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<ul><li>Dinner dates may be dead as picnics, coffee dates, stand-ups, long drives and cooking were among the most popular <keyword id="6367193" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dating" source="Orion">dating</keyword> ideas. </li><li>Going alcohol-free during dates is also on the rise in <keyword id="3658" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword> this year. </li><li>More than a hookup, but not quite a traditional relationship, the “situationship,” a casual-yet-clearly-defined relationship, came to rise in 2022, as per the <keyword id="1738241" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tinder" source="Orion">Tinder</keyword> report. </li></ul><keyword id="2529384" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="chandler-bing" source="Orion">Chandler Bing</keyword>, the character from popular American sitcom <keyword id="343" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="friends" source="Orion">Friends</keyword>, is funny, quirky and “makes jokes when he is uncomfortable” – losing him the ladies on the sitcom. However, going by Tinder’s Year in Swipe report for 2022, being funny may have won him brownie points on the dating site. Young singles were indeed looking for dates who are “fresh, funny and forward,” Tinder revealed. If dating during the pandemic involved ‘roller skating’ or ‘grocery stores’, this year it evolved to ‘picnics’ ‘coffee dates’ and ‘stand-ups’. Situationships, shared values and social issues were the top green flags for a new generation of daters who are done with wasting their time, the dating app Tinder’s yearly report revealed. <div type="image" title="Top 10 Emojis of 2022 on Tinder" msid="95824835" hostid="261" sizebytes="131226"></div> More than a hookup, but not quite a traditional relationship, the “situationship,” a casual - yet-clearly-defined relationship, came to rise in 2022, as per the Tinder report. Young singles are owning the situationship as a valid relationship status now. “When asked what the most important characteristics are in a potential date, young singles prioritised value-based qualities like loyalty (79%), respect (78%) and open-mindedness (61%) over looks (56%),” Tinder reported. Politics and social issues were also a major make-or-break deal in the dating world. Three-quarters (75%) singles were looking for a match who was respectful of or invested in social issues. <div type="image" title="Top 10 local issues that created buzz on Tinder" msid="95824864" hostid="261" sizebytes="116346"></div> Many Indian Tinder members added the Ukrainian flag to their profiles in support of Ukraine this year, and it ranked within the top 10 trending emojis on Tinder. Additionally, the <keyword id="15638635" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="activism-and-voters-rights" source="Orion">Activism and Voters Rights</keyword> interests both increased (84% and 37% respectively) in Tinder profiles this year. What are young Indians looking for? Dinner dates might just be witnessing its end as coffee dates, picnics, stand-ups, long drives and cooking were considered the most popular dating ideas. Hiking, movie night, a walk in the park, pairing up during festivals and board games were other popular forms of connection. Interestingly, going alcohol-free during dates also witnessed a spike in India. Over 25% of young singles surveyed said they drank less on dates compared with last year and 72% of members said on their Tinder profiles that they don’t drink or only drink occasionally. The emoticons indicating beer and wine witnessed a drop of up to 40% on tinder profiles. <div type="image" title="Top 10 interests on Tinder India profiles" msid="95824939" hostid="261" sizebytes="122848"></div> “Indian daters are wasting no time in reshaping the dating world in their image, once they could return to in-real-life dating. As we shift into gear for 2023, the trends of 2022 will definitely guide the way Indian daters navigate the world of dating, friends, connections and relationships – and we can’t wait to see them continue to embrace situationships, spontaneous trips and sober dates,” said Aahana Dhar, director of communications for <keyword id="3150067" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="tinder-india" source="Orion">Tinder India</keyword>. The terms “red flag” and “gaslighting” were trending. Nearly two-thirds (66%) of the young singles surveyed said they were confident they could identify potential green or red flags when dating. Young singles were also looking for astrology to guide their dating life as star signs were the most popular type of descriptor on the app bios behind smoking preferences, pets and diet. <keyword id="27359" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="zodiac" source="Orion">Zodiac</keyword> signs Leos, Scorpios and Cancers were the signs most likely to include their sign in their bios, Tinder revealed. Tinder also revealed that Indians aged 18-25 years were packing their bags more frequently as revenge travelling witnessed a spike post pandemic. Hyderabad has been crowned the chattiest city for video chats on Tinder India this year, followed by Chennai and Bangalore, all using the feature to connect with others around the country, and world. Globally, nostalgia got a strong hold of young singles as they found inspiration from the dating trends of the 90s and the noughties. In addition, talking about sneakers, anime, going camping and barbeque, trying new things or street food together were growing interests that captured the attention of the youth on the app. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/upcoming-new-car-and-suv-in-india-in-december-2022/slidelist/95823897.cms">Upcoming cars launching in India in December 2022</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/personal-finance/news/digital-lending-platforms-see-3x-year-on-year-rise-in-disbursals-to-14016-crore-in-q2-fy23/articleshow/95821140.cms">Digital lending platforms see 3x year-on-year rise in disbursals to ₹14,016 crore in Q2 FY23</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/news/black-friday-the-sales-scams-and-myths/articleshow/95764746.cms">Black Friday: The sales, scams and myths</a>

Having a funny bone like Chandler Bing’s could make you hot property on Tinder

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Keystone/Getty Images; Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images; Win McNamee/Getty Images; Samantha Lee/Business InsiderWhich presidents share your sign?</div></div></div><ul><li>Some <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/zodiac-signs">zodiac signs</a> are more presidential than others.</li><li>Aquarius and Scorpio were the two most popular among the 44 <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/us-presidents">US presidents</a>.</li><li>Virgo and Aries were the rarest signs.</li><li>But, all in all, the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/presidents">presidents</a> were spread out across the board when it comes to their horoscopes.</li></ul> The United States is currently being run by a Gemini.That's right. US President <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a> was born on June 14, 1946, toward the tail end of Gemini's horoscope range.To recap, twelve astrological signs make up the classic Western zodiac, which dates back to ancient times. Sun sign astrology, which focuses on the position of the Sun on your birthday, took hold in the 20th century. It seeks to link each astrological sign with vaguely-worded personality <a href="http://www.astrology-zodiac-signs.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">profiles</a>.So can these astrological symbols tell us anything about the tenures of individual US presidents?No. Of course not.But, whether you think horoscopes are fluff and nonsense or you religiously check if Mercury is about to <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/mercury-retrograde-meaning-explanation-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">retrograde</a>, it's fun to look back on what constellation each president was born under.Here's a look at the zodiac signs of each US president:

A look at the zodiac signs of all the US presidents

<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/insiderpicks">Insider Picks</a> writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-necklace-aries" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>MejuriPictured: Aries Necklace, $79</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fcollection%2F99-the-zodiac-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mejuri's Zodiac collection</a> features dainty, subtly personalized jewelry styles that make for great Mother's Day gifts.</li><li>The collection includes <a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-ring-scorpio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">zodiac rings ($69)</a> and <a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-necklace-aries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">necklaces ($79)</a> for all 12 signs. The rings and necklaces are decorated with white sapphires and available in gold vermeil or silver. </li><li>Find more <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/personalized-mothers-day-gifts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">personalized gifts for mom here</a>, and our full selection of <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/category/mothers-day-2019" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mother's Day 2019 gift guides here</a> - including options <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-affordable-cheap-mothers-day-gifts-under-25" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under $25</a>, <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-mothers-day-gifts-under-50" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under $50</a>, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/best-mothers-day-gifts-under-100" target="_blank" rel="noopener">under $100</a>.</li></ul>Mejuri, a Canadian startup that makes classic, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mejuri-fine-jewelry-founder-interview-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">everyday fine jewelry</a> for women, is a perfect one-stop-shop for all things Mother's Day.Quality is high, prices are relatively low, and the company really only makes the kind of dainty jewelry you'd put on one day and then somehow never need to take off. As the founders told <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mejuri-fine-jewelry-founder-interview-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider</a> in 2018, the goal is to debunk the myth that nice jewelry should never be touched or worn. In other words, "buy yourself the damn diamonds."Take for instance the highly giftable <a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fcollection%2F99-the-zodiac-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zodiac collection ($69-$79)</a> - a chic capsule of a single slender, feminine necklace and ring, each designed with the wearer's astrological sign strewn across its face in shiny stones. It's the sort of gift that manages to check all the boxes: thoughtfulness, personalization, and a piece of functional, everyday luxury. <div><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-ring-scorpio" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a>MejuriPictured: Capricorn Ring, $69</div></div></div></div>Both Zodiac pieces are set with AAA quality white sapphires and come in either gold vermeil (a thick 18-karat gold layer on sterling silver) or sterling silver dipped in rhodium for extra shine and strength - so you can match the gift to whichever metal your mom favors.The necklaces have an adjustable chain (20 to 22 inches), and since gifting jewelry like rings can be tricky, it's worth noting that the company also has free 30-day returns - as well as a 24-month warranty. Thankfully, pricing is competitive. Mejuri estimates that the <a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-ring-scorpio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zodiac Ring ($69)</a> would run for $205 in traditional retail, while the <a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-necklace-aries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zodiac Necklace ($79)</a> would go for $169. Major fine jewelry brands have been known to mark up their products by eight to 10 times the actual cost it took to make. But, in order to keep luxury affordable, Mejuri's uses a leaner model to deliver the same materials and craftsmanship as other luxury brands directly to the consumer, without passing on huge markups. Simply put, you'll be able to give your mom an out-of-budget level gift without actually breaking said budget. If you're looking for affordable, beautiful jewelry your mom can wear every day and that'll serve as an ongoing reminder of how much you love her, then you're in the right place.<h3><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fcollection%2F99-the-zodiac-collection" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shop the Mejuri Zodiac Collection, $69-$79</a></h3><h3><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-necklace-aries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift the Zodiac Necklace, $79</a> [available in gold and silver]</h3><h3><a href="http://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=999&amp;u=1088116&amp;m=49824&amp;urllink=mejuri.com%2Fshop%2Fproducts%2Fzodiac-ring-scorpio" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gift the Zodiac Ring, $69</a> [available in gold and silver]</h3>

