Experimental

Experimental Marketing on the Pulse

As VR and smartphone technology advances, consumers are demanding tailored interactions and are now actively inviting brands into their homes via their handheld devices.

As 360 videos and live streaming has shown, brand experiences are no longer restricted by geography or limited to face-to-face touchpoints.

This digital convergence allows for greater data capture which can be used to assess real-time trends and ensure experiences can react to real-time consumer feedback.

As the trend for lifelogging supports significant growth in the popularity of wearable tech such as FitBit and smart watches, sports brands should recognise and seek to capitalise on an expanding window into body-focused customer data tracking.

To give some sense of the scale of opportunity, IDC estimates that worldwide wearables shipments will rise from 102.4 million in 2016 to 213.6 million in 2020.

Wearable tech can allow brands to monitor users when they sat still, working-out or even sleeping and can learn to tailor their interactions accordingly.

As a consequence, brands can engage with individuals during their workouts to show live comparisons of their sporting ability against their favourite athletes or generate product offers while they are receptive to fitness messaging.

adidas is already working in this sphere, creating a shoe tracking feature through the app Runtastic in 2016 that measured the mileage and wear of their shoes and generated notifications when your shoe was ready for ‘retirement’.

Sporting events themselves could soon be enhanced by creating a reactive customer area that measures the crowd heart rate, is climate controlled based on the body temperature of guests, or has food service begin as hunger levels rise.

The opportunities are endless, and the relatively uncharted territory that this represents offers a significant level of ownership for brands willing to move fast.

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