The pace of change in advertising and consumer behavior continues to be frantic and to accelerate, so our annual trip to CES in Las Vegas continues to remind us how, in relative terms, hardware changes more slowly than both software and our expectations. In fact, CES in 2016 didn’t show a revolution in electronics and consumer products, but more of an evolution. The products were similar yet faster, thinner, cheaper and above all else, more connected.
This moment feels like the early stages of a new era, a time when all products are becoming cloud connected, touch screens are everywhere, and all media is digital. Yet it’s not quite the Internet of things — it’s the interim of things. We don’t yet have a complete smart home, we have sophisticated homes that sometimes don’t quite work. We have 3D printers without totally compelling use cases, and robotic body parts that don’t quite make a full humanoid.
The companies succeeding are those that are innovating and collaborating to solve real consumer needs, while staying true to a clear brand purpose. From artificial intelligence and cognitive computing, to drone technologies, virtual reality and biometric sensing, to 8k video and 360 surround sound, there are tremendous opportunities on the horizon.
Please read on to view the eight themes that make up this moment in time.
2. CES 2016
The pace of change in advertising and consumer behavior continues to be frantic and to accelerate, so our annual trip to
CES in Las Vegas continues to remind us how, in relative terms, hardware changes more slowly than both software and
our expectations. In fact, CES in 2016 didn’t show a revolution in electronics and consumer products, but more of an
evolution. The products were similar yet faster, thinner, cheaper and above all else, more connected.
This moment feels like the early stages of a new era, a time when all products are becoming cloud connected, touch
screens are everywhere, and all media is digital. Yet it’s not quite the Internet of things — it’s the interim of things. We don’t
yet have a complete smart home, we have sophisticated homes that sometimes don’t quite work. We have 3D printers
without totally compelling use cases, and robotic body parts that don’t quite make a full humanoid.
The companies succeeding are those that are innovating and collaborating to solve real consumer needs, while staying
true to a clear brand purpose. From artificial intelligence and cognitive computing, to drone technologies, virtual reality and
biometric sensing, to 8k video and 360 surround sound, there are tremendous opportunities on the horizon.
Please read on to view the eight themes that make up this moment in time.
4. AUTONOMOUS
MOBILITY
Automotive technology is undergoing faster, more profound changes
than ever. In 2016, CES shone a light into that radically different
future. Electrical propulsion is transforming what vehicles look like,
from scooters to hoverboards, lighter, faster cars to motorized skates.
But the big change comes from how devices are being controlled and
accessed. It’s the autonomous layer being added to mobility devices,
and the new business models evolving that are the really compelling
changes.
We have self-driving cars becoming a tantalizingly close reality, while
Tesla already adds augmented driving and self-parking functions to
older models, with a software update. We can also see how self-
driving cars will soon talk to each other and collaborate with cities,
and how smart cars will work together to find the best navigational
route. In this world will we buy a vehicle or access to one? Faraday
thinks the future lies in cars as a subscription service rather like data
plans. Perhaps the future of car ownership is access and that we will
buy autonomous mobility, not vehicles.
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
The connected car could be the next media frontier. Passengers in
self-driving vehicles will be engaging with content in new ways, from
using location-based services, to shopping through GPS enabled
commerce, or watching TV and playing video games - all of these
being targeted opportunities for brand engagement.
/01
Self-driving, remote controlled
Denso Concept Dashboard
5. Toyota FCV PlusEhang Passenger Drone
AUTONOMOUS MOBILITY /01
Faraday electric car
7. COLLABORATIVE
SYSTEMS As software eats the world, it’s becoming clear that diverse groups of
people and companies can create more consumer value through
partnerships. Hardware makers need to work with software
companies, new platforms need developer ecosystems, and
semiconductor companies need to partner with manufactueres.
When we combine the pressure of a tough trading environment and
the threats of startups to legacy companies, we’re seeing large, old
and proud companies adopt a more open approach to product design
and innovation. Ford is now working with drone maker DJI, and also
opening up their in-car OS to developers such as Amazon. GM has
announced a partnership with Lyft to create a fleet of driverless cars.
