chatbots could offer a solution to loneliness, they pose serious dangers in replacing human relationships, necessitating robust safeguards from tech companies to protect vulnerable users.

Character.AI lawsuit highlights risks of AI chatbots

How has Fintech changed the way Germans approach money management? How is the rise of spirituality and diverse belief systems changing the religious landscape? And why is marriage on the decline? This Cultural Snapshot of Germany in 2024 explores the key behavioural shifts.

A Cultural Snapshot of Germany: 2024 - 2025

'Living alone vlogs' on Xiaohongshu celebrate singlehood as a fulfilling lifestyle that emphasises economic independence and self-care. As Chinese citizens' priorities shift, more young adults are choosing to remain unmarried, reflecting women's societal roles beyond traditional expectations.

Women celebrate the joys of solo living on Xiaohongshu

Asda has partnered with Colgate to provide free dental kits to schools in some of the most deprived areas of the UK, providing support to kids who face barriers to accessing dental care. It's an example of how brands are taking greater action to tackle health inequities in underserved communities. 

Asda and Colgate promote dental health in schools

Despite media narratives suggesting widespread dating app fatigue, these platforms remain popular and are unlikely to be abandoned by users. Canvas8 spoke to Dr. Rachel Katz about innovative ways brands in this space can engage users through unexpected experiences and tailored solutions.

Dr. Rachel Katz on the future of dating apps

The surging property prices coupled with the meagre supply of rental units has left many people without a stable roof over their heads. An Australian  report suggests that this could be tackled by making use of millions of houses and rooms that currently sit empty across the country.



Empty rooms may solve Aussie’s housing crisis

With the cost of living crisis forcing Aussies to cook and entertain at home more, the kitchen is becoming more like the living room – a central communal area where families and friends come together. But with soaring rents contributing to space constraints, what appliances, design features, and smart solutions are seamlessly blending convenience with style?

What will Aussie kitchens look like in the future?

Single-child households and "Very Important Babies" are on the rise in South Korea. Their parents are keen for their offspring to keep up appearances at school and out and about, with must-have luxury items fast becoming signifiers of not just individual prosperity but successful parenting.

Child luxury: a new status for parenting in South Korea

Japanese employees have met a push to introduce a four-day workweek with scepticism due to the high social pressure Japanese feel toward work. However, attitudes might be changing with younger generations, and there’s an opportunity for brands to tap into this shift.

Japanese employees are sceptical of four-day workweek

Chinese people are hiring emotional support companions for hikes, highlighting a larger cultural trend of addressing loneliness through paid companionship. As the loneliness epidemic continues to impact daily life, people are seeking revitalised and supportive ways to socialise.

Chinese hikers are paying climbing buddies for support

REPLAY merges waste material, creativity, and play to promote sustainability by engaging participants in the creative process of construction and reuse. The initiative explores the relationship between people and space and demonstrates how materials can be innovatively recycled and up-cycled.

REPLAY taps sustainability with creative initiative 

A new study reveals a persistent gender pay gap in the UK's architecture sector. As people demand greater equality and inclusivity in the workplace, businesses and brands can address the root causes of this disparity by collaborating with supportive collectives and groups to change systems from within.

Gender pay gap in UK remains high among architects

Lab 54, a UK group, brings pro-level parties to homes for free. They provide sound, lighting, and DJs, transforming homes into vibrant venues. This reflects a shift in nightlife culture as young people seek affordable, intimate alternatives to clubs amid economic pressures and venue closures.

Lab54 house parties revitalise London's dance scene

Research conducted by nutrition and health app Lifesum reveals a staggering gap in menstrual health support in the workplace. People are increasingly prioritising holistic wellbeing and workplace equality, and the demand for comprehensive menstrual health support is growing.

Lifesum reveals gaps in workplace menstrual support 

The novelty of online dating appears to have peaked, with disillusioned singles turning to alternatives like run clubs, speed dating, and game nights. In Australia, young singles are prioritising mental health and personal values, signs of a broader shift in how they are approaching settling down.

