Over the last year, there has been pressure from the wellness industry for us to have used lockdown to change our lives. Sculpt this. Detox that. Discover this new hobby. But a new campaign from gourmet sweet brand Candy Kittens – The Sweet Life – aims to deliver a sweeter message. Led by founder Jamie Laing, the brand is using humour to encourage people to get rid of ludicrous (and expensive) wellness pressures, lead a balanced lifestyle and, ultimately be sweet to themselves.
Research from the brand found that 39% of 16-35 year olds have felt pressure to come out of a year of lockdown having lost weight, learned a new skill (36%), undergone a detox (17%), changed their diet (34%) or exercised more (49%). Additionally, with financial pressures rife, over three quarters have spent up to 60% more on “wellness” items such as diet teas and appetite suppressants. 27% have invested in new exercise equipment, 35% on new skincare products, while a quarter have upped their spending on candles.
All this pressure has left Brits feeling pretty downbeat, with 38% saying they feel anxious, insecure (36%) and depressed (27%). Despite all this wellness pressure, 82% agreed that it’s important to lead a balanced lifestyle which includes the odd treat, with almost 60% opting for a sweet treat, half ordering their favourite takeaway and 40% taking a long, hot bath. Other enjoyable pastimes include reading a book (45%) or going for a long walk (44%).
Off the back of the findings, Candy Kittens, the brand founded by broadcaster, podcast host and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Jamie Laing, has launched The Sweet Life to encourage people to be
kinder to themselves, enjoy life’s simple pleasures and avoid spending a fortune on every new wellness trend. The campaign launches today with a spoof video featuring Jamie Laing and The Sweet Life online hub, which includes hilarious spoof articles as well as cheeky parody merchandise.
Founder Jamie puts in an Oscar-worthy performance in a comical parody of some of the more extreme and pricey wellness trends on the market. Clad in a fluffy white robe, Jamie embarks on “A hunt for the truth”, strolling through a luxurious house, enjoying various over-priced luxury products and sinking into a beautiful bubble bath, before coming back to reality and reminding us all that “Feeling good really shouldn’t cost the earth”.
Jamie Laing, Candy Kittens founder said: “There’s no denying the past year has been incredibly tough and taking care of yourself has become more important than ever. The Sweet Life is all about helping to bring people some joy and positivity. Telling them we think they’re already awesome and that they don’t need to overhaul their lives, spend hundreds of pounds on products or change who they are to feel good. Sometimes, a nice walk, a long hot bath and ultimately a balanced life that allows you to have that occasional sweet treat is enough. And we’re here all day for that!”
Visitors to the The Sweet Life hub will find articles and step-by-step guides on subjects such as The Detox Detox (learn how to spot juice cleanse pushers a mile off and execute your successful escape), Intermittent Slowing (combine fun exercises with structured rest days to ensure that you make the most out of doing literally nothing), and the Step-by-Step Guide to: Lying Face Down on Your Bed and
Doing Nothing (with life moving at lightning speed, let this guide help you take a step back and do absolutely nothing). There is also a range of completely unnecessary parody merchandise set at prohibitively high prices. These include:
The Sweet Eating Mat, £150: An exercise mat for eating your sweets on. Can also be used for Yoga
Sweet Eating Spoon, £30: A long stemmed spoon for getting your Candy Kittens safely out of the bag and into your mouth
Breath de Jamie, £75: Energising breath from Candy Kittens founder, Jamie Laing. Gasp, Breath, Sigh – consume Jamie’s emotions
Eau de Bain, £95: A homeopathic distillation of Jamie’s bathwater for the ultimate bath time ritual
The Sweet Life merchandise will not actually be available to buy. Instead, those who click to buy will be reminded that they don’t need to spend money on such unnecessary items, that they’re pretty great already and there are cheaper, even free, ways to be sweet to themselves.
Candy Kittens recently launched their new vegan Very Cherry flavour, joining the rest of the range including Wild Strawberry, Sour Watermelon, Eton Mess and Tropical Mango. You can browse the
whole range at www.candykittens.co.uk.
Developed in London, Candy Kittens blend big flavours with honest ingredients to bring you sweets that taste as great as they look. No compromises. Using vegan and vegetarian recipes, Candy Kittens use only the best ingredients for you and the planet, so you can feel good while satisfying your sweet craving.