Popular jewelry startup Mejuri has an under-$80 zodiac collection - and the styles are great for subtly personalized Mother's Day gifts

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>It's about time that&#xa0;astrology and fast food collided.&#xa0;Twitter user <a href="https://twitter.com/venuschain">venuschain</a> took to the platform to share some much-needed truths about the <a href="https://twitter.com/venuschain/status/889321852732100609">connection between astrology and fast food.</a>From Burger King to Panda Express, he theorizes, every chain has its&#xa0;corresponding sign - for better or for worse.&#xa0;<h2>For example,&#xa0;Sonic is Aries:</h2><h2>Panda Express is Taurus:</h2><h2>McDonald's is obviously a Gemini:</h2><h2>Chick-fil-A is Cancer:</h2><h2>Chipotle is Leo:</h2><h2>Burger King is Virgo, in a particularly harsh estimation of those born between&#xa0;August 22 and September 22:</h2>We're censoring <a href="https://twitter.com/venuschain/status/889325006655823873">the tweet here</a>, but it says that Burger King is "always on some weird s---, but still trying, unpopular, sits in the back of the class drawing anime."<h2>Wendy's is Libra:</h2><h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/drunk-and-high-people-love-jack-in-the-box-2017-1">Late-night icon Jack in the Box</a> is Scorpio:</h2><h2>In-n-Out is&#xa0;Sagittarius:</h2><h2><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/zaxbys-versus-raising-canes-review-2017-6">Raising Cane's, </a>the fastest-growing chain in the US, is&#xa0;Capricorn:&#xa0;</h2><h2>Taco Bell is&#xa0;Aquarius:&#xa0;</h2>Censoring <a href="https://twitter.com/venuschain/status/889327338516865024">this one, </a>due to an overly-accurate take&#xa0;(also, profanity). Taco Bell is "Aquarius, always trying to be innovative, sometimes good sometimes bad, might f---&#xa0;you over."&#xa0;<h2>And, finally, Subway is&#xa0;Pisces:&#xa0;</h2>Hats off to&#xa0;<a href="https://twitter.com/venuschain">venuschain</a>&#xa0;for illuminating these truths of the universe.&#xa0;<div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-subway-restaurants-getting-complete-redesign-2017-7">Subway restaurants are getting a major redesign - here's a look inside</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="k0Y2YwYzE69Bg6v6rr_cGLewiILGLK5g" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

Hilarious Twitter thread that pairs fast food chains with zodiac signs is going viral

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sophie Kihm is the editor in chief at Nameberry</li><li>She says fall-inspired names are great for first or middle names.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Sophie Kihm, the editor in chief at<a target="_blank" href="https://nameberry.com/"> Nameberry</a>. It has been edited for length and clarity.The season that you're expecting a baby can serve as a well of inspiration for naming. Sweater weather season isn't a great time to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/parenting/when-can-baby-sleep-with-blanket">cozy up with your newborn</a> — fall is also ripe with naming opportunities for baby boys and girls.I'm seeing more parents <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/picked-son-baby-name-unique-no-longer-trendy-angry-2024-1">name their child</a> based on the season that they're born. It's an especially popular option for middle names.Some fall baby names are obvious. Take Autumn for example, which has been in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/baby-names-most-popular-by-decade-2018-5">the top 100 names</a> for American baby girls since the late 1990s. Others are much more subtle. These names are timeless and fashionable, but also nod to the season of your child's birth.There are 22 <a target="_blank" href="https://nameberry.com/list/351/names-for-autumn-babies">fall baby names</a> that will last a lifetime.<h2 id="8a28fc97-8ff2-47d3-a02e-d318b54703ba">Color names</h2><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-fall-foliage-in-us-photos-winter">Rich colors are ubiquitous in the fall</a>, from the changing leaves to the harvest-ready crops. So, it's natural that colors are a great source of inspiration when it comes to naming.Goldie is a personal favorite. It has timeless elegance (think, Goldie Hawn), and is familiar but <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/my-kids-have-uncommon-names-they-like-them-2024-3">not common</a>. The name has only appeared in the top 1,000 since 2021.For boys, I love Bruno. The classic name means "brown." Despite the hit song, parents are, in fact, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/lin-manuel-miranda-we-dont-talk-about-bruno-encanto-reaction-2022-2">talking about Bruno</a>, and this name has been ranked consistently since the late 1990s, but has never topped the charts.Other color-inspired favorites are:<ul><li>Red: The classic nickname has given name potential for boys and girls.</li><li>Rory: This gender neutral name means "red king."</li><li>Radley: Meaning "red meadow," this name is more common for boys.</li><li>Aurelia: This baby girl's name means "the golden one."</li></ul><h2 id="3da7e5bb-f7b3-4771-8942-9db12c08162f">Fall symbols</h2>Beyond colors, you can draw naming inspiration from common fall symbols. Here, I like to think about <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/in-love-zodiac-sign-2018-9">Zodiac signs</a>, flowers, festivals, and birthstones.Baby girl names in this category include:<ul><li>Marigold: The birth flower for the month of October lends itself to the nickname Goldie.</li><li>Opal: October's birthstone, and a classic girls' name.</li><li>Sapphire: September's birthstone, and a name with a bit of extra flair.</li></ul>Baby boy names include:<ul><li>Cosmos: Another October birth flower is a great boys' name.</li><li>Harvest: This newer name lends itself to the nickname "Harvey"</li><li>Bowman: A nod to the Sagittarius sign, which reins in late fall.</li><li>Archer: A great choice for the same reason</li></ul><h2 id="1f8e15b5-e247-47fb-8a23-f10db7fdd3b8">Month names</h2>While April and June have always been popular, I'm seeing more parents give their kids fall month names:<ul><li>November: More commonly used for girls, this can lead to nicknames like "Nova" and "Ember."</li><li>October: Slightly more popular for boys, nicknames include "Otto" and "Toby."</li><li>September: While it's the least-popular fall month name, it's not unheard of.</li></ul><h2 id="24e88617-798e-4c46-ae47-8bdda926cb1f">Nature names</h2>As the seasons change we're naturally more in touch with nature, which inspires a host of names, including:<ul><li>Hazel: This girl's name has risen dramatically in popularity over the past decade, and is currently the 19th most popular name for baby girls.</li><li>Maple: Maple trees blaze bright red during the fall. This name is mostly used for girls since it sounds similar to the more common "Mable."</li><li>Cedar: A less common tree-name, Cedar has a beautiful fall texture and is mostly used for boys.</li><li>Oakley: A true gender neutral name, Oakley has lots of nickname potential.</li><li>Juniper: This plant name has traditionally been used for girls, but more recently I've seen an uptake in boys named Juniper.</li></ul>People have been fascinated by the timing of birth for centuries. Giving your fall baby an autumn-inspired name is a great way to pay homage to when they arrived.

A naming expert shares 22 names for babies born in the fall. She suggests getting inspiration from colors and fall traditions.

