The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017 showcased innovative technology trends that are reshaping consumer experiences, including voice as a new user interface, 5G enabling the Internet of Things, and advancements in smart health. Key products unveiled addressed not only technological needs but also educational and health concerns for children and adults alike. As brands adapt to these trends, they must consider the evolving expectations of consumers who are becoming more digital and health-conscious.

1. The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the world's premiere event for technology innovation. Last week, thought leaders from Havas Creative and
Media Groups were among the nearly 200,000 people who gathered in Las Vegas to discover revolutionary products and transformational technologies.
There, we witnessed the evolution of user interfaces, smart devices, and the customer experience, among many other things.
Below, we share with you our six key takeaways from CES 2017, including the most groundbreaking inventions,
the most influential trends, and what they all mean for brands, marketers, and consumers.

2. 01//VOICE AS THE NEW USER INTERFACE
Trend: Voice Voice assistants were everywhere, from cars and televisions to refrigerators and
washing machines. Perhaps none more strongly than Amazon, whose personal assistant, Alexa, was
a pervasive force thanks to partnerships and integrations with the likes of Ford, LG, and Huawei.
Large-scale voice navigation is merely 18 months old but is already reshaping industries.
IMPLICATION // We’ve made a shift from visual to auditory. Voice commands are becoming mainstream and quickly
redefining consumer expectations. Brands that explore voice-enabled search, purchasing, and product integrations will stay
ahead of the curve by providing a natural customer experience across this emerging user interface.

3. 02//5G POWERING THE IoT
Trend: Unlike Unlike its predecessors 3G and 4G, 5G will bring greater data efficiency and
enable inter-device communication, allowing the Internet of Things to come to life. Qualcomm
CEO Steve Mollenkopf presented research indicating that, by 2035, the improvements 5G
brings will spawn an “invention revolution,” similar to electricity or the automobile, by creating
$3.5 trillion in revenues and 22 million jobs, and allowing entirely new industries to emerge.
IMPLICATION // While standards are still undefined, 5G will be critical for any connected moments between brands and
consumers in the future. 5G will dramatically improve marketers’ ability to engage people on the go and to respond in real
time to the vast data consumers generate in connected homes and cities with anticipatory suggestions powered by machine
learning.

4. IMPLICATION // The next generation of consumers will be true digital natives with even higher expectations for brands, shorter attention spans,
and a lower tolerance for boredom than any previous generation. While these “toys” aim to meet rising standards, each of these kid-friendly
products is also solving problems that parents face, such as child safety, education, and healthy habits. In a world where people are looking to
connect and simplify, brands must create products and services that not only serve multiple purposes, but also serve multiple audiences.
03//KIDS + TECH
Trend: With the unveiling of products like Mattel’s Aristotle, LEGO’s Boost, Fisher-Price’s
Think & Learn Smart Cycle, and the dokiWatch, CES was geared not only toward
techies, but their children as well. The innovations shown were products that serve
multiple purposes and support education and health, such as Grush, the toothbrush that
lets kids fight monsters as they fight cavities.

5. 04//THE SMART HEALTH ECOSYSTEM
IMPLICATION // New technologies are empowering consumers to take increasingly active roles in managing their health,
prompting brands to get involved in the individual consumer wellness journey. As people are equipped with more personal
information than ever before, winning brands will use cognitive intelligence to analyze data and offer consumers increasingly
diverse, accurate, and effortless solutions in real time that help them reach their health goals.
Trend: With a 23% increase in health exhibits this year, cognitive wellness was a reigning theme at CES. The
innovations that stood out were apps powered by IBM Watson, including a diabetes app prototype, and the
Under Armour Record app, as well as devices such as Sleep Number’s 360 Smart Bed, partnership
integrations with Fitbit, and wearable clothing like Hexoskin, which have a clear value exchange that includes
promoting better health habits, monitoring personal data, and informing individuals about their health.

6. 05//THE EVOLUTION OF PERSONALIZATION
IMPLICATION // While facial recognition and eye-tracking technologies have exciting and immediate implications for a variety
of industry verticals, such as entertainment and gaming, they have even greater potential to change the way marketers
create personalized brand experiences while perfecting the user journey.
Trend: Innovations in real-time facial recognition and eye tracking were prevalent at CES 2017. Facial recognition
technologies will enable brands to monitor user experiences and intervene at the exact moment when each consumer is
frustrated or confused during their journey. Silicon Valley startup Tobii has also partnered with companies like gaming
leader Acer to bring its eye-tracking technology to experiences across video games and operating systems.

7. 06//SELF-DRIVING CARS
IMPLICATION // In a world where our vehicles drive us, consumers will have increased leisure time, giving brands endless
opportunities to meaningfully connect with people on the go through infotainment, customization, and branded experiences.
Marketers need to think about branded content that works seamlessly across the future bundle: mobile, car, and home.
Trend: With over 500 auto-tech companies present, autonomous driving took center stage with a focus on
a safer and more entertaining in-car experience. Complete with comfortable chairs, wide entertainment
displays, individual sound environments, safety sensors, and voice-activated speakers, the car of
tomorrow, as shown by BMW, will feel more like a living space than a vehicle.

8. Special thanks to
Carly Wengrover
Chris JonesDanikaAzzarelli
Gabrielle Rossetti
Hillary Meahl
Kelly Lundquist
Kevin Hung
Maureen Dawson
Radhika Butala
Theresa Braun
Thomas JorionYvonne Bond