2021 Tech Trends & CES Takeaways

Thought leadership19 January 2021

CES went virtual in 2021, for the first time in its 54-year history. The yearly iconic showcase for the newest and farreaching tech, gadgets and experiences pivoted to an online platform designed to connect thought leaders, policymakers, and business leaders virtually to drive education, collaboration and partnership. Introducing consumers to both established and startup brands from around the world, CES is more than just technology. It’s the ultimate cross-industry meet-up for pioneers and business leaders, no matter its iteration.

Smaller in scale and number of exhibitors (~1,900 vendors vs. 4,500 in 2020), this year’s CES cut through the hype and clutter. Exhibitors focused on their bottom line and core offerings providing tangible signals to where the marketplace and technology is heading. With plenty of pandemicinspired technology designed to service both current needs and rapidly changing behaviors, this year’s CES provided a more focused view of our potential.

2021’s Key Theme: Integrated Intuition

2020’s unprecedented events continue to impact our world – with nearly every person and business feeling its ripple effects. Some brands offered pivots, technology tests, investments, acquisitions, and other nimble actions that could be attributed to the immediate impact of the pandemic on both a business’ frontend (e.g. retail closures, consumer behaviors) and backend (e.g. supply chain issues). Many of the disrupted industries and brands we saw weren’t the result of COVID; their evolution (and, in some cases, revolution) was simply expedited by the pandemic.

Last year, more people across all demographics than we could have ever predicted became tech proficient and online-agile simply because it was the only option they had, resulting in new levels of digital proficiency in their everyday lives. Whether it was finding ways to connect with loved ones, mastering endless professional Zooms, confirming kids stayed on track with online education, or simply procuring hand sanitizer – digital aptitude and adaption experiences saw massive acceleration across all demographics based purely on necessity.

As we embrace 2021, the key theme for marketers is integrated intuition – the ability to seamlessly integrate the tech partners, platforms, devices, and data sources to make exponentially expedited decisioning to connect with your consumer in intimate ways via the places and platforms they use.

While the pandemic continues to create behavioral short-term scabs and longer-term scars, the ability to bring together the best of data-driven actioning with EQ-driven insight is key to how brands go to market this year.

Whether it’s driving education, entertainment, or enterprise – integrated intuition will be critical to unlocking value and true connection.