A few days before Christmas last year, Nicole Pollard Bayme, the founder of luxury styling firm Lalaluxe, got a call from a client. They wanted a rare <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-iconic-hermes-birkin-handbag-was-invented-2023-7">Himalayan Birkin</a> with diamond hardware — and they wanted it wrapped and ready to go by the holiday.For the unfamiliar, a Birkin is an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jane-birkin-bag-status-symbol-best-luxury-investments-2023-7">exclusive Hermès bag </a>favored by the very wealthy. Himalayan refers to the material: the hand-dyed underbelly of a crocodile. And the diamonds are self-explanatory. It all comes together for a price tag of $750,000.Pollard Bayme turned to her international network of Birkin dealers for help. She procured the goods, and got the bag on a plane with its own security detail. It was under the tree on Christmas morning."For the person that has everything, why not have diamonds on your handbag too?" LA-based Pollard Bayme, whose services start at $600 per hour — plus a percentage of the purchase price — told Business Insider.Pollard Bayme makes a good point: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-friday-cyber-monday-holiday-shopping-discounts-sales-prices-2023-11">Holiday gifting</a> is hard enough for people that do have wishlists. So what about the people who really have it all? Billionaires and centimillionaires like to give and receive just like the rest of us, after all, even if those gifts cost much more (and are probably harder to find at your local Target)."They just want to see what the best of the best looks like," Elisabeth Brown, a New York-based client manager at travel and lifestyle concierge company Knightsbridge, told BI. "There's not really a budget — they just want what they want and would like to make it happen."For comparison, this holiday season Americans generally plan to spend an average of $1,652, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/retail-distribution/holiday-retail-sales-consumer-survey.html">Deloitte survey.</a> That's about 0.2% of the price of that Himalayan Birkin.<h2>From a racehorse to a vineyard, some gifts are too big to fit under a tree</h2>Along with Chanel and Rolex, Hermès is one of the most requested brands, Pollard Bayme said. Birkins are viewed as a collectible and come in rare varieties, and are a popular choice among the uberrich.<div type="image" title="The Himalayan Kelly bag is a popular gift for the very wealthy." height="1201" width="961" msid="106183504" hostid="261"></div>Winston Chesterfield, the founder of Barton, a London consulting firm focused on the wealthy, knows one Hermès collector whose husband gets her a new color handbag from the French house every year — as well as a selection of luxury goods and tchotchkes in the same hue.Other hits, Lalaluxe's Pollard Bayme said, are things that can be personalized, whether that means literally — monogrammed Goyard luggage that costs over $10,000 or a gift hamper full of items with the recipient's zodiac sign, for example — or just something tailored to someone's hobbies."Sometimes the thought that goes into a gift, no matter what the size, really stops them in their tracks," Pollard Bayme said.A family that loves to hike may give each other the very best outdoor gear from brands like Moncler and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quiet-luxury-explained-which-brands-will-benefit-2023-4">Loro Piana</a>, Chesterfield said. Foodies may gift balsamic vinegar flown in directly from Italy.But other hobby-inspired gifts are more billionaire-coded.For example, a vineyard in Tuscany for an oenophile. Knightsbridge Circle helped facilitate the purchase of a $5 million site as a Christmas gift, complete with a mansion where Napoleon once stayed, plus its own honey and olive oil production facilities. The pricetag makes the $50,000 annual membership fee for Knightsbridge Circle's services look like a bargain.Have a loved one who's into racehorses? Fly them to a top stable, have them meet with the jockeys, and for the party favor: a steed of their own.The chance to meet and learn from the best of the best — be it lessons at a turntable from a celebrity DJ or a cooking class with a Michelin-starred chef — is another popular present that can run into the high six figures."They cost an absolute bomb," Barton's Chesterfield said.<h2>Experiences reign supreme for billionaires</h2>"To everyone, and of course to the uberwealthy, time is your most precious commodity," Knightsbridge Circle's Brown said.Sometimes the price of time is measurable. An hour on a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-flying-on-private-jet-compares-to-flying-business-class-2023-3#here-are-the-biggest-differences-ive-found-when-traveling-in-business-class-vs-on-a-private-jet-7">private plane from Vistajet,</a> for example, starts at $11,000. One of Chesterfield's contacts, who didn't want to shell out to buy a jet, gave his daughter about half a million dollars worth of hours after she got used to flying private during the pandemic.But the intangible value of time well-spent is what the rich really covet, with all of the experts that BI spoke with saying that there's a general move away from gifting items and toward gifting experiences."People seem to be a bit exhausted with what you'd call hard luxury," Chesterfield said. The pandemic seems to have exacerbated the experience trend, too. One wealthy woman, he said, told her husband she wants no more jewelry after spending months locked inside buying luxurious goods.One family that Chesterfield works with rented a private island in the Caribbean for two weeks, and he said yoga retreats and wellness breaks — from a trip to Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga, to a father-son cycling excursion in Mallorca — are growing in popularity.Some of Brown's clients hire private villas in conservancies in Africa, like Ol Jogi in Kenya or Saanane Island in Tanzania, which can run up to $40,000 a night. Still, she clarified that the stay (and the possibility of glimpsing wildlife from your breakfast table) is typically not the only gift they are getting.Even further from home, Pollard Bayme has one client who is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-zero-gravity-space-blue-origin-womb-2023-12">traveling to space</a> for the holiday — which she called "the ultimate flex for the billionaire class."<h2>The rich are racing against the effects of global warming</h2>Climate change concerns are reflected in the types of travel experience people are giving, with a "rush for clients to see things before they're gone," Pollard Bayme said. Instead of a regular superyacht in St. Barths, they're chartering an expedition superyacht to see the glaciers in Antarctica or Patagonia, for example, or are going to Australia to see the Great Barrier Reef.But there are also those who are more concerned about their carbon footprint — or just think it's all a little tacky — and are forgoing big gifts altogether."We've noticed this year people just being much less acquisitive and a bit more restrained," Chesterfield said. Christmas has "become just too commercial," they told her.Maybe take a leaf from <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/warren-buffett-christmas-gifts-sees-candies-dresses-10000-cash-2019-12-1028780601">Warren Buffett's</a> gift guide. The Oracle of Omaha famously used to give each of his family members $10,000 in cash — but after he learned they were blowing it, switched it up and now gives stock to some and chocolate to others. Bill Gates suggests books to enjoy over the holiday.One family Chesterfield knows is doing a Secret Santa with a $10 spending limit."They think it's more about spending time with each other," he said. "They've become less materialistic."Heartwarming, of course, but with a net worth of $250 million, maybe every day feels a bit like waking up to presents under the tree.

