OMD- What’s Next publication

2020 TRENDS

The future is coming here.

Be ready.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. EPHEMERAL CONTENT: Does ‘LIMITED’ translate to more valuable?

2. THE RISE OF SUSTAINABILITY: Not just a fad?

3. DATA & PRIVACY: A love-hate relationship

4. CONVERSATIONAL COMMERCE: The future of social customer care

5. VIRTUAL INFLUENCER: Social experiment or novelty tech?

6. DEEPFAKE TECHNOLOGY: The next step into digital evolution

7. SMART DUST: Much more than fairy dust

8. EDUCATOR BRANDS: Educating to engage

9. E-SPORTS 2.0: eSports has reached mainstream

10. 2020 Olympics: A tech explosion

1. EPHEMERAL CONTENTWhat is Ephemeral Content?

The word “ephemeral” means “lasting for a very short time”. In modern content marketing, this is used to describe

content, most prominently on social media, which is accessible for a brief period of time only. You may have come

across this as it is the ‘Stories feature’ which is available on three key social networks: Snapchat, Facebook, and

Instagram. Lasting for only 24 hours before vanishing from the platform, disappearing Stories have become an

incredibly popular social media phenomenon.

But why is it so successful?

Over the last few years, ephemeral content has become a popular social media phenomenon, mainly because

Ephemeral Content takes advantage of two psychological concepts:

1. SCARCITY – put simply, humans place a higher value on an object that is scarce, and a lower value on those that

are in abundance. The fact that something is only available for a limited time period creates the feeling of scarcity.

2. FOMO – closely linked to scarcity and a key driver behind the success of Ephemeral Content as the content itself

is only available for a brief period (i.e. 24 hours). That’s when the ‘FOMO effect’ appears which is making people

hooked and engaged – because let’s face it, most of us hate to miss out.

#Stories have helped increase the amount

of time people spend on Instagram from

15 to more than 32 minutes a day

#People hold smartphones upright 94% of

the time when scrolling newsfeeds –

hence it is easier for them to consume

short-lived content that comes in a vertical

position

DOES ‘LIMITED’ TRANSLATE TO MORE VALUABLE?

How can you successfully apply it?

Most people, especially the younger generation, feel that this type of content is more authentic than

traditional ads. Online users themselves create and add ephemeral content to their social media profiles

every day, and – if suitable – marketers can take advantage of this.

Below are three basic rules you should consider: You can leverage this trend by:

1. Try and make your videos/content engaging and unique by experimenting – don’t get discouraged if

you don’t get it right the first time

2. Maintain your authenticity and personality as much as possible – consumers are increasingly savvy and

can sense if your communication is too forced

3. Keep your viewers curious about more content by entertaining, telling a story, and solving a problem for

them – don’t underestimate the power of storytelling and how easily consumers can get hooked (or

have you never binge-watched?)

DOES ‘LIMITED’ TRANSLATE TO MORE VALUABLE?

The concept of ‘Ephemeral Content’ can be found in

many areas, including Online Dating – take dating app

‘Coffee Meets Bagel’ (CMB) as an example where users

have only 24 hours to either “like” or “pass” on a

person's profile. On top of that, the CMB texting

platform is only available for 8 days.

8 days!

…Who would really like to miss out on ‘The One’?

1. EPHEMERAL CONTENT

Share more. Consume less.

While the Western world is increasingly consumed (no pun intended) by Greta Thunberg,

her ‘FridaysForFuture’ movement (read more about it here: www.fridaysforfuture.org/) and

taking matters into their own hands, consumers in Asia-Pacific seem to be warming up

slower towards environmentally-friendly initiatives and sustainability. There is no doubt

that Asian consumers worry about our planet and its resources - but recent research

shows that the majority sees protecting the environment as brands’ responsibility.

Yes, you read that right.

Opportunity for brands

While one could argue that something that important should not (just) be led by brands, it

underlines that consumers have expectations for brands to be more environmentally-

friendly and seriously address wastage in consumers’ lives. It seems that Asian consumers

want to be guided into ways of being more responsible and given options as to how to be

more conscious about the environment and its resources.

Knowing this (and hence not waiting for consumers to take the initiative) can be an

important insight for brands to move into 2020.

