"Did you see Megan's new car? "Cant wait for this summer!  #Spain2014."

"I just got the new iPhone my life is now complete."

The millennial generation is obsessed with creating the life we want others to believe we live, from checking-in at fancy restaurants on Foursquare, to Instagramming the hell out of your recent trip to Vegas, we want not only to be accepted by our peers but also to impress them.

Phones have often been the standard for how up-to-date or “cool” we are ...but are cars the new standard of influence?

New Release, More Competition:

Its my big break! Many millennials feel like they're on cloud 9 after the receive their first “real” job out of college. No longer are we making $8 an hour working at the local coffee shop, or working with our college buddies we partied with till 4 AM.

We are now working with established professionals  and they have two things we don't:

• More knowledge
• More buying power

This creates pressure for millennials to distinguish themselves while still keeping up with their peers and colleagues.

Getting a new vehicle is many millennials release from college and first step into starting their career in the “real world.” But society's need to be on top creates more and more competition, and it seems things like engagements, buying houses and having babies has now turned into a competition among friends. Boasting and bragging has become the norm and “look at my new car” is one of the loudest forms of social promotion one can exhibit.

Not New, Not Cool:

Cars and tech devices are some of the most progressive industries in our world and the speed at which new technologies come out makes it almost impossible to constantly stay up to date.

This constant progression creates the desire to compete.

Who has the latest phone or tablet has been the distinguishing "cool" standard in recent years but the trend will soon turn to vehicles.

Millennials want to be trendy and automakers have taken notice, offering everything from:

• Insane lease offers
• Extremely millennial targeted vehicles
• Mobile connectivity standard

All aimed at fulfilling the millennials need for the latest "it" thing.  Automakers are also very aware that if they capture a millenial in their younger years they many times have them for life. Cars including the Mercedes CLA, Audi Q3, and Chevy Spark are all specifically targeted in this mannor with the goal of capturing the millennial. Millennials lives are extremely "online social" and this makes us want to feel connected with our friends even more. This need to feel socially up to date also benefits automakers,  as they are getting free advertising from all ends of the social sphere.

Strong Voice, Expect Results:

Honda is a great example of adapting to the millennial voice. Honda completely redesigned its 2012 Civic for 2013 significantly due to peoples reactions. While the 2012 Civic still sold like crazy, doing a complete overhaul of a brand new model in just a year is unheard of.

 
.

This poses the question :

How quickly will automakers have to move to stay fresh with this generation?

New is attractive and creates excitement among millennials, and excitement creates massive social sharing which leads to lots of business to who ever holds the latest “it” trend.

First there was Twitter, then Instagram, now SnapChat.

Technology’s shelf life is expiring quicker and quicker and cars will be no different.

Expect automakers to put more and more effort into this generation.  You know that new phone every 2-years contract most of us have, that structure may soon transfer over to vehicles. Millennials' desire to constantly be up to date and one-up their peers will cause programs like this to pop up everywhere.  Automakers will thus have to keep their products fresher than ever, just like all that produce your neighborhood hipster is buying at the local co-op.

Here to stay and excited for the future:

Society and technology are now not only married but conjoined at the hip (literally tell me when your phone is not in your pocket) and are constantly being prodded by the Red Bull drinking “thats so 5 minutes ago” millennial generation. Automakers will continue to find ways to feed the technology crazed millennials constant desire for new.

The automobile has always been one of the loudest forms of expression, and the highly competitive, supreme social sharing millennial generation is turning the volume way up. #GetReady

- Josh Knutson

Civic Image: kbb.com

"Did you see Megan's new car? "Cant wait for this summer!  #Spain2014."

"I just got the new iPhone my life is now complete."

The millennial generation is obsessed with creating the life we want others to believe we live, from checking-in at fancy restaurants on Foursquare, to Instagramming the hell out of your recent trip to Vegas, we want not only to be accepted by our peers but also to impress them.

Phones have often been the standard for how up-to-date or “cool” we are ...but are cars the new standard of influence?

New Release, More Competition:

Its my big break! Many millennials feel like they're on cloud 9 after the receive their first “real” job out of college. No longer are we making $8 an hour working at the local coffee shop, or working with our college buddies we partied with till 4 AM.