The billionaire gift guide: What the world's wealthiest are giving each other 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>After the Vietnam War, David Tran fled persecution by immigrating to America.</li><li>In 1980, he started the sriracha company Huy Fong, named after the boat he took from Vietnam.</li></ul>From beer and beef jerky to donuts and <a href="https://www.eater.com/2014/11/10/7186125/pizza-hut-hopes-putting-sriracha-on-everything-will-make-it-cool-again">everything at Pizza Hut</a>, sriracha has become a culinary mainstay of America. The story of how the hot sauce came to the country is also one of immigration.One of the earliest records of sriracha <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXOAx58LBDo">dates back</a> to 1949, when a woman in Thailand made a chili sauce using chili peppers, vinegar, sugar, salt, and garlic. She named it after the small seaside town she lived in, Si Racha.But sriracha in its most ubiquitous form — a plastic bottle filled with chili sauce and topped with a green cap — was brought to America by David Tran a few decades later.Starting in 1975, Tran, who is ethnically Chinese but was born in Vietnam, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html">made hot sauces</a> using chili peppers grown on his older brother's farm, located north of Saigon, now Ho Chi Minh City.It was a family business: Tran ground the peppers, his father-in-law washed Gerber baby food jars obtained from American servicemen, and his brother-in-law filled the repurposed jars with sauce. The cap of each jar was stamped with a rooster, Tran's zodiac sign, according to the New York Times.<h2>From Vietnam to America</h2>Things took a turn after the Vietnam War. In 1978, the new Communist Vietnamese government began cracking down on ethnic Chinese in South Vietnam, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14672715.1980.10405230?cookieSet=1">believing</a> that China was using immigrants to destabilize and weaken the country's economy in the lead-up to a military attack, according to historian Gareth Porter. The suspicion and persecution of Chinese immigrants <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/267395343_The_Sino-Vietnamese_Conflict_in_1978-79_and_the_Ethnic_Chinese_in_Vietnam">only intensified</a> with the outbreak of the Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979.Tran and 3,000 other refugees <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1979/01/21/archives/first-refugees-from-freighter-land-in-hong-kong-193-children-come.html">boarded</a> the freighter boat Huey Fong to Hong Kong, and from there landed in America on January 19, 1979. Tran was granted asylum, and started his new life in Boston — though he didn't stay there for long."My brother-in-law was in Los Angeles. When we talked on the phone, I asked him, 'Do they have red peppers in Los Angeles?' He said yes. And we left," Tran told the Times in 2009.Tran arrived in California in the first week of January 1980. By February, he was back to making chili sauces, naming his company after the ship he had boarded to escape his home country: Huy Fong.<div type="image" title="Huy Fong Foods CEO David Tran poses next to hoppers where chilies are delivered during chili crushing season at the Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce factory on May 14, 2014 in Irwindale, California." height="2000" width="2666" msid="96155320" hostid="261" sizebytes="300220"></div><h2>A hot sauce with multicultural appeal</h2>Tran started Huy Fong Foods not only for his fellow Vietnamese immigrants, but also for a multicultural group of consumers in America."I made this sauce for the Asian community," Tran <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/20/dining/20united.html">told</a> the New York Times. "I knew, after the Vietnamese resettled here, that they would want their hot sauce for their pho… But I wanted something that I could sell to more than just the Vietnamese."Huy Fong's sriracha can be used for a panoply of dishes, including "soups, sauces, pasta, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, chow mein," according to the description on its bottle. The bottle itself has English, Vietnamese, and Chinese written on it.But not everybody has bought into Tran's recipe, some questioning its authenticity and <a href="https://coveteur.com/2019/01/25/sriracha-americanized-knock-off/">calling it</a> an "Americanized" knockoff. In 2019, NPR <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/01/16/681944292/in-home-of-original-sriracha-sauce-thais-say-rooster-brand-is-nothing-to-crow-ab">asked</a> residents of Si Racha how they felt about Huy Fong's sriracha, and they complained that it is too bitter, spicy, and unbalanced in flavor. "I know it's not a Thai sriracha," Tran said in his interview with the New York Times. "It's my sriracha."<h2>A family business through and through</h2>Tran's strategy has paid off. Despite a bevy of competitors, Huy Fong's rooster-emblazoned bottle remains among the most popular brands of sriracha in America. In 2019, the company generated upwards of $150 million in annual revenue, representing a 10% market share of the $1.55 billion hot sauce market in the US, <a href="https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/national-international/david-trans-sriracha-can-still-crow-over-its-place-in-the-u-s-market/2485632/">according to</a> NBC News.<div type="image" title="Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce is bottled at the Huy Fong Foods plant on May 14, 2014 in Irwindale, California." height="1999" width="2666" msid="96155321" hostid="261" sizebytes="306284"></div>Tran also later expanded Huy Fong's offerings to include chili garlic sauce, commonly used in Vietnam, and sambal oelek, an Indonesian sauce that also uses chili peppers.Huy Fong has never had to advertise its products, instead <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-25455643">relying on</a> word of mouth. Its cult following was put to the test in the summer of 2022, when a shortage of chili peppers <a href="http://businessinsider.com/sriracha-production-suspended-chili-pepper-shortage-2022-6">forced the company to temporarily halt production of its beloved sriracha</a>.Over the years, investors have approached Tran to buy his business, but he's staunchly refused. Just like he did with his first chili sauce business in Vietnam, Tran, now 77, has instead kept Huy Fong family-run: His son William Tran now serves as the company's president, and his daughter Yassie Tran-Holliday is its vice president."I said no, because my company is my girlfriend," Tran <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wO1GGK2QlQs">said</a>.

How a refugee from Vietnam ignited the sriracha phenomenon in America

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The People Gallery has become one of the more popular fashion pages on TikTok.</li><li>The page is run by Maurice Kamara, a 35-year-old fashion stylist from Brooklyn.</li></ul>You could be the next person featured on one of the internet's most popular fashion accounts. "What's your name, and where are you from?""Can you describe your fit?""If you could give anyone a styling tip, what would it be?""What's your favorite meal?""What's your zodiac sign?"These are some of the rapid-fire questions Maurice Kamara typically asks everyday people on the streets of New York City — if you have a fire outfit.Kamara is a 35-year-old Brooklyn native who has created a dedicated following by doing impromptu fashion breakdowns, primarily in the chic streets of SoHo. Known as The People Gallery (@thepeoplegallery), Kamara has amassed over 630,000 followers across TikTok and Instagram. He has interviewed supermodels, influencers, rappers, and actors, among others.Kamara, who works for a luxury designer brand in the city, has proved that he has an eye for fashion.Most recently he stopped to chat with <a href="https://www.insider.com/timothee-chalamet-bones-and-all-cannibal-cherries-chocolate-sauce-2022-11">"Bones and All" actress Taylor Russell</a> and <a href="https://www.insider.com/bet-hip-hip-awards-daring-looks-celebrity-photos-2022-10#glorilla-wore-an-all-black-leather-ensemble-that-featured-a-belted-bralette-a-mini-skirt-and-open-toe-boots-13">Grammy-nominated rapper GloRilla.</a> He also spoke with late Migos rapper Takeoff and New York's very own <a href="https://www.insider.com/cardi-b-instagram-watch-together-series-interview-2022-5"> Cardi B</a>. Some of his other outfit breakdowns from this year include a wide range of other notable celebrities such as singers Doja Cat and Ari Lennox, models Evan Mock and Lori Harvey, actress Issa Rae, former football star Eli Manning, and Jaden Smith. He also spotlighted rapper Yasiin Bey, previously known as Mos Def.Kamara prides himself on his content being authentic. Even when he bumps into the biggest of stars, it's their ensembles that draw him in before he recognizes them or knows what they do for a living. "When I did Taylor Russell. I didn't even know who she was. I didn't know her, but her outfit was amazing," Kamara told Insider. "She saw how many people were on my page already and was so excited to do it. When she saw Alexa Demie, it made her feel comfortable." Kamara is never seen but always heard in the background of his videos commending the person he's interviewing. With New York being an epicenter of fashion, it serves as the perfect backdrop for his content. "I think New York is way bolder than other places. There are certain things you could wear in New York, that I feel like if you go somewhere else, people look at you like you're crazy," he said. "So, in New York City, the comfort level when it comes to fashion is like no other. I feel like you'll see people step out of the box a little bit more and take more risks in New York City because the comfort level here is different than anywhere else." <h2>One day he decided to hit record, and the rest is history</h2><div type="image" title="&quot;Euphoria&quot; star Alexa Demie, Rapper Offset and Creative Director June Ambrose." height="488" width="844" msid="96066154" hostid="261"></div>Growing up in Brooklyn, Kamara was into fashion from a young age. He remembers working at his first job and saving up to buy the newest pairs of Jordans. And his influences also included hip-hop culture, which was everpresent in his neighborhood. Before The People Gallery, Kamara would record his friends' outfits and post them on his personal Instagram stories — but he knew he wanted to expand outside his inner circle. "One thing about me in New York City, I'm always giving people compliments about their outfits, and I think it's something that I wish more people would do," Kamara said. "And as time went on, an idea popped into my head like, 'You should document it.'"He kept procrastinating until one day, he was in Brooklyn and saw a man wearing a 70's inspired outfit. In the video, the man is wearing a thrifted button-down, which was long, patterned and sheer. He said he added a purple feather boa to complete the look. He also had black bell bottoms and glasses with a green tint."I saw this kid with an amazing outfit I never saw before in my life. And I was like, 'If I want to start now, this is the time," he recalled. "I just pulled my phone out and I asked him can I record him? He said yeah. And I did.""I was very nervous. I saw him coming miles away. I'm like, 'Holy shit. I've always wanted to do this, and here's the kid coming towards me. Here's my opportunity." <h2>'I'm a people person'</h2><div type="image" title="tk" height="1215" width="815" msid="96066156" hostid="261"></div>For a fashion enthusiast, working in SoHo has its perks.Kamara could be at work when a person like Lil Uzi Vert pulls up to a store in the neighborhood. The "Just Wanna Rock" rapper hopped out of his car in front of the Rick Owens store when Kamara made his move. He credits this interaction with helping his page get to the next level. "A lot of times, I'm even surprised myself. I know people think all this stuff is set up," he said."I'll be minding my business, I'll be walking somewhere, going somewhere, and I would just see a person with a good look. I don't just do any celeb." It's Kamara's enthusiasm and warm demeanor that gets celebrities to trust him on the spot. He recalls when he came across one of his favorite actors, Bokeem Woodbine."When I met him one day on Canal Street, I let him know what I was doing and that I was trying to get him on my page. He told me he couldn't do it today, but he'll do it tomorrow. I thought he was giving me the runaround, but he actually gave me his phone number," Kamara explained."I was able to contact him the next day he told me to meet him somewhere, and he will do the video. And after he did a video, he told me that the reason why he did a video was because he liked my hunger, the way I approached him, and he loved what I was doing." Aside from public figures, Kamara interviews people from around the world, and his page is a reflection of that. He has taken his knack for capturing the best fits from fashion week in New York to overseas in Paris. "I'm a people person. I know people go through a lot in everyday life. So, just being to talk to people from all walks of life is the type of energy that I love."

Are you among the best dressed in NYC? Let Maurice Kamara of the viral TikTok hit The People Gallery be the judge.

“You are not so smart” my colleague <a href="https://in.linkedin.com/in/amitsy">Amit</a> told me. 
 “What ?!” was all I could say while getting ready to deliver a ferocious speech to defend my <keyword id="118641" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="intellect">intellect</keyword> (and any other virtue that needed defending). 
 
