Hello! Today's innovation: Health insurer Zilveren Kruis partners with sidewalk cafes to put sunscreen on their menus

INNOVATION
Sun-starved for much of the year, Dutch people flock to outdoor cafes as soon as the rays break through the clouds. Stopping for an al fresco lunch or a drink on a sunny town square is often spontaneous, leaving many unprepared and without sunscreen. Recognizing this, health insurer Zilveren Kruis has launched a campaign to combat skin cancer, the country’s fastest-growing type. By partnering with restaurants and bars, the insurer is getting sunscreen on the menu — literally?☀️

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Hello! Today's stat: 55% of US consumers admit to yelling or cursing at customer service agents

STAT
Over 1,000 people in the US were surveyed for the 2024 edition of Shep Hyken's annual customer service report. One dismal finding? Half (51%) would rather dine with their in-laws than call customer support. Is that evidence of a growing love for in-laws or a frustration with service experiences? Either way, there's no justification for yelling (34%) or cursing (21%) at agents.?

It’s not just Americans that are adopting Karen-like behavior. Australians and Brits are, too. All of which points to an empathy gap, one that could further widen as the visceral reporting of global conflicts drives up compassion fatigue.

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Hello! Today's innovation: Supporting working moms, AirAsia designs nursing cover for pilot and cabin crew uniforms

INNOVATION
New mothers in operational roles within the airline industry face unique challenges related to the nature of their work. One significant example is the lack of time and private space to pump breastmilk during and between flights. As a result, many are forced to take extended unpaid maternity leave or abandon their careers altogether.

Regional carrier AirAsia announced its Moms-on-Duty kit in May 2024 to address the issue. The kit includes a nursing cover to use while on duty, designed to match the airline's uniforms for pilots and cabin crew. Also included is a practical handbook with guidance on navigating parenting-related conversations and accessing essential support.

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Hello! Today's innovation: First AI president takes the stage, courtesy of a Lebanese newspaper

INNOVATION
Lebanon has been without an elected leader for over two years, and the country has long been plagued by political gridlock and sectarian rifts. Newspaper An Nahar responded to the lack of leadership with an unprecedented move: it created an AI President. With the generative AI-powered entity, An Nahar aims to fill the power vacuum with a force driven by transparency, integrity and data-driven decision-making.

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Hello! Today's innovation: Frida Uncensored shoots explicitly instructional videos for new and expecting moms

INNOVATION
Defying societal taboos around women's bodies, parenting care brand Frida has launched Frida Uncensored — an online video library providing detailed, unfiltered instructional content showing real people using the company's conception, pregnancy and postpartum products. The demonstrations, filmed on all-female sets, provide candid views of acts like at-home insemination and prenatal perineal massage.

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https://hubs.la/Q02v1F9Z0

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Hello! Today's innovation: Kid-walking service brings focus to a 'Blurry Generation' of nearsighted children

INNOVATION
Nearsightedness in kids is skyrocketing. In a cheeky stunt that initially had some parents and pundits outraged, Spanish eyewear giant Multiópticas launched a 'kid walking' service: Paseadores de Niños. The business purportedly employed people to take children outside for walks, highlighting the alarming reality that many kids today spend less time outdoors than household pets.

The concept was soon revealed to be an awareness campaign about the growing childhood myopia crisis. Hoping to slow down the growth of a Generación Borrosa, or Blurry Generation, Multiópticas wants to educate families on the importance of adequate sunlight and outdoor activity for preserving healthy eyesight.

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Hello! Today's innovation: For young adults unused to unplugging, Hinge publishes a phone book filled with free ideas

INNOVATION
A few months ago, we covered One More Hour, an initiative by dating app Hinge aimed at boosting real-world interactions between young adults. This week, ahead of Global Day of Unplugging, which lasts 24 hours from sundown March 1 to sundown March 2, 2024, Hinge is launching a companion piece: the Hinge Phonebook. Nothing like the hefty tomes once distributed door-to-door, this is a slim little book the size of a smartphone.

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Hello! Today's innovation: James Beard Foundation calls on independent restaurants to unite for climate action

INNOVATION
The James Beard Foundation, known for its prestigious culinary awards, has turned its attention to less celebratory matters: the climate crisis. This week, the foundation is launching Climate Solutions for Restaurant Survival — a campaign seeking to marshal the influence and knowledge of chefs across the US to confront the environmental challenges that threaten their livelihoods and the communities they sustain.

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Hello! Today's innovation: Boticário is handing out grippy tools to make beauty products more accessible

INNOVATION
Most people open a jar of moisturizer or apply lipstick without a second thought. But for people with limited dexterity, those routine interactions with cosmetics and skincare can be a daily struggle. Aiming to remove a few common barriers, Brazilian beauty conglomerate Grupo Boticário designed two simple accessories.

The first is a thin piece of natural rubber that resembles a flexible coaster. It can be used under a container to hold it in place or over a lid to provide extra grip. The second tool, also made of rubber, is a tube that fits over cylindrical packaging — like a mascara wand or a lip pencil — to create a thicker, more ergonomic handle for easier, steadier application.

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Hello! Today's innovation: Discarded cardboard keeps piling up, so Tesco is turning boxes into rolls of toilet paper

INNOVATION
UK supermarket Tesco just introduced a new line of own-brand toilet paper and kitchen towels. Responsibly made not of virgin pulp, but not of run-of-the-paper mill recycled paper, either. Instead, Tesco's German supplier WEPA designed a novel process to manufacture toilet paper and kitchen towels specifically from recycled cardboard.

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TrendWatching Team