IBM Watson has partnered with Under Armour to create a next
generation fitness app. Bosch and Philips are developing smart home
lighting. LG is working with content providers like Netflix to expand
viewership. We are seeing more companies working together across
widely different marketplaces more than ever before.
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
Brands should think about the broader ecosystem in which their
consumers live and engage, and formulate partnerships that are
mutually beneficial for all. You need to partner to win.
/02
Partnerships and interoperability
Amazon+Ford Partnership
8. Under Armour Health Box (IMB Watson +HTC)New Balance +Intel Under Armour + HTC + IBM Watson
Netflix+LG
Microsoft+Volvo
COLLABORATIVE SYSTEMS /02
10. COGNITIVE ROBOTICS Robots have been multiplying for many years now, undertaking roles
in car production, undersea welding, typically behind the scenes in
unglamorous roles. They often looked less like robots and more like
fabrication devices. But it’s starting to change; we’re allowing devices
to get closer to us. What started with machines for outsourcing simple
domestic chores and devices for kids to play with, is turning into an
industry of more anthropomorphic machines.
This humanity isn't only in form, it’s in how machines process data,
how they interact through voice recognition, and above all else, how
they self-learn to improve. We have IBM Watson powered ecosystem
partners like Under Armour and SoftBank. We see full size size
humanoid robots that can understand speech and respond. We’re
seeing improved motors, improved sensors, and improved cognitive
capabilities smash together to make robots come from the
background to the foreground.
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
Cognitive computing is ushering in a new era of communications in
which brands will be able to better anticipate and respond to
consumers’ needs. As robotics become more integral in our everyday
lives, brands have the opportunity to rethink consumer and product
engagement.
Not just smarter, but more human
Pepper from SoftBank + IBM Watson
/03
11. Buddy, from Blue Frog JIBO, AI Robot
COGNITIVE ROBOTICS /03
Ninebot Segway
13. INFINITE SCREENS
From screens on our wrists and the fridge doors in our kitchens, to
dynamic screens in retail, to Smart TV’s on walls, everything is
becoming a cloud connected screen for digital media display. We
have connected photo frames, seat back screens on cars, and VR /
AR head mounted displays a mere inches from our eyes.
Our world will soon become a series of bendable screens, transparent
surfaces, paper-thin displays, projected images and holograms.
These screens are increasingly thin, cheap, haptic, modular, efficient,
and with better resolution.
MARKETER MPLICATIONS:
We are growing the media pie and in more places than we ever
expected. Everything has become a media moment, and every space,
whether tangible or intangible, has become a screen for digital
projection. As all screens become digital, and media buying and
placement become easier and automated, we expect countless
opportunities in how ads can be created, distributed and
personalized.
/04
Digital and projected interfaces everywhere
LG flexible screen
14. Intel: Projection Mapping
Kino Mo: Holograms
Family Hub Refrigerator (Samsung + Mastercard)Kino mo: Holographics
LG flexible display
Intel: Imaging Projection, Source Getty
INFINITE SCREENS /04
16. MIXED REALITY
Virtual & Augmented, Immersive
Experiences
Sony Playstation VR
/05A lot of pre-event hype that did not disappoint. From 3 exhibitors last
year to 40 this year. Oculus Rift stole the show at CES in 2015, but in
2016 we saw many others step forward and shine.
HTC Vive proved it’s a viable challenger to Oculus Rift in the gaming
and CGI space. So did Sony PlayStation with Morpheus. Immersive
gaming for hours on end proved it’s about to take a quantum leap
forward in Q2 2016, when general release of head mounted devices
starts. Game on. As long as you have deep pockets, a powerful
computer and a lot of home time.
And that is why the real VR winner at CES this year was, in fact,
mobile VR, championed by Samsung Gear VR, which is already in the
marketplace. Samsung entertained users with 360 video. With a VR
platform already stocked with more than 300 pieces of brilliant content,
mobile VR is affordable, portable and a lightweight heavy hitter.
Augmented reality showed their potential. The future will see a blend of
both AR and VR headsets. But compared to mobile and desktop VR,
the quality and content of AR are still in beta.
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
Although some presume VR / AR is for the gaming industry, there is
massive potential for industries such as travel, sports, entertainment,
medicine, education, journalism and fashion. Whether it be through
road show events, in-home use or in-store retail, we will begin to see
new opportunities in product placement and/or new formats for
advertising.
