The rise of incognito tech and anonymity as consumers gain awareness of how their data is collected and used. Technologies like wearables and the Internet of Things will increasingly involve intimate consumer information, requiring transparency and control over data use and access. Anonymity and data aggregation services may become more valuable to allow information freedom while addressing privacy concerns.

1. THE RISE OF
INCOGNITO TECH
We live in a world where our every move can be tracked, interpreted, stored and explored.
More and more data is creating better and better prediction models for spawning innovative
products and services but the ramifications of this unprecedented access to data are manifold.
The tensions between information freedom and personal control will increasingly influence
conversations and decisions in all walks of life and consumers are waking up to the
value, positive and negative of their data and asking questions on access, control
and monetisation.
In a world of Big Data, anonymity could become a rare and precious commodity.
Welcome to the world of Incognito Tech where anonymity is the new black.

2. (INVISIBLE) DATA
WEARABLE (SHAREABLE) TECH
THE INTERNET OF
(HIDDEN) THINGS
2

3. B-M Insight
>> Consumers are beginning to wake up to data, and they trust neither governments nor corporates with it.
>> They’re going to become more proactive about leveraging their data for incentives, discounts and other rewards.
>> A new class of aggregator will appear in the form of intermediaries that help consumers to manage their data and their
relationship with providers. If customers cannot plainly see the benefit of allowing their data to be known, they will
look to hide it.
Communications Perspective:Anonymity is the new black
>> Consumers are scared of what they don’t understand. Clear, transparent and honest communications that outline real
benefits will help.
>> Trust will be crucial, but so will purpose. Clearly demonstrating a commitment to values beyond financial gain will help
build trust.
>> Create reputational ballast – wherever there is data there will be leaks, but rapid and transparent response, coupled
with trust and purpose will help steer your course through crises.
(INVISIBLE) DATA
“Expect a growing Techno-Paranoia and a flourishing Privacy Marketplace”
JWT
3

4. B-M Insight
>> We live in an Attention Deficit Economy, consumers are bombarded with messages and have finely tuned filters.
>> But wearable tech could offer new and attractive opportunities for companies to engage directly with customers.
>> The big question around wearables currently is ‘Why’ – until consumers see the device in their lives uptake will be slow.
>> Some uses will be volunatary – some imposed.
Communications Perspective – Immersive Storytelling
>> Wearables provide great potential to learn from a wearer’s routines and accurately apply those findings to specific
personal and location-relevant situations.
>> But these must be balanced against inevitable privacy questions.
>> New ‘norms’ for communication and social interaction need to be established – and organisations need to work hard to
gain permission to enter these personal spaces.
>> As ever, compelling, targeted and differentiated content will be crucial.
WEARABLE (SHAREABLE)
TECH

“Wearable Tech Offers Promise (and Potential Peril) for the Enterprise”
CIO.com
4

5. B-M Insight
>> There are already almost twice as many “things” connected on the internet than people.
>> The Internet of Things (many of them hidden) is arguably going to bring about as great a change in our lives as the
introduction of the internet itself. If you imagine a world where everything has a sensor that can communicate, the
combination of all these things starts to become very powerful.
Communications Perspective – Up Close and Personal
>> The Internet of Things is the final frontier in connecting users’ entire physical life to the digital world. From information
about their driving habits to what they eat and how much they exercise, the promise of the Internet of Things is to get
a much deeper understanding of a brand’s consumer. Marketers can push context-sensitive messaging and utility,
accounting for the device’s function and location in consumers’ lives.
>> IoT often involves intimate information. Connected devices make the way our data is used more important and obvious.
Consumers’ control of, or input into, their data will be important.
>> To be successful, marketing through the IoT needs to be seamless, frictionless and of clear value to the consumer.
THE INTERNET OF
(HIDDEN) THINGS

“Internet of Things will have Ten Times more Impact on Society than Internet”
Cisco
5

6. This report was co-created by the Future Perspective Trend Analysis Group and the EMEA Technology Practice.
Methodology:
These trend insights are developed using an ongoing process of primary and secondary research that involves:
> Feedback from clients and prospects on current and future priorities
> Perspectives from industry and media influencers
> Research by trend and industry analysts, and competitor positioning
> Crowd sourced ideas and examples from our global network of technology specialists
For any questions about the
technology sector please contact:
Ben Maynard,
Technology Practice Leader for UK
and EMEA
Burson-Marsteller
Ben.Maynard@bm.com
For more information about the
trends guiding the technology
sector please contact:
Elaine Cameron,
Head of Future Perspective Trend
Analysis EMEA
Burson-Marsteller
Elaine.Cameron@bm.com