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7 TECH TRENDS THAT HAVE CHANGED BRAND EXPERIENCES

TECHNOLOGY AT THE CORE

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TECHNOLOGY DRASTICALLY IMPACTS EVERY ASPECT OF THE WORLDAROUND US

THESE DAYS, BUT IT’S HARDER THAN EVER TO INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY INTO LIVE EXPERIENCES

IN WAYS THAT ARE RELEVANT, EFFECTIVE AND ABOVE ALL SEAMLESS.

THAT’S BECAUSE THE BEST TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS ARE INVISIBLE. THEY ADD VALUE AND AREN’T

DISRUPTIVE. THEY USE THE RIGHT TECHNOLOGY FOR THE RIGHT AUDIENCE. AND, ABOVE ALL, THEY AVOID

USING TECHNOLOGY FOR THE SAKE OF IT.

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TOUCH SURFACES

SECOND SCREEN INTERACTION

BIG DATA

NEXT GEN CLOUD SERVICES

CONTACTLESS CONNECTION

ENHANCED REALITY

MAKER COMMUNITIES

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IT’S A TALL ORDER, BUT THERE ARE DEFINITELY BRANDS OUT THERE DOING IT RIGHT...

HERE ARE SEVEN “INVISIBLE TECHNOLOGY” TRENDS THAT BRANDS ARE LEVERAGING TO CREATE RELEVANT LIVE EXPERIENCES:

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We can thank Apple for the ubiquity of the

touchscreen. Everyone knows what it is and

everyone intuitively knows how to use it (just Google

“babies with iPads”). From phones to tables to walls

and even windows, touchscreens are everywhere.

Touch screen integration in live experiences can be

as simple as giving staff tablets and as complex as

large-scale installations that utilize gesture and voice

activation. We see it in everything from airports

to museums to incredibly successful store windows

(thanks, Burberry).

So why does it work so well? At its basic level,

the physicality of touch surfaces invokes a deeper

level of engagement and emotional connection. It

allows the viewer to take control of the content and

direct their own experience. It creates a true group

experience in which watching someone interact with

content is suddenly interesting and worth talking

about. And, ubiquitous as it is, it’s still just plain fun.

TOUCH SURFACES: BRINGING US ONE STEP CLOSER TO CONTENT

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The rise of smartphones has unchained digital

experiences from the desk to anywhere, anytime.

And “next generation” mobile devices are being

adopted at a faster rate than any other technology

in world history. Simply put: pretty much everyone

has a smartphone these days. And they are going

to use them.

Many live experiences are capitalizing on the “BYOD”

(Bring Your Own Device) trend by offering event

information, additional VIP content, gamification and

crowd interaction tools.

It works so well because it allows attendees to

use their own technology instead of forcing new

technology on them—so there’s one less barrier to

entry and no learning curve. Their own devices can

then serve as an “always on” concierge that helps

attendees get the most out of any experience. And,

between encouraging social sharing and capturing

attendee information, it helps to extend the footprint

of the experience, too.

SECOND SCREEN INTERACTION: ENCOURAGING PARTICIPATION VIA PERSONAL SMARTPHONES

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Big data is impacting most aspects of the world around

us—never before have we had so much information at

our fingertips. The challenge, of course, is to turn this

data into useful, relevant information.

Live experiences have been capitalizing on this trend by

using data as content (infographs are everywhere!) and

by getting much more granular with experience metrics

and social monitoring.

Historically brand experiences have relied on gut

feelings and anecdotal research to measure success.

As the field has advanced, of course, measurement

strategies have, too, but they have still generally

focused on an end-of-project recap report and a pledge

to improve next month, quarter, or year.

Now, huge amounts of rich data about our attendees,

experiences, successes, and shortcoming are instantly

accessible, allowing us to optimize in real time.

WHY WAIT?

BIG DATA: ANALYZING TODAY FOR A BETTER EXPERIENCE (LATER) TODAY

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Everyone is familiar with the basic premise of

the cloud: linking multiple devices, services and

applications together in real time. It’s the invisible

hero that allows us to push and pull rich content, to

live stream, and to seamlessly integrate almost any

other technology into a live experience.

But the next generation cloud is all about delivering

information anywhere at anytime and amplifying

single voices into passionate communities.

It’s everything from group chat/messaging to new

services like Tile (the world’s largest communal lost

and found) and Thunderclap, the web-based service

that bills itself as the first “crowd-speaking” platform.

(If enough people support it, Thunderclap will send

out a timed Facebook post or Tweet from the entire

community, creating a wave of support and attention.)

Use the cloud wisely and you can amplify your

message and experience, and create a passionately

engaged community.

NEXT GEN CLOUD SERVICES: CREATING A COMMUNITY

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No longer is contactless connection all about using primitive RFID to track basic movement through an experience. Now, virtually invisible technologies like NFC (near field communication), Bump, iBeacon and others, have helped to take contactless connection to the next level. These technologies make instant sharing between brand and user more accessible, cost-effective, and valuable for everyone. After all, when there’s no learning curve or additional ask on your attendees, they’re much more likely to engage with the thing you most want them to—your brand and your content.

Why is contactless connection suddenly popping up everywhere? From a business perspective, it provides a seamless way to make connections and swap details (think lead gen). From a brand POV, it delivers data analytics and real-time monitoring. And, most importantly, from the user perspective, it adds the ability to truly customize an experience to their unique wants and needs.

Retailers are on the cutting edge of this trend, tracking specific customers in- and out-of- store patterns and sending them additional information and relevant discounts in real-time. The technology is there. What else will we do with it?

CONTACTLESS CONNECTION: IDENTIFYING NEW OPPORTUNITIES INSTANTLY

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Enhanced reality allows us to overlay specific

information about the world right into your plane of

vision, and it’s never been hotter. The technology has

finally caught up to make it much more seamless, and

we are starting to see application with real utility,

as opposed to just vanity.

The first great example of utility-based enhanced

reality came from the United States Post Office, whose

app allows customers to determine if objects would

fit in a shipping box.

Now Audi allows us to see our own cars as if they

were brand new Audis, countless retailers let us

virtually try on shoes and clothes, and attendees will

soon be able to watch Major League Baseball games

in stadium and see live stats overlays (courtesy of

Google Glass).

So whether finding a specific location, enhancing an

environment, giving further information about the

world, or allowing people to dig deeper, enhanced

reality is here to stay.

ENHANCED REALITY

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Okay, so Maker Communities aren’t exactly

“technology”, but they have their roots in the tech

world and they are taking live experiences by storm.

We’re seeing ingenious use of these communities by

integrating inventor labs and ”hackathons” into live

experiences that allow everyone to watch top talent

solve complex problems in real time.

It works because it’s an entirely new way to think.

It brings in the best and the brightest from various

industries, companies, and perspectives. It allows

communities to roll up their sleeves and make a

difference. And it’s part hacker, part DIY – a very

cool combo these days.

MAKER COMMUNITIES: HARNESSING THE BEST AND THE BRIGHTEST

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OF COURSE, THESE TRENDS ARE JUST THE BEGINNING.

The technological landscape continues to change at a rapid pace, and there are many cutting-edge trends that will be coming to the forefront in the months and

years to come. Stay tuned for our “Digital Trends 2014” whitepaper early next year, in which we

will examine those emerging technologies. (Wearable tech, anyone?)

In the meantime, remember that a technology is only as good as the strategy, ideas and

execution behind it.

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LEESA WYTOCK IS VICE PRESIDENT OF DIGITAL IN JACK MORTON’S NEW YORK OFFICE.

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Jack Morton Worldwide is a global brand experience agency with offices on five continents. Our agency

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