Two in five intend to take an international trip in the next 12 months as compared to three in ten who want to travel domestically

As global travel opens up after two years of restrictions amidst the pandemic,  YouGov’s latest report “Youth of Today, Travel of Tomorrow” reveals more than two in five Gen Zs (those aged 18-24 years) in the UAE (43%) said they intend to travel abroad for leisure in the next 12 months, with intent for international travel within this cohort being one of the highest across the globe.

The report aims to understand Gen Zs globally, explores what matters to them as well as uncovers their expectations from travel, and identifies the best ways to connect and engage with this generation of travellers.

Data from the whitepaper shows that three-quarters of Gen Zs across the globe plan to undertake some form of travel in the next 12 months (75%). By comparing Gen Z’s future intent to take domestic or international vacations across 25 surveyed markets, we find that those in Asian countries like Indonesia (57%), Thailand (55%) and Malaysia (54%) have a greater desire to vacation domestically in the next 12 months. On the other hand, those in Europe, particularly Germany (50%), Denmark (47%) and France (43%), are more inclined to go for an international vacation. Gen Zs in the UAE stand out in terms of international travel sentiment, with a higher proportion planning to take an international trip than domestic in the next 12 months (43% VS 30%).

When it comes to choice of accommodations while travelling, GenZs in most surveyed markets report budget-friendly hotels as their primary accommodation type, but in about 20 of the 25 surveyed countries, luxury accommodations rank among the top three choices. However, its popularity is higher in Middle Eastern countries like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where it ranks as the number one accommodation type.

In terms of factors that influence choice of travel destination, the ease of travel and deals on flights, hotels, and activities are top considerations for Gen Z in UAE with nearly two in five (41% each) stating these reasons as most important drivers. Comparatively, travel brochures (16%) and recommendations from travel agents (21%) rank lower on the list of factors influencing destination choice. For travel marketers and tourism boards, this is an important insight as it shows that lucrative price deals and comfort may together act as a better proposition for Gen Z travelers.

Furthermore, we see that Gen Z, also known as the "digital natives", are very dependent on technology, and social media plays a major part of their lives. Data from YouGov Custom Research indicates that about nine in ten (88%) Gen Z consumers currently follow a social media influencer and out of these, almost one in five (19%) follow a travel influencer. When we look  at travel influencer following by country, we find that Gen Zs in UAE are more likely to follow a travel influencer than the global average (23% vs 19%). For travel companies, this presents an array of opportunities to channel their efforts towards influencer campaigns and online promotions in order to target and engage this digitally savvy generation of travellers.

A respected journalist across print, television, and digital media in India, she'll oversee our Journalist Fellowship and other initiatives

Indian journalist Mitali Mukherjee has been appointed as the new Director of Journalist Programmes of the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. As part of her job, she will oversee our signature Journalist Fellowship Programme and many other initiatives. Mitali will report to Director Rasmus Nielsen and will be part of our senior management team. She’ll be taking up her post on 1 September. 

Working with our team, Mitali will play a key role in pursuing our mission of exploring the future of journalism worldwide, connecting practice and research, and building and developing the Reuters Institute as a centre of excellence with a global reputation. She will represent the Institute at global forums and will host and curate our global journalism seminar series as an ongoing conversation on the challenges facing the news industry worldwide. 

Mitali Mukherjee is a political economy journalist with more than two decades of experience in TV, print and digital journalism. She was a Chevening fellow for the South Asia Journalism Fellowship 2020, a Raisina Asian Forum for Global Governance Young Fellow 2019 and a 2017 fellow of the Australia India Youth Dialogue. In 2020, she was nominated for the prestigious Red Ink Awards in India for two of her business stories.

Over the course of her journalistic career, Mitali has been Consulting Business Editor at The Wire and Mint. Prior to that she was Markets Editor at CNBC TV 18 and Prime Time Anchor at TV Today and Doordarshan. She has been a Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) where she led Gender Initiatives for the organisation. Mitali has also co-founded two start-ups that focused on civil society and financial literacy. 

