How lifestyle and technology’s evolution is shaping the future
Technology isn’t just a product category. It’s woven into the fabric of everyday life.
Think about how much it has changed the way we communicate, travel, consume media, and interact with friends. As tech grows more ubiquitous with every generation, there’s a shift from the idea of “Hey, look at that cool gadget,” to “Hey, how can that cool gadget help me?”
It’s a shift we’ve seen firsthand over the years working with Samsung. We’ve helped them speak about their technology products differently. Less tech and specs. More benefits to the person on the purchase journey. They’ve adapted this mindset as well for refrigerators, dishwashers, and washing machines, which are designed and sold by highlighting that the built-in, cutting-edge tech will help make things better for the household.
It’s about brands advancing and enhancing people, not just providing tech for tech’s sake.
As lifestyle brands embrace technology more and more, everything from clothing to beds to appliances are built for the tech to enhance the experience, not take it over.
That’s why a company like Under Armour doesn’t just make shirts or shoes to sell with the power of celebrity endorsements. They also invest and infuse technology into the actual products, so shoes can record your runs automatically and clothing can rebuild your body while you sleep.
Speaking of sleep, how about a bed that can warm up and self-adjust to stop people from snoring? Sleep Number has that tech built into its latest line of mattresses. Or maybe a jacket produced by Levi’s and Google that is interactive like a phone or tablet? We even made an infographic of how the fashion and tech relationship has grown over the years. (Check it out here.)
At the heart of all of these lifestyle and tech blends is one thing: human beings. Remember, we’re not selling machines to other machines (at least not yet). That’s why we keep these ideals in mind whenever we create stories for our clients:
- It’s about keeping the human element in mind at every touch point.
- It’s about putting the benefits of brands and products first, not just specs.
- It’s about telling customers how tech and tech enhancements will help them, not just what these things do.
Using storytelling methods in every aspect of the marketing plan and creating an emotional connection are keys to breaking through in a marketplace that we know is more iterative than disruptive, flooded with more choices than ever before, and has a nonlinear path to purchase. Whether you’re a tech brand, lifestyle brand, or any brand, these truths are the reality we face today.
The more you create a story that connects your product(s) and your brand to people, the better chance you have in thriving and building a loyal clientele that has more motivation to choose your brand over others.