The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) showcased significant advancements in technology, focusing on trends like voice interfaces, 5G connectivity, and innovations in health and personalization. Key takeaways included the rise of voice assistants, the impact of 5G on the Internet of Things, and the emergence of tech products for children and health management. Moreover, advancements in self-driving cars are expected to transform consumer-brand interactions through enhanced infotainment and customized experiences.

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 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.
IMPLICATIONS // 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 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 moment 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. IMPLICATIONS // 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
IMPLICATIONS // 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
IMPLICATIONS // 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:
Danika Azzarelli
Yvonne Bond
Theresa Braun
Radhika Butala
Maureen Dawson
Kevin Hung
Chris Jones
Thomas Jorion
Kelly Lundquist
Hillary Meahl
Gabrielle Rossetti
Carly Wengrover