“We can’t just consume our way to a more sustainable world.”

2. THE RISE OF SUSTAINABILITY

The paradox of sustainability in

Asia

62% of consumers in Asia-Pacific are

concerned about the state of the

environment

64% believe that protecting the

environment is more the

responsibility of big brands

rather than the individual

NOT JUST A FAD?

“Deutsche Bank found in a study that ‘shares of companies perceived as environmentally responsible significantly outperformed shares of companies that were not.”

Western brands are setting new standards

Watch the video here:

https://vimeo.com/333285470

How can brands turn this threat into an opportunity?

It may seem a bit paradoxical for brands to explore how consumers can consume

less, but a report by Contagious states that being environmentally responsible and

business growth can go hand in hand.

Below are three ways of how brands can re-think their strategies:1. Encourage people to reuse what they already own: Already, brands like Stella

McCartney, Burberry, and Selfridges have partnered with resale sites, recognising that

used clothing can still be desirable.

2. Focus on access over ownership: Fashion retailers such as Banana Republic or Urban

Outfitters have taken their cue from platforms like ‘Rent The Runway’ and have

launched their own clothing rental services. More brands across diverse sectors are

now letting people borrow their wares, from Ikea’s furniture rental pilot to Kipling’s

luggage rental one.

3. Encourage less waste: The best example is Patagonia who has been educating their

consumers about wastage since 2011 – with positive business growth ever since.

Read the full Most Contagious report here:

https://www.contagious.com/news-and-views/the-most-contagious-report-2019

2. THE RISE OF SUSTAINABILITYNOT JUST A FAD?

Source: Most Contagious 2019 report

3. DATA & PRIVACYA LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP

Aside from Facebook & Cambridge Analytica, the last few years have seen various other high-

profile data breaches (i.e. Marriott Hotels, Sephora, or Malindo Air to name a few) which made

customers question their trust in organisations and brands. Costs associated with regulatory

fines and lawsuits after a data breach can certainly be high, but there is one consequence that

might be even more long-term and severe: the loss of consumer trust and confidence.

Consumers’ concerns are on the rise

While Asian consumers are usually embracing new tech and believe it generally improves their

lives, the majority also say they are worried about how much of their personal information is

currently collected and used – and for what purpose. Consumers’ start to understand the value

of data and since Netflix launched The Great Hack in July 2019, they also understand the power

it can have.

Consumers are now taking active steps to limit their digital footprint – not just by clearing

search history or opting out of geo-location services, but every 4th consumer claims that they

are also buying a product instore rather than online in order to avoid leaving a digital trail.

#Only 10% of consumers in Asia say that they are

unconcerned about data privacy

#77% of APAC consumers said they would cease doing

business with a brand that misused their data – this leaps to 86% in China

#In Q3 2019, more than half of Internet users in Asia

claim that they have used an ad-blocker to stop ads

being displayed

“There is a fine balance between security and privacy.”[Association of Information Security Professionals president Steven Wong, former CEO of ESPN]

The world is not divided into online and offline anymore

No major organization can claim that it does not collect its customers data in one way or

another - either through a loyalty program, an eCommerce channel, an app, direct e-mails,

etc. This means that every organization does not just have a great responsibility to handle

consumer data with care, it also means that getting it wrong can be fatal.

The stakes are high

Privacy concerns can leave a big dent on consumers trusting a brand – and trust is a key driver

for purchase. Needless to say that if trust is broken, purchase will follow. As opposed to slowly

declining brand image metrics, the consequences of ‘broken trust’ can be felt straight away

and your business metrics will be affected almost immediately.

What can brands do about rising concerns?

Put your customers first – always. The price for losing consumers’ trust and confidence in your

brand or product is too high.

While we are big supporters of Personalized Advertising & Experiences, if there is a slight

chance that you may have ‘over-personalised’ a message or experience… you probably have.

And if hat’s the case, remember - ‘better safe than sorry’. 22%

26%

28%

29%

29%

29%

33%

40%

43%

43%

My personal interests

My spending habits

My medical records

My IP address

My messages on a messaging app

Photos of myself

My online browsing habits

My location data

My personal details

My financial details

Sensitivity around data types*% of internet users who consider the following data types to be most revealing/exposing

*US/UK only

3. DATA & PRIVACYA LOVE-HATE RELATIONSHIP

Say Hello to Conversational Commerce

Who doesn’t love shopping and chatting? While todays consumers have all that they can ask for –

convenience, speed, offers and ease of shopping, how can brands offer personalised service?

