Ikea launches in India, Ben & Jerry’s resurrects Pride rainbow: International round-up

Plus Coca-Cola wants young people to help solve community issues in the US and Unilever’s Sunsilk shampoo ad creates debate about transgender stereotypes.

Ikea finally launches in India

ikea

After a decade of delays, Ikea is finally set to open its first store in India in the southern city of Hyderabad.

850 employees will run the shopping centre-sized store, which will include a restaurant that can seat 1,000 people. No official date has been set, but it will open at some point during July,

Ikea first applied to open a store in 2006 but withdrew it three years later, having failed to persuade New Delhi to relax rules prohibiting foreign companies from operating retail stores without a local partner.

The Swedish business has already spent around $750m in India and plans to spend a similar amount over the next few years. EH

READ MORE: Ikea to open in India after years of delays

Ben & Jerry’s helps get Poland’s LGBTQ rainbow re-instated

Ben & Jerry’s, the ice-cream brand owned by Unilever, has helped rebuild a rainbow monument in Warsaw to mark Pride celebrations.

The original rainbow was installed in 2012 but kept being torn and burnt down by nationalists and opponents of LGBTQ rights before being removed in 2015.

‘Rainbow’s return’ was created by 180heartbeats & Jung v Matt and officially re-instated in Warsaw’s Zbawiciela Square on 8 June. The new “unbreakable and unburnable” hologram version is the same size as the original rainbow, which was made from artificial flowers.

Martyna Kaczmarek, brand manager at Ben & Jerry’s Poland, says: “We believe everyone should be able to love who they love. Through this rainbow display of light, love and strength we’d like to show the LGBT community that their love is unbreakable and equal. We’ve stood for a fair number of issues over the years, and this commitment to equality is grounded in our company’s unshakable belief that everyone deserves full and equal civil rights.”

The installation is sponsored by Ben & Jerry’s and was re-installed just in time for the “Equality Parade” in the Polish capital on Saturday 9 June. EL

READ MORE: Poland’s LGBTQ rainbow re-instated 

Heineken reveals new anti-drink driving campaign at Canadian Grand Prix

Heineken launched its new instalment of its ‘When you drive, never drink’ campaign at the Canadian Grand Prix.

The campaign was produced in response to drink driving insights from the company’s research conducted in 2017.

It stars German F1 driver Nico Rosberg and focuses on the social pressures surrounding drink driving and uses social proof to empower people to make the right decisions.

The latest instalment, called ‘No Compromises’, is a short film showing Rosberg overcoming the pressure to drink and staying alcohol free. Heineken’s ‘Designated Driver’s Pledge’ is another video which encourages drivers to publicly commit to staying sober.

“We hope to save lives in a way by seeing changes in attitude, increasing responsibility from people in different markets globally around the world,” Rosberg says.

READ MORE: Growing evidence of positive impact of anti-drink driving

Thai transgender beauty queen stars in Sunsilk shampoo ad

A shampoo ad based on the true story of a Thai transgender beauty queen, has sparked a nationwide debate in Thailand around gender and stereotypes.

The four and a half minute film, created by J. Walter Thompson Asia Pacific, promotes Unilever’s Sunsilk shampoo and reached 2.5 million organic views on social media within the first 48 hours.

Inspired by the true story of 20-year-old Rock Kwanlada, the first runner up of Miss Tiffany Universe, JWT says: “Like thousands of girls in Thailand and across the world, Rock was born in a man’s body. Sunsilk tells her life story from the point of view of her hair.

“Every inch of hair is an important milestone on her journey to womanhood. The longer it gets, the more feminine she is.” EH

READ MORE: JWT shampoo ad tells emotional true story of transgender beauty queen in Thailand

Coca-Cola wants young people to help solve community issues

Coca-Cola

Coca Cola has pledged to give seventeen 18- to 24-year-olds $30,000 grants to help support their local communities. It forms part of its ‘Dear Future Challenge’ initiative, which is asking young people in the US to submit ideas to help solve community issues in the cities that they live in, in 300 words or less.

From how they can help women and girls get involved in public service in Los Angeles, to finding ways to empower military service men and women who want to successfully transition to civilian jobs in Dallas, Coca Cola has chosen 15 different cities for applicants to choose from, alongside a national challenge around recycling.

“Consumers – and especially consumers in the communities – know what is important to their towns, as do our local community partners, as do our bottling partners,” says Caren Pasquale Seckler, vice-president of social commitment for Coca-Cola North America.

“We really want write the next chapter together with Dear Future by engaging consumers and doing something together, [as well as] engaging all of our local partners in identifying all of the issues that are truly meaningful to them.” EH

READ MORE: Coca-Cola Asks Younger Generations How We Can Protect Communities of the Future

 

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