IFA 2022 – The Rise of Intelligent Technology

This year’s IFA in Berlin provided some really interesting insights into where brands are focusing their efforts when it comes to technology. Despite the fact that you could not move for QR codes giving visitors increased access to engaging content, it was the focus on more intelligent technology that caught our eye.

Brands are moving away from the use of the phrase ‘smart technology’ in their marketing and switching to ‘intelligent technology’. This subtle change of wording allows brands to provide a platform for AI innovations and the new thinking technologies that are being seen across a broad spectrum of markets, from automotive to healthcare.

There were five main trends across the show, all of which had the consumer and technology at their heart:

Health and health prevention – everything from wearable tech to in-home applications were covered. We noticed innovations in wearable skin patches that provided personal health scanning and, encouraged by the recent global pandemic, air purifiers that help to improve home air quality to reduce airborne viruses.

Wellbeing and lifestyle – fitness and technology have always been closely linked but this year we saw the gamification of fitness with motion based digital gaming and fitness racking. The focus was very much on AI, augmented sports and fitness and even included intelligent home cooking.

Gaming – this area had really increased in size from previous years and the number of younger visitors to the show was testament to the growth in this area. Brands had dedicated large footprints to new MicroLED screens, curved immersive screens and gaming specific lighting set ups, all of which attracted the younger visitors. Interestingly, Lego Technik were in attendance for the first time at the show which seemed to create a huge amount of interest.

Low consumption homes – the green message has seen a shift away from simply talking about sustainability into energy consumption. Given the current world energy crisis, a focus on low energy consumption is a smart move for brands and was a significant focus for many of the large box consumer electronics brands.

Mobility – this area was another growth zone for the show. Everything from e-bikes and scooters to cars were represented here. What was interesting was that the car brands were representing themselves as technology solutions and not simply as cars – a move for the future?

Overall we noticed that there was a definite theme of playful storytelling by brands. They were seeking to envelope the visitors in their worlds using video content, large projection areas and immersive experiences to create a sense of other worldliness. This trend is one that we believe will continue to grow in retail and is already being used successfully by some brands on the high street, indeed Gymshark, until now an online only retailer, is set to open its first immersive experience store in London on 1 October. We are certain more and more brands will follow this experiential retail store blueprint as consumers seek more than just a point of purchase from their brands.

Our main takeaway from IFA is that the future of tech in retail is looking incredibly positive and is helping retail to push the boundaries of what is possible when it comes to the consumer experience. Long may this continue.