We are now working with established professionals  and they have two things we don't:

• More knowledge
• More buying power

This creates pressure for millennials to distinguish themselves while still keeping up with their peers and colleagues.

Getting a new vehicle is many millennials release from college and first step into starting their career in the “real world.” But society's need to be on top creates more and more competition, and it seems things like engagements, buying houses and having babies has now turned into a competition among friends. Boasting and bragging has become the norm and “look at my new car” is one of the loudest forms of social promotion one can exhibit.

Not New, Not Cool:

Cars and tech devices are some of the most progressive industries in our world and the speed at which new technologies come out makes it almost impossible to constantly stay up to date.

This constant progression creates the desire to compete.

Who has the latest phone or tablet has been the distinguishing "cool" standard in recent years but the trend will soon turn to vehicles.

Millennials want to be trendy and automakers have taken notice, offering everything from:

• Insane lease offers
• Extremely millennial targeted vehicles
• Mobile connectivity standard

All aimed at fulfilling the millennials need for the latest "it" thing.  Automakers are also very aware that if they capture a millenial in their younger years they many times have them for life. Cars including the Mercedes CLA, Audi Q3, and Chevy Spark are all specifically targeted in this mannor with the goal of capturing the millennial. Millennials lives are extremely "online social" and this makes us want to feel connected with our friends even more. This need to feel socially up to date also benefits automakers,  as they are getting free advertising from all ends of the social sphere.

Strong Voice, Expect Results:

Honda is a great example of adapting to the millennial voice. Honda completely redesigned its 2012 Civic for 2013 significantly due to peoples reactions. While the 2012 Civic still sold like crazy, doing a complete overhaul of a brand new model in just a year is unheard of.

 
.

This poses the question :

How quickly will automakers have to move to stay fresh with this generation?

New is attractive and creates excitement among millennials, and excitement creates massive social sharing which leads to lots of business to who ever holds the latest “it” trend.

First there was Twitter, then Instagram, now SnapChat.

Technology’s shelf life is expiring quicker and quicker and cars will be no different.

Expect automakers to put more and more effort into this generation.  You know that new phone every 2-years contract most of us have, that structure may soon transfer over to vehicles. Millennials' desire to constantly be up to date and one-up their peers will cause programs like this to pop up everywhere.  Automakers will thus have to keep their products fresher than ever, just like all that produce your neighborhood hipster is buying at the local co-op.

Here to stay and excited for the future:

Society and technology are now not only married but conjoined at the hip (literally tell me when your phone is not in your pocket) and are constantly being prodded by the Red Bull drinking “thats so 5 minutes ago” millennial generation. Automakers will continue to find ways to feed the technology crazed millennials constant desire for new.

The automobile has always been one of the loudest forms of expression, and the highly competitive, supreme social sharing millennial generation is turning the volume way up. #GetReady

- Josh Knutson

Civic Image: kbb.com

 What To Expect : Future Trends To Solve

Its that time of year again, when we all gather in the largest building NADA find and consume everything auto. As we approach one of the biggest conferences of the year we take a look at what to expect.

Technology has the pedal to the medal and has no intention of slowing down, 2014 is going to be a huge year for the auto industry and this is our glimpse into what the future has to offer, and what to gather at NADA in order to succeed in 2014! 

Data Driven Experiences:

The shear amount of data that will be captured in 2014 will be phenomenal. With the heightened integration of wearable technologies into our lives, expect new digital experiences to transform the dealer sphere. Technologies will “learn” our patterns and lifestyles, and the amount of information we are presenting on the things we “like” will continue to drive this personalized experience. Every social platform from Facebook to Pinterest allows us to proclaim what we like and want and companies are segmenting their consumers more than ever. Expect marketers and advertisers to eat up this rich consumer data, and whip up some truly awesome concepts to entice the automotive consumer like never before.

Dealerships Go Digital:

With everything from augmented reality to beacon technology the dealership as we know it will become more scarce. Dealerships will transform into  fully interactive digital experiences. Advertising and marketing strategies will continue to digitize and focus on the necessity of mobile in societies lives.