19. DIAGNOSTIC
WEARABLES
Wearables as screens are missing the point; they are more about inputs
than outputs, and we’re finally letting them get closer to us by giving them
access to our core body metrics. From smart clothing to smart watches, to
baby monitors and health kits, we’re surrounding ourselves with some of
the most personal data we’ve ever known.
Times are changing. People are seeing a value exchange, and the
population seems more comfortable with sharing heart-rates, stress levels
and even body scan statistics. The data collected is now forming a truly
accurate and comprehensive real-time human dashboard.
With developments in both data set handling, statistical analysis and
personalized medicine, we’re on the edge of a move towards the most
advanced healthcare we’ve ever known. How long before a doctor’s visit
is merely handing over your phone?
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
We need to recognize that it’s not just about the vast amount of big data
that can be collected, but the actionable insights brands can provide from
gathering this more intimate, personal data. Targeting can now get
granular, content more personalized and products more relevant for
consumers.
Baby, health/fitness & beauty tech
My UV patch by L’oreal
/06
22. RESPONSIVE HOMES
Secured networks and connected devices
Prizm: AI music player
/07
From touch screen refrigerators to self-folding laundry machines, multi-
sensory alarm clocks and cloud-based home security systems, the smart
home is becoming a gateway to the everyday life and routines of consumers.
This year, high-tech home security systems were in abundance, a reflection
of the increasing importance of home networks, coupled with increased
concern around cyber crime. Burglars today don’t need to be physically
present to break-in; they can use Wi-Fi to open doors, steal money, access
private information and create overall mayhem.
For the smart home to break into the mainstream, people need to better
understand the benefits of these new technologies. Common standards and
protocols are needed to make more products and services compatible.
Amazon has made big headway, especially with Alexa, the cloud-based
voice service that powers Amazon Echo. They launched a fund that provides
up to $100 million in investments to fuel voice technology innovation from
developers, manufacturers and startups. In fact, many of the smart home
products featured at CES integrated with Amazon’s Echo.
Although the smart home may not yet be a reality for many consumers, we
expect over the next few years much of this technology will begin inhabiting
many homes as it becomes easier to understand and use.
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
With brands living alongside consumers, trust will be of paramount concern.
Privacy, compatibility and seamless experiences will allow brands to
communicate with consumers in newly available environments that exist in
familiar places.
23. Family Hub Refrigerator (Samsung + Mastercard)Sensorwake
RESPONSIVE HOMES /07
ALLie Home
Vivint + Amazon Echo
25. RETRO TECH For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, and for a
generation of ultra connected, always on, always digital, always
converged people, there is a real delight to be disconnected in a
range of nostalgic devices that hark back to simpler times.
Forget constant upgrades and obsolesce; we’re seeing physical book
sales thrive, Adele’s album take off on CD, podcasts are back and
vinyl record sales rocket. For all these new shared cultural moments,
new products are emerging and hardware is being developed to
support the new needs of those who want simplicity, authenticity and
purity.
From Sony’s new record player, to the Kodak Super 8 Camera, to
Star Wars tech gadgetry, we’re seeing the leading edge become
retrospective. Celebrities including Rihanna and Vogue editor Anna
Wintour have been photographed using their flip phones in the past
few months. That’s it, I’m putting my MiniDisc player on eBay right
now.
MARKETER IMPLICATIONS:
Nostalgia is a real opportunity to tap into. How can we make products
and services that are time tested, simple and emotional? How can we
re-energize classics? How can we reinvigorate the old? Even
traditional media could face a strong come back, or at least not die as
fast as many predict.
/08
The Old is New, Again
Kodak Super 8
27. RORI DUBOFF / RORI.DUBOFF@HAVASMEDIA.COM
JEZ JOWETT / JEZ.JOWETT@HAVASMEDIA.COM
TOM GOODWIN / TOM.GOODWIN@HAVASMEDIA.COM
CES / 2016
MORE INFO:
RORI DUBOFF / RORI.DUBOFF@HAVAS.COM
JEZ JOWETT / JEZ.JOWETT@HAVAS.COM
TOM GOODWIN / TOM.GOODWIN@HAVAS.COM