CES 2015 offered an indication on what a ‘smarter’ future might look like. CES 2016 has given us tangible examples of what to expect now. Three areas that stood our are transportation, utility and immersion - here's what that may change in people's lives and what that means for brands and marketers.

1. CES 2016
IMPLICATIONS FOR
MARKETERS:
THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATON,
UTILITY AND IMMERSION

2. CES 2015 offered an
indication on what a
‘smarter’ future might look
like

3. CES 2016 has given us
tangible examples of what
to expect now

4. Three areas that stood out…
TRANSPORTATION UTILITY IMMERSION

5. The future of
transportation

6. The trend in a nutshell
With growing adoption of electric cars, personal
transportation devices like hoverboards or foldable
electric scooters and broader contextual-based
assistance in smart cars, the way people are moving
around is changing. It's not just tech companies who
are powering this revolution - legacy auto brands like
Fiat Chrysler, Ford and BMW are heavily committed to
make transportation smarter, healthier for the
environment and overall more useful for people.
© Alessandro Badaró

7. How might this change
people’s lives?

8. Broader adoption of
alternative means of
transportation
Whether it's personal transportation devices, smart
vehicles or car rentals, owning a car may not be the
standard means of transportation in the near future.
People are accepting that more options are beneficial
as they mature (e.g. battery technology is becoming
reliable enough and supported by more infrastructure)
and cater to more different ways of living.
© THE ENIGMATIC TRAVELER

9. Man and machine make
peace on the road
Automated driving and artificial intelligence technology
on a car still frighten most road users, and it's no
wonder - it's still too early to truly see the benefits (and
understand/control the dangers) of a self-driving vehicle.
But as more mainstream car brands integrate reliable
services into their offering, more people will likely start
using them and validate the proposition of having a car
that knows the road better than you do.
© Gohar Saeed

10. Smartphones as the
control panel
As automated or tech-assisted cars become more
prominent in modern society, the smartphones we all
carry will become more of a remote control for other
devices, instead of a standalone device. Developed
urban economies already rely on smartphones to
control and take full advantage of everyday utilities, so
it's a matter of time before we can control various
aspects of our cars via our phones.
© Bruce Tang

11. What does this mean for
brands?

12. Drive the in-car experience
In a self-driving environment powered by Android Auto,
CarPlay and others, people will have more time for
themselves. Ask yourself: how can you integrate your
products or services into this connected world? If
driving is about to open room for more leisurely
moments, leading brands will know how to integrate
their offering to truly drive the in-car experience,
whether it’s by betting on entertainment or plain
contextual utility.
© Abdullah AlBargan

13. The screen real estate
wars will get more intense
As consumers rely more on utility apps and their
smartphones to power their cars, transportation will
become more screen-led than ever. With more screens
comes more competition for people’s attention, since
by freeing up their eyes from the road there is an
attention gap to be filled. With that will come fierce
competition and consumers will be more demanding
than ever, but the brands who stand out will be in a
prime position in this connected future.
© Herve Boinay

14. Context? It’s complicated
If sorting out how contextual services play a role in a
single mobile device is tricky, adding the integration of
that same device with your car, your house and other
aspects of your life just increases the size of that
challenge. In short, the 'context is king' discussion just
got way more complicated. And yet, the brands who do
sort it out will be in a prime position to have a truly
impactful, ongoing reason to exist in consumers' lives.
If our cars are to become smarter and more useful,
consumer expectations around context and usability
will naturally go up.
© Tim van Eenennaam

15. Further reading
Watch: Self-driving car technology is maturing to the
point of looking a bit ‘boring
http://bit.ly/1Zu3ZWT
Read: Xcooter is the portable scooter you didn't know
you wanted
http://bit.ly/200wbgP
Read: You can now work with Microsoft Office in your
car
http://bit.ly/1PrG3sq
Watch: A Google Glass-like interface for cyclists
http://bit.ly/1RDFMJt
Read: Fiat Chrysler and Ford will rollout CarPlay and
Android Auto this year
http://bit.ly/1mYNdhp
http://bit.ly/1TV3Dla
© Steven Guzzardi

16. The future of utility

17. The trend in a nutshell
CES 2015 showed us that technology could act as the
ultimate butler, catering to our every need and fully
aware of the context we're in. CES 2016 made the job
description a bit more specific. From robot butlers to
smart home appliances, or everything potentially
turning into a payment device, all powered by
increasingly cheap smartphones to control everything
around us, we seem to be more than ever surrounded
by technology - but that actually make our lives easier
in the long run.
© Bruno Cordioli