Vehicle Tech Rev’s Up:

Our vehicles are becoming more and more advanced, and  consumer companies are jumping on the bandwagon to get a piece of the cake. From Google’s push to drive android into vehicles to companies like HeadsUp! that projects your smartphone onto your windshield vehicle to mobile integration is growing fast. New technologies will arise and create new routes for companies to enter the market, and if the Tesla Model S is any indication of what the automotive sector is about to look like, we are in for a treat!

A City You Won’t Soon Forget:

New Orleans or “NOLA” as some call it, is a city much different front your hometown.

The city is known for hosting one of the biggest parties of the year “Mardis Gras” and when they say the city never sleeps they mean it. I have personally been to New Orleans a handful of times and dawn comes faster than you can say Ferrari. This city is full of soul and is a culture you won't soon forget. Looking for gator heads and more beads than you can imagine, want to experience some rich french history and consume some of the best seafood you’ve had to date… this is your city.

Take advantage of this conference and attend the over 150 workshops and sessions as well as the countless vendors debuting all the latest products and services.

Stay On Track:

NADA 2014 Schedule of Events

Can’t attend? Follow along and stay in the social loop:

Twitter and #NADA2014

Facebook

Instagram

_________________________________________________________________________

What is the biggest thing on your radar coming into 2014?

What are you most excited for?

Bring back a great deal of knowledge to your prospective companies, and have fun!

SEE YOU THERE!

 What To Expect : Future Trends To Solve

Its that time of year again, when we all gather in the largest building NADA find and consume everything auto. As we approach one of the biggest conferences of the year we take a look at what to expect.

Technology has the pedal to the medal and has no intention of slowing down, 2014 is going to be a huge year for the auto industry and this is our glimpse into what the future has to offer, and what to gather at NADA in order to succeed in 2014! 

Data Driven Experiences:

The shear amount of data that will be captured in 2014 will be phenomenal. With the heightened integration of wearable technologies into our lives, expect new digital experiences to transform the dealer sphere. Technologies will “learn” our patterns and lifestyles, and the amount of information we are presenting on the things we “like” will continue to drive this personalized experience. Every social platform from Facebook to Pinterest allows us to proclaim what we like and want and companies are segmenting their consumers more than ever. Expect marketers and advertisers to eat up this rich consumer data, and whip up some truly awesome concepts to entice the automotive consumer like never before.

Dealerships Go Digital:

With everything from augmented reality to beacon technology the dealership as we know it will become more scarce. Dealerships will transform into  fully interactive digital experiences. Advertising and marketing strategies will continue to digitize and focus on the necessity of mobile in societies lives.

Vehicle Tech Rev’s Up:

Our vehicles are becoming more and more advanced, and  consumer companies are jumping on the bandwagon to get a piece of the cake. From Google’s push to drive android into vehicles to companies like HeadsUp! that projects your smartphone onto your windshield vehicle to mobile integration is growing fast. New technologies will arise and create new routes for companies to enter the market, and if the Tesla Model S is any indication of what the automotive sector is about to look like, we are in for a treat!

A City You Won’t Soon Forget:

New Orleans or “NOLA” as some call it, is a city much different front your hometown.

The city is known for hosting one of the biggest parties of the year “Mardis Gras” and when they say the city never sleeps they mean it. I have personally been to New Orleans a handful of times and dawn comes faster than you can say Ferrari. This city is full of soul and is a culture you won't soon forget. Looking for gator heads and more beads than you can imagine, want to experience some rich french history and consume some of the best seafood you’ve had to date… this is your city.

Take advantage of this conference and attend the over 150 workshops and sessions as well as the countless vendors debuting all the latest products and services.

Stay On Track:

NADA 2014 Schedule of Events

Can’t attend? Follow along and stay in the social loop:

Twitter and #NADA2014

Facebook

Instagram

_________________________________________________________________________

What is the biggest thing on your radar coming into 2014?

What are you most excited for?

Bring back a great deal of knowledge to your prospective companies, and have fun!

SEE YOU THERE!

From glasses, to watches to clothing, wearable technology is the next wave of our digital world interweaving with our automotive lives.

Technology truly succeeds when it helps us make a process or way of life more productive and beneficial and the future holds a huge market for wearable technology.

