Bianca Matley, Author at The Lucre Group

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Community spirit soars in latest COVID-19 research findings

Giraffe Insights last week announced that it was teaming up with The Lucre Group to provide a weekly barometer for community spirit, unveiling the first results with its COVID-19 CHART, plotting the mood of the nation against a scale of 1 – 10 (1 being ‘None’ and 10 being ‘A lot’).

Week on week, community spirit has seen a significant sentiment increase, with 76 per cent of those polled answering 6 or above for strong community spirit in their locality, an increase of 11 per cent. However, whilst the national mood was slightly lower before, it has seen a huge increase this week, rising from 61 per cent to 80 per cent.

In addition to polling 200 people on a weekly basis for community spirit sentiment tracking, brands and businesses are being invited to put forward any questions they would like asking to insights@lucre.co.uk. The first of these suggestions was to track household contentment throughout the day.

With polarised results based on whether there are kids at home or not, it seems that parents are actually the most content during quarantine, especially during traditional school hours of 9am – 3pm (average of 84 per cent across time period).

Happiness for adults without children peaks between 19.00 and 21.00 hours (86%) but overall, they were much less content, suggesting that children bring joy to a life in quarantine.

Maxine Fox, Managing Director at Giraffe Insights, said:

“It’s great to see that community spirit has not only remained strong but increased this week with us coming together through initiatives such as ‘Clap for Carers’. As specialists in kids, youth and family research, we were not surprised to see parents as the most content and although a difficult balancing act, children can be a welcome distraction in challenging times. Giraffe Insights are tracking further attitudes and behaviours amongst parents and children every other month through ‘Little Voices’. To find out more about these data and insights and how you can be involved please get in touch.”

Tamarind Wilson, Co-founder and Director at The Lucre Group, said:

“We’ve been really interested to see such an uplift in community spirit this week which is symbolic of how the country has come together to help combat this national emergency. Through the bad we’ve seen some incredible acts of community spirit and kindness, from the rainbow drawing campaign through to likes to Best Western Hotels opening its doors to key workers, there’s never been a better time to show the nation how much you care about it.”

The best brands going above and beyond in the fight against coronavirus

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “a woman is like a teabag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water”.

It seems somewhat appropriate to say that now – as the country enters uncharted territories due to the Coronavirus pandemic – Britain is proving itself to be a force to be reckoned with (a bit like a cup of Yorkshire Tea if you ask us!).

The quick actions of brands and retailers around the UK, combined with the resilience of Brits, leaves us feeling hopeful that we’ll be able to get through whatever faces us.

There are so many amazing businesses making a positive change, but we’ve picked out a few that we think showcase how brands are really caring for their customers around the country.

They’re Feeding the Country

Supermarkets are leading the way in supporting their customers, suppliers and staff as the country faces a period of uncertainty, particularly in regard to food and drink provisions.

Both Sainsburys and Iceland have already set aside an hour when stores open each morning to allow the elderly and vulnerable to shop in a clean and safe environment, with other supermarkets likely to follow suite in the near future. Aldi has also donated an incredible £250,000 to Age UK to ensure the vital service will be able to continue.

Morrisons has set out a number of measures to support colleagues, suppliers and customers over the next few months. Its measures include working with Amazon Prime to offer more delivery slots and collection points, supporting customers who are self-isolating and unable to get into stores. The supermarket chain is also implementing immediate payments for smaller suppliers and offering a colleague hardship fund for those impacted by Coronavirus.

They’re Supporting the NHS

The work of the NHS staff is crucial during the next period; McDonalds and Pret a Manger are offering NHS workers free drinks, with the latter also offering 50 per cent off its food range.

LVMH, the parent company of many luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy, has begun the process of developing hand sanitiser for hospitals in place of perfume. Brewdog and Bristol-based gin manufacturer Psychopomp and Circumstance are using in house expertise to fill a desperate need.

They’re Keeping us Entertained and Informed

The BBC will be utilising its extensive platforms across channels, stations and online to keep the public up-to-date with ongoing news around Coronavirus and providing much needed entertainment, such as bringing many of its much loved box sets to BBC iPlayer.

In light of the recent announcement that schools will be closing for most students for the foreseeable future, the BBC has also increased the educational programming across iPlayer and its red button, ensuring school children of all ages won’t miss out.

Local radio stations in England will be launching a virtual church service, led by the Archbishop of Canterbury on Sunday mornings. The BBC is exploring ways it can provide services for other religions, especially in the run-up to Ramadan.

We’re proud to work with some incredible brands which are also doing their bit, including Best Western, which is offering 15,000 hotel bedrooms and over 1,000 meeting rooms to help the NHS and local authorities through the next few months – helping to take the strain off hospital wards and thus allowing the NHS treat the most vulnerable patients.

As a nation, we are heading into a period of uncertainty, but it’s comforting to know that we have some incredible businesses here in the the UK who are ready to step up for the good of the people.

Generation A to Z: Understanding a new consumer era

Generation Z is anticipated to be one of the most purposeful and individually influential generations of this century; highly connected and with a set of emerging values very different from any we have seen in recent times.

The Lucre Group will be unveiling new research into the behaviours and preferences that drive this exciting group of young people. Focusing specifically on 10-18 year olds, we will be assessing their webs of influence and any shifts in comparison to their immediate predecessors, the much discussed, Millennials.

A must-be-there event, organised by the Lucre Group in conjunction with ResearchBods, we will be revealing fresh insights achieved through polling and passive monitoring, to help understand Gen-Z’s values and aspirations.

Appealing to this exciting new audience and corralling their interests and aspirations will be a challenge for any brand. Our findings and experts will shed light on how to effectively engage with this group of confident and opinionated young people.

Join the Lucre Group and signature speakers from ResearchBods, TenEighty Magazine and MediaTrust to debate the findings.

Thursday 30th January
2pm – Arrival
2:30pm – 4:30pm – Discussion
4:30pm onwards – Networking and drinks

Location
Agas Harding Room
The Goldsmiths’ Centre
Clerkenwell
London
EC1M 5AD
(3 minute walk from Farringdon Station)

Numbers are limited, so please RSVP to nick@lucre.co.uk or phone Nick Smith-Shefford on 0113 243 1117.

Top Insights from World Travel Market

Last week we attended World Travel Market (WTM) alongside 51,000 visitors and exhibitors representing a wide variety of companies and sectors operating in the travel industry.

Here at Lucre we are passionate about travel, with WTM the perfect opportunity to attend talks with experts in the field to get the latest industry insights and predictions for the year ahead. Here are some of our top insights from the event.

