Do I have to say it?
Do I really have to say this in 2021?
We live in a digital world. Consumers expect well integrated online experiences. But I’d argue that brands need to look at digital and offline experiences as one. They should co-exist and complement each other.
Internet of Things (IoT) essentially encompasses devices that are connected and talk to each other. In the next 10 years we will see 24 billion IoT connected devices and the market will be worth over $1 trillion dollars. IoT is already apart of our daily lives. We have smart watches, we can start our car from our phone, and we can adjust the air conditioning of our home from miles away. The technology is there so why don’t fashion brands implement it?
Nike gave it shot. The Hyper Adapt shoes are a good example of this. The shoe is connected to an app on your phone. The shoe is communicating with your phone and vice versa. And through this communication the shoe can auto tie itself, change colors, and alert the owner if the shoes need to be charged. Now im not an engineer nor a footwear. But that digital integration is genius. It is common to see dozens of smart watches a day. Those smart watches collect data on health, text messages, calls, and location data. A smart sneaker could give companies invaluable information. Privacy issues would be the main concern but if done correctly this could be the future.
The counterfeit fashion industry is worth $4.5 billion dollars. Luxury fashion houses lose millions every year to counterfeit products. $3.6 million dollars worth of fake Dior x Jordan 1 sneakers were seized earlier in 2020. As the demand grows for brands counterfeit products will continue to pop up and steal sales. So what should brands do to counter this? Luxury ski wear brand Moncler has come up with a solution. They have incorporated RFID technology which allows customers to authenticate their jacket through their cellular device. Imagine this. You go to a thrift store and see two Moncler jackets. Quality wise they are comparable but something just feels off. You can pull out your phone and simple tap the Moncler logo and a digital authentication source should pop up. If nothing pops up then the jacket is counterfeit. This shows IoT can seamlessly be integrated in anti counterfeiting measures. You tap your phone on the logo, the logo and your phone communicate, and then you are given authentication.
In regards to commerce. Our real life experiences should be an addition to the online experience. We can see what products a store has online. But the experience we gain in store is equally important and can build a strong relationship with customers. If I walk into a Nike store with my Hyper Adapt shoes how will they react? These are the questions as marketers we need to answer. How do we incorporate this technology in fashion. Nipsey Hussle sold scannable T Shirt that took users directly to his music. So if I buy a shirt from his store I can hear his music early before its officially released. How could this benefit marketers? Well, a year later he could update the link on that specific model shirt and take users to a new destination. It is essentially free marketing and building interest at a minimal cost.
I’d be remiss if I did not mention the potential for privacy violations. IoT is a great source of power for marketers and will absolutely be used to unethically source data. As a marketer entering the field I question what are the ethical and moral boundaries that should be set? How do we protect consumers from large corporations. How do we protect ourselves from potential lawsuits. IoT is still in its infancy but it is extremely intimate. And IoT integration in fashion is wearable data. Although it can have its charm what are the lines?
IoT is still in its infancy but the potential uses of it are limitless. For marketers IoT will give us more data than ever. With this data we will be able to make more informed moves and directly impact consumers around the world. Brands should heavily invest in this technology early. Because early adoption gives novelty, hype, and positions you as a forward thinking brand. Adopt this technology too late and consumers will not care. It will just be something that is expected.
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