Our vehicle-to-person interaction level will soon become much higher with our vehicles; a variety of devices will now connect to our person giving us new levels of control and interaction with our automobiles.

Technology is constantly being adapted into new pieces of apparel, Google Glass is one of the most well known and  progressive devices providing a large range of functions from:

• Voice search
• Taking Pictures / recording videos
• Direction / GPS
• Music
• Calling / Messaging
• Note taking
• Scheduling

While these all aid in our productiveness of our everyday tasks, I see this going to a completely new level.

Driving

Warning systems are already interactive with steering wheels and seats utilizing vibration and motion to warm/notify the driver in emergency situations. However now imagine a sport coat lined with technology coupled with a pair or high tech glasses that can implement physical outputs to your actual person. Wearable technology will enhance your reactions times, increase your overall awareness and allow you to control the vehicle in more detailed mannors. Keeping the “driving  experience” is something many people fear loosing with technology taking over almost all aspects of our vehicles. Responsive and interactive wearable technology will provide that excitement back to the driver. Everything from gloves and jackets to high-tech helmets will hit the market and be loaded with collaborate technology that will take your inputs and mental simulations and incorporate them directly into your driving experience.

It will be interesting to see what level  warning and safety technology will reach in comparison to the autonomous driving vehicle. Handfuls of driverless cars cars traveling within inches of each other and successfully reaching destinations is already a reality Google and Volvo has accomplished. However  the factor that comes into play is the unknown of other drivers and the reality that we don’t control other people and their actions. The autonomous vehicle is an idea that is still very scarey to society, the adaptation advantage wearable tech has here is that anyone with any type of vehicle would be allowed to access and utilize this technology, not just those people with the most up to date models.

The Shopping Process Will Become Completely Virtual

It’s obvious the shopping and research process has gone digital with consumers looking to the internet to solve all their vehicle purchasing questions, relying less on salespeople for information and looking to the web to complete their entire shopping process.

On – Lot

Wearable tech like Google Glass will allow the consumer to “test drive” the vehicle without ever stepping foot inside.

Visually scanning a vehicle then bringing up every vehicle statistic from gas milage to cubic feet of storage is already feasible and will allow customers to walk down the rows of your new and used inventory and differentiate every vehicles pros and cons while cross shopping in between steps all with blink of the eye. Augmented reality will then come into play here “opening up” the vehicle and allowing the consumer come into the vehicle and utilizing its functions without even setting foot in the drivers seat.

New Inventory Will Verge a New Path

With the amount of video and digital media skyrocketing in both amount and consumption, consumers will finalize their decisions completely online. The new car market will rely much more heavily on the advertisements and interactions with OEM’s. Brands that most successfully connect with consumers online will lead in vehicle sales and promotion.

Automakers will soon make marketing campaigns that interact directly with the person.

Looking at a new truck? Advertisements will flash before your eyes, virtually interacting with you thus visually stimulating your path to purchase. Our internet experiences are already influenced by the things we search and interact with and the automobile market will be no different. Advertisements will be tailored to our “likes” and will rely much more heavily on targeting.

Mobile Device Utilization

Mobile devices contain massive amounts of computing power and are the perfect bases to connect vast amounts of wearable technology. The other major component here is that our mobile devices posses all of our personal data. Linking wearable tech to our devices will allow them to communicate between one another,  apps linked to the technology will then be used to accomplish the clothings goal. Utilization of Bluetooth and Wifi will allow us to “physically” connect to the digital world. The technology network will become much larger and much more progressive with huge pushes in seamless connectivity between our lives and our devices.

All of this sounds quite futuristic, but the reality is all of this technology already exists.

It’s just a matter of time before this becomes the new social norm.

Images: Mashable

From glasses, to watches to clothing, wearable technology is the next wave of our digital world interweaving with our automotive lives.

Technology truly succeeds when it helps us make a process or way of life more productive and beneficial and the future holds a huge market for wearable technology.

Our vehicle-to-person interaction level will soon become much higher with our vehicles; a variety of devices will now connect to our person giving us new levels of control and interaction with our automobiles.