She is a gold medallist in Television Journalism from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) New Delhi, 2001 and a gold medallist, Political Science Hons., Delhi University, 2000. She is also a TEDx speaker.  

Responding to the appointment, Mitali said: “I believe this is a particularly crucial juncture in the world of journalism and for the future of news. Journalists across the world must be heard and supported for their work. It is equally important that we create a space for dialogue and debate within the journalistic community, to take on the changes and challenges we face. I am excited and honoured to take on the role of Director of Journalist Programmes at the Reuters Institute, an institution I have the greatest regard for.”

Rasmus Nielsen, Director of the Reuters Institute, said: “Climate. Economic inequality. Diversity, equity, and inclusion. These are some of the defining issues of our time, and Mitali has worked on all of them. She will bring to the Institute her deep experience as a journalist, editor, and anchor from across print, television, and digital media in India, as well as a strong international outlook. We are all looking forward to working with her as our new Director of Journalist Programmes to help journalists across the world achieve what they aspire to as she joins us as a colleague, as a member of our leadership team, and as a representative for everything we do at the institute.”

Alan Rusbridger, Chair of the Institute’s Steering Committee, said: “Mitali has reported, edited, anchored, presented, researched and consulted  across such an impressive range of media and issues. We are so excited she will be bringing her energy, ideas and extensive experience to Oxford to be our new Director of Journalist Programmes. I'm sure she will prove an inspirational colleague, leader and mentor for many journalists.”

GfK, a leading provider of consumer and market intelligence, analytics, and consulting services, unveiled an exclusive Consumer Pulse Study for its customers across the consumer products industry at its Insight Summit themed around “Winning the new consumerism in the Middle East”.

The study is aimed at understanding how Middle East Consumers feel about key evolving trends happening globally as well as here in the Middle East and seeks to uncover key trends, barriers, needs, gaps, and drivers impacting consumer lives in this new transformed reality.

On the occasion, Nacho San Martin, Managing Director - Middle East, GfK said, “Consumers in the MENA region are adapting and recovering to a new consumerism order amidst global unrest, heightened economic pressures alongside newly adopted consumer choices and behaviors. This is reflected in consumer purchases as Technical Goods Market growth in the MENA region is the strongest worldwide. GfK Consumer Pulse Study, conducted across UAE, KSA, and Egypt, is aimed at understanding changing consumer lifestyles, attitudes, and behavior and what’s next for brands & industries.”

“In the Middle East region, GfK is committed to helping consumer product companies to deliver growth with data-driven intelligence by offering access to critical knowledge in real-time powered by gfknewron around consumers, markets, brands, and media. We are also continuously strengthening our position & operation in geographies with significant growth potentials like Saudi Arabia, UAE, Iraq, and Pakistan.” – Nacho further added.

Consumer optimism about the economy and personal finance

MENA Consumers are more resilient and tend to be more confident but are not completely immune from financial pressures driven by Covid-19, inflation, and the Ukraine conflict. While they are mirroring broader global and emerging market tendencies, 2 out of 3 surveyed consumers in MENA are optimistic about the country’s future economic situation and more than half are very confident of better financial status in the next 1 year.

Dr. Christoph Preuss, Vice President - Global Marketing & Consumer Intelligence, GfK said - “For business, brand and marketing leaders to navigate a world of uncertainty and high emotions, three trends to watch for in the near and long term are - 1) Emerging concerns as consumers are paying higher prices, we are watching our wallets, but we still pay for quality, 2) Sustainability-focused behavior of brands as consumers across MENA are mindful of conserving natural resources and reducing consumption, and 3) The Metaverse and how it is changing the way we live, work, play, enjoy, and pay.”

Mobility electrified - 2 out of 5 consumers in MENA prefer EV engines for future vehicle purchases

A rise in environmental concerns is visible in consumers’ “Go Green” preferences and thus, the EV market represents a massive opportunity for car traditional and new (tech) mobility companies.

While the adoption of electric/hybrid is still at an early stage, consumers are positively disposed toward EVs – 2 out of 5 prefer EV engines for future vehicle purchases. Interestingly, consumers in the Middle East also expect digital cars from IT companies representing an area of opportunity.

