'Explaining CES to someone who hasn’t attended is like explaining particle physics to a house cat,” reads the CES 2015 website. Hyperbole aside, we can’t disagree.
CES is overwhelming in every way, not least of all in size and scope. It’s a technology extravaganza that occupies 39 football fields’ worth of exhibit space in Las Vegas and features more than 3,500 exhibitors unveiling more than 20,000 new products, all over four head-spinning days.
The lead up to CES is something of an event in itself within the industry, as professionals anticipate the top trends for this year’s tech extravaganza. AOL’s Category Development team takes it one step further and hones in on five key trends that will have a big impact on marketers. Here’s what they have to say:
1. A breakout year for wearables
Last year, the first generation of mass-market wearables focused on health and fitness. This year annual sales are expected to top $3 billion. According to John Gregory, AOL’s Category Development Officer for Retail, “the Apple iWatch could represent a significant emerging opportunity for digital media buyers to reach a sophisticated mobile audience. That’s because data from these devices will enable marketers to more accurately pinpoint not only the type of advertising that will be most receptive to the consumer, but the precise time and place to deliver it.” Taken further, Paul Kadin, Category Development Officer for Financial Services, points out that “a smartphone can essentially be a ‘wearable device’ for personal finances. Banking and investing apps that allow you to manage day-to-day money issues are much like fitness apps worn on your wrist. It’s data that captures your status and motivates you to do better.”
2. The rise of the “smart home”
With our homes becoming more connected through “smart” appliances and devices, there’s a big implication for CPG marketers to cultivate loyalty through auto-replenishment. “It won't be long before our pantries, cabinets and refrigerators are able to determine when our milk and cereal are running low and either generate a shopping list or, better yet, place an e-commerce order,” predicts Mike Merna, Category Development Officer for CPG. “That's wonderful news if your brand is already in the home—and terrible news if it isn't. That’s because humans are fond of the ‘set it and forget it’ mentality.” In such a market, it could become that much harder to break through with new products or conquest a competitor. “It even makes you wonder if we will be marketing to appliances versus humans in the near future” says Merna. Shudder the thought.
3. The democratization of manufacturing
The advent of 3D printers, cloud services and crowd funding has enabled anyone to become a creator—and that’s good news for entrepreneurs everywhere. “No longer do you need years of R&D or to raise millions in capital to build a factory before you can manufacture your dream,” says Amy Dalton, Category Marketing Director for Tech-Telco. And from a marketing perspective, such platforms speed up feedback loops, so marketers can nimbly respond to consumer demands.
4. Convergence of automotive and tech
It’s no wonder that some of the most exciting attractions at CES come from the automotive sector. “The connected car will become the fourth media platform,” says Steve Sturm, Category Development Officer for Autos. “These infotainment systems are becoming the optimal solution to entertain, inform and acquire new customers across multiple categories. Our cars have become essentially a 12-foot mobile device for our lives.” The potential implication for all marketers may be that they can more seamlessly reach consumers both outside the car as well as behind the wheel.
5. Innovations in mobile and television
Every year at CES, new gizmos and eye-popping screens are unleashed. But the implications for marketers aren’t apparent for months or even years later. Take financial services, for example. “Mobile is your new bank branch,” says Paul Kadin. “Mobile banking usage is approaching 50 percent of all smartphone users. The challenge is in fact on the other side of the channel equation: how to maintain a human touch in the face of tech innovation.” It will be imperative that marketers use technology in ways that engage their customers, not push them away. The same is true for connected TVs. They will continue to fragment consumers’ viewing habits across platforms and time, a trend that’s even more acute for marketers looking to reach Millennials. For heavy TV marketers like automotive companies, Sturm advises that “they will need to shift their traditional advertising and media model to reflect fundamental differences of media consumption and engagement.”
In other words, CES is where culture meets code. The VCR was launched at CES in 1970, Nintendo debuted in 1985, HDTV and DVR technologies were unveiled in 1998 and tablets came to us in 2010. What culture-changing technology will be unleashed at this year’s event? We can’t wait to find out.
Text contributed by AOL’s Category Development team.
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