Reading Global(2022.02.23)
Metacosmic virtual L'Oréal cosmetics spray perfumes that do not scent
Lianhe Zaobao reported on the 23rd that the meta-universe is unstoppable, and French beauty giant L'Oréal also decided to join the lineup, first applying for virtual goods trademarks for its 17 brands in preparation for entering the meta-universe in the future.
According to coinDesk, the US cryptocurrency news website, L'Oréal made a trademark application for the above-mentioned non-homogeneous token (NFT) and meta-boundary groups on February 10. The application documents were made in the name of L'Oréal's subsidiaries, including cosmetics companies Kiehl's, Maybelline, Pureology, Urban Decay and Redken.
In eight of the application documents, L'Oréal called the company "a virtual world where people can browse, accumulate, buy, sell and trade virtual cosmetics.".
In Kiehl's application documents, the items of his application also include the right to "non-downloadable virtual perfumes", as well as "hair care preparations and cosmetic body care preparations for virtual environments". Although it is difficult to imagine how these perfumes and hair care products will sell for money, it seems that in the metaverse, nothing is impossible, even perfumes that do not scent.
In fact, this is not L'Oréal's first contact with the metaverse realm. The company began experimenting with NFTs as early as last December. At the time it released a set of NFT of seven female artists, but the collection didn't provoke a rave response, with sales so far being less than 0.5 ETH (about $1550).
Movie star Leonardo DiCaprio invests in French champagne brand Telmont
Reuters reported that Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio has bought a stake in the French champagne distillery Telmont, and its majority shareholder, Remy Cointreau, said on the 23rd that luxury brands have now expanded their attractiveness by reaching cooperation agreements with celebrities.
DiCaprio said in a statement: "From protecting biodiversity on the land to using 100% renewable electricity, Telmont is determined to radically reduce its environmental impact, which makes me proud to join as an investor." ”
In February 2021, LVMH-owned Moët Hennessy bought a 50% stake in rap star Jay-Z's Armand de Brignac Champagne brand.
Telmont Champagne Distillery was founded in 1912, and French beverage company Remy Cointreau (whose competitors include Pernod Ricard and Diageo) bought a majority stake in it in October 2020.
Many of the world's long-established luxury brands have reached partnerships with celebrities to attract younger customers, and Jay-Z's pop star wife, Beyonce, has joined the Ivy Park sportswear brand.
Netflix offers a budget of £1.5 million to find new British filmmakers
The Guardian reported on the 23rd that Netflix is giving britain's next big man a chance to provide seven-figure funding to show new film works to the world.
The director, producer or screenwriter will receive £1.5 million and will be released globally on streaming services in an effort to discover the "bold, unique" British storytellers of the future. "Bold" filmmaking can "drive commercial and critical success and can emerge from a variety of contexts."
The program will allow directors to shoot anything from crime thrillers and sci-fi to romances and comedies. At least one project will be selected from six shortlisted filmmakers, each of whom will receive £30,000 to develop their project within a year and receive intensive training from industry mentors.
Netflix will accept applications from a variety of creative fields – theatre, television, video games, online content, commercials, graphic novels, music promos and short films.
The project, called Breakout, will be open to filmmakers who have not yet produced a feature film but whose work has already attracted industry or public attention.
One of the biggest challenges for any filmmaker is raising money for their films. Hannah Perks, Netflix's British film manager, said the £1.5 million budget would allow them to focus on the creative side. "They don't have to think about financing, and their movies will be shown globally on Netflix." Being able to distribute works worldwide is every filmmaker's dream."
Breakout will actively encourage the publication of works by underrepresented groups to reflect the full voice of modern Britain.
Tensions in Russia and Ukraine have led to the flight of funds to safe assets
Japan Economic News reported on the 23rd that due to the tense situation in Ukraine, in the financial market, funds are accelerating the flow to gold, which is regarded as a safe asset, and the national bonds of developed countries with less risk of price decline. Russian-produced goods such as crude oil and industrial metals are also being bought in large quantities as supply and demand are expected to tighten.
Reflecting investors' concerns about the market outlook is the rise in expected volatility calculated based on stock price index options. The higher the value, the more it means that investors expect the stock price to fluctuate sharply in the future. The European Stoxx 50 Volatility Index rose to 36.22, its highest since October 2020. The Nikkei Average Volatility Index also reached 27.59, approaching 30, which is considered a warning point.
Increased risk aversion funds flowed to gold. On the 22nd, the price of yen-denominated gold futures listed on the Osaka Exchange rose, and the closing price of the actively traded December futures rose by 1% from the previous day to 7,038 yen. It surpassed the 7,000 yen in August 2020, refreshing the highest closing price of an active contract (i.e., the contract in the most actively traded month) for about 1.5 years.
From the perspective of demand-led commodities such as crude oil and industrial metals, supply concerns have heated up again, focusing on categories that are highly dependent on Russia, and prices have risen significantly. On February 22, the three-month futures price of nickel metal used in pure electric vehicle (EV) batteries and the like rose to around $25,000 per ton, refreshing the highest value in 10 and a half years since August 2011. At one point, aluminum prices reached $3,380 a tonne, unchanged from the all-time high set in July 2008. Russia's production of these metals accounts for nearly 10%.
(This article is compiled from Lianhe Zaobao, Reuters, The Guardian, Nihon Keizai Shimbun)
Economic Observation Network intern reporter Zhou Yuqing sorted out