Into the Metaverse - A new era for integrated brand experiences

Consumer Digitization across the region goes from strength to strength and the next evolution of digital experiences is becoming a reality as tech giants, and brands gear up to build the metaverse and not forget about the physical world and AR. More than half of surveyed consumers in MENA are interested to learn more about the Metaverse, and willing to experience it. They believe it will make their shopping experience more exciting.

“The emerging metaverse will reshape retail and brand interactions while promising new revenue streams. While expectations towards the virtual world are high, there is still a significant room for brands to engage with brands in the non-virtual world.” Dr. Preuss added.

Evolving shopping behaviors and preferences

As per GfK Consumer Pulse Study, consumers across the MENA region spend less and hunt for deals. More than half of surveyed consumers in the middle-income class in KSA and Egypt spent less on everyday necessities because of rising prices (e.g., food and clothes). 2 in 5 consumers in KSA and Egypt have postponed a purchase until the product was on sale/special offer and switched from premium brands to less expensive brands.

“For Brands, price is important but more important is to build consumer trust and loyalty for competitive advantage,” - says Dr. Preuss.

Germany, USA, South Korea, China, and Italy Top the Shortlist

New York Festivals announced the shortlist for NYFA 2022.

Chosen out of entries submitted from 60 countries, the 2022 Grand Jury, of 400+ industry innovators from 65 countries, determined the shortlist which will be advancing to the next round.

Shortlisted entries will now be judged by the 2022 Executive Jury led by Jury President and BCW Global Chief Creative Officer, Fede Garcia. The Executive Jury sessions include the return of a Live EJ in NYC and multiple digital juries all populated with industry leaders.

Winner's results will be announced next month following the completion of all jury sessions.

To view the 2022 New York Festivals Advertising Awards shortlist, please visit HERE

The New York Festival Advertising Awards will announce 2022's trophy-winning entries the week of July 15th, 2022.

Portfolio competition recognizing women and non-binary creatives; includes regional honors; no fee to enter

The One Club for Creativity and The 3% Movement have opened the call for entries for Next Creative Leaders 2022, a free competition recognizing women and non-binary creatives on the rise.

Now in its eighth year, Next Creative Leaders is a free portfolio competition that identifies, celebrates, and gives a global platform to talented women and non-binary creatives who are making their mark on the world with both their work and a unique point of view on creative leadership that’s changing the industry for the better.

Eligible participants are those who are stepping into leadership roles, including copywriters, art directors, designers, ACDs, newly-promoted creative and design directors with less than one year in the role, and creative teams who are doing game-changing work.

Along with naming 10 global winners based upon the highest scores, the competition also recognizes regional winners in Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East/Africa, and North America. A list of all previous NCL winners can be viewed HERE.

Entries highlighting a candidate’s creativity, leadership, and unique point of view must be submitted by the August 26, 2022 deadline. To make Next Creative Leaders as open and accessible as possible, there is no fee to enter.

Entrants are judged on four-to-six pieces of creative work and information about how they — and their work — are pushing the industry forward and making a positive contribution in terms of diversity, mentoring, and advocacy.

Entries will be reviewed by a jury of top creatives and diversity advocates, including past Next Creative Leaders winners, which will be announced shortly. Winners will be announced in Fall 2022.

Each NCL winner receives a one-year complimentary individual membership with The One Club, with opportunities to participate in future One Club awards juries, and complimentary tickets to a One Club professional development conference ($1,000+ value), panels, and mentorship events.

Winners also each get their work showcased on The One Club website, promotion on both The 3% Movement and The One Club social channels, and potential opportunities to speak on the annual Next Creative Leaders panel. The 10 global winners also get a dedicated profile article about them on The One Club website.

“The One Club created its own inclusion and diversity department nearly 15 years ago, and has steadily increased programming around gender equity in the workplace,” said Kevin Swanepoel, CEO, The One Club. “Next Creative Leaders is an important part of our programming because it identifies, elevates and gives voice to those who are making a real difference by opening the door and inspiring the next generation of creatives who follow in their footsteps.”

Branding for Next Creative Leaders 2022 was designed by the team of NCL 2021 winners Cara Mia Cecchini and Mia Rafowitz.

