On beauty, gender, sexuality and health, new sensitivities are being generated.
The Report
"The Future of the Body"
explores the human body and what is changing, involving authoritative international voices from the world of marketing and business, but also from philosophy and medicine, thus outlining 5 scenarios, five projections through also examples of large and small brands, capable of becoming pioneers of the ongoing revolution and developing more welcoming offers with respect to the needs of the many different bodies we inhabit.
The
Future Brand
study , after a year of work, investigates the trends concerning the human body in a broader sense: from inclusivity to technology, passing through beauty and sexuality.
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ANSA PODCAST
1. Representing non-conforming bodies
Among the most evident aspects of the changed perspective from which we observe the human body is the acceptance of non-conforming bodies.
A new frontier that frees the body from the slavery of aesthetics, resizing its importance in favor of a more functional vision, which proudly celebrates the body, all bodies.
Each physicality is placed on the same level, giving equal dignity to the bodies hitherto labeled as "different".
Who already does it: The
Underargument brand chooses its models based on their stories and without meeting them first
, proposing what is in fact
an “anti-casting”
without photo books or auditions.
A revolution that also sees celebrities and brands involved in spreading the
body positivity
.
Individual stories count, those told by tattoos, scars, colors, folds, all the signs that they excluded because they differed from the canons and that today, instead, constitute our personal story -telling and make us unique.
The ability of brands to be "welcoming" with proposals suitable for every body will be a crucial factor for the success and loyalty of consumers, especially the youngest and most sensitive, given that the aversion to their physical appearance affects 61% of adolescents around the world (Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health - 2021).
2. Free bodies from gender
Traditionally, brands offer products that meet the needs of consumers, reflect their characteristics and support their behavior.
This approach to marketing has led to offers dedicated to men and women, differentiated in packaging, shapes and even colors.
A
dichotomy, based on gender stereotypes and fueled by decades of gender marketing that
is gradually giving way to proposals and representations in which anyone can recognize themselves.
Who already does it:
Acne
, the Swedish cult brand, already launched a line of
gender neutral underwear
in 2014 , which opens up to an androgynous aesthetic already experienced by
Calvin Klein in the 90s.
, earning a place at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The line includes boxers, briefs, shorts and high-waisted models.
The colors are neutral precisely to avoid segmentation of the collection related to gender and not to taste or function.
But underwear brands for all bodies are emerging: Boy Smells 'Unmentionables, Lucky Skivvies with its colorful boxers, Origami Customs' Gaff underwear, TomboyX underwear in sizes 3XS to 6XL, Urbody.
The active role of consumers and the new sensitivity towards gender issues is redefining the scenario, brands are required to adapt under penalty of exclusion from large slices of the market.
3. Explore different sexualities
Sex and body are often used interchangeably.
Cinema and advertising, above all, have accustomed us to representations that have little or nothing to do with an articulated and complex sphere like sex.
Like and more than fashion, it is almost only “perfect” bodies that tell about sex in ways that have more to do with gymnastic exercise than with mutual exploration and discovery.
Age, gender, physical condition, ability are not represented Brands like Consonant Skin + Care propose sexual satisfaction as an integral part of a healthy beauty routine.
With Come & Glow Bundle (literally “Come & Shine”) offers a kit that includes fabric masks, a candle called Get cLit and a vibrator.
This type of products normalizes the theme of sexual pleasure by aligning it with the daily routine of beauty and lifestyle.
As Maurizio Bossi, Artsana Supply Chain & Control Business Unit Director, explained talking about sexuality and transformation: “Young people place the body at the center of a universe made up of diversity of gender, culture and ethnicity.
A world that evolves from binary to multifaceted, it is
a complex world
in which there is a lot of room to bring value to people ".
4. Expand the concept of beauty
What is the shape of beauty?
The theme is complex and exciting and the debate that surrounds it shows that the hypotheses are numerous and potentially all valid.
Born "perfect" in 1959,
Barbie has evolved
to the point of embodying very different physicality, ethnicities and tastes and all real.
Her beauty now lies in her diversity and in the possibility of recognizing oneself in her.
Under the guidance of Alessandro Michele, Gucci is committed to challenging the canons of the aesthetics of perfection, proposing alternatives that reflect social changes.
Not a facade commitment to the luxury brand you have chosen
Renée E. Tirado as Global Head of Diversity Equity and Inclusion
.
Her resume also includes the American Major League Baseball locker room where she, as Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, has placed people of color and LGBTQ candidates in operational positions in different divisions.
Why do it «The enjoyment of ugliness is more complex and articulated than the enjoyment of beauty.
We think that beauty is exceptional, in reality it is ugliness that is.
The traditional beauty to which our eyes and our senses are addicted is not exceptional at all, but the ugly that is next to us, when it invades the terrain of beauty ... that indeed is powerful and exceptional! "
says Maddalena Mazzocut-Mis, professor of Aesthetics of Music and Entertainment at the State University of Milan.
5. Combining technology and body
Digital innovation determines a growing interconnection between the body and the technological apparatuses.
Between conspiracy theories and biomedical engineering, new products and services are flourishing that integrate technology with the body.
The limit of this fusion is not yet known, what is certain is that our bodies will hybridize more and more
.
Cosinuss, a German motor monitoring company, presented
Degree
, a new baby ear thermometer.
The device is able to constantly monitor body temperature to offer real-time information to be viewed via an app.
Whenever the baby's body temperature changes, parents receive a notification explaining the change and indicating whether to contact the pediatrician.
The app also provides advice on how to treat fevers in children, reassuring the parent and reducing the frequency of unnecessary medical visits.
Why do it Gaetano Colabucci, General Manager of Giuliani Pharmai said: “Today, consumers are on average more attentive and informed.
Companies are also doing a great job of education and this has helped to raise public awareness, shifting attention and efforts from treatment to prevention.
The consumer seeks the quality of a better life, therefore not only preventing diseases or treating them promptly, but being healthier in general.
Just think of the boom in health adjuvants: probiotics, food supplements, etc. ether, a theme at the center of the commercial strategies of many companies ".