Swiped-out Aussies seek alternatives to online dating

Lemay's sustainable chalet prototype showcases eco-friendly design, using reusable materials and harmonising with its surroundings. As demand for green living grows, the project highlights how architecture can meet environmental challenges and offer a blueprint for future sustainable housing.

Canadian chalet design taps eco-friendly living 

Perrier-Jouët has planted a biodiverse installation in its Champagne vineyard to elevate flora and fauna. Amid eco-claim fatigue, the project underscores the importance of scientific observation in regenerative agriculture and highlights how design can facilitate meaningful ecological conversations.

Perrier-Jouët enhances local biodiversity with art

The Mid-Autumn Festival has sparked a surge in local tourism, shopping, and dining in China. The holiday provides an opportunity to spend time with family, travel, and participate in rich traditions as people look to celebrate their heritage against a backdrop of rising national and cultural pride.

Mid-Autumn Festival sparks spending around celebrations

Audible has partnered with sex therapist Chantelle Otten to create an immersive dining experience that encourages conversations around sexual wellness. As food-based aesthetics continue to dictate marketing cool, there’s an opportunity to unlock meaningful indulgence for experience-hungry Aussies.

Audible podcast brings sex therapy to the dining table

While Gen Alpha has witnessed their parents interact and address global issues, they instead are looking to prioritise local and personal matters. Therefore, younger kids are looking to brands to support the challenges facing their communities instead of broader global problems.

Gen Alpha are prioritising local concerns over global

South Korean digital payments platform Naver Pay has launched a feature that allows users to raise a digital pet and earn points while doing so. As more Koreans embrace gamified e-commerce, brands are exploring more innovative mechanisms to keep people emotionally engaged.

Naver Pay levels up gamification with virtual pets

For the first time, sales of pet carriers have surpassed those of baby strollers in South Korea, highlighting the country's low fertility rate and evolving perspectives on gender roles, parenting, and family priorities, as more Koreans choose to invest in pets over children.

Pet strollers outsell baby strollers in South Korea

Meet Grok, the face of AI-powered toy company Curio. The rocket-shaped plushie, voiced by musician Grimes, is designed to have “endless conversations” with kids. But what does the toy tell us about celebrities as creators, American parental burnout, and the perceptions of AI in 2024?

How Curio tells us about AI, parenting, and celebrity marketing

Dating app Drybaby is creating a hub for sober curious singletons to connect offline. The hub taps into the shift among young Americans towards more mindful focused forms of leisure. And as dating app fatigue grows, it also shows the opportunity for brands to support a slower approach to dating.

Drybaby dating app caters to sober curious singletons

Fruittella Brazil launched a sun-activated storybook, Lá Fora É Mais Legal, encouraging kids to play outside by revealing stories only in sunlight. This initiative highlights the importance of outdoor play in reducing the effects of excessive screen time often faced by digital native Gen Alphas.

Fruittella's sun-activating book promotes outdoor play

IKEA is using AI-enabled tech to bridge the gaps between physical and digital shopping, creating a future-oriented retail experience for American customers seeking savings, personalized shopping, and immersive experiences. What does this mean for the shopping landscape in the US moving forward?

Why IKEA uses GenAI and AR to attract American shoppers

In Chengdu, all-women electrician classes are oversubscribed as Chinese women seek to enter the male-dominated electrical trade and learn practical skills for independent living. Women are redefining their role in the workforce, reflecting desires to dissolve outdated gender stereotypes.

38 Fix helps Chinese women break into electrical trade

Target is doubling down on pet lovers, unveiling their limited-edition pet collection, the Cuddle Collab. The brand recognizes the emotional significance and joy pets bring, aligning with people’s expectations for empathy and understanding from brands in their relationships with their furry friends.

Target releases limited-edition pet collection

With social media an integral part of digital natives’ growth and development, the social news and networking platform Reddit stands out for its diverse communities and engaging discussions. The platform provides a space for US teens who are too afraid to talk about sensitive topics with parents.