18. How might this change
people’s lives?

19. More free time for fun (if
you can afford it)
Smart robots that understand consumer needs will free
up more time for the things people care about -
provided you can pay for all this technology.
Entertainment will continue to steal a big chunk of time
in people's lives, and in incredible new ways (see the
'immersion' section for a glimpse of that).
© escalepade

20. Bigger security concerns
In a world where everything is connected, the security
risks tend to increase exponentially. If data security
was already a big topic of discussion in 2015, with the
integration of more devices that talk with one another
in our lives, that conversation will only tend to become
more complex - and consumers will be more wary than
ever of which companies can truly be trusted with their
personal data.
© darwin Bell

21. More tech that’s less
noticed
With increasingly cheaper devices, having connected
tech around the house will eventually be the equivalent
of having electricity - indispensable in the modern
world, yet few people will really make a big deal of it.
Great technology fades into the background and as
more devices are connected and contextually aware,
consumers will tend to notice them less and just take
them for granted, expecting them to work at all times
with little to no effort (just think of how many times you
think of your home router or microwave).
© Paolo Margari

22. What does this mean for
brands?

23. Ride the binge wave, man
As people gradually get more free time, entertainment
will play an even bigger role in their lives - just look at
the lion's share of attention that Netflix, Amazon Prime
or Steam get, or the continuous explosion of mobile
video and social networking. People crave to be
entertained and, even though there's a clear surplus of
content and shorter attention spans than ever, brands
who can create something worth binging will be in a
sweet spot for the future.
© Andrew

24. Integration is the brand
Great products will tend to become more about how
they integrate with services than just how they perform
on their own. As the future becomes more connected,
we move from 'what is it?' and 'what does it do?' to
'what can I connect it with?'. Brands that already do a
good job in integrating what defines them, such as
their communications, distribution and customer
service, will need to adapt to make sure their products
become more integrated - either by creating a new
platform for utility or feeding into an existing one.
© regan76

25. Customer service will
matter more than ever
Despite all the quality testing, there is always a risk of
something not working as it should - or limiting other
connected devices from working properly. And in a
world where everything is more integrated, that may
create an impact that goes way beyond that single
product (just look at Philips Hue). When that happens,
the brand that's responsible will likely suffer the biggest
backlash and will need to be able to respond quickly
and assertively. More connected devices means more
things can go wrong - and when they do, brands need
to be able to deal with it.
© Lyza

26. Further reading
Watch: Segway announced a robot butler
http://bit.ly/1N7xx03
Read: Smart robot Pepper is now powered by IBM
Watson
http://bit.ly/1OidRdY
Read: Whirlpool’s new smart appliances integrate with
Amazon Dash
http://bit.ly/1N7xzF1
Read: Control spoilage with Samsung’s smart fridge
http://bit.ly/1Zu6OHl
Read: A universal remote that morphs depending on
where it’s pointing
http://bit.ly/1PbLY4q
Read: Coin and Mastercard want to turn anything you
wear into a payment device
http://bit.ly/1niBhqO
© melina1965

27. The future of immersion

28. The trend in a nutshell
The way we consume entertainment is becoming
increasingly immersive, but it's no longer just about
high quality video. As Virtual Reality and Augmented
Reality devices mature and their use cases become
more obvious, the introduction of haptic devices
promises to bring touch to an already visually powerful
experience. The battle for the senses is upon us - and
consumers might just love the brands who hit the most
targets.
© Frédéric BISSON

29. How might this change
people’s lives?

30. VR is less virtual, more
real
As Oculus, PlayStation and Valve reveal more details
about their product offering and availability, consumers
will have bigger contact with these products in retail
and online environments, breeding further familiarity
with their potential. If in 2015 VR sounded like a
promising new ecosystem, now we start to see more
concretely how that might just change entertainment
forever.
© Nick Hobgood

31. Integrated sensory
experiences are the next
frontier
Virtual Reality is a big step for video, but entertainment
is bound to become more sense-led as haptic devices
might become more prominent. Nadi's yoga pants
product signals an interesting use case, but it may be
a matter of time before consumers experience (and
desire) not only watching a real-time shootout in their
console, but also feel the impact of when they're struck
in-game or pushed whilst watching an action movie.
© Wouter de Bruijn

32. There are more tools than
ever
While VR and other sensorial technologies make their
solid first steps, other more established pieces of tech
are becoming more available and affordable than ever.
With action cameras and video-recording drones
hitting mainstream, access to these tools will mean
bigger creative possibilities for brands and consumers.
Consumers are expecting more immersion in how to
consume content - but also in how to create it.
© Eduardo Siquier Cortés

