Gamification

Implications - Whether seeking to achieve their New Year’s resolutions or just become better humans, consumers are integrating supportive technology to help them stay on track through positive encouragement. With self-care and personal betterment on the rise as growing priorities among young consumers already inundated with high-stress lifestyles, self-help technology that reminds them to be mindful of their goals keeps them positive and productive while making every moment count. [More]

Implications - Customer service is essential for e-commerce sites where opportunities for in-person consumer engagement is negligible. Through the adoption of virtual stylists and hands-on assistants, made more accessible than ever with the rise of chat bots, online shops can provide personalized customer service for every client. This emerging shift indicates the rise of expectations on digital businesses as the number of consumers shopping online increases. [More]

Implications - Seeking to create more personalized experiences for consumers and ensure positive engagement on an individual level, brands are leveraging biometric data to track the emotions of consumers as they interact with their products and services. Emotion-tracking not only provides invaluable feedback for the brand on where the consumer is most engaged, it also indicates the perfect opportunity to enhance interactivity and brand love through positive emotional response. [More]

Implications - As consumers increasingly prioritize personal health and wellness, they've begun seeking ways to educate themselves on their own health outside of doctor visits through more exact and personalized data. Through the rise of omnipresent connected technology, we're seeing an integration of health-tracking wearables with athleisure for an all-encompassing view into the wearer's individual performance via biometric data. This emerging category appeals to fitness buffs as well as health-focused consumers, both of whom are looking for ways to be more in-tune with their bodies through personalized health monitoring. [More]

Implications - Perfumes are being repackaged in convenient and intriguing ways to generate more excitement among younger consumers who generally prefer to purchase beauty products they can show off in a selfie. Without needing to be sprayed, scents can be played and experimented with a lot more, offering the wearer more control and creativity over how aromas are placed onto their body. By offering unexpected packaging that engages consumers in new ways, perfume brands are reigniting the imagination of consumers, making the category more accessible and intriguing for newbies. [More]

Implications - Online tribes host engaged communities, but those communities can be insular, with little room for growth. Platforms designed for arguments still harness tribalism, but by pitting sides against one another, these crowdsourced debate sites cement impassioned beliefs and encourage new users to join the fray. Rather than pushing for a united consumer base, brands that encourage an argument between consumers can broaden their reach and create more dedicated fans of their products. [More]

Implications - As consumers become accustomed to IoT within modern homes, hospitality brands are looking to stay ahead of the curve by integrating intelligent connectivity throughout their hotel rooms. Through AI and voice-controlled technology, guests can fully control their environments and easily customize room settings to their preferences. This increased in-suite connectivity ensures convenience for travelers while also ensuring consumer engagement for hotels as many guests would rather interact with digital features rather than hotel staff. [More]

Implications - While the ideal version of extremely personalized hospitality might have each guest paired up with their own personal concierge, many hotels are leveraging mobile technology that is offering something incredibly close. Through apps and mobile phones that are programmed to offer the same conveniences, tips and insider knowledge travelers are used to receiving from the front desk, the hospitality industry can cater to consumers on a much more individual level, wherever they are. This plays into the need for autonomy many travelers seek, providing them with a sense of confidence as they know they'll be receiving 5-star treatment even off hotel premises. [More]

Implications - Progression into parenthood sees health-focused Millennials looking to parallel their devotion to fitness into their children’s lives. As a result, brands pull ideas from technological markets, such as virtual reality, as a way to offer innovative new solutions to traditional activities of play. Younger generations growing up in the digital age understand the importance of being digitally connected in all facets of their lives. [More]

Rather than simply offering tracking devices and tools that allow consumers to drift off to a decent sleep, some brands are offering products with educational components that actually teach consumers habits and rituals to enhance their ability to rest at night. These tools offer assistance in a crucial aspect of life and health, while their educational components avoid technological dependency. As consumers look to technology to ease the stresses of modern life and responsibilities, educational tools are able to deliver solutions while empowering the user. [More]