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Each week, Padilla’s Insights + Strategy team stands at the intersection of people, culture and brands to bring you five stories that you can read in five minutes.
1. BK Redesign
Burger King is reimagining the restaurant experience for life during a pandemic. Why should you care? These newly designed eateries will feature touchless technology, drive-in and walk-up order areas, enhanced drive-thru experience and exterior dining spaces with the first ones being built in Miami, Latin America and the Caribbean in 2021. José Cil, the CEO of Restaurant Brands International (RBI), which owns Burger King commented on the changes, “We have fully embraced the notion that parts of our restaurants need to change – certainly for the foreseeable future, and possibly forever.” [Adweek]
2. Kite Sales Up
India’s kite-makers have been seeing sales fly during lockdown. Why should you care? Every part of the world has been coping with COVID and lockdown in different ways – with Italians singing songs from their balconies, New Yorkers cheering & applauding health care workers every night and in India – flying kites from their rooftops and terraces. As we see no end in sight for the COVID way of life, maybe you should consider adding kite-flying to your solace-inducing activities. [BBC]
3. Non-voters
According to a new OkCupid survey, singles don’t want to date non-voters. Why should you care? 500,000 users said they wouldn’t date anyone that didn’t exercise their civic duty. The survey also found that users that say they’re registered voters are 63% more likely to get a match and 85% more likely to receive a message. It’s not a new phenomenon that political leanings, or lack thereof, influence our dating decisions. But in a year like no other where we’re facing a global pandemic, social unrest and an economic downturn – it matters more than ever, and OkCupid got the memo. They’ve turned their platform into a mechanism for change, offering voting badges and partnering with When We All Vote to help with voter registration. [Mashable]
4. Grandma Gamer
The New York Times recently profiled an 84-year-old grandma gamer who has over 900k subscribers on her YouTube channel. Why should you care? Her game of choice is Elder Scrolls Skyrim and her 900k+ ‘grandkids’ (what she calls her subscribers) gladly follow her through narrations of in-game books, watching her character bask in the cozy ambience of the roadside inns while carefully outfitting her inventory with swords, axes and daggers. In an influencer world that’s mostly dominated by younger generations – it’s nice to know there’s a little room for at least one grandma in there. [NYT]
5. Ben & Jerry’s Podcast
Ben & Jerry’s is partnering up with Vox to launch a podcast exploring America’s racist history. Why should you care? In a year where a lot of brands got it wrong when answering the call for racial justice – Ben & Jerry’s continues to get it right. The podcast, titled Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America will be based on ACLU deputy legal director, Jeffrey Robinson’s (who is also executive producer) famous presentation of the same name. [Adweek]
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