33. Expectations will rise
As these immersive experiences gradually become
more available and talked about, there will be a rise in
consumer expectations regarding what's considered
truly 'entertaining'. If cross-device binge watching is
threatening the scheduled model of television, soon
immersive cross-sense experiences might just
threaten the underwhelming experience of 'just'
watching a video with headphones on.
© UT Connewitz Photo Crew

34. What does this mean for
brands?

35. Huge opportunities for
first-movers
With immersive experience companies and products
still in their infancy, there's more opportunity for brand
partnerships than ever. The novelty factor of what's
possible is still present, so brands who do develop
truly immersive experiences with the support of VR,
AR, drones and other sense-powering tech will likely
get the industry attention they deserve.
© Andrew Menage

36. Video is exploding but it
shouldn't act alone
The explosion of video content is nothing to be
overlooked, but research shows that activating more
than one sense at a time delivers a much more
memorable experience. Brands need to look beyond
just video and think how their next experiential
campaign may blend video with taste, smell or touch,
for consumers will expect more and more stimuli when
they seek entertainment - and those who deliver it will
be in a prime position to lead the market.
© Jordi Sanchez Teruel

37. It doesn't have to be all
big budget work
At its current stage, a great VR experience requires big
budgets, but immersion can be achieved through
other, more affordable means. As the technology
progresses, we'll see increasingly cheaper devices
which will give brands more options to dazzle their
consumers with something special. Whether it's via
new use cases for drones or ground breaking new
ways to tell a story through an action cam, big budgets
don't necessarily define how to innovate.
© Hillel Steinberg

38. Further reading
Read: Oculus unveils first consumer product
http://bit.ly/1ZuaoRJ
http://bit.ly/1OPpQRA
Watch: Comparing Valve VR with PlayStation VR
http://bit.ly/1N7A8qL
Read: These trousers will correct your yoga stances
through seamless haptic vibration
http://bit.ly/1OPpVVt
Watch: Nikon’s first action camera also shoots 360
video
http://bit.ly/200A85c
Watch: You can now scan your face and put it in
Fallout 4
http://bit.ly/1niEab1
Read: MSI’s gaming laptop lets you play games with
your eyes
http://bit.ly/200AbOt
© Danipuntocom5

39. A one-sheeter for future thinking brands
Drive the in-car experience. In a self-driving environment powered by
Android Auto, CarPlay and others, people will have more time for
themselves. Ask yourself: how can you integrate your products or
services into this connected world? If driving is about to open room for
more leisurely moments, leading brands will know how to integrate their
offering to truly drive the in-car experience, whether it’s by betting on
entertainment or plain contextual utility.
The screen real estate wars will get more intense. As consumers rely
more on utility apps and their smartphones to power their cars,
transportation will become more screen-led than ever. With more
screens comes more competition for people’s attention, since by freeing
up their eyes from the road there is an attention gap to be filled. With
that will come fierce competition and consumers will be more
demanding than ever, but the brands who stand out will be in a prime
position in this connected future.
Context? It’s complicated. If sorting out how contextual services play a
role in a single mobile device is tricky, adding the integration of that
same device with your car, your house and other aspects of your life
just increases the size of that challenge. In short, the 'context is king'
discussion just got way more complicated. And yet, the brands who do
sort it out will be in a prime position to have a truly impactful, ongoing
reason to exist in consumers' lives. If our cars are to become smarter
and more useful, consumer expectations around context and usability
will naturally go up.
Ride the binge wave, man. As people gradually get more free time,
entertainment will play an even bigger role in their lives - just look at the
lion's share of attention that Netflix, Amazon Prime or Steam get, or the
continuous explosion of mobile video and social networking. People
crave to be entertained and, even though there's a clear surplus of
content and shorter attention spans than ever, brands who can create
something worth binging will be in a sweet spot for the future.
Integration is the brand. Great products will tend to become more about
how they integrate with services than just how they perform on their
own. As the future becomes more connected, we move from 'what is it?'
and 'what does it do?' to 'what can I connect it with?'. Brands that
already do a good job in integrating what defines them, such as their
communications, distribution and customer service, will need to adapt to
make sure their products become more integrated - either by creating a
new platform for utility or feeding into an existing one.
Customer service will matter more than ever. Despite all the quality
testing, there is always a risk of something not working as it should - or
limiting other connected devices from working properly. And in a world
where everything is more integrated, that may create an impact that
goes way beyond that single product (just look at Philips Hue). When
that happens, the brand that's responsible will likely suffer the biggest
backlash and will need to be able to respond quickly and assertively.
More connected devices means more things can go wrong - and when
they do, brands need to be able to deal with it.
Huge opportunities for first-movers. With immersive experience
companies and products still in their infancy, there's more opportunity
for brand partnerships than ever. The novelty factor of what's possible is
still present, so brands who do develop truly immersive experiences
with the support of VR, AR, drones and other sense-powering tech will
likely get the industry attention they deserve.
Video is exploding but it shouldn't act alone. The explosion of video
content is nothing to be overlooked, but research shows that activating
more than one sense at a time delivers a much more memorable
experience. Brands need to look beyond just video and think how their
next experiential campaign may blend video with taste, smell or touch,
for consumers will expect more and more stimuli when they seek
entertainment - and those who deliver it will be in a prime position to
lead the market.
It doesn't have to be all big budget work. At its current stage, a great VR
experience requires big budgets, but immersion can be achieved
through other, more affordable means. As the technology progresses,
we'll see increasingly cheaper devices which will give brands more
options to dazzle their consumers with something special. Whether it's
via new use cases for drones or ground breaking new ways to tell a
story through an action cam, big budgets don't necessarily define how
to innovate.

