If necessity is the mother of invention, then marketing is the art of creating needs you never knew existed. Nowhere is that dynamic more prevalent right now than at CES 2021, the all-virtual Consumer Electronics Show, where hundreds of companies — large, small, foreign and domestic — are currently vying to wow the world with an array of new product launches and high-tech innovations.
Among the featured themes (5G, health, automotive, robotics) and categories (sustainability, drones home entertainment) at this year’s event, the parade of new connected devices, artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted appliances and intelligent contraptions is, well, downright dizzying. This so-called “attack of the smart devices” is as diverse as it is all-encompassing, and yet each product is designed to improve some aspect of our lives, be it self, health, work or the environment.
Herewith a compendium of new products, presented without judgement or favoritism, to give you a glimpse of the state of the art of smart devices.
A Smarter Shampoo
L’Oréal, the world’s largest beauty company, unveiled its new “Water Saver” sustainable hair care system that “represents a new way to wash and care for your hair… [and] saves water while improving upon luxury and efficiency through advanced technology.”
Designed for both salon and in-home use, the Water Saver reduces water usage by up to 80 percent and transforms the traditional hair-washing experience by combining high-powered water-optimizing technology with specially designed haircare products that flow directly into the water stream, the French company’s announcement read.
While high-tech shampoos may not seem like rocket science, guess again. With the help of L’Oréal’s Swiss partner Gjosa’s, the Water Saver’s “core water-optimizing technology applies the principle of fractioning used in rocket engines to water flows,” the statement said, adding that “water droplets collide according to a defined direction and uniform distribution… [which] reduces their size and accelerates their speed, ensuring every drop of water is used in the hair washing and rinsing process while making shampoos, conditioners, and other treatments easier to rinse.”
A Smarter Air Freshener
Within a suite of new products promoted by CPG giant Procter & Gamble under the “LifeLab” label, CES consumers were shown a range of interactive home care, health and hygiene, personal care and sustainability offerings. Among them, the new “Febreze Fade Defy Plug Air Freshener,” touted as “the first mass plug-in with built-in microchip technology that digitally controls how much scent is released.”
P&G’s new smart air freshener uses extensive consumer research to determine the optimum scent release and intensity, the company said, allowing users to enjoy “first-day freshness” for 50 days, and then alerting them with an LED light when it’s time for a refill.
“Our virtual P&G LifeLab Everyday demonstrates how technology fuels innovative products and how we are keeping ahead of this transformation, creating brands that make life a little bit easier, and the future a little bit brighter, each and every day,” said P&G Chief Brand Officer Marc Pritchard.
Besides the new air freshener, P&G also rolled out a revamped toothbrush, dishwashing detergent and surface cleaners that use less water and chemicals.
A Smarter Bath And Toilet
Never to be outdone, Kohler, the world’s largest kitchen and bath fixture manufacturer, also unveiled a collection of new “Smart Home” products at the digital CES 2021 that focus on well-being and a touchless experience.
“As millions of people around the world spend more time at home, they yearn for balance and seek an escape from the stresses and anxieties of everyday life,” Kohler said. “The potential for technology to create more moments of wellbeing, and making it easier to unwind, de-stress, and find peace, is a driving force behind Kohler’s continued investment and product development in smart home technology.”
Products include a Japanese-inspired forest bathing tub unit that uses water, light, fog and aromas “to create an immersive journey of the senses designed to relax the mind, soothe the body, and renew the spirit.”
Alongside the stillness bath, users can also relax on a new “Innate” toilet, Kohler said, that includes all the comfort, convenience, and cleanliness features that people expect, at a more affordable price. “Innate includes a heated seat, auto open and close, intuitive remote, and personal bidet functionality,” the statement said.
We’re always on the lookout for opportunities to partner with innovators and disruptors.
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