How Reddit became a trusted adviser to American families

With over 300 million users on Xiaohongshu, the image-sharing platform has become a safe space for Chinese women, giving rise to communities and even unconventional connections – from dating to friendships and job connections. What’s driving these unique ways of building relationships online?

How Xiaohongshu captures new forms of Chinese connections

As singletons fight dating app fatigue, Bored of Dating Apps helps people meet potential partners by hosting offline events that prioritise connection. The platform brings together like-minded individuals through activity-led experiences that urge slow, nostalgic romance over clinical swiping.

How Bored of Dating Apps helps singles find love offline

Do EdTech platforms encourage helicopter parenting? Is conservatism the answer to declining birth rates? How can apps bridge the gap between loneliness and social anxiety? In this part of Expert Outlook 2025, we speak to three experts about how people are mining the past for relationship reconnection.

2025 Expert Outlook on Home and Relationships

Zillow's upgraded AI-powered search lets people describe their ideal home in conversational text, providing tailored recommendations based on millions of listings. Expectations of search and discovery are increasing as AI becomes increasingly used to enhance personalization.

Zillow enhances home search with AI personalization

Tapping into sustainable shoppers in Barcelona, Aesop has launched a new store built on recycled local materials. The brand aims to spotlight its commitment to circularity and sustainability while inspiring others to explore the creative reuse of materials within a unique retail and design experience.

Aesop's anastylosis-centred design targets eco shoppers

The charitable organization has commenced its annual Game to Change the World campaign aimed at Gen Alpha fundraisers. Gaming has become a pivotal tool in Gen Alpha’s sense-making practices, and young audiences will be expecting more than just immersion when it comes to virtual activations.

Comic Relief US nurtures Gen Alpha changemakers

Rising costs, declining work-life balance, and widespread screen addiction are keeping more Americans awake at night. To understand how people are improving and optimizing their sleep, Canvas8 spoke to seven Americans about the steps they’re taking to doze off despite tensions.

How are Americans sleeping amid the permacrisis?

Spanish Gen Zers are swapping dating apps for pineapples in supermarkets, underscoring a broader movement towards more authentic, experience-driven socialising among the youth. Brands can facilitate real-world interactions by creating innovative spaces and experiences for organic connections.

Spanish Gen Zers add a tropical twist to their dating lives

IKEA has launched a peer-to-peer marketplace in Madrid to help customers sell their unwanted furniture directly to others. As the shift towards circularity gains momentum, brands that adopt eco-driven business models can extend their lifespan and deepen consumer trust and long-lasting loyalty.

IKEA trials peer-to-peer marketplace in circularity push

Chinese youth are showing renewed interest in traditional culture and spirituality in an attempt to regain a sense of stability. As discussions around death become gradually more open, funeral handcrafts are providing a meaningful way for Gen Zers in China to connect with heritage.

Chinese Gen Z rediscover traditional funeral art

Feeld, a dating app catering to the vastness of human experience and relationships, sponsored an off-Broadway play called Pretty Perfect Lives. As many grow tired of being bombarded with advertising content, sponsoring cultural production is a more organic, grassroots way of reaching audiences.

Feeld soothes ad fatigue with off-Broadway sponsorship

Multi-generational dance parties are growing in number on the streets of New York, offering a much-needed source of release for locals, young and old. As people navigate the myriad stressors of modern life, they’re yearning for small moments of collective joy to cut through the gloom.

New Yorkers find release in inclusive dance parties

A combination of responsibilities for their children and aging parents and economic challenges mean Gen Xers are feeling financially unprepared for retirement. Many are considering moving in with their kids to make ends meet and may need help broaching these conversations.

Gen X ‘Silver Squatters’ feel unprepared for retirement

A group of Brooklyn mothers have forged a supportive network at the local skate park, taking a more inclusive approach to the sport. Born of desires to escape responsibility and build community, the grassroots group represents a wider movement to redefine the cultural narrative around motherhood.