What the industry should do to reduce plastic waste

With the likes of David Attenborough and celebrities such as Ellie Goulding endorsing the reduction of plastic waste, it’s no surprise that the travel industry is taking note and changing their approach towards environmental issues.

According to Green Tourism, 71% of tourists want more sustainable options, leading to travel providers such as InterContinental Hotel Group making changes, for example ditching mini toiletries with a third of their hotels following suit, as seen reported in the Independent and Telegraph.

The industry is demonstrating how educating staff and collaborating with competitors and consumers is the key to creating a movement for positive change.

Gastro Tourism

Food is one of the main selling points for any holiday, with 80% of travellers basing their choice of location on the range of places to eat and drink during their break according to the World Food Travel Association.

Gone are the days where tourists chose to eat in the restaurant closest to their hotels, with travellers now looking to live like locals and destinations are taking a leading role in becoming storytellers and bringing the experience alive by slowing down consumption and increasing education.

In order to be successful at this, destinations need to be clear about what is authentic to their locality and make this accessible to customers with the help of local chefs and communities.

Wellness

Wellness is shaking up not only the travel industry, but society in general, with an ever-present focus on wellness and mental health in the workplace and beyond. The Wellness Tourism Association notes that solo travel and innovative wellness retreats are becoming more popular and with that we can also see a spike in people willing to travel in car rentals, click here and learn from the experts why. The rise of social media making wellness even more accessible for newcomers. There is also a greater demand for flexibility, with the travel industry having to adapt to suit the need for short and long stays.

The challenge the industry now faces is shifting the demographic from the luxury market to make wellness retreats financially friendly for everyone including younger people. Companies such as Joali Maldives and Accor Hotels believe that education and providing holidaymakers with enriching experiences through activities such as yoga and meditation is the key to success.

By implementing initiatives, including improving sleep schedules, active nutrition and positive movement by offering more than just a fitness gym, travellers are forging meaningful connections with others of similar mindsets and their environment – that they can implement in their personal lives long after their holiday ends.

LGBT

Out Now LGBT reports that LGBT travellers are ultimately looking for a service that offers them both reassurance and respect. Equality is at the forefront of customer’s morals and values, with 70% saying they wouldn’t visit countries that had anti-LGBT laws and social attitudes.

As a result, media specialists are advising that travel companies continue to be progressive in their thinking and be allies in their advertising and editorial coverage. It’s also important that staff are aligned with these ways of thinking, as 28% of LGBT families had a strong concern that they would be judged by hotel staff.

So, what’s next? As we enter the new decade in 2020, understanding audiences is key and companies should be avoiding stereotypes of the typical ‘gay’ to alleviate the concerns of the 39% of travellers who are concerned by what others may think of them. Organisations such as Discover Puerto Rico are offering sensitivity training for all their staff with Evaneos offering personalised and multi-day tours that are matched to the customers, based on their dream trip.

GenZ and Youth Travel

Known as the ‘woke’ generation, Gen Z are drinking less, dismissing gender stereotypes and expecting companies to display a high-level of social responsibility.

According to Contiki, 78% of Gen Z people said they are more loyal to purpose-driven brands than traditional brands and 70% said that the environment and equality are the fundamental issues they care about. These perspectives are forcing travel brands to reconsider their approaches and to continue a consistent narrative throughout the business. Contiki are wanting to involve Gen Z as collaborators and not just as consumers, so are re-positioning their travel experiences to support the local communities and their economies by realigning all 350 of their trips to include conscious travel.

Facebook also credited the rise of AR and VR in the Gen Z generation, with 80% interested in using it. They said that growth requires deep connections with people and culture, for example the Virgin Atlantic pride flight highlighted the importance of incorporating this support throughout the company’s decisions, not just for Pride month.

If you’re looking for an audience-led travel PR strategy, contact us.

The Fourth Meal: Snacking trends in the UK

We’re a nation of happy serial-snackers. Inspired by the latest diets, trends and tastes, increasing numbers of us are ditching the traditional three daily meals, choosing instead to graze throughout the day. Spending less time at home, we’re looking for mouthwatering morsels to satisfy our broad palates and on-the-go requirements.

Savoury snacks, in particular, are growing in popularity. Last year supermarkets sold 12.3 million extra kilos of bagged snacks. That’s an additional £148.6m, bringing the total market value to over £3.2bn (Kantar 2018). Statistics show that production costs of our favourite traditional bagged snacks have risen (2018 was a particularly bad potato harvest) and with few willing to pay more for these products, brands have been forced to both innovate more smartly and to pay particular attention to health implications.

Healthy pickings

It’s no surprise that healthy snacks are the category’s fastest-growing segment. As health awareness increases, we’re looking to food producers to create feel-good on-the-go products with robust health credentials.

Traditional processed snacks, loaded with salt, sugar and calories just won’t cut it. We want satisfying snacks without the guilt, which means food manufacturers are under pressure to clean up labels or provide healthier alternatives that don’t feel like a compromise.

The Free-From sector is expected to grow by 18% over the next three years (Euromonitor) and snack brands are chasing for a piece of the pie. Capitalising on the growth of vegan and flexitarian lifestyles, savvy food brands are racing to develop first-to-market plant-based snacks. Innovation is booming in this high demand, in-vogue category, with ready-to-eat beans, seed bars, puffed chickpeas, and egg white chips all appearing on the health snacking market.

Nutritional value is influencing our shopping choices more than ever; brands are responding by replacing empty calories with functional ingredients, such as high-protein chickpea puffs or fibre-rich roasted beans. As a result, snack packaging has become a riot of functional claims in order to justify the price point and influence purchase.

It’s a busy space and the most successful brands help us snack more happily by ticking more than one healthy box.

State-of-the-art snacks

We’re less brand loyal than we used to be and break old habits more easily. Embracing the new, we’re changing our eating habits on a weekly, or even daily, basis. Disruptive start-ups are taking advantage and challenging the snacking status quo with innovative ingredients, textures, flavours and formats that give slow-moving multinationals a run for their money.

Snacks made from ancient grains like amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat are having a long-awaited comeback. They’re a more worthy, nutritionally-potent replacement for their extruded corn predecessors, and they bring more flavour to the party too. Lotus seeds and sorghum deserve a particular mention, as they’re grains which ‘pop’ or puff rather than being fried, and they’re at the forefront of the popped snack trend which is now rivaling popcorn.

Today’s savvy snackers want to have it all, wherever they are and however they want it, for texture as well as taste. The world’s first drinkable crisps were launched earlier this year; pre-smashed for one-handed on-the-go snacking. The rise of ‘The Big Night In’ means more collective snacking on the sofa, and an increased opportunity for shareable formats like innovative XL packaging sizes or dip accompaniments that elevate the snacking moment.

