Unlocking the internet of things: Five key takeaways from Internet Week

1) Data is as important as what you do with it

Full-service digital agencies need to be more mindful of data from an input as well as an output perspective, ideally connecting the two ends as tightly as possible. Nicholas Felton, of Feltron.com is a pioneer in the Quantified Self (gaining self-knowledge through self-tracking) space and has spent years doing beautiful visualizations of data he's collected about himself. It’s worth looking over in order to become instantly familiar with specific examples of what can be collected using the IoT and what it can mean. In action, the reams of data being collected allow Google’s Nest (learning thermostat for the connected home) to automatically respond to the preferences of the people who are present.

2) Forget the branded nudge

Push notifications are the crudest way for a brand to bring an idea to life on their customer's wrist. Watches are timepieces, and a customer’s time is not to be wasted with marketing pitches. Instead, marketers must find an angle that relates a brand to the concept of time in order to politely provide utility. For example, an automotive brand could provide drivers with odometer-based milestones with a CTA to learn more about how regular maintenance saves money and headaches. A food category brand could reward families for spending dinner together, tracking that they were close to each other and that their phones were off while they connected in real life.

3) Wearables promise health and improved quality of life

Wearable technology provides numerous opportunities for brands and agencies to understand consumer behavior, especially as it relates to health and wellness goals, and we can help consumers to understand the opportunities for their quality of life that these new tools provide. We must constantly ask the question, “How can we help customers do the things they already want to do?”

4) Fashion is as important as function

Apple understood better than anybody that form is as important as function when it comes to interactive technology, and wearables are no exception when it comes to consumers’ demand to look good. If technology fits your personal style it's less likely to sit in the drawer collecting dust after the initial ”wow factor” wears off. Anouk Wipprecht is one sought-after artist pushing boundaries by embedding sensors in fashion that look like science fiction, reminding us that the future is closer than we think.

5) Never forget the human

Technology helps create connections, but without that core experience a campaign will fall short. When a branded tool resonates with customers enough for them to use it to express themselves, it's a huge win. Stickers (high resolution emoticons seen in Facebook Messenger and other chat apps) are underutilized in that regard, and an inexpensive move for brands to gain traction on wearables and social media in one fell swoop. Stickers are especially relevant to the watch space where users can’t type long responses, but want to reply with more character than is afforded by a thumbs up.

The IoT is marching sensors and machine learning into every corner of our lives. Like all technology, these neutral tools are only as good or bad as the designers approaching them. We’re afforded the opportunity to pioneer this emerging space. Let’s use creativity to unlock IoTs' full potential for enriching lives and creating meaningful connections.

Jordan Gray is manager of Creative Labs at Organic. He tweets @starpause.