The Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, is an annual trade show introducing new products and technology. Founded in 1967, it takes place every January in Las Vegas in the United States. Over the years, the advertising industry has become increasingly involved as we look for trends that will benefit our clients and support those presenting there.
This year, OMD’s presence at CES was led by Tracy Quitasol, Managing Director for OMD USA and Laurel Rossi, CMO for OMD USA. They and their teams delivered a series of guided, bespoke client tours around the huge space; a program of private talks; interviews for clients with media partner Adweek magazine and private client dinners hosted by partners including The New York Times, Facebook and Google.
Built around the OMD theme of ‘Seeking Signals’, the 40+ curated tours were delivered by 21 OMDers who showed 140 clients from 34 different brands around the exhibition halls.
Read more about the tours here.
You can see the full calendar of OMD events – as well as very short films of John Osborne, CEO for the USA and Chrissie Hanson, our Global Chief Strategy Officer, discussing their experience at CES – by visiting the event website here.
Chrissie has also written a piece which details not only some of the key trends she observed but also what it might mean for our clients as we help them make Better Decisions, Faster in 2019 and beyond. Read it here and feel free to share with clients too.
Below are six highlights from the show to spark your imagination – including a few innovations from OMD clients.
- Cars and connectivity
Nissan introduced it’s LEAF e+ electric vehicle, which has greater power range on a single charge. OMD brands such as Daimler, Bosch alongside Panasonic demonstrated that food delivery never looked better through a new on-demand self-driving car. Find out what it’s like to ride in a self-driving car here.
- Linking beauty to the connected home
It was interesting to see P&G linking beauty and health to the connected home. Products such as the ORAL-B Genius toothbrush and Olay’s skin advisor platform are both using AI to provide personalised recommendations.
- A Sleep headband that “trains your brain”
Better sleep is just a dream away with the new Urgonight sleep headband which is said to “train your brain”, to emit brainwaves associated with deeper sleep. The things we do for a good night’s sleep!
- Whirlpool gets connected with Alexa and Google
The ability to control your home remotely is becoming a reality with Whirlpool’s new app allowing consumers to start the dishwasher and preheat the stove using Alexa and Google Assistant. Those endless kitchen jobs now don’t seem so much of a chore.
- Redefining air travel
With the roads and trains constantly congested, air taxi company Bell Nexus have found a new way for us to get around: in the air! The company aim to deliver quick travel with a unique in-flight experience keeping passengers connected to their lives whilst they travel. Who knows by 2020 you could be hailing an air taxi using Uber’s new aerial service.
- Transcription and translation through AI
Never have to struggle with the language barrier again with IFLYTEK. The largest AI and intelligent speech and language tech providers have announced products that make it easier for you to navigate in a new country through translation and transcription services.
Away from the exhibition halls, during our OMD curated talks, Mark Ronson chatted to iHeart Radio’s CEO about his approach to collaboration and world champion chess player Garry Kasparov discussed the development of AI after he was famously beaten by a computer 20 years ago!
That’s a wrap for this year at CES, we’ll be back next year to deliver even more great insights around the latest in innovation, products and technology.