When it comes to flavour we’re rejecting the old-school fake orange cheese in favour of naturally-derived, unadulterated flavours. Wholefoods (2018) predicted sea greens as an emerging flavour profile for 2019, including umami-rich ingredients like water lily seeds, crispy fish skins and sea fennel. Mintel recently reported,

With the growing interest in natural colours, there is room to incorporate vegetables and florals into new snack offerings. (May 2019)

Snacks have become anything but ordinary. Brands that push the boundaries in health, texture, innovative ingredients, formats and colour are reaping the benefits and ending up in our shopping baskets. Comfort-eating will always be important in this category, but as with every other eating occasion, expectations have accelerated and today’s demanding consumers want constant surprise and delight – even between meals.

We love to push the boundaries for the brands we work with. Get in touch to find out how we can do this for you.

Food Waste: One Year On

Today (24^th April) marks International Stop Food Waste Day, a campaign which calls for us all to become food waste warriors and raise awareness of the global food waste crisis. It’s no surprise that there is now a dedicated day aimed at educating and igniting change regarding the global food waste epidemic.

The topic of food waste has been discussed and debated endlessly in the media over recent years. Whilst we all know that we should be trying to limit our food wastage by freezing leftovers, measuring our portions, considering what we buy and when, and understanding the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’ to prevent throwing away tonnes of edible food every year, many of us admit to contributing to the growing problem.

According to WRAP’s (Circular & Resource Efficiency Experts) research, compiled by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), it is estimated that approximately one-third of all food produced in the world is lost to waste. This equates to a staggering £20 billion worth of food waste in the UK annually and an average of £810 worth of food being thrown away by the average UK family per year.

Wasting food is not only bad for the environment including the climate, but it’s also having a negative impact on our finances. Equally, hungry mouths are a stark example of the cost of food waste with the FAO estimating that 8.4 million people in the UK struggle to afford a meal, despite the UK wasting billions through food waste every year.

Last year, we addressed the topic of the food waste epidemic at our Lucre round table event (as part of our Insight and Ideas hub, which ensures as an agency we are always abreast of the latest trends and consumer behaviour), by celebrating the Innovative Waste Warriors who are making a difference in the war on waste. There are some real super-heroes who are helping to redress the balance and ensuring that unwanted food is put to good use. As well as championing the people, businesses and charities using leftover food to connect and empower, we also hoped to inspire businesses to look at the way they produce food and what they could do differently.

Fast forward a year from our round table event and we wanted to see what approach had been taken more recently to address the growing issue. The UK’s Government’s approach has been supporting the efforts of individual local organisations through a £500,000 Food Waste Reduction Fund. In an effort to reduce food waste, there have also been schemes such as the Courtaould2025 initiative and ‘LoveFoodHateWaste’ led by WRAP. To accelerate work to achieving the targets set out by Courtaould2025, the IGD (the global food and grocery experts) and WRAP have laid out milestones in a Food Waste Reduction Roadmap.

Despite the targets being ambitious, the UK’s largest retailers, food producers, manufacturers, and hospitality and food service companies have signed up to the roadmap in a bid to halve food waste by 2030 and help to drive down the UK’s annual food waste bill.

This year we will also see the introduction of a £15 million pilot scheme come into play to help reduce waste after Environment Secretary Michael Gove announced that the Government has taken steps to improve their food waste policy. Furthermore, the Government has published its new Clean Growth Strategy, detailing its plan for a low-carbon future for the UK and outlining a target to ban food in all landfills by 2020.

Despite there being some initiatives implemented since our event last year, there is no doubt that huge challenges remain when it comes to food waste concerns and that more schemes need to be put in place to address the epidemic.

Lucre News: ‘Appy Days All Round

We’re delighted to announce that yboo, a free-to-download app designed to find a user’s best mobile contract deal, is the latest addition to The Lucre Group’s ‘Tech and the City’ division.

Putting UK consumers at the heart of what it does, yboo is the first app in the world to offer personalised network recommendations based on price and signal strength in the areas where users live, work and hang out. Using powerful big data insights, the ambitious technology company is currently disrupting the mobile industry with its innovative service and is changing the landscape for how consumers purchase mobile deals in the process

Appointed on retainer within the growing ‘Tech and the City’ division, The Lucre Group will support with yboo’s pioneering plans of kickstarting a mobile bill saving revolution. From experiential event planning through to driving awareness across consumer media, trade and digital channels, our work will ensure that yboo is known and used by mobile customers across the UK.

Martyn Gould, CEO of yboo said: “With more people realising the cost saving implications of switching their mobile contract, our app provides consumer clarity on what the best network provider is for them based on price and signal coverage – a first in the UK market. The Lucre Group really understood what our brand was about and what we hoped to achieve, in addition to being armed with creative ideas on how to inform and excite the public. This is the next step in growing the company, and we can’t wait to start working with the team.”

Sophie Spyropoulos, Lucre co-owner and Director added: “It’s an exciting time for yboo and we’re delighted to be chosen as the trusted PR partner. The business has gone from strength to strength in a very short space of time, with ambitious growth plans, and we look forward to supporting them on that journey, building brand awareness among the UK public and in the mobile industry. It’s a fantastic new addition to our rapidly expanding ‘Tech and The City’ division.”

World Sleep Day: Why aren’t Brits making the most of their time in the bedroom? by Rebecca Cheeseman

One of the country’s biggest contradictions is the love and lust for sleep. All we want is sleep, you can ask anyone, yet we all know we don’t get enough and don’t do anything about it. The Brits struggle with balancing the days’ work with sleep is constantly being highlighted in the news. But why can’t we figure out the right balance for activity in the bedroom?

World Sleep Day this Friday, March 15th ‘is designed to raise awareness of sleep as human privilege that is often comprised by the habits of modern life’. It is an event to highlight the importance of sleep in personal health and wellbeing.

Time and time again, sleep is put to the bottom of our to-do lists or an early night is seen as something of a luxury. We are so used to thinking of diet and exercise as the epitome of our wellbeing and our ticket to that perfect ‘healthy lifestyle’ that along with those ideas comes the multi-billion-pound industry which is constantly influencing our decisions. However, many scientists have revealed that sleep plays a huge role in nearly all aspects of our wellbeing, such as lower heart risks and our athletic performance.

However, the fact of the matter is that no one is making money off us sleeping. Realistically, they are losing money. Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings, highlighted that its largest competitors aren’t Amazon, YouTube or even traditional broadcast, but in fact, sleep is their main barrier – that’s a scary thought! Mr Hastings explained, “We’re competing with sleep, on the margin. And so, it’s a very large pool of time.”