“<a href="https://youarenotsosmart.com/">You are not so Smart</a>. It’s a book. You will love it.” said Amit. 
 
He was spot on. 
 David McRaney’s book is a light and yet comprehensive guide on one of the most <keyword id="4027880" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="human-qualities">human qualities</keyword> of them all — Biases 
 
Reading a book which covers a seemingly infinite number of <keyword id="1804739" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="biases">biases</keyword> that each of us face every day has a powerful disarming effect (Can you really trust your judgement any more ?). 
 
But it can be really enlightening (and fun!) to see just how much sway biases have over our thoughts and decisions. 
 
 
 
(<a href="http://dilbert.com/">Image Source</a>) 
 
For example, what was going through your mind when you read the title of this post ? 
 
Did you feel like your own intelligence was being challenged (The <a href="https://medium.com/r/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FSpotlight_effect">self-as-target bias</a>) ? 
 For those of you who have made <keyword id="38348" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="New-Year-resolutions">New Year Resolutions</keyword> ( <a href="https://youarenotsosmart.com/2010/10/27/procrastination/">The Procrastination bias</a>), did you start thinking more seriously about them ? 
 
Those of you who have not made New Year Resolutions, did you start thinking about one after reading the previous question (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priming_(psychology)">Priming-induced bias</a>)? 
 
You may think you are not as easily susceptible to biases as everyone else (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Third-person_effect">The third person effect</a>), and are capable of steering clear of any fallacies that can cloud your judgement ( <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-serving_bias">The self-serving bias</a>). 
 
But then, 
 
You are not so <keyword id="6370279" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="smart">Smart</keyword> 
 
One of the most common questions every Venture Capital (VC) investor has to answer (or dodge) is : 
 
“Whats your thesis for &lt;Insert any market / sector / business model/ tech innovation&gt; space ?” 
 
Sometimes, I have an answer (which, in spite of all my embellishments, is nothing more than an opinion). 
 
Most times though, I have no choice but to acknowledge that I don’t have a thesis (or anything that is even passable as a point of view). 
 
This is a difficult thing to admit. After all, in the world of startups, <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/startups/foodtech-resembled-a-startup-graveyard-in-2016/articleshow/56276369.cms">investors are often looked up to for advice, and for strong opinions that can be used to predict the future</a>. Admitting that you do not have or follow a thesis-driven approach can make an investor look not so smart. 
 
For an investor, a structured and thesis-driven investing approach comes with obvious merits, such as focus and greater depth of knowledge and understanding in sectors of interest. 
 
Might there be a benefit to not actually following a thesis-driven approach to investing ? 
 
You are not so Smart (the book) describes an interesting experiment conducted by Tim Wilson at the University of Virginia in 1990. 
 
He brought a group of students into a room and showed them a series of posters. The students were told they could take any one they wanted as a gift and keep it. He then brought in another group and told them the same thing, but this time they had to explain why they wanted the poster they had picked. 
 
The first group, the grab-and-go people, usually picked a nice, fancy painting. The second group, the ones who had to explain their choice, usually picked an inspirational poster with a cat clinging to a rope. 
 
Wilson then waited six months and asked the two groups what they thought of their choices. The first group, the ones who just got to grab a poster and leave, all loved their choice. The second group, the ones who had to write out why they were choosing one over the others, hated theirs. 
 
Might VC investors be denying themselves the best choices simply because of the obligation to conform to a (pseudo)intellectual framework ? 
 
For its many virtues, focus can also lead to surprisingly debilitating effects. 
 
For example, the video below demonstrates one of the most popular experiments on this phenomenon. Give it a go yourself ! 
 
 
 
(<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo">Video Source</a>) 
 
If you didn’t already know of this test, did it surprise you ? 
 
It certainly caused me to think about all the obvious investments I might have completely missed out on because <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/vc-emotional-cycle-shubhankar-bhattacharya?trk=mp-reader-card">I was looking for something else</a>. 
 
The book also argued that a pre-conceived belief in the validity of information or a certain approach leads to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmation_bias">confirmation</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subjective_validation">subjective validation bias</a>. For example, if one chooses to believe in the validity of horoscopes, you will ignore obvious facts that undermine them. 
 
I decided to put this to the test. So, on a recent flight, I decided to compare what the horoscope in the in-flight magazine had to say about the future. 
 
For Gemini : 
‘Focus will be on love. You will manage to impress someone. Someone may take you to meet an old friend. Praise comes in plenty for professionals. Better opportunities await those considering a job switch.’ 
 
For Cancer : 
‘Professionally, there will be no stopping you. Financial front will be strong. A friendship may blossom into romance. You can expect support of your well wishers. Spiritual endeavours will help bring peace.’ 
 
For Capricorn : 
‘Chances are you get into the good books of a senior. A little praise will be enough to raise your spirits on professional front. Some will focus at the larger picture on social front. Love will come knocking at your door.’ 
 
For Sagittarius : 
‘You will enjoy family time this month. Financial problems end through your efforts. You will find things moving in a positive direction at work. You will enjoy some romantic moments with lover.’ 
 
For Aquarius : 
‘Love relationship gets strengthened. Don’t neglect health. Financial condition improves substantially so expect to have a good time. Chart out a fresh course of action on romantic front.’ 
 
Do these predictions describe the same future for 5 different zodiac signs ? You decide. 
 
Would you know if you missed a gorilla in plain sight or bought into the validity of a horoscope ? 
 
Or would you claiming to know merely prove that you are also vulnerable to the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hindsight_bias">hindsight bias</a>? 
 
(Main Image: Pinterest)

You are not so Smart

<ul><li><keyword id="9648465" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="sima-taparia">Sima Taparia</keyword> from Mumbai is back and she’s telling fortune again. This time, it is with <keyword id="8681398" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Urban-Company">Urban Company</keyword> and the audience is loving it.</li><li>Tarun Menon, Director Marketing, Urban Company takes us behind the platform's latest influencer marketing campaign with Sima Taparia, shares the thought behind partnering with her and larger goals for this year.</li></ul>Last year, Netflix's Indian Matchmaking introduced India and the world to ace matchmaker Sima Taparia and she quickly became one of the most talked about character from a reality show. The first season ended in July 2020 but the audience hasn’t stopped stanning over Sima Taparia yet. Sima gained instant popularity among millennials and Gen Z and never faded away from the news cycle. Over the past year, brands like Burger King, Tinder, Asian Paints flocked to partner with the internet sensation, who recently starred in Big Boss OTT. Meanwhile, brands are still not over her. Recently, she featured in a campaign for home service and grooming platform, Urban Company. Before Netflix renewed Indian Matchmaking for season 2, Urban Company’s Align your Stars campaign with Sima Taparia generated a lot of chatter on social media. It helped the brand garner 4.5+ million views in less than a week. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Telling us why Sima was the perfect match for this campaign, Tarun Menon, Director Marketing, Urban Company said, “Sima enjoys cult-like status and is best known for matchmaking based on the stars. She was one of the most talked about people online in 2020. It was a punt – to see if the choice of influencer and content could drive engagement for the campaign.” “The videos themselves have been well received across social media with people relating, reacting and engaging with the content - and has given us learnings to bake into our next campaign,” added Menon. Its marketing objective was to create buzz ahead of the launch of Big Home Rush, an Urban Company sale property. To further spread awareness around its discounts and gain new customers, Urban Company partnered with 14 different young influencers such as Kusha Kapila, Vishnu Kaushal, Mallika Dua, to mention a few, to create content for each zodiac sign. The underlying message of each piece was to encourage consumers to join Urban Company’s Big Home Rush sale. Launched in January 2021, the Big Home Rush sale has become extremely popular with consumers. Even in the ongoing second edition, the company has already delivered close to 500,000 services, witnessing high demand from cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad and more. Sharing why it chose influencer marketing to promote its sale, Menon said, “With other media formats driving awareness, the influencer leg sought to create engagement and conversation around the sale, in a way that’s native to the platform (Instagram). We’d observed that in the last 2 months, sun-sign based content was growing in volume, engagement and traction - as people tag their friends and conversation flows organically.” Before Sima Taparia, Urban Company’s partnership with yesteryear’s TV stars such as Rupali Ganguly as Monisha Sarabhai and Komalika also received a positive response from its audience. The idea behind casting such a unique set of stars, from Sima to Monisha, was to find women who can express shock and help open a door for them in the regional markets. “These content pieces were part of a larger campaign for Salon Classic - a newly launched category that offers salon quality services at unbelievable prices. Our intent in partnering with influencers and content creators was to integrate the key message - salon services at unbelievably low prices - into content &amp; culture. It made sense to partner with influencers best known for expressing shock – Hindi TV celebrities with a cult following for the roles they play. We further extended this concept to regional TV artists as well, to build relatability for regional audiences. We are looking to attract new customers and engage existing consumers through this campaign,” shared Menon. Due to the global pandemic, Urban Company has seen an uptick in the demand for home cleaning and hygiene services as people are becoming more health-conscious. The app had become quite popular for its home repair and salon services before the pandemic broke out. However, people have been wary about letting outsiders inside their homes lately. Urban Company rose to the challenge and tweaked its marketing strategy. It started communicating every day about the changes it introduced in its services and updated its audience regularly about the number of employees vaccinated. It tweaked its logo across platforms to convey the importance of social distancing and wearing a mask. Apart from that, it realised that people are looking for a lot of DIY videos to make the best of their time. Therefore, it started uploading beauty and wellness video tips to help its consumers surf through the challenges they are posed with. It is also conducting live sessions to engage with its consumers. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> Telling us how the company has tweaked its larger marketing strategy after the pandemic to win consumer trust, Menon shared, “We focused on communicating every day about the changes we introduced in our services and SOPs. For example, we completely reimagined certain services, such as threading, to ensure low contact with consumers. For threading, our Beauty experts now wrap the thread around their neck, instead of pursing it in their mouth. We launched extensive campaigns to build communication on our safety protocols and how the Urban Company experience has been reimagined for delivering safe and hygienic services. Our ‘<keyword id="11886690" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="uc-safe">UC Safe</keyword> Salon campaign’ included TVCs featuring Neena Kulkarni and Shweta Tiwari aimed at communicating the safety of Urban Company’s salon at home services. More recently, in May ‘21, we ran an extension of the UC Safe campaign, highlighting how over 75% of our service professional base is now vaccinated.” Home services sector in India is largely unorganized and Urban Company is one of the few companies that is formalising it and despite being in the business for 7 years, Menon says that they are still just getting started. Sharing his larger goals for this year, Menon said, Our focus areas will be to increase market share in existing markets and increase penetration in new cities. In the past 2 years, we have expanded to 30 cities in India. Our goal is to be present in the top 100 cities over the next couple of years.”