Apple sits on top with a brand value of $947.1bn

Technology and Luxury brands grew the fastest; Louis Vuitton is the first luxury brand to reach the global Top 10

Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemicals companies is the highest newcomer in the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands 2022 ranking with a value of more than $99 billion. Following its IPO in 2019, Aramco instantly became one of the world’s largest publicly traded companies by market capitalisation.

Apple sits on top of the Kantar BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands 2022 ranking and is on track to become the first trillion-dollar brand. With a brand value of $947.1bn, Apple stands out for its high degree of differentiation and continued diversification across its hardware, software and services portfolio. Google moves up to second place and is one of the fastest risers in the ranking, increasing its brand value by 79% to $819.6bn. Google’s suite of work and productivity apps have made it an essential part of consumers’ lives worldwide.

The combined value of the world’s Top 100 most valuable brands has increased by 23% to $8.7 trillion over the past year, highlighting the importance of brand strength in navigating an unsettled global economy. This year, brands needed to exceed a total brand valuation of $21,219 million to earn the title of one of the world’s biggest brands - a threshold that’s increased more than fourfold since the list’s debut in 2006.

Thirty-seven brands improved their ranking this year. In 2022, over three quarters of brand value originated from US companies. Media & Entertainment, Business Solutions & Technology Providers and Retail categories account for over half of the total value of the Top 100 ranking.

Key trends highlighted in Kantar BrandZ’s global study include:

· NEWCOMERS in 2022’s ranking emerge from a range of categories. Aramco, one of the world’s largest integrated energy and chemical companies debuted highest at No.16. India’s IT services and consultancy Infosys arrived at No.64. Latin America’s largest online commerce and payments ecosystem, Mercado Libre entered at No.71.

· MICROSOFT, ZARA AND IBM lead the way in the new Kantar Sustainability BrandZ Index, which shows sustainability already accounts for 3% of brand equity and is expected to rise.

· TESLA is one of this year’s biggest success stories shifting to No.29 from No.47 mirroring the world-wide sales trend of electric vehicles more than doubling in 2021.

· LOUIS VUITTON (No.10; $124.3bn) is the first luxury brand to reach the global Top 10 reflecting the growth of the luxury market worldwide and in China in particular. Louis Vuitton experienced 64% growth in brand value this year and is the first European brand to reach the global Top 10 since 2010.

· CHINESE brands hold strong, despite facing unique pandemic challenges, placing twice in the global Top 10 with Tencent at No.5 and Alibaba at No.9. China is also the only market rivalling the USA’s dominance in the Media & Entertainment category with WeChat at No.5 and TikTok at No.9.

Commenting on this, Nico Stouthart, Senior Partner Consulting Division, New York, Kantar and Aramco Client Lead says, “I am excited to see Aramco entering the global BrandZ ranking as the highest newcomer at position 16. This is very much in line with their exciting ambition to further drive their global presence by pioneering innovative technologies that will positively impact people and the communities they live in.”

“We are excited to see the first brand born in the region enter the top 20 Most Valuable Brands. This year’s Kantar BrandZ global ranking continues to reinforce our belief that strong brands create tremendous value, even in uncertain times. The top 100 brands added another 1.3 trillion dollars of brand value this year, that’s greater than the combined GDP of Saudi Arabia and UAE! We have seen the strongest growth in consumer tech and luxury brands, as these highly meaningful and strongly differentiated brands gained momentum. We are also seeing that brands growing in value are creating more connections, whether it’s by connecting to more people by amplifying their meaningful difference and reaching to greater audiences; or by connecting to new markets and categories and driving conversations around broader issues impacting the people,” comments Amol Ghate, Managing Director, Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan, for Kantar’s Insights Division.

Sector leaders come from a mix of industry sectors

Technology and Luxury brands grew the fastest; 46% for Consumer Technology and 45% for Luxury. Bank and Automotive brands also demonstrated impressive growth; Automotive by 34% and Banks by +30%. This compares to growth across sectors such as Apparel (20%) and Personal Care (17%). At a category level, Wells Fargo was the only new No.1 brand, moving from second to first place in the Banking category and replacing China’s ICBC.