Regardless of the fact that we all get excited for that moment when our head hits the pillow at the end of the day, sleep is never thought as an exciting topic. It has never been considered as ‘cool’ to get an early night and go to bed at 10pm, even though we all wish we could. Lack of sleep and waking up at the crack of dawn is seen as ambitious and as having a go-getting attitude. Successful business men and women, politicians and entrepreneurs are not ashamed to admit that they start their days as early as only 3 hours in. For example, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, sets his alarm for 3:45am and it turns out Michelle Obama is an early bird too and likes to wake up 4:30am along with the CEO of Disney, Bob Iger.

However, although the sleep business might not be the most booming industry out there. It’s no surprise that technology has found a place for itself in the market. Even when it is our only time in the day to rest and relax, technology still finds its way into our lives. Continuing from the success of the fitness industry, many fitness devices now offer some form of sleep tracking. The devices don’t directly measure your sleep quality, but they do track movement. But how useful are they? Nancy Foldvary, M.D., from Cleveland Clinic explained “how you feel after a night of sleep is generally the best measure of sleep health”. So, it has opened the doors to another way for people to get obsessed with an aspect of their lives in hope of achieving the craved healthy lifestyle.

As public relations professionals and users of social media, we know there is a day for nearly everything – and if there is a day, there is an opportunity. Park Plaza Hotel & Resorts conducted research around the nations ‘sleep-loss epidemic’ and launched the ‘sleep experience’ as an ongoing commitment to ensure that every hotel guest has a great night’s sleep.

The survey also uncovered some ‘Bed Habits’ that could be contributing to the Brits insomnia. Apart from sleeping, the most common activity we do in bed is watch television (28 percent), play on devices (26 percent) and have sex (17 percent). People aged 55 and above are the most likely to get the recommended number of hours’ sleep each night and are also the least likely to play on a device before bed, suggesting that screen-time can be linked to a lack of sleep. Interestingly, people aged over 55 are also the only age group that are more likely to ‘get intimate’ than pick up their phones when they go to bed.

To conclude – yes, we may all have the same hours in the day as Beyoncé, but even she still needs her sleep.

Can you decipher these World Book Day brainteasers? by Jack Moore

Nowadays it seems there’s a day for everything, from National Meatball Day to World Wildlife Day, there’s something for everyone.

Whilst some might seem less serious than others, awareness days are a fantastic way to shine a light on a certain topic and encourage people to engage with your brand or sector.

One we’re particularly fond of here at Lucre is World Book Day. We’re an agency of avid readers, so we couldn’t let this awareness day slip by without marking the occasion. So, we tasked our RICH content team to create some book-based brainteasers to challenge even the biggest bibliophile. Have a go and see how many you can decrypt…

How did you get on? If you’re stuck or just want clarification of your impressive literary knowledge, you’ll find the answers below.

Fun brainteasers like these are a fantastic asset for a brand to have and are easily transferable across social, digital and traditional media in paid, earned, shared and owned channels. Check out this tough teaser our RICH team created for Holiday Extras, which earned coverage on the MailOnline and Metro, as well as engaging thousands across social media.

Answers:

Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Eat, Pray, Love
Heartburn
Boy Under Water

If you came from our social channels…

1984
The Bees

Fantastic film, by Ben Frith

There aren’t many things as powerful as cinema so, with awards season in full swing, it’s only natural that brands are doing all they can to link themselves with stories seen on screen and benefit from the buzz.

Who can blame them? The furore generated by Hollywood’s most successful films and television shows is strong enough to surpass any number of awards on a shelf, and often changes the light in which audiences see something for far longer than the time spent watching them.

The tourism industry is perhaps one of the best at capitalizing on this potential. In the years since Games of Thrones chose Dubrovnik as its double for King’s Landing (the capital of Westeros for those not acquainted), the small town has become one of Croatia’s most sought-after destinations. In fact, Dubrovnik Tourism Board putting its increase of between 9 – 12% visitors every year down to the show. Similar stories can be told of New Zealand, Austria and even here in the UK.

We certainly know how to capitalize on this for our travel clients (our coverage in Good Housekeeping and Harper’s Bazaar for Super Break proves that!), but the silver screen’s influence expands outside of the locations seen on it.

To coincide with this year’s Academy Awards, Odeon unveiled its very own accolade – the ‘Osc-her’ to highlight that only 10.7% of winners throughout Oscar history have been female and support the 75% of Brits that are calling for women to be better represented at the annual awards ceremony. It isn’t the first time the brand has used the ceremony to entice its audience though. Back in 2016, it also renamed its Leicester Square cinema as ‘Leodeon’ in honour of Leonardo DiCaprio.

Aqua Shard also tossed its hat into the ring by launching a Mary Poppins Returns-inspired afternoon tea. Complete with a supercalifragilisticexpialidocious selection of treats, the sweet selection was covered everywhere from Good Morning America to Pretty52, demonstrating how successful these links can be in the Food & Drink sector as well.

With another year of great television and film ahead of us, we’re already looking forward to seeing exactly how this influence will seep out beyond the screen over the coming months.

Simple steps for a fairer future, by Nick Horbowyj

Today marks the start of Fairtrade fortnight, a time when we put the spotlight on how the food, drink and other goods we consume are produced.

The clue is in the name… it’s about being fair – acceptable prices, decent working conditions, sustainability and better terms for farmers and workers across the developing world.

It has also never been easier to switch to Fairtrade produce, with one of the UK’s biggest supermarkets, Sainsburys, being the world’s largest retailer of Fairtrade products. Of course, many other supermarkets and food retailers also stock Fairtrade goods, which are easily identifiable by the black, blue and green Fairtrade logo. However, did you know that it goes beyond the usual tasty treats of chocolate and coffee? If you’re interested in making your buying power fairer for all, here’s some other areas to consider:

Ethical bling

If you want your next piece of jewellery to have an ethical shine, understand the labradorite meaning. Doing so ensures small-scale miners are paid a fair price, thus giving them financial security. Plus, it means you get something truly unique.

Beauty that’s more than skin-deep

If you want your body butter buying to make a difference, then go for one of the many businesses now opting to make their products with Fairtrade ingredients, such as Fair Squared and Odylique.

Sleeping soundly

What better way to get a good night sleep than safe in the knowledge you’re supporting your sheet suppliers! Fairtrade cotton has taken off with homeware suppliers, so pick up your ethical duvets and divan covers at the likes of John Lewis, Sleep Organic and White & Green.

