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HFSS – The Opportunity

UK advertising restrictions come into force for HFSS brands next year. How can brands get creative to tackle the HFSS ad ban?

A total ban on paid-for UK advertising is coming for HFSS brands in late 2022 – primarily in the name of tackling childhood obesity.

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Eat me, drink me: the rise and rise of nutrition hacking

The rise and rise of nutrition hacking

Eat me, drink me: the rise and rise of nutrition hacking

Much more than just a tummy filler or a thirst quencher, food and drink has gone through the looking glass to take on new meaning as a problem solver.

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A healthy future for NoLo brands that get it right

With the end of lockdown in sight and a growing movement to more healthy ways of living, attention is turning once again to the non-alcoholic drinks market. And there is a real sense of optimism about the growth potential for the NoLo sector, with the emergence of health-conscious younger audiences and new premium brands launching.

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The responsibility of design

The late Steve Jobs was known and will always be remembered as a pioneer of technological design. Whether you’re an Apple lover or a Windows aficionado, you can only admire how Apple’s products made a name for themself,

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When the going gets tough, the tough get going

Traditional routes to market are serving big brands less well by the day, as social media enables smaller rivals to connect with customers. And with Covid-19 accelerating that shift, time is running out to move from playing in easy to hard mode, writes Mike Foster, founder and creative director, Straight Forward.

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2021: the fresh new (up)start?

As a great philosopher once wrote; the only constant in life is change. And 2020 has been full of it: from the arrival of Covid-19 and the WFH world, through the increased profile of the Black Lives Matter movement, to Brexit’s closing chapter, and the advent of a vaccine: a much-needed signifier of hope for injection (figuratively and literally) into beleaguered communities and economies.

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Sanity break, anyone?

As we move from anytime, anywhere to always at home; how can brands gain a slice of our sanity breaks, asks Mike Foster, founder and creative director, Straight Forward.

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To be omnipresent, invest in omnichannel

As consumers have been forced to embrace change amid conditions thrust upon them by the pandemic, the ability of brands to connect seamlessly across a variety of platforms and channels is vital, especially as shopper habits, emotions and methods continue to change, writes Mike Foster, founder and creative director, Straight Forward.

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Now hear this

In the midst of so much big scary uncertainty, consumers are looking for brands they can trust. So it’s now more vital than ever to create open dialogue and listen to consumers. That’s why we have two ears, says Mike Foster, founder and creative director, Straight Forward.

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Brands are personal

Do you have a pet name for your favourite brand? Julia Ripley, marketing and business development director, keeps it up close and personal.

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If you don’t tell them, how will they know?

There is a time for subtlety and nuance. There is a time for brands to play at the top of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, helping us achieve our full potential. This is not it. This is a time for brands to be direct and show how they can help deliver more fundamental physiological and safety needs.

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Fair & ethical‽

Mike Foster, founder and creative director, covers a lot of ground on his hunt for the right trainer. But what is the right thing to do?

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The Inconvenience of Human Movement Covers

Why every designer needs a bit on the side

We have these things called Stretch Projects at Straight Forward, things that interest us, take us into new areas and stretch our experiences. So when Mike had an idea for a book and Lenka wanted a book to design, we couldn’t ignore it

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