Technology is constantly being adapted into new pieces of apparel, Google Glass is one of the most well known and  progressive devices providing a large range of functions from:

• Voice search
• Taking Pictures / recording videos
• Direction / GPS
• Music
• Calling / Messaging
• Note taking
• Scheduling

While these all aid in our productiveness of our everyday tasks, I see this going to a completely new level.

Driving

Warning systems are already interactive with steering wheels and seats utilizing vibration and motion to warm/notify the driver in emergency situations. However now imagine a sport coat lined with technology coupled with a pair or high tech glasses that can implement physical outputs to your actual person. Wearable technology will enhance your reactions times, increase your overall awareness and allow you to control the vehicle in more detailed mannors. Keeping the “driving  experience” is something many people fear loosing with technology taking over almost all aspects of our vehicles. Responsive and interactive wearable technology will provide that excitement back to the driver. Everything from gloves and jackets to high-tech helmets will hit the market and be loaded with collaborate technology that will take your inputs and mental simulations and incorporate them directly into your driving experience.

It will be interesting to see what level  warning and safety technology will reach in comparison to the autonomous driving vehicle. Handfuls of driverless cars cars traveling within inches of each other and successfully reaching destinations is already a reality Google and Volvo has accomplished. However  the factor that comes into play is the unknown of other drivers and the reality that we don’t control other people and their actions. The autonomous vehicle is an idea that is still very scarey to society, the adaptation advantage wearable tech has here is that anyone with any type of vehicle would be allowed to access and utilize this technology, not just those people with the most up to date models.

The Shopping Process Will Become Completely Virtual

It’s obvious the shopping and research process has gone digital with consumers looking to the internet to solve all their vehicle purchasing questions, relying less on salespeople for information and looking to the web to complete their entire shopping process.

On – Lot

Wearable tech like Google Glass will allow the consumer to “test drive” the vehicle without ever stepping foot inside.

Visually scanning a vehicle then bringing up every vehicle statistic from gas milage to cubic feet of storage is already feasible and will allow customers to walk down the rows of your new and used inventory and differentiate every vehicles pros and cons while cross shopping in between steps all with blink of the eye. Augmented reality will then come into play here “opening up” the vehicle and allowing the consumer come into the vehicle and utilizing its functions without even setting foot in the drivers seat.

New Inventory Will Verge a New Path

With the amount of video and digital media skyrocketing in both amount and consumption, consumers will finalize their decisions completely online. The new car market will rely much more heavily on the advertisements and interactions with OEM’s. Brands that most successfully connect with consumers online will lead in vehicle sales and promotion.

Automakers will soon make marketing campaigns that interact directly with the person.

Looking at a new truck? Advertisements will flash before your eyes, virtually interacting with you thus visually stimulating your path to purchase. Our internet experiences are already influenced by the things we search and interact with and the automobile market will be no different. Advertisements will be tailored to our “likes” and will rely much more heavily on targeting.

Mobile Device Utilization

Mobile devices contain massive amounts of computing power and are the perfect bases to connect vast amounts of wearable technology. The other major component here is that our mobile devices posses all of our personal data. Linking wearable tech to our devices will allow them to communicate between one another,  apps linked to the technology will then be used to accomplish the clothings goal. Utilization of Bluetooth and Wifi will allow us to “physically” connect to the digital world. The technology network will become much larger and much more progressive with huge pushes in seamless connectivity between our lives and our devices.

All of this sounds quite futuristic, but the reality is all of this technology already exists.

It’s just a matter of time before this becomes the new social norm.

Images: Mashable

What The Recent Holiday Shopping Trends Can Show Us About The Mobile Market

The holidays bring out the “season of giving” in everyone and the 5 day shopping spread continues to reveal the growth of the digital consumer.

Cyber Monday sales saw a 20% growth over last year while mobile sales increased an astounding 55% year-over-year according to IBM Digital Analytic Benchmark.

Mobile shopping accounted for more than 17% of total online sales, showing the digital consumer is turning to their device to meet even more of their needs.

Smartphones Browse, Tablets Buy:

19.7% of all online traffic came from smartphones, with 11.5% coming from tablets.

However, 11.7% of the total online sales on Monday came from tablets.