For more information on stockists of Fairtrade goods, visit the Fairtrade website.

The UK’s OK – top staycation destinations for 2019, by Sophie Whitehead

Ever thought about a staycation in the UK? It seems that 40% of us plan to make multiple trips around the country this year and it’s easy to see why.

You can start to think beyond gloomy weather forecasts and endless games of Guess Who. The recent Reader Travel Awards, carried out by Wanderlust, highlights some of the Top UK holiday destinations of 2019 and, with highlights ranging from Scotland to Snowdonia, there’s something on the list to satiate all manner of holiday desires. For those wishing to abandon passport problems and airport angst, look no further than the following list…

Intrepid travellers, take note: wilderness is firmly in the mix for staycationers in 2019, with several of the top 10 locations ideally suited for the adventurers amongst us. Gaining silver place on the list was the Lake District – with walks around Lake Windermere continuing to prove popular for fervid expeditioners alike. Thrill seekers looking to test their abilities can try Mount Snowdon – the successful will be rewarded with breathtaking views. With the Peak District and the Cotswolds also nabbing spots on the list, 2019 is set to be the year to clear out the cobwebs – just grab some walking boots and you’re good to go.

If you’re looking to relax (join the club) look no further than the Highlands. This remote location bagged gold at the Awards – a quick google search and you’ll see why. Rugged coastline, medieval castles, a search for the elusive ‘Nessie’ – whatever your holiday habits, there’ll be something to entertain you. If that all sounds a little too active and you’re pining for a piña colada on sandy beaches, check out this list of Hawaii-esque Highlands beaches.

If you’re amongst the 48% of holiday-makers looking to book a city break this year, you’d be hard pushed to find a better location than Edinburgh. With Portobello Beach, Arthur’s Seat and plenty of pubs in between, Scotland’s capital is the perfect way to while away a weekend. If you’re looking for a culture kick, the Modern Art Gallery, National Gallery of Scotland and Summerhall are just a few of the brilliant free galleries at your disposal.

So, if you’re looking for a hassle-free holiday, get one of these locations on your list. Leave the currency crises and packing predicaments behind and gear up for a UK holiday in 2019…who knows, you might be very lucky with the weather!

Valentine’s Day: An international day of great waste, by Sarah Hogg

We’ve all seen Poundland hit headlines in the past few weeks with two ‘romantic’ stunts; the Gift Of Nothing and the £1 Bling Ring.

While some customers thought it was hilarious, there was widespread backlash surrounding the Gift Of Nothing – a heart-shaped empty plastic package, accompanied by the tagline “exactly what you asked for” with Poundland forced to defend the stunt as “a bit of fun”. Equally wasteful, albeit less obviously, was the company’s £1 engagement ring, designed to be a placeholder for a ‘proper’ engagement ring, for when the proposer can afford one. Poundland are rumoured to have sold 20,000 of these rings, with even the nation’s sweetheart Stacey Dooley, upon examining the ring, admitting that she wouldn’t “mind that at all, actually”. The ‘buy cheap now, buy replacements later’ mentality behind these rings, is exactly the same mentality that has caused fast fashion brands to receive negative publicity recently, which Stacey herself investigated in the documentary ‘Fashion’s Dirty Secrets’ that aired just before Christmas.

And Poundland is by no means the only culprit when it comes to sustainability on Valentine’s Day. What about every greeting card bought that is individually wrapped in a plastic sleeve? The traditional chocolates linked to causing widespread deforestation and flowers likely paired with an enormous carbon footprint due to 90% of UK flowers being imported? And both gifts usually wrapped in plastic film too.

But, it’s not all doom and gloom in the run up to the big day, as there are brands doing good in regards to sustainability, but they’ve yet to make the big PR splash that the likes of Poundland have achieved. For example, Paperchase has launched a Conscious Living Collection, despite 90% of their cards already being made from recycled materials, and Marks & Spencer, which also hit headlines for the infamous Love Sausage, is trialling ‘naked’ cards across 119 stores, where all plastic sleeves have been removed and both cards and envelopes are 100% recyclable.

For years, we’ve seen discussion around millennials valuing experiences over products and shifting towards purpose-led brands, so why do brands seem to ignore this insight when it comes to Valentine’s Day? According to a recent Nielsen poll, 73% of Millennials have demonstrated a willingness to pay more for products that are sustainable. And while, according to Marketing Week, “the overwhelming majority of consumers are glad companies are offering plastic-free alternatives, brands have got to make it easy and cost effective to make a sustainable choice or consumers simply won’t make the switch.”

With so many people falling out of love with the day itself, not least for its obvious commercialism, it’s time for brands to take a more considered approach to campaigns, and lets hope that by Valentine’s Day 2020 they will be adapting to include eco-friendly initiatives.

The egg that cracked the sensitivity surrounding mental health, by Louise Bailey

On January 4^th, Instagram met its soon-to-be most liked photo in the shape of an egg (called Eugene). Taking over Kylie Jenner as the ‘queen’ of social media, the world_record_egg profile soon earned over 10m* followers and racked up almost 53m likes on its Instagram post. It was a verified sensation.

With no apparent concept behind the egg’s launch, the world eagerly waited two whole weeks to see what it would do next. At this point, behind the scenes, a partnership was drawn up between the profile’s creators The Egg Gang and the streaming site Hulu that would change the course of the egg forever!

The egg’s next updates consisted of three selfies showing its shell starting to crack, gradually getting worse in each picture, with no caption to explain why. The account’s fifth image showed the egg with considerably more cracks, donning a design similar to that of an American football, right before the iconic Super Bowl Sunday – celebrated not only in America but across the globe. On February 5^th, the egg’s new purpose was finally revealed to the public…to highlight the effect social media plays on our mental health. Through a moving and captivating video, the egg demonstrated its struggle to keep on top of the pressures that came with being a social media influencer and cracked. It then encouraged those feeling like they needed some extra support to visit www.talkingegg.info where they could find a list of support groups and charities in various countries.

Although the video was first aired on streaming site Hulu as part of its Super Bowl coverage, Hulu ensured all the focus of this video and supporting posts was given to Mental Health America. This approach allowed a very clear, clean and clever message to be taken from the content making it far more impactful in the process. The egg has opened the eyes of people across the globe to the pressures social media plays on today’s culture and we love it.

We applaud the egg, and Hulu, for helping to make such a sensitive subject more approachable in a modern and engaging way – utilising the platform it references as a key factor in the issue itself and helping to achieve something positive through it.

*figures correct at the time of posting.