Skateboarding offers community for New York moms

Home and Relationships

The UK has officially banned the use of puberty blockers to treat gender dysphoria among transgender youth. With access to treatment crucial to wellbeing and wider prejudice against the community growing, there is an urgent need to protect the mental and physical safety of these young individuals.

The UK bans puberty blockers for transgender youth

A Powerade initiative seeks to redefine brand-athlete partnerships by placing importance on holistic wellbeing and the power of breaks. Featuring top athletes, the bold campaign aligns with a cultural shift toward people demanding that brands ‘show up’ with purpose-driven actions.

Powerade cracks 'The Athletes Code' to mental health

Despite widespread panic about the negative impacts of social media, experts stress that a balance of online help and offline connections is needed to help young Australians dealing with anxiety and stress amid limited care access. This is where Momentum comes in, with its free custom online sessions.

How Momentum uses digital culture to tackle youth anxiety

Boredom is rising, according to new research. Even though people are less bored now than they have been historically, the shift towards feeling bored is notable. For brands, there's an opportunity to surprise people with cultural experiences that ignite excitement and counter algorithm-led sameness.

Research on boredom highlights need for spontaneity

With personal care products reflecting the skin-brain connection, neurocosmetics brand JustHuman meets Indians' demand for verifiable ‘clean beauty.' Using a science-backed approach, the brand caters to oft-ignored Gen X women, helping them battle negative environmental changes and stressors.

How JustHuman rethinks beauty for mindful women in India

Secular spiritual communities are emerging as a powerful response to the loneliness crisis, offering inclusive spaces that focus on wellness, social justice, and shared experiences. What do these groups reveal about the search for connection in the digital era and the healing power of rituals?

How secular spiritual communities help tackle loneliness

A report from UN Women sheds light on the increasing amount of violence women and girls face around the world. In response to deepening gender divides, there’s a need for brands to not only showcase positive role models but also highlight the dangers that women and girls experience.

Report highlights threat of violence against women

TikTok has played a significant role in raising ADHD awareness, with the platform serving as a locus of health-related information for many Gen Zers. Despite its potential to fuel misdiagnoses, people are finding relatable content that both reaffirms their identities and supports self-exploration.

TikTok is fuelling a spike in ADHD self-diagnoses

Death cafes provide spaces to discuss mortality openly. Led by end-of-life doulas, they follow simple rules and offer comfort to those grieving. Part of the 'death positivity' movement, these gatherings, along with grief raves and grief-tech, aim to demystify death and provide outlets for grief.

Death cafes offer collective grieving experiences 

Japanese 'healing fiction' featuring cats is gaining popularity among English readers. This iyashikei trend offers comfort amid modern anxieties and everyday challenges, with communities on social media driving interest in soothing yet fantastical narratives that facilitate escapism.

Japanese healing fiction offers cat-based comfort

Australian men have a higher life expectancy than most of their global peers. But obstacles such as low health literacy, stereotypes of masculinity, and a lack of male-centred institutional support are keeping them from being healthier.

How to cater to Aussie men’s desire to be healthier

Amid a loneliness epidemic, finding ways to build meaningful connections is crucial. While social support has typically centred on conversation, emerging research suggests gift-giving could be a key tool to help people feel more connected. How can giving gifts tackle loneliness, and what are the opportunities for brands to tap into?

That’s for me?! The science of gift-giving

The Victorian state government is updating its respectful relationships programme to address toxic masculinity in schools. Brands and governments face the challenge of promoting healthier masculinities without alienating audiences to which they are trying to teach in the process.

Government in Victoria seeks to combat toxic masculinity

Headspace has expanded its in-app offerings with an AI-powered chatbot known as Ebb, which will provide instant and personalized mental health support to users. This move reflects how brands can help clinicians facing burnout, but there remain risks around relying on tech-driven companions.