NYF's Creativity from the Other Side Host David Sable Interviews Applied Design Team

New York Festivals International Advertising Awards debuts their newest two-part mini-documentary in partnership with NYF Executive Jury member, Craig Dobie and his partners at Applied Design, Brad Scott, and Elliot Scott.

The two-part doc contains the latest installment of NYF's interview series, Creativity from the Other Side, hosted by former Y&R CEO David Sable. In part-one's episode, David Sable sits down with the World Trade Center redevelopment team designers, Applied Design's Founding Creative Director Craig Dobie, and Founding Director Brad Scott as they share how they brought their design craft and creativity to the World Trade Center redevelopment project.

.In part-two of the series, NYF joins the Applied Design team on a descriptive walking tour of the World Trade Center. The guided tour showcases the design elements, environmental messaging, and display graphics created by Applied Design for the WTC complex.

View the TRAILER

"In their interview with David Sable and the walking tour of the campus, we learn how Applied Design found their insights and created iconic work while navigating the complexity of a public/private partnership and stakeholders with diverging desires, motives and objectives," said Scott Rose. "It's a story of the power of operating with a beginner's mindset and determined optimism."

Throughout the tour the team shines a spotlight on the challenges and rewards of tackling the World Trade Center redevelopment project. In-depth conversations between the team members reveal how the creation and implementation of the WTC's brand identity and site-wide navigation system succeeds in capturing the essence of the property while engaging visitors and the community.

View the part-two of the mini documentary: HERE.

"As New Yorkers, we knew the World Trade Center was an important story of resiliency, vitality, and hope that had to be told. Over the past several years, we have helped shape the narrative through visual identity development and implementation, environmental messaging, and by providing visitors with directions around the site though signage and wayfinding." -Applied Design NYC

The World Trade Center's redevelopment was unlike any other project in scope, stakes, and historical significance. The Applied Designed team worked with both the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to help the new World Trade Center become a vibrant and positive reality through branding and design.

The 2022 New York Festivals International Advertising Awards will announce the competition's Shortlist on June 22nd.

Hilton brand value leaps ahead to retain top position, while most hotel brands remain below pre-pandemic values

Hilton brand value is up 58% to US$12.0 billion

Two-thirds of top 50 hotel brands remain below pre-pandemic values

Hilton (brand value up 58% to US$12.0 billion) has extended its reign as the world’s most valuable hotels brand, according to a new report from the leading brand valuation consultancy, Brand Finance. Hilton has grown its lead as the most valuable hotels brand in the world, with a brand value which is now greater than 2nd and 3rd combined: Hyatt (brand value up 26% to US$5.9 billion) and Holiday Inn (brand value up 10% to US$4.2 billion).

Every year, leading brand valuation consultancy Brand Finance puts 5,000 of the biggest brands to the test, and publishes around 100 reports, ranking brands across all sectors and countries. The world’s top 50 most valuable and strongest hotel brands are included in the annual Brand Finance Hotels 50 2022 ranking.

As we look to a post-pandemic world, Hilton’s brand value increase is driven by both an increase in forecast revenue and increased profitability expectations. At the same time, Brand Finance research discovered that customers improved their perception of Hilton, with the large brand’s perceived reliability and credibility on safety issues being a key factor. This contributed to a 7.2 point increase on its Brand Strength Index from 80.8 to 88.0, improving its Brand Rating from AAA- to AAA and becoming the third strongest hotel brand in the world this year.

Alex Haigh, Brand Finance Technical Director said: “The global disruption to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption to brand values – but customers recognise that hotels are not to blame for the disruption. As a result, we see that successful brands have been able to bounce back quickly and re-earn customer trust in the post-pandemic world.”

Two-thirds of top 50 hotel brands remain below pre-pandemic values

Global travel restrictions over the last two years introduced in response to the spread of COVID-19 imposed significant and obvious costs on hotel brands, with many yet to recover: Of the 50 brands included in the Hotels 50 2022 ranking, two-thirds of the brands (34) remain below their pre-pandemic valuation of 2020, with just one-third (16) above their pre-pandemic valuation.