Image credit: Instagram @world_record_egg

How are young people consuming media in the UK? by Jack Moore

Young people are sometimes a mystery, a law unto themselves, so when OFCOM released their yearly Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report a collective sigh of relief was breathed by PR and marketers across the UK.

Reaching young people with engaging, relevant and impactful messages can be tough. Even the likes of Facebook have been struggling to understand this audience and have reportedly been paying young people to gather insights based on their phone and web activity, dubbed “Project Atlas”.

So, to avoid having to create a dubious app to ‘spy’ on young people’s phone activity, we’ve broken down some of the most interesting statistics from OFCOM’s research.

TV and Social Media are Important Sources of News for Young People

OFCOM’s report states that six in ten 12-15 year olds actively seek out news on at least a weekly basis, the most popular source of which is TV with 29% citing it as their most used source. It can sometimes be an easy trap to fall into, ignoring traditional channels like TV to reach young people, however the research reveals that it’s a media source they’re engaging with.

It can be an easy trap to fall into that teens are exclusively glued to their phones, browsing Instagram, so this finding really does highlight the importance of a well-rounded strategy that focuses on a variety of channels in order to deliver your message to young people. Whilst social media is still hugely important (22% cited it as their most used channel for news consumption), don’t forget about ‘old’ TV.

Vloggers are a Source of Content and Creativity

Like it or not, YouTubers and vloggers are now household names and celebrities. Zoella, KSI and Pewdie Pie are just a handful of global stars that made their name creating vlogs on YouTube. Compared to 2017, 3-15 year olds are more likely to watch YouTube vloggers, with over half (52%) of 12-15 year olds now claiming to watch them.

Vloggers offer a fantastic collaboration opportunity for brands looking to reach a younger audience. Last year we worked with BIC Stationery and YouTubers Olivia Grace & Just Jodes as part of the BIC Design and Shine campaign to great effect. Using the vloggers fantastic creativity and audience, we increased visibility, drove traffic to the web hub and importantly engaged teens in a fun and exciting way with the BIC Stationery.

Facebook’s Popularity with Young People Drops

2018 was not a great year for Mark Zuckerberg. If he wasn’t appearing in front of a Senate hearing regarding Facebook’s role in the Russian interference in the US elections, he was being poked fun at and becoming a meme. To add to his woes, it appears that young people’s interest in his platform are dropping. In 2017, 40% of 12-15-year olds nominated Facebook as their main social platform, but this has since dropped to 31%.

Main social media sites used among 12-15s with a social media profile

So, if teens are falling out of love with Facebook, what are they using instead? When surveyed, 31% of 12-15-year-olds claimed Snapchat was their main social media platform, equal to Facebook’s popularity. The real rising star of social media, however, is Instagram. Last year only 14% of 12-15-year-olds claimed that it was their go to platform, with that figure now sitting at 23% and expected to continue rising.

If you haven’t already, it might be time to expand your social channels to include these platforms and use the multitude of tools they offer to create fantastic content that will engage your teen audience.

All in all, reaching and engaging young people can be a difficult task, especially if a brand isn’t naturally associated with this audience. The OFCOM report is certainly a great place to start to understand the media consumption habits of young people, but the next step which can often be the hardest is creating campaigns that will resonate with an audience that can sometimes be hostile to brands they’re unfamiliar with or that miss the mark with their content (see Reddit’s cringe inducing r/FellowKids for some examples…)

With that, here’s a shameless plug for a campaign we’re particularly proud of that engaged 13-24-year olds in the UK and Ireland for our client BIC Stationery. For BIC Write and Shine we devised a strategy that utilised earned media, paid and organic social media, influencers and experiential activity that increased visibility and positively impacted sales of the BIC^® 4 Colours Shine pen.

Is frozen and tinned food about to have its day? by Naomi Stafford

News broke last week that in anticipation of a no-deal Brexit, the government has been drawing up plans to stockpile processed foods, should they still have not worked out a way to maintain the free flow of goods between EU producers and the UK.

Some consumers have also chosen to do the same and stock their store cupboards and freezers with more tinned and frozen goods than ever before, helping to put the spotlight on the convenience and affordability of such goods. This does raise the question on whether we should we be eating more tinned and frozen food as well as fresh?

The demise of the weekly big shop

As a nation we have become accustomed to buying fresh produce frequently with supermarkets now offering longer opening hours, and express stores popping up across the country. This means that we have moved away from the once weekly big shop and are stocking up on fresh goods more frequently. More often than not, this fresh fruit and veg is left to rot at the back of the fridge taking a hit on our wallets.

Meal planning in advance

In the past, we wouldn’t have had any choice but to consume more tinned and frozen goods. We were not able to decide on what we felt like cooking on an evening and inevitably pop to the supermarket for missing ingredients, so meals had to be planned in advance. Buying tinned and frozen produce will cut down on the ordeal of the supermarket shop and also make us consider how much food we buy and waste.

Combating the myth

Some people may steer away from canned and frozen food because they believe they are lower in their nutritional content, but this isn’t the case. Canned and frozen food can become part of a balanced diet and is great for when you’re short on time as it offers convenience. There’s a big misunderstanding that canned and frozen food isn’t good for you, but this is not necessarily the case. In the canning process, protein, fat, carbohydrates, minerals and fat-soluble vitamins are maintained. While water-soluble vitamins are heat sensitive and lost during the canning process, in corn and tomatoes the heating step actually brings out more antioxidants – which is good news for us! What’s more, canned and frozen food can sometimes be more nutritious than fresh as it is harvested and canned or frozen at peak freshness.

Cost-effective and convenient

Canned and frozen goods are more readily available than fresh produce and are often a lot more affordable. These days you can find tinned and frozen food at the petrol station when you go to fill up your car, so there is no need necessarily to go to your local supermarket. Perfect for convenience when you’re short on time!

Cutting down on food waste

Buying canned and frozen food can actually help decrease food waste as they have a longer shelf and freezer life than fresh. Just think of the pennies you could save and the positive impact you’d have on the environment. This is a topic we feel passionate about here at Lucre having held a Roundtable event on the matter last year where we celebrated the Innovative Waste Warriors who are making a difference in the war on waste. There are various people, businesses and charities who are using food waste to innovate, connect and empower and we were proud to give them a voice in the hope of inspiring other businesses to do the same.

It is certainly an interesting debate and while we’re not saying that we should all avoid the fresh food aisle in the supermarkets, perhaps we should take a moment to reconsider how we shop.

Food and mood, by Emily Cording

Whether it’s in print, online or through use of social media, it seems everyone wants to offer their thoughts on what we should and shouldn’t be eating.