Headspace adds AI chatbot for mental health support

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has tapped Megan Thee Stallion for a youth suicide prevention campaign. The move highlights the need for accessible, youth-focused health resources and the importance of creating safe spaces for open conversations about mental wellbeing.

Megan Thee Stallion campaign tackles youth suicide

Dementia patients in Belgium have been given access to an AI-powered tool from Kodak that enables them to engage in photo reminiscence therapy. The tool helps to reconstruct memories for which no photo exists and is a prominent example of how AI can potentially democratise access to therapy.

Kodak supports dementia therapy with AI-powered tool

A highly competitive culture in Korea is causing an alarming increase in poor mental health experiences. Yet, the stigma surrounding these illnesses prevents many from reporting them, resulting in their meagre coverage in medical insurance policies, which perpetuates the vicious circle.



Stressed out Koreans want better insurance coverage

A new campaign by Australian Unity reflects the challenge of balancing work and life through multiple life stages, improving representation and services for older Australians. The campaign highlights an opportunity for brands to consider the evolving health needs of older shoppers.

Australian Unity spotlights balance throughout life

Due to post-pandemic fitness rituals, the mainstreaming of weight loss drugs, and the ebb and flow of the trend cycle, thinness is back in the form of the "ballet body." People want brands to care for their mental and physical health and continue to represent all body types. 

'Ballet body' trend signals return to thinness ideals

Asics is continuing its Movement for Mind initiative through a foul-mouthed campaign starring Succession star Brian Cox, who encourages workers to escape their desks and get some exercise. People are emphasizing their fitness and mental health, so wellness is no longer separate from work.

Asics calls for workers to move for their minds

lululemon's 2024 Wellbeing Report found that though people are doing more for their wellbeing, they’re experiencing counterproductive stress to maintain it. These findings highlight the need for more flexible and accessible approaches to wellness that can keep people healthy without pressure.

Study finds people are feeling pressure to appear well

IKEA Singapore's new RESTEN bag is a revamp of their original tote that doubles as a pillow, catering to sleep-deprived Singaporeans. As Asians focus more on wellbeing, the value of sleep is moving beyond a basic need and being coveted as a premium experience that enables slower, mindful living.

IKEA encourages Singaporeans to rest on the RESTEN bag

In a viral letter, the mother of a deceased EY India employee has accused the firm of driving her daughter to death by overwork. The controversy has thrust the country’s brutal workplace culture into the spotlight, and people are calling for meaningful brand actions to put employee wellbeing first. 

Indians demand accountability on EY overwork case

Instagram has recently launched 'Teen Accounts' to offer a safer, more supervised app experience. As Gen Z and Gen Alpha continue to grapple with mental health exacerbated by social media, Big Tech is facing intense scrutiny from the government and parents alike to protect younger users.

Instagram's 'Teen Accounts' put parents in control

A new Virgin Active campaign takes aim at unlicensed wellness advice, urging people to “leave the cult” and “join the club” when it comes to health. As people grow weary of fleeting wellness fads, they’re seeking a more accessible approach to fitness that centres self-care before self-optimisation.

Virgin Active targets harmful fitness fads

Waves of AI-generated tarot readers have begun popping up on TikTok, hinting at new modes of virtual spirituality. As the world’s relationship with tech evolves, people are seeking solace in the digital space, and while emerging AI tools can offer support, experts stress a need for continued caution.

TikTok tarot bots signal rise of virtual spirituality

A report has found that a major scheme helping people in England connect with nature resulted in big improvements in mental health. With a mental health crisis across the UK, there is a need to support people in getting access to care, and connecting to nature is one avenue to help.

Report shows nature prescriptions improve mental health

Prominent content creators are shifting towards slower and less attention-grabbing 'no-edit' formats to recapture audiences fatigued by content overload. In an increasingly saturated social media environment, people are looking to take back control through more mindful modes of consumption.

Creators opt for no-edit content to battle ‘brain-rot’

Mental health

Parents are harnessing various tools to streamline daily life

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