One brand to increase brand value sharply was NH Hotels (brand value up 47% to US$1.0 billion) which endured significant disruption from COVID-19 generally, and the Omicron variant more specifically. NH Hotels endured an occupancy rate of between 20% and 30% throughout the first half of 2021, growing throughout the year to 62% in October – before the Omicron variant played a key role in the occupancy rate falling back down to 26% in January 2022. However, with all NH Hotels properties now re-opened, occupancy rates have returned back over 60% more recently. These data are contributing to the NH Hotels brand value achieving a rate 33% higher than their pre-pandemic valuation on the back of increased revenue forecasts.

Elsewhere, the brand value of luxury hotel Intercontinental (brand value down 1% to US$1.5 billion) fell marginally, with significant concerns about potential delays to the reopening of services in Intercontinental’s key Chinese market. Despite enduring some of the toughest periods ever endured by the hospitality industry, Intercontinental remains focused on deliver its brand promise of deliver ‘True Hospitality for Good’. This brand promise seeks to benefit customers and staff, and to also positive difference to their local communities. Their strategy includes placing a sharper focus on their brand, and offers the potential of significant future brand value growth.

The Accor group, including brands Ibis (brand value up 24% to US$463 million) and Pullman (brand value up 20% to US$349 million) is having a strong year, with their brand values growing significantly this year. Average room rates across the Pullman and Ibis brands returned to their pre-COVID-19 levels, and some properties even exceeded pre-COVID-19 rates. While there are some lingering consequences of COVID-19 restrictions, their hotel brands maintained significant brand value and brand strength through the pandemic, a recognition that consumers did not blame hotels for the virus.

Taj Hotels is world’s strongest hotels brand with AAA rating

In addition to brand value, Brand Finance determines the relative strength of brands through a balanced scorecard of metrics evaluating marketing investment, stakeholder equity, and business performance. Compliant with ISO 20671, Brand Finance’s assessment of stakeholder equity incorporates original market research data from over 100,000 respondents in more than 35 countries and across nearly 30 sectors. Taj Hotels (brand value up 6% to US$314 million) is the strongest brand in the ranking with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 88.9 out of 100 and a corresponding AAA brand rating.

The pandemic and subsequent national lockdowns hit Taj like other hotels across the world, and Taj was able to successfully adjust strategies to remain relevant to the need of tourists. Taj was at the forefront of this with agility and strategic initiatives such as offering support to the healthcare sector.

The Ritz-Carton is world’s fastest growing hotel brand, more than doubling in value this year

The Ritz-Carlton (brand value up 112% to US$1.1 billion) is the world’s fastest growing hotel brand this year, with its brand value now 67% above its pre-pandemic value of US$632 million. This brand value has increased based on its impressively high revenue per available room and large number of rooms. Part of the Marriott Group, the Ritz-Carlton has built an extremely strong brand, with its Brand Strength Index increasing from 79.6 to 83.2, with its brand rating now firmly in the AAA- band.

Other quickly growing brands include Baymont (brand value up 97% to US$382 million) which has re-entered these rankings as it bounces back quickly from COVID. This bounce back in brand value is associated with strong trading conditions forecast for its key markets, and improved customer perception. Similarly, Residence Inn (brand value up 92% to US$760 million) is the third fastest growing hotel brand, which has achieved a significant improvement in customer perception, which is leveraging a very large number of rooms and revenue per room relative to other brands.

RD&X Network brings on board APAC Agency Network veteran Ashish Bhasin as Co-Founder & Chairman

With over 34 years of experience in advertising and media industry, Bhasin is credited with 24 successful agency acquisitions, management of 10,000+ people, and over $4 bn of ad spends in APAC region

RD&X Network, a Global Advertising & Marketing Transformation startup, announces the appointment of Ashish Bhasin as Co-Founder & Chairman. The former CEO APAC of Dentsu, Bhasin is an Advertising and Media veteran with over 34 years of industry experience which includes 24 successful agency acquisitions, management of 10,000+ people, and over $4 billion of ad spends in the APAC region.