• Tablet owners are also spending more:

The Growing Marketing Trend - Push Notifications:

Push notifications are becoming more and more prominent in the market. Marketers are taking advantage of the simple fact that people are on their mobile devices 24/7 and are reaping the results. Retailers on average sent 77% more push notifications over the five day holiday shopping period compared to averages over the previous two months. Reaching the customer right when they are in the market or even when they are in the store itself is a great technique to drive sales and draw consumers to items they may not have previously considered.

The Digital Age Continues To Show Its Penetration Into Our Lives:

While people still spend countless hours in line and act like primal creatures to get that “huge deal” in-store on Black Friday the consumer is steadily moving online. Cyber Monday sales were 31.5% higher than those on Black Friday, showing the consumer is utilizing the web more than ever. Shoppers also spent 5% more on Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the amount of technology and resources that they have at their fingertips and the numbers prove it.

Time is also one of the greatest advantages of the digital age. Time is money and fewer and fewer people are spending their time off running around the city looking for deals. Why wait in line and hope the store will have enough in stock when you can purchase everything from your tablet in the comfort of your home and then have it shipped straight to you by Amazon’s new flying delivery drone? People also want their products faster and many times the store with the fastest and cheapest shipping takes the cake as Amazon knows all too well.

Mobile devices give shoppers the advantage of time as well as complete freedom and control over their shopping experience. No longer does the customer have to go to the store, look for a product, wait in line and then go home.

The shear fact that an entire process is simplified with a simple click is what will continue to drive online shopping growth. With store windows continually turning digital, retailers and marketers will continue to adapt their strategies to appeal to the digital consumer and take advantage of the simplicity of mobile shopping.

Sources:

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/42661.wss

http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/12/02/why-black-friday-...

What The Recent Holiday Shopping Trends Can Show Us About The Mobile Market

The holidays bring out the “season of giving” in everyone and the 5 day shopping spread continues to reveal the growth of the digital consumer.

Cyber Monday sales saw a 20% growth over last year while mobile sales increased an astounding 55% year-over-year according to IBM Digital Analytic Benchmark.

Mobile shopping accounted for more than 17% of total online sales, showing the digital consumer is turning to their device to meet even more of their needs.

Smartphones Browse, Tablets Buy:

19.7% of all online traffic came from smartphones, with 11.5% coming from tablets.

However, 11.7% of the total online sales on Monday came from tablets.

• Tablet owners are also spending more:

The Growing Marketing Trend - Push Notifications:

Push notifications are becoming more and more prominent in the market. Marketers are taking advantage of the simple fact that people are on their mobile devices 24/7 and are reaping the results. Retailers on average sent 77% more push notifications over the five day holiday shopping period compared to averages over the previous two months. Reaching the customer right when they are in the market or even when they are in the store itself is a great technique to drive sales and draw consumers to items they may not have previously considered.

The Digital Age Continues To Show Its Penetration Into Our Lives:

While people still spend countless hours in line and act like primal creatures to get that “huge deal” in-store on Black Friday the consumer is steadily moving online. Cyber Monday sales were 31.5% higher than those on Black Friday, showing the consumer is utilizing the web more than ever. Shoppers also spent 5% more on Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday. Consumers are becoming more conscious of the amount of technology and resources that they have at their fingertips and the numbers prove it.

Time is also one of the greatest advantages of the digital age. Time is money and fewer and fewer people are spending their time off running around the city looking for deals. Why wait in line and hope the store will have enough in stock when you can purchase everything from your tablet in the comfort of your home and then have it shipped straight to you by Amazon’s new flying delivery drone? People also want their products faster and many times the store with the fastest and cheapest shipping takes the cake as Amazon knows all too well.

Mobile devices give shoppers the advantage of time as well as complete freedom and control over their shopping experience. No longer does the customer have to go to the store, look for a product, wait in line and then go home.

The shear fact that an entire process is simplified with a simple click is what will continue to drive online shopping growth. With store windows continually turning digital, retailers and marketers will continue to adapt their strategies to appeal to the digital consumer and take advantage of the simplicity of mobile shopping.

Sources:

http://www-03.ibm.com/press/us/en/pressrelease/42661.wss

http://www.forbes.com/sites/walterloeb/2013/12/02/why-black-friday-...