It's a match: When Sima Taparia met Urban Company and helped the brand gain over 4.5 million+ views in less than a week

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Abel Tesfaye, known globally as the Weeknd, is making headlines this week as he gets ready to&#xa0;<a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/2231542/the-weeknd-2015-vma-i-cant-feel-my-face/">perform at the 2015 VMAs</a> and&#xa0;<a href="http://www.metacritic.com/music/beauty-behind-the-madness/the-weeknd">releases a new album</a>. Despite these&#xa0;mainstream milestones, the Weeknd got his start in a pretty unorthodox way&#xa0;- his&#xa0;origin story is filled with mystery, mixtapes, and a megaton&#xa0;of internet hype. So how exactly did the Weeknd manage to climb from the dark hole of indie music anonymity to become the summer's biggest pop star?&#xa0;Let's start at the beginning.&#xa0;<h2>On Feb.&#xa0;24, 2011, Tesfaye uploaded three songs to YouTube under the username "xoxxxoooxo."</h2>No identifying name or photos were associated with the account, other than a curiously misspelled band name: "The Weeknd."&#xa0;Two weeks later, one of the songs,&#xa0;"What You Need,"&#xa0;<a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/tracks/12131-what-you-need/">appeared on notorious indie-music review site Pitchfork</a> as a "Best New Track."<div></div>The single was described as "a twinkling, moonlit R&amp;B protestation all made the more sensual by an anonymous, butter-dripping voice challenging a lover's relationship with suggestive come-ons."&#xa0;The Weeknd was gaining attention. Not just because his voice sounded like a reincarnated Michael Jackson, but because the shroud of mystery clinging to those YouTube videos was captivating. Everyone wanted to know who was behind this new sound.&#xa0;The Pitchfork review told readers: "If you haven't heard much about the Weeknd, it's because there isn't much info out there on them - that is, if the mysterious project ...is a 'them' and not just a 'him' or 'her.'"<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The inscrutability of the Weeknd was a huge part of his draw, and why the internet couldn't get enough.&#xa0;<h2>Within a month, a full mixtape was released with the title "House of Balloons."</h2>Popular rapper and fellow Canadian Drake <a href="https://twitter.com/WelcomeOVO/status/49664358992715777">tweeted </a>the download link, only adding to the buzz surrounding the artist. Pitchfork <a href="http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/15264-house-of-balloons/">awarded the mixtape Best New Album,</a>&#xa0;with this mini explainer of his explosion into internet fame:As soon as the creepy R&amp;B tracks from a<a href="http://the-weeknd.com/"> free mixtape</a> began to circulate, the hype engine revved up. There was the <a href="http://twitter.com/#!/WelcomeOVO/status/49664358992715777">Drake cosign</a>, the album art that looked like Spiritualized crossed with Tumblr art-porn, the missing vowel, the stylish samples, and the project's creators hiding in the shadows. You can't buy buzz like this…Eventually, Abel Tesfaye was uncovered as the man behind the enigma of the Weeknd. Exactly who put it together first is unclear, but Complex ran a <a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2011/04/who-is-weeknd/who-is-weeknd1">mini breakdown of everything fans had discovered</a> about the artist so far on April 7, 2011.&#xa0;Some fans were shocked to head that the Weeknd was just one person.&#xa0;<div></div>Others weren't satisfied with just the singer's name - they wanted to know more about his looks.&#xa0;<div></div><h2>Then, the&#xa0;Weeknd did his first public performance.</h2>Just five&#xa0;months after his YouTube debut, on July 24 2011, he performed at a small venue called the Mod Club in his hometown of Toronto. One review of the event made it clear that <a href="https://nowtoronto.com/music/concert-reviews/the-weeknds-perfect-premiere/">the mystery continued with this appearance</a>. "The official flyer proclaimed 'no guest list, no cameras, no media'; tickets could only be purchased in-person at a shoe store downtown a week earlier and sold out immediately," the review&#xa0;read.Fans who weren't quick enough to grab tickets could only hope for leaked video footage of the momentous event.<h2>Critics were loving it as he released two more mixtapes.</h2>That year, "House of Balloons" appeared on many music critic sites as one of the&#xa0;<a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2011/12/the-25-best-albums-of-2011/26#26">albums of the year</a>. But the artist still refused interviews, nor did he make many other public appearances. He did, however, <a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2012/09/the-weeknd-signs-with-universal-republic">sign with a major label</a>&#xa0;and release two more mixtapes, known as "Thursday" and "Echoes of Silence." The Weeknd decided to gather those two with "House of Balloons" and create a <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/trilogy/id571371388">three-disc album called "Trilogy."</a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The only mar on a year of the Weeknd came when producer Jeremy Rose, who sometimes goes by Zodiac, stated&#xa0;that the Weeknd wasn't crediting him as the musical genius behind those first breakout&#xa0;tracks. Rose <a href="http://www.vice.com/read/how-the-producer-of-the-weeknds-breakout-tracks-got-majorly-screwed">told his side of the story</a> to Vice. The Weeknd has remained silent on the issue to this day.<h2>He then made the leap to a spot at Coachella and a few other high-profile performances and started giving interviews.</h2>In April 2012, the Weeknd performed at the iconically hip Coachella music festivel, which kicked off his<a href="http://www.thefader.com/2012/04/11/the-weeknd-announces-first-us-tour"> first ever US tour</a>. In&#xa0;2013, the singer was <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/52893-the-weeknd-to-open-for-justin-timberlake-on-the-2020-experience-tour/">opening for Justin Timberlake,</a> <a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/57921-ariana-grande-and-the-weeknd-perform-love-me-harder-acoustic/">appearing on SNL</a>,&#xa0;and performing live on "<a href="http://pitchfork.com/news/52604-watch-the-weeknd-perform-pretty-on-letterman/">Late Show with David Letterman</a>."When&#xa0;marketing began for the Weeknd's first official full-length album "Kiss Land" in fall 2013, he&#xa0;finally <a href="http://www.complex.com/music/2013/07/weeknd-interview-cover-story">sat down with Complex Magazine</a> to discuss his enigmatic past. When asked if his "air of mystery" was intentional, the Weeknd replied:Yes and no. In the beginning, I was very insecure. I hated how I looked in pictures ... I was very camera shy. People like hot girls, so I put my music to hot girls and it just became a trend ... I just ran with it. No one could find pictures of me. It reminded me of some villain sh*t. But you can't escape the Internet.He was right.&#xa0;The Weeknd has now collaborated with stars like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5qU7p7yOY8">Ariana Grande</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a3q7Qs3Nkc">Ed Sheeran</a>, and mastermind pop-song writer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Martin">Max Martin</a>, who co-wrote the summer smash <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI4qSrkPAs">"I Can't Feel My Face."</a>&#xa0;<h2>His early&#xa0;2015&#xa0;single "Earned It" boosted him to mainstream fame.</h2>Released officially on Feb.&#xa0;15, 2015,&#xa0;"Earned It" became synonymous with erotic-novel-turned-movie "50 Shades of Grey." As the Weeknd ventured farther into the spotlight, his music became more about sex and love while references to drugs became fewer.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>But the Weeknd still maintains an edgy darkness to his R&amp;B style.&#xa0;<a href="http://time.com/4011859/the-weeknd-interview-beauty-behind-themadness/">In a recent interview</a> with Time Magazine, the Weeknd reflects on how much has changed in pop music since those early mixtape days:&#xa0;"I think the [pop music] game is changing with songs like 'Earned It' as opposed to it changing me because 'Earned It' was very important," he said. "It was slow, it was sexy and it was smooth-all traits in my music."The Weeknd is aiming to "make pop cool again," and it seems as though he's succeeding. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/xoxxxoooxo/videos">His YouTube channel</a> is still under the same "xoxxxoooxo" username, but the uploaded clips are filled with shots of the Weeknd singing, on tour, or wandering around L.A. The Weeknd also&#xa0;has a dedicated Vevo page for his <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzTuBuRdAyA">music videos</a>, which always feature the now-recognizable artist&#xa0;front and center in every narrative.<h2>And now, he's released a second album as he preps for a VMA performance.</h2>Tickets have already gone on sale for the Weeknd's fall 2015 tour, titled "The Madness" after his brand new album, <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/jesselawrence/2015/08/28/after-tour-announcement-and-new-album-the-weeknd-tickets-average-over-200-on-secondary-market/">According to Forbes</a>, scalpers wasted no time: the average price for secondary market tickets is $204.75. Clearly, it will only go up from here for the R&amp;B singer. Fans who can't catch him live are eagerly awaiting the MTV <a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/2231542/the-weeknd-2015-vma-i-cant-feel-my-face/">Video Music Award performance</a> he's scheduled to make&#xa0;on Sunday, August 30.&#xa0;No matter how dark he tries to stay, the Weeknd is&#xa0;one of the brightest pop stars of 2015.&#xa0; <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-snow-twin-theory-game-of-thrones-2015-8">This crazy old 'Game of Thrones' theory just made a big comeback, and fans are losing it</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="I1dng4dzqijk9W6EnsgeuuJqwj7Na-VP" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

