CES 2021 Offers Glimpse of the Future of Virtual Engagement
CES is in full swing. The annual show typically showcases advances in all things consumer technology-focused, ranging from cars to TVs. CES 2021 is also the first all-digital CES – which is fitting for an annual event that prides itself in being cutting edge. We’ve already seen a few intriguing announcements that may say something about how brands connect with their audiences:
Lenovo Debuts a New Set of Augmented Reality-Enabled Smart Glasses
On the eve of CES, Lenovo rolled out smart glasses that can show up to five virtual displays. The smart eyewear is intended for enterprise use, unlike so many other augmented reality smart glasses we’ve heard about in development. Lenovo envisions its augmented reality-enabled eyewear to be used in locations such as factories, laboratories, retail locations, and hospitality spaces. In the words of one journalist, the new eyewear “can make spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations seem like they're hanging in the air.”
So why does the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 eyewear matter to how businesses communicate with their audiences? Because the eyewear is a sign of augmented reality’s uptake across the board, even more so during the pandemic. It’s important in our digital-first world that businesses plan for a day in which augmented reality and virtual reality play essential roles in their engagement with employees, investors, clients, and beyond. Consider augmented reality to be where video was when YouTube first arrived: a groundbreaking format for engagement, even if the specific applications are not fully known.
LG Relies on a Virtual Influencer
LG relied on an influencer named Reah Keem to unveil the company’s new line of LG CLOi UV-C robots via a livestreamed CES keynote. Now, working through an influencer to roll out a product via a livestream is not new. Businesses do that all the time during Singles Day in China. But what makes the approach unusual is that Reah Keem is not a real person. Reah Keem is a robot with 6,000+ followers on Instagram.
Here again, we find ourselves looking at a brave new world – maybe one that isn’t quite fully baked yet, but it’s coming. We saw the potential lure of a virtual person at an event back when the Coachella music festival used a hologram of hip-hop legend Tupac Shakur back in 2012. Since then, holograms of famous deceased musicians have become a phenomenon unto themselves. Meanwhile, Reah Keem is not the only virtual influencer out there. The question is, how big will virtual influencers become? How should brands consider them as part of their content engagement strategy? Reah Keem is also a virtual composer and DJ. What happens if her songs become hits some day? Will brands engage with her to appear at their own virtual events to play music and deliver content alongside human beings?
Keep an eye on the rise of virtual influencers. As businesses look to push the envelope with virtual events, we may see more Reah Keems having a voice.
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