Founded by Rajiv Dingra, former CEO of WATConsult, RD&X Network is headquartered in Dubai and has technology teams based in Bangalore and Mumbai catering to a global market with special focus on USA, Middle East, and APAC regions. RD&X Network recently launched the world’s first Unified Marketing & Advertising Automation Platform, ReBid which uses AI-based algorithms to provide endto-end unified workflow, data harmonization and real-time reporting, all in one platform. It covers over 98% of the relevant global digital ad spends, helping marketers regain control and prepare for a cookieless world.

Speaking on this occasion, Ashish Bhasin, Co-Founder & Chairman RD&X Network said, “MadTech, a combination of MarTech and AdTech, is clearly the future of our industry as digital spends cross 60% globally, reaching over a trillion dollars by 2027. Rajiv and the RD&X Network team have developed a unique AI-based platform that will enable direct clients, clients wanting to in-house, as well as digital, and advertising agencies. With one of the finest technology teams, a committed founder with experience and drive like Rajiv, RD&X Network has the potential to become the first India-Out, platform based global advertising and marketing startup. The opportunity to mentor and guide this process attracted me to join the RD&X Network. It is also my first entrepreneurial venture as a co-founder and I am delighted to partner with Rajiv.”

Praising Bhasin’s accolades and experience, Rajiv Dingra, Founder and CEO, RD&X Network said, “Ashish is an advertising and media legend, who brings with him the unique experience and wisdom of scaling the digital advertising business, both organically and inorganically, across several markets, regions, and with diverse entrepreneurs. We have worked together in the past when WATConsult joined Dentsu, and I have witnessed his amazing zeal and drive first-hand as a leader always seeking to build the future of advertising by inspiring his team. We are extremely excited to have him onboard as our Co-Founder & Chairman. Together, we intend to create the platform-driven future of advertising industry as we take this step.”

Younger generations are expressing a need for deeper engagement and more authentic social interaction, but can they find it online?

Is gen Z suffering from a loneliness epidemic? Business Insider reported a story exploring why gen Z is sometimes considered loneliest generation, and Vice unpacked what it termed a “loneliness epidemic” in young people.

And while they’re spending more time online—which many point to as a cause of loneliness—they’re using that time to cultivate self-expression and forge connections. Razorfish and Vice Media Group released a study in April that examined what impact the metaverse has on social interactions, user identities, and commerce.

Findings from “The Metaverse: A View from the Inside” indicate that gen Z not only spends more time online than other generations, but that they also form more meaningful connections to their own online identities. 45% of those questioned for the study reported that their in-game identity is a truer expression of themselves than their physical, in-person identity, and 57% stated that they feel freer to express themselves online than they would in real life.

85% of gen Zers believe technology brings people together, and 70% say technology has deepened their relationships with friends and family, according to 2021 findings by Wunderman Thompson Data for Wunderman Thompson Intelligence.

In response, digital platforms are focusing on fostering authentic connections and making new friends in non-traditional formats. Younger users are looking for more authentic connections on apps like BeReal, where they can connect with other users based on real, unedited daily updates. IMVU, self-proclaimed the largest avatar-based social network in the world, was created as a dedicated “3D avatar-based friendship discovery and social platform.”

Justin Hochberg, CEO of Virtual Brand Group, tells Wunderman Thompson Intelligence that the “value of the metaverse is to experience something and make friends. The metaverse empowers people to be able to build their own part of this world.”

Some brands are creating spaces dedicated to younger users, like the kid-friendly Nikeland Airtopia that launched in March of this year, or the upcoming metaverse for kids by Lego and Epic Games announced in April. One app is meeting lonely gen Z users where they are to dispel taboo wellness tropes online. Launched in April, Woo is redefining wellness for anxious gen Zers, making it both relatable and relevant to young adults. In a previous interview, Hochberg emphasizes that brands should focus on “Community over colonization – that’s how you leverage the ecosystem.”

With one of the most digitally engaged groups of users in the metaverse yearning for deeper social connection, brands need to up-level how they interact with consumers on their platforms, and how they foster engagement between communities online.