How the Weeknd's insanely successful career started with anonymous YouTube videos

<div class="KonaFilter image-container"><div class="image">"Tiny Times"</div></div>
<h3 class="rubric">The market is growing furiously, but getting tougher for foreign firms</h3>
In the heart of old Shanghai is a magnificent villa that serves as the workplace of Guo Jingming, a provocative young film-maker. "Tiny Times", his recent blockbuster, follows the travails of some fashionable college girls (pictured, in the walk-in closet of one of them). Its depictions of the high life, rarely shown in Chinese films, have set social networks ablaze; they have also been attacked by the People's Daily for "unconditional hedonism". Mr Guo says: "So what? Materialism is neutral, neither positive nor negative." After all, he goes on, China's cosmopolitans know at any given moment what movies are playing in New York and what fashions are on the Paris runways.
China's once-drab and Mao-suited interior is not so far behind. In Mianyang, a middling city in the province of Sichuan, an enormous billboard featuring Miranda Kerr, an Australian supermodel, draped in Swarovski crystals welcomes shoppers to the Parkson shopping mall. It is one of half a dozen high-end malls in town. Luxury sales are exploding there. Local Audi and BMW dealers sell more than 100 cars each a month; Land Rover, Jaguar and Cadillac have just muscled in on the market.
Thirty kilometres (20 miles) away in Luxi, a town of 57,000 people, online shopping is hot. The first express-delivery office opened only three years ago, and handled perhaps ten packages a day; today, there are five, each handling 100 packages a day. Even 60km away, in rural Santai county where farm-workers are the customers, one modern shopping mall has sprung up and another is being built. "Customers are evolving very quickly from the low-end market to the middle and high-end," says Yang Shuiying, proud general manager of the Zizhou shopping centre.
In the 1950s and 1960s the world economy was transformed by the emergence of the American consumer. Now China seems poised to become the next consumption superpower. In all likelihood, it has just overtaken Japan to become the world's second-biggest consumer economy. Its roughly $3.3 trillion in private consumption is about 8% of the world total, and it has only just begun.
"The future of the world will be profoundly shaped by China's rush toward consumerism," says Karl Gerth, an expert on Chinese consumption at the University of California, San Diego. Although investment made the biggest contribution to China's growth last year, and although private consumption's share of output, now at 36%, fell between 2000 and 2010, that trend is unlikely to last, for several reasons.
First, boosting the people's desire to consume is a stated goal of China's leaders. Higher government spending on health care and pensions may encourage households to save less for such things. Higher interest rates may, paradoxically, discourage thrift if people reach their savings goals faster. Rising wages and an ageing population will also shift the balance towards consumption rather than saving. And although household debt is growing fast, China still has relatively little.
Besides, consumption has not fallen in absolute terms. It has, in fact, grown briskly--just not quite as quickly as the economy overall. In dollar terms, China contributed more than any other country to the growth in global consumption in 2011-13, according to Andy Rothman of CLSA, a broker. Moreover, China's official statistics understate some consumption--spending on housing, for example.
A massive push to urbanise is also under way, which should produce tens of millions of richer citizens seeking retail therapy. McKinsey, a consultancy, forecasts that consumption by urban Chinese households will increase from 10 trillion yuan in 2012 to nearly 27 trillion yuan in 2022 (see chart 1).
<h3>Fickle Sophisticates</h3>
How much China spends is striking. Even more so is the way it spends. This is now one of the world's most sophisticated consumer markets, heavily skewed towards expensive goods. Local property barons are now building half the world's new shopping malls in China, many of them in smaller cities, because even punters without big incomes are becoming big shoppers. Research by IDEO, a consultancy, has found that many young migrant workers earning less than 5,000 yuan ($830) a month will spend a month's wages on an Apple iPhone.
That points to another difference from previous consumption booms elsewhere: with the world's largest e-commerce market at their fingertips, Chinese shoppers are online from the start. As a result, what was once a foreign marketers' fantasyland is now the world's fiercest battleground for brands.
Sanford C. Bernstein, a research firm, calls the Chinese "increasingly aspirational and conspicuous consumers" who routinely trade up to fancier labels even on staples. Newly middle-class types in cities in the interior are keen to try out new products, especially the ones they have seen on foreign television shows. Jeff Walters of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) points out that even country bumpkins are consuming global media, thanks to the wild popularity of local online-video services. Chinese consumers, he says, were watching the latest season of "Downton Abbey" on Youku, a video-sharing website, well before it was released in America.
This passion for fashion is, in theory, good news for multinational marketers. Unlike, say, Japan, where consumers heavily favour local brands, Chinese consumers hold foreign brands in high esteem. Torsten Stocker of AT Kearney, a consultancy, observes that foreign brands are doing well in sectors they introduced to China (chewing gum, chocolate); those that have "heritage" appeal (premium cars, luxury goods) and those where local brands are not trusted, such as powdered baby milk. The world's fast-food and consumer-goods giants--Procter &amp; Gamble, Pepsi, General Mills and so on--are also big in China, but they are increasingly dogged by local rivals. A recent study by Bain, another consultancy, found that although foreign brands still lead in some areas (biscuits, fabric-softener, bottled water), local brands are surging in others (toothpaste, cosmetics, juice).
Brand-hopping, though, is rife. Having grown up with radical economic change, Chinese shoppers are "very fickle, and hard to pin down to a strong brand loyalty", says Mintel, a market-research firm. Yuval Atsmon of McKinsey reckons that brand-switching--between Pepsi and Coke, Colgate and Crest, KFC and McDonald's--is common, "much more so than in most markets". Swarovski, the crystal-maker, has discovered that over three-quarters of Chinese customers are eager to try new brands, a far higher figure than elsewhere. A recent study by Bain found that the top five brands in ten categories lost 30-60% of their customers between 2011 and 2012.
This creates several problems. With two or three times as many brands on shelves as found in other countries, competition is ferocious. This makes advertising and marketing vital--but the cost of publicity is soaring. Also, firms that thought they enjoyed a "first-mover advantage" have discovered that their brands are now seen as stodgy or old-fashioned. Olay, a cosmetics brand, defined skin care in China for a generation--but Carol Potter of BBDO, an advertising agency, reckons that "the new generation thinks it's a brand from yesterday." She adds that whereas Louis Vuitton once symbolised good and expensive taste in China, a new generation is seeking different, subtler luxuries.
<h3>The Empty Suitcase</h3>
Another complication for marketers is that many Chinese shoppers have a global outlook. When previous middle classes rose to prominence in America and Japan, the internet did not exist. People could not Google the latest European fashions or check discounts on Amazon. The arrival of cheap air travel has also made the Chinese more discerning shoppers. Mr Stocker argues that these factors have "compressed the discovery process", which in Japan took 30 years, to less than ten.
The Chinese are already the world's biggest shoppers abroad, but a report released on January 20th by CLSA forecasts that the number of outbound Chinese tourists will double to 200m a year by 2020 and that their spending will triple over that time. James Button of SmithStreet, a consultancy, reports a well established piece of etiquette: "You must let friends know when you are going overseas," and take along an empty suitcase.
Many Chinese also use online shopping agents, who aggregate requests and bring back foreign goods. Sales by overseas purchase agents came to nearly 50 billion yuan in 2012, a leap of more than 80% on the year earlier; they jumped by half again last year to 74.4. billion yuan. Foreign websites, including Amazon, now offer direct delivery to China for certain products, and local e-commerce giants such as Alibaba run cross-border services.