40. A one-sheeter for future thinking brands
Drive the in-car experience. In a self-driving environment powered by
Android Auto, CarPlay and others, people will have more time for
themselves. Ask yourself: how can you integrate your products or
services into this connected world? If driving is about to open room for
more leisurely moments, leading brands will know how to integrate their
offering to truly drive the in-car experience, whether it’s by betting on
entertainment or plain contextual utility.
The screen real estate wars will get more intense. As consumers rely
more on utility apps and their smartphones to power their cars,
transportation will become more screen-led than ever. With more
screens comes more competition for people’s attention, since by freeing
up their eyes from the road there is an attention gap to be filled. With
that will come fierce competition and consumers will be more
demanding than ever, but the brands who stand out will be in a prime
position in this connected future.
Context? It’s complicated. If sorting out how contextual services play a
role in a single mobile device is tricky, adding the integration of that
same device with your car, your house and other aspects of your life
just increases the size of that challenge. In short, the 'context is king'
discussion just got way more complicated. And yet, the brands who do
sort it out will be in a prime position to have a truly impactful, ongoing
reason to exist in consumers' lives. If our cars are to become smarter
and more useful, consumer expectations around context and usability
will naturally go up.
Ride the binge wave, man. As people gradually get more free time,
entertainment will play an even bigger role in their lives - just look at the
lion's share of attention that Netflix, Amazon Prime or Steam get, or the
continuous explosion of mobile video and social networking. People
crave to be entertained and, even though there's a clear surplus of
content and shorter attention spans than ever, brands who can create
something worth binging will be in a sweet spot for the future.
Integration is the brand. Great products will tend to become more about
how they integrate with services than just how they perform on their
own. As the future becomes more connected, we move from 'what is it?'
and 'what does it do?' to 'what can I connect it with?'. Brands that
already do a good job in integrating what defines them, such as their
communications, distribution and customer service, will need to adapt to
make sure their products become more integrated - either by creating a
new platform for utility or feeding into an existing one.
Customer service will matter more than ever. Despite all the quality
testing, there is always a risk of something not working as it should - or
limiting other connected devices from working properly. And in a world
where everything is more integrated, that may create an impact that
goes way beyond that single product (just look at Philips Hue). When
that happens, the brand that's responsible will likely suffer the biggest
backlash and will need to be able to respond quickly and assertively.
More connected devices means more things can go wrong - and when
they do, brands need to be able to deal with it.
Huge opportunities for first-movers. With immersive experience
companies and products still in their infancy, there's more opportunity
for brand partnerships than ever. The novelty factor of what's possible is
still present, so brands who do develop truly immersive experiences
with the support of VR, AR, drones and other sense-powering tech will
likely get the industry attention they deserve.
Video is exploding but it shouldn't act alone. The explosion of video
content is nothing to be overlooked, but research shows that activating
more than one sense at a time delivers a much more memorable
experience. Brands need to look beyond just video and think how their
next experiential campaign may blend video with taste, smell or touch,
for consumers will expect more and more stimuli when they seek
entertainment - and those who deliver it will be in a prime position to
lead the market.
It doesn't have to be all big budget work. At its current stage, a great VR
experience requires big budgets, but immersion can be achieved
through other, more affordable means. As the technology progresses,
we'll see increasingly cheaper devices which will give brands more
options to dazzle their consumers with something special. Whether it's
via new use cases for drones or ground breaking new ways to tell a
story through an action cam, big budgets don't necessarily define how
to innovate.
Print this for
your next
meeting and
have a great
2016!

41. 1000heads.com • @1000heads