At times, it can often feel overwhelming trying to work out what is supposedly best, which is why it’s more important than ever to focus on how improving our diet can in turn help to improve our mood, energy levels and mental health.

A recent article by MIND looks to analyse the relationship between what we eat and how we feel by offering some top tips to improve your mood with a healthy lifestyle:

Eat Regularly

Avoid letting your blood sugar drop too low between meals as this can lead to feeling tired, irritable and depressed. Choose to eat foods that release energy slowly and keep you fuller for longer.

Eat the right kind of fats

Our brains need fatty acids to keep working well, which is vitally important when it comes to productivity. Try incorporating more oily fish, poultry, nuts and seeds into your diet as a starting point, or if you’re a veggie, chia seeds, flaxseeds, edamame beans and other omega-rich, plant-based sources.

Increase your protein intake

Protein contains amino acids which help our brains to regulate thoughts and feelings (although Instagram will tell you it’s solely for ‘gains’) and helps us feel fuller for longer, so as to avoid those pesky mood dips

Stay hydrated

We’re constantly told we should be drinking at least two litres of water a day, and for good reason, as dehydration makes it difficult to concentrate and think clearly. So, drink up everyone!

Get your five-a-day

This advice is pretty difficult to avoid – we all know that a hearty helping of fruit and vegetables gives us those all-important nutrients to keep us physically and mentally healthy.

So, do you agree? Whilst these are all really useful tips, I for one am not sure they’re enough to steer me away from a good old pizza and some chocolate when the cravings arise because after all, what could make you feel better than your favourite food…

Fyre Festival: Three lessons we can learn about influencer marketing, by Jack Moore

If, like many others, January is your month of hibernation whilst you wait for the first pay cheque of 2019 to land, you may have seen Netflix latest documentary FYRE: The Greatest Party That Never Happened.

If you’ve not seen it yet, it can be best described as a car crash in slow motion that you can’t take your eyes off.

Beyond the disaster that was the festival and the heart-breaking stories of local people and businesses being left out of pocket to the tune of thousands of dollars, FYRE’s use of high-profile influencers has come under the spotlight and sparked further debate around this already hot topic.

We’ve highlighted three key lessons to be learned from FYRE festival’s influencer marketing efforts to ensure the same mistakes aren’t made again.

Authenticity

FYRE paid huge sums of money for influencers with millions of followers to post about their festival. Looking past the colossal amount of money paid, the documentary highlighted one thing; the influencers chosen were mercenaries that didn’t understand exactly what FYRE festival was.

This was summed up succinctly by Brett Kincaid, Director of the festival launch video who said;

It was them [FYRE] partying with talent that didn’t really know what they were there to do.

Working with influencers that have no interest in your product, offering or brand can create content that lacks authenticity. By teaming up with influencers that have shown they are fans of your brand already or share a key passion point, you’ll find the content is far more honest which will shine through to their audience.

[A selection of the “FYRE Starters” taken from a FYRE pitch deck]

Budgets & Strategy

As mentioned in the previous section, FYRE’s chosen influencers were high profile and collectively had hundreds of millions of followers. On top of this, FYRE’s budgets were ginormous with Kendall Jenner’s post alone reportedly costing an eye watering $250,000.

But did FYRE receive a good return on their investment? No. The clever folks over at Influencer Marketing Hub did a little maths of their own and calculated that if all 8,000 tickets sold (less than a quarter of the 40,000 tickets available) were attributed to Kendall Jenner’s post, it would equate to “little more than 1/10^th of 1%” of her audience. The Marketing Heaven can help companies reach more people and get better views.

This almost certainly could have been achieved with significantly less budget too with higher engagement rates utilising micro-influencers. This is not to say that there is no place for macro influencers or high-profile celebs in an influencer strategy, there certainly is, however FYRE’s use of this type of influencer and the return they received was grossly miscalculated.

Transparency

Each week it seems Instagram stars are named and shamed by the ASA for their lack of transparency and as you’ve probably guessed, FYRE also fell afoul of the USA’s consumer protection agency, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

A host of the influencers, including the aforementioned Kendall Jenner, are in trouble after failing to disclose that their content was an advertisement on top of another law suit which claims they mis-sold the festival and failed to deliver on their ads. In the big scheme of the calamitous FYRE festival this may sound like a small problem, but for UK brands undertaking influencer activity a call out by the ASA could derail a campaign and bring unwanted attention to the brand.

Despite the negative attention that the FYRE debacle has brought on influencers, they’re certainly not going away anytime soon. Utilised in an authentic, appropriate and legal manner they can be a huge asset to any campaign or ongoing press office activities and deliver meaningful results that have an impact on brands and deliver a fantastic return on investment. Don’t be fooled by FYRE’s big budget flop, with careful planning and significantly less budget influencers can be a fantastic tool in a marketer’s arsenal.

There are always two sides to a debate, so if you’d like to read a slightly different take on the success of Fyre Festival’s digital marketing, be sure to check out the blog our friends at Optimind have written.

If you’ve made it this far and you’re interested in discussing how a fantastic influencer marketing strategy could deliver meaningful results for you, get in touch at hello@lucre.co.uk.

A flavour for 2019, by Amy Holt

If there’s one thing we know a lot about (and eat a lot of!) it’s food. From vegans to pegans, the latest diets are constantly changing, and it can be hard to get your head round what is all means, so we’ve put what the experts are saying into something a little more digestible.

The Rise of Veganism

It’s hard to miss the Vegan trend that’s sweeping the nation this year and with nearly three million people in the UK expected to try a vegan diet this year, the country is busting the myth we’re a nation of meat-eaters.

According to a recent study, the UK has just overtaken Germany as the world leader for Vegan food launches, with 16% of new launches being vegan and 34% of consumers saying they’ve cut down on their meat consumption.

The high-street is jumping on the trend, and with multiple launches in January alone, including the Waitrose fishless fish fingers and the infamous Greggs sausage roll, it’s easy to get on board the vegan bandwagon (unless you’re Piers Morgan.)

The Power of Pegan

Even though it’s only one letter change, and you might never have heard of it until now, the pegan diet has been tipped to be one of the biggest food trends of 2019. According to Pinterest, searches for pegan eating are up by a huge 3337%.

So, is it just another diet fad, or something worth paying attention to? In short, the pegan diet combines elements of the paleo and vegan diets and encourages people to eat whole foods that are fresh and organic. It might not be for everyone, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with getting your fruit and vegetable fix.

War on Waste

As people are becoming savvier about food wastage, the food and drink industry is reinventing the wheel when it comes to it.