Buying overseas saves money, since mark-ups and hefty taxes are the rule in China. Many ordinary folk travel not just to Hong Kong, the most convenient spot, but to Jeju Island in South Korea (where they can visit without a visa and shop duty-free) to stock up on cosmetics that cost much more at home. Price, though, is not the only motivation. Another is to avoid the counterfeit goods so common on the mainland. Even more important, consumers say, are the variety and freshness of the products available overseas.
Nowhere is this wide-ranging urge to spend more obvious than in the market for luxury goods. Globally the Chinese are the biggest buyers of expensive items, accounting for some 29% of purchases last year (see chart 2). Some two-thirds of Chinese spending on luxury goods takes place outside the mainland; a fifth of it in Europe. (Harrods of London has seen sales to Chinese shoppers, its largest foreign contingent, increase by 50% a year since 2011.) Consistently favoured brands include Lancôme, Gucci, Audi, Rolex and Tiffany.
The Chinese are also the world's largest consumers of Bordeaux wine and cognac, though sales (like those of Moutai, a local grain alcohol) have fallen in the wake of official campaigns against gift-giving (see "Corruption: Less party time"). At Berry Bros &amp; Rudd's bonded wine warehouse in Basingstoke, in southern England, where 4.5m expensive bottles are stored, more than 1m of those are owned by oenophiles from greater China. No longer, says the firm's chairman, should the Chinese be pictured ruining fine wine by pouring Coca-Cola into it.
Although a government crackdown on corruption has crimped mainland sales, and some luxury firms slowed down the rollout of new boutiques there last year, Coach, Prada and Bottega Veneta continued to expand. Apple expanded too; it now has more stores in Shanghai than in San Francisco, and launches new iPhones in Beijing when it does in California. Mr Button of SmithStreet thinks brands offering affordable luxury--Michael Kors and Kate Spade, say--can capture both the upwardly mobile and the "post-luxury" elites in the cities, who want less flashy brands.
In the past, the Chinese showed little interest in Western art. That is starting to change, and may change quicker with the opening of a new museum of Western art in Shanghai. The richest man in China has just paid $28m for a Picasso, though he was condemned as "unpatriotic" on Sina Weibo. Ms Potter also observes that two-thirds of affluent consumers are keen to know the history and cultural background of foreign brands. So they love to buy Piaget watches in Geneva and Zegna suits in Milan, but reject unconventional offerings such as German watches or Japanese leather bags.
It is not only in luxury goods that Chinese shoppers are leading the way. China has become the world's biggest e-commerce market, with spending forecast to reach $540 billion next year. On Singles Day, an annual online-marketing extravaganza held on November 11th, 400m Chinese spent $5.7 billion just on Tmall, an e-commerce platform run by Alibaba; Americans, on their Cyber Monday a few weeks later, spent only about $2 billion. China is the world's biggest maker and consumer of smartphones, and will soon be the largest "mobile-commerce" market, too.
Perhaps because they distrust official information, the Chinese rely heavily on peer reviews. Research by BCG has shown that they write, and act on, online reviews of products and services far more than Westerners do. A recent study of purchases of moisturiser found that two-thirds of Chinese buyers relied on online recommendations by friends or family; the comparable figure in America was less than 40%. Millions of online shoppers follow the thoughts of Miumiu and Viviandan, leggy twins from industrial Chongqing, who started posting pictures of themselves in the latest fashions, with wry observations on trends and prices, a decade ago. Even now they post recommendations nearly every day on social-media sites such as Instagram, or on Weibo. Their likes and dislikes make or break products.
Online shoppers in the remotest parts of China often know a great deal about a global brand's attributes and pricing worldwide--which can put marketers on the back foot. Chinese consumers are no longer willing to pay a hefty premium for any old foreign brand. As they grow more discerning, multinationals are having to work harder to prove their worth--and are having to defend their brands on China's wild social media. But creative approaches can pay off.
When VF Corporation, a large American clothing firm, wanted to promote The North Face, a brand of outdoor clothing, in China, it struggled. Whereas climbers and hikers in the West relish the thought of conquering mountains alone, the Chinese generally think of outings in Nature as a spiritual escape, to be enjoyed with friends. So the firm created an online community linking amateurs to clubs devoted to outdoor pursuits. The website offers points for activity and loyalty that can be redeemed for products. Sales are soaring, and VF now has a detailed database of over half a million keen customers.
The online awareness of Chinese customers has big global implications. According to Andrew Keith, the president of Lane Crawford, cosmopolitan Chinese consumers are now setting the agenda: "We are not teaching them, they are teaching us." (He should know; his Hong Kong department store has half a dozen shops in greater China, 650,000 high-spending customers and, in the new Shanghai store, private suites for "Platinum VIPs" who spend 60,000 yuan or more a year.) Alexis Perakis-Valat, head of L'Oréal's China business, agrees. He believes that the Chinese market, unlike those in Western countries, is driven by young urban consumers who are demanding something new and have no taboos. He points to peculiar and distinctive products developed for this niche in China, such as a black-foam face-scrub for men, which are now being launched around the world.
<h3>We're All Chinese Now</h3>
Another sign of such innovation is the reinvention of Johnnie Walker, a mass-market whisky brand belonging to Diageo, the world's biggest spirits firm, as a luxury brand in China. Keen to win over sceptical consumers more accustomed to baijiu (a local firewater), the firm opened Johnnie Walker House in Shanghai almost three years ago. For around 800,000 yuan, or $132,000, the company's master blender (with the delicious surname of Beveridge) will fly in and brew a special batch of Johnnie Walker precisely matched to a customer's tastes. Certain rare blends, including some bearing the marks of the Chinese zodiac, are sold only at this venue.
This effort has helped Diageo introduce its whiskies to thousands of affluent customers, who in turn have pushed the firm towards new inventions--such as blends with a much higher alcohol content--which helped its whisky revenues grow twice as fast as the industry average. The concept has been such a success that the company has opened new Houses in Beijing and Seoul, and plans others. When Diageo unveiled Odyssey, a special-edition blend, in 2012, it kicked off the global launch not in London or New York but in Shanghai.
Life was simpler for foreign brands when they first came to China, reflects David Roth of The Store, an advertising agency: "It was a land grab…you just had to create awareness as quickly as possible." Now the Western invaders must not only cater to the world's most demanding shoppers, but also cope with increasing home-grown competition. Chinese firms are starting to catch up with their fancier foreign rivals. Some even aspire to become global brands.
Huawei, a telecoms-equipment giant, is making a big push into branded consumer electronics. "We have it easier than Samsung did," says Colin Giles, chief marketing officer for its consumer business, because Korean firms paved the way for global acceptance of Chinese brands. Xiaomi, a startup smartphone manufacturer in Beijing, has developed a hugely popular phone-and-app system inspired as much by Amazon as by Apple. It could become China's first global innovation powerhouse.
Leading the local pack is Lenovo, an electronics firm that previously bought IBM's personal-computer business (and on January 23rd agreed to buy its low-end server business, too). When it launched its latest Yoga tablet last year it chose Ashton Kutcher, a Hollywood star who had played Steve Jobs in a film, as its spokesman. David Roman, Lenovo's chief marketing officer, says that even a few years ago it would have been unthinkable to do a global product launch in China with a single tagline, unified advertising content and a Western spokesman. But now he thinks there is "a global consuming class", with more in common across borders than within.
That sums up the rise of China nicely. Future consumer markets everywhere are going to look more Chinese. They will increasingly be cosmopolitan, luxury-minded and online. Firms that can flourish in China are not only winning today's toughest market, but are also positioning themselves for tomorrow's.
Click <a href="https://subscriptions.economist.com/nwcd">here</a> to subscribe to The Economist

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