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Italian pet food company FORZA10 has launched FIL BLU, a wet cat food that transforms an environmental crisis into a gourmet meal. The product features blue crab, an invasive North American species that has colonized Italy's Adriatic Sea, devastating local marine ecosystems and threatening the livelihoods of traditional fishermen in the Polesine region. What makes this crustacean particularly destructive is its voracious appetite and rapid reproduction rate, disrupting the delicate balance that sustains native species.The collaboration brings together universities, fishing cooperatives and pet food specialists to create what the company frames as a "virtuous supply chain." Beyond addressing the ecological emergency, FIL BLU offers cats a protein source rich in omega-3 fatty acids, essential minerals like selenium and zinc, plus B-vitamins. FORZA10 has committed to donating proceeds from the product to local fishing cooperatives, creating an economic incentive for fishermen to actively harvest the invasive species while supporting the development of this new processing infrastructure.TREND BITEThe FIL BLU initiative represents a maturing approach to invasive species management, where environmental problems become business opportunities. While it isn't the first brand to turning ecological threats into pet treats (Chippin, for example, focuses on silver carp), FORZA10 adds a strong local twist.The narrative of saving the Adriatic and supporting Polesine fishermen anchors a sustainability story in cultural pride, appealing both to consumers who scrutinize the environmental impact of their purchases and those who might be more easily swayed by an emotional connection to national identity and regional heritage.
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Marketing and Advertising
Founded by Mirror's Brynn Putnam, Board just introduced what it's calling a face-to-face game console. It's a 24-inch touchscreen paired with physical game pieces a sponge, a rocket, a knife that interact with on-screen play without requiring controllers. Launching with 12 original titles designed by veterans from studios behind Manifold Garden and 7 Wonders Duel, Board aims to slot somewhere between traditional board games and digital entertainment. The system supports competitive and cooperative play for groups of varying sizes and ages, with gameplay spanning strategy, puzzles and arcade-style challenges.The company positions Board as "together-tech," a deliberate counterpoint to the solitary screens that have come to dominate leisure time. By replacing handheld controllers with tactile objects that players manipulate directly on the board, the device lowers barriers to entry, particularly for older adults and young children. Board will be available through the company's website and at Camp retail locations across the United States starting in November, selling for USD 499 (limited-time offer).TREND BITEAfter years of hyper-personalized digital experiences delivered through phones, tablets and VR headsets, a countermovement is emerging. People are gravitating toward activities that restore face-to-face interaction: communal cooking, tabletop RPGs, pickleball leagues. By framing technology not as a replacement for human connection but as a medium that facilitates it, the console taps into digital fatigue while offering the engagement and novelty that screens deliver.
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Marketing and Advertising
Mooie Boules, a Dutch hospitality company built around jeu de boules and other games, is tackling isolation and division in an unexpected way: by handing over its venues. Through a newly established foundation called Mooie Buurt ("beautiful neighborhood"), all nine of its locations across the Netherlands will be available free of charge during daytime hours for community groups and residents who want to bring people together. No rental fees, no minimum spend just space, games and drinks provided at no cost to anyone organizing events that foster connection.Through the foundation, each venue doubles as a commercial bar in the evenings and a community hub during the day. A pilot program last year hosted 50 social initiatives, generating 5,500 new encounters, with 45% of participants reporting they felt more connected to their neighborhoods afterward. With half a million annual visitors across its locations, Mooie Boules is betting its scale and foot traffic can amplify impact where government programs fall short.TREND BITEAs political polarization deepens and social safety nets fray, businesses can leverage their physical infrastructure to build common ground and facilitate connections. Mooie Buurt exemplifies a shift from corporate social responsibility theater to structural intervention brands deploying their real estate, customer base and operations to address social fragmentation.For hospitality businesses, daytime is often either dead time or a struggle to fill. Instead of trying to squeeze marginal revenue out of quiet hours, Mooie Boules is giving them away to community groups. For businesses sitting on underutilized space during off-peak hours, the question becomes: can your empty tables, meeting rooms or storefronts become engines of social cohesion? And will customers reward brands that use their infrastructure to stitch communities back together?
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Marketing and Advertising
Nike has unveiled Project Amplify, a "powered footwear system" designed to make running and walking easier for everyday athletes. The system combines a lightweight motor, drive belt and rechargeable battery that integrate with a carbon fiber-plated running shoe. According to the company, the technology augments natural ankle and lower leg movement, helping people maintain a 10- to 12-minute mile pace with less effort. Testing data from over 400 athletes suggests the system can help runners shave up to two minutes off their mile time, with some describing the sensation as making uphill terrain feel flat.The technology draws clear parallels to electric bikes, which transformed urban commuting and recreational cycling by making them more accessible for a broader audience. Nike developed Project Amplify in partnership with robotics company Dephy, conducting extensive testing at the Nike Sport Research Lab. Participants logged over 2.4 million steps across nine hardware iterations. The first-generation product isn't intended for competitive runners seeking marginal gains, but rather for people who want to extend their walking commute, add more movement to their daily routine or simply enjoy running for an extra mile or two. The shoes can be worn with or without the robotics system attached.TREND BITEAugmentation technology is moving from workplace exoskeletons into consumer products that enhance everyday activities. While Skip integrated a battery-powered knee brace into Arc'teryx hiking pants to reduce joint strain, Nike is embedding power directly into footwear to make running more accessible. This shift reflects a broader opportunity: rather than pushing people to perform at elite levels, brands can use technology to lower barriers to participation. The question for businesses isn't whether augmentation will become mainstream electric bikes already proved that model works but which everyday activities could benefit from a similar assist. As populations age and sedentary lifestyles increase, products that make movement easier and more enjoyable could reshape expectations around physical activity while creating entirely new categories of sports and recreation equipment.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising
Dutch bike subscription company Swapfiets launched "Bike Buddies" during this year's Amsterdam Dance Event, offering festival-goers safe accompaniment from DGTL parties to a nearby ferry between midnight and 7 AM.
Category:
Marketing and Advertising