Whilst 2018 saw the war on the plastic straw, Whole Foods have predicted that 2019 will see an even bigger emphasis on reusing with more shops encouraging customers to be more conscious about their food wastage. M&S is the latest big name to start selling fruit and vegetables free of all plastic packaging in a bid to reduce their plastic waste by 580 tonnes over two years.

Television programmes such as Blue Planet 2 with David Attenborough are also highlighting the devastating impact of plastics on the world’s oceans and raising awareness on a national scale. Brands are tackling the problem head on, with Highland Spring announcing that it will become the first UK water brand to introduce a 100% recycled bottle.

So, have you pledged to cut the plastic this year? What food trend will you be getting your teeth into this year?

The drones we love and hate, by James Harris

Following flights being grounded at Heathrow after yet another drone sighting, alarm bells quickly start ringing.

After 1,000 flights were interrupted during Gatwick’s 36-hour shutdown back in December you immediately ask yourself how long Heathrow will be shut for, whether or not you know anyone flying in or out of the airport over the next few days, or how you’d feel if this interrupted any of the holidays you’ve got planned.

With all the inevitable anger surrounding drones as a result of these major airport shutdowns, it’s easy to forget how drones have revolutionised how we live.

Would the nation have fallen in love with nature documentaries such as Planet Earth had we not been using this advanced technology? Drones are now essential pieces of kit for film crews and have opened up access to stunning videography of natural wonders never seen before. Aside from their military use, they have changed how we see the world and are likely to alter how we live in the future too.

Don’t forget how we use drones for reconnaissance missions which can help find survivors after natural disasters; catching poachers in national parks; aiding weather forecasting by gaining insights from storms that piloted aircraft wouldn’t be able to fly into; and applying fertiliser to specific areas of farm crops that are failing. These are just some of a myriad of benefits that the technology already brings.

Looking to the future, Amazon Prime Air has been in testing since the retail giant successfully delivered its first package via drone back in 2016. The new service is set to meet increasing consumer demand for ever-faster delivery services, with Amazon claiming the new technology will offer delivery within just 30 minutes.

Who knows, we might even be getting drones to work instead of the Tube sooner than we think too. However, the Civil Aviation Authority’s recent woes will surely delay such ambitious plans.

There is unquestionably a need to tackle the illegal use of these flying machines and the Home Office is set to evaluate a range of counter-drone technology in the UK following the airport attacks. However, let’s not forget what this incredible technology can provide.

2019 travel trends, by Naomi Stafford

Across all industries there are predictions on what is going to be hot for this year and travel is no different. Many of the trends are influenced by the topics that have generated the most headlines over 2018 – think artificial intelligence and environmental issues.

Following research with 21,500 travellers across 29 countries and guest reviews of over 163 million guest reviews, Booking.com has given an exclusive sneak peek as to what travellers can expect in 2019 and revealed its top travel trends. So, if you want to know exactly what you’ll be doing when you next jet away, read on:

Micro travel

According to Booking.com, over half of travellers from around the world (53 per cent) plan on taking more weekend trips, with 2019 being the year of ‘bite sized travel.’ As a nation, we love long weekend jollies that allow us to make the most of our annual leave. By splitting it into small chunks, it gives us the chance to explore new destinations in shorter time frames. One weekend you could be in any one of the hotels in Liverpool and the other weekend you could be Blackpool.

We’ve seen many improvements across the travel industry over the last few years with better flight routes, cheaper flights, accommodation, car rentals and transport, meaning that micro trips are set to really take off . Unique accommodation for short trips away is also going to be a hot topic, so if you originally dismissed that tree house, think again!

Conscious travel

2019 is going to be the year for the conscious traveller, with human rights, working conditions and environment issues impacting our choice of travel destinations.

Half of the travellers surveyed by Booking.com felt social issues were really important when choosing where to go. Also, over half will decide not to go to a destination if they believe it will negatively impact the people who live there.

Safety is also of vital importance to travellers. New platforms such as Destination Pride are popping up all the time, which provide jet-setters with a ranking of how LGBT+ friendly their chosen travel destination is, while organisations are showing their support for women choosing to travel alone.

Artificial intelligence

We heard more and more about artificial intelligence in 2018 and now it is also being seen in travel. Booking.com thinks key-less room access with your phone, personalised travel tips and robotic concierge who can communicate with guests in their first language, are predicted to be taking over our holidays in 2019.

The stats from Booking.com say that travellers are reportedly more enthusiastic then ever about real-time luggage travel through a mobile app (57 per cent) – goodbye lost luggage! They said that having a single app for all their planning, booking and travel needs would be welcomed and that they would consider using self-driving transportation in their destination (40 per cent).

Next year, we’ll see more tech developed to support the research stage for your next trip, too. 31 per cent of those surveyed admitted to the idea of liking a ‘virtual travel agent’ in their home. One in five said they’d want augmented reality to help them familiarise themselves with a destination before they land.

The bespoke experience

We all like it when things are made easier for us and this is no different with travel. In the survey, 34 per cent of travellers admitted that they would like someone, or something, to do the hard work for them and make travel recommendations. 41 per cent also want AI to make travel suggestions for them based on their past destinations. A digital tour guide was also met with excitement by 52 per cent of people.

Out of this world travel

With NASA starting construction of its Luna Space Station next year, space traveller is becoming more of a reality by the day. In 2019, we’ll continue to see vast investment in orbital spaceflight as people become more intrigued by travelling literally to the moon.

Four in ten travellers admit they are excited about the idea of space travel and would consider taking off to space (38 per cent).

While we might not be travelling to space this year (we’re not quite there yet!), people are becoming more adventurous as to where they holiday – 60 per cent of travellers want to stay somewhere under the sea.

Trips with a purpose

Forget university, Generation Z will start questioning whether they can learn more life skills while travelling than from a degree. This year will see people wanting to pick up a new skill whilst on holiday, rather than just catching some rays.

Whether it’s volunteering or a skills-based holiday, more of us will be looking to take part in a cultural exchange or complete a work placement across the pond to equip us with new skills.

Authentic experiences

Travel with experience was a big trend in 2018, but Booking.com thinks it will go on step further in 2019. They found that 60 per cent of travellers value experiences higher than material possessions, making unique and authentic experiences extremely popular.

Sustainability

Plastic and the environment was a hot topic in 2018 and it will reflect our travel choices this year, too. It’s predicted we’ll be looking for more sustainable experiences that won’t have a huge impact on the planet. With more people looking to enjoy an environmentally friendly holiday, we’ll also see new organisations launch, placing eco-friendly travel at their core.

Do you agree with the above? What travel trends do you think will be big this year?