Enter conversational commerce (cCommerce) – where online shoppers and brands interact with

one another via chat (i.e. WhatsApp, FB Messenger, etc) and voice interfaces (i.e. Amazon, Echo,

etc) in natural language. In fact, SEA leads globally in both awareness and adoption of cCommerce

– nearly 45% of shoppers in the region state that cCommerce had driven their first online purchase.

Why is cCommerce a powerful opportunity?

The ability to connect in a private, personalised environment and enabling a two-way

communication are key motivators for online shoppers in the region - from lead-up to a purchase

or post-sale. By putting humanity back into shopping, cCommerce offers brands and retailers a

chance to lead on customer experience (CX), making the consumers feel that their brand journey

has ben designed for their benefit. For example, 57% of online SEA shoppers indulge in

cCommerce to negotiate on price and offers while 34% do so to establish trust in brand/seller.

Clearly, Asia’s online shoppers are more likely to bypass traditional e-commerce opportunities in

favour of chat!

36%

40%

23%

26%

29%

69%

86%

75%

67%

62%

Vietnam

Thailand

Philippines

Malaysia

Indonesia

% of consumers aware of cCommerce

% of consumers who have purchased

via cCommerce

4. CONVERSATIONAL COMMERCETHE FUTURE OF SOCIAL CUSTOMER CARE

Source: https://bit.ly/2FsmdSJ

“All of the big trends in commerce over the past couple of decades have been in moving to where your customers are. Rather than forcing your customers to come to you, you go to where they are. The next generation of that is conversational commerce. It is inevitable that everyone is going to have to incorporate conversations inside of Messenger, and into social media platforms, in order to sell things more effectively”.[Phil Libin, Founder of All Turtles & Evernote]

C-Commerce is driven by social messaging platforms

cCommerce injects dialogue and empathy into shopping. Interestingly, the messenger-driven approach is especially popular in Asian

countries as opposed to other markets globally where cCommerce is driven by voice interfaces. This is why chat companies are now

partnering with brands to make it simpler for customers to buy from them – as seen from the innumerable LINE IDs on Shopee in SEA,

KakaoTalk IDs on AUCTION Co. (Korea’s eBay) – both of which re-directs customers to chat on a messenger before making a purchase.

What does this mean for brands/marketers?

cCommerce is proving to be one of the most effective ways of directly connecting with consumers, outperforming the more traditional

communication methods (i.e. email). It not only makes the automated interactions between the brand and the consumer feel so much

more human, but also reduces the number of steps a consumer has to take to complete an action. Conversational experiences allows one

to connect with prospective and current customers at all stages of the consumer journey, creating a personalised and, seamless user

experience. This means reaching your target audience at the perfect moment in their purchase journey, resulting in significant new

relationships and ultimately, increased business.

For these reasons, brands that invest in conversational commerce strategy now are going to set themselves apart from those that continue

to rely on slow and archaic mediums of communicating with customers.

4. CONVERSATIONAL COMMERCETHE FUTURE OF SOCIAL CUSTOMER CARE

Source: https://bit.ly/2FsmdSJ

Meet Miquela, who goes by the Instagram (IG) handle @lilmiquela and rakes up 1.8mn followers across social platforms. She is also one of

the 25 most influential people on the internet voted by Times magazine 2018. Except, she is not human – she is a digital image! This new

breed of computer-generated imagery (CGI) influencers are posting comments, gaining followers, and collaborating with big names.

A promising market

Total ad spend on influencer marketing is expected to reach up to US$10 billion by 2020. As we move on to the next phase of influencer

marketing, it is up for debate whether consumers are as likely to purchase products based on virtual recommendations vs. a real-life brand

advocate. Noting that it still is very much a novelty concept in Asian markets as there have only been a few experimental efforts. For

example, luxury brand Gucci has successfully used virtual influencer (VI), Erica, for its WeChat marketing campaign in China and SK-II is the

latest brand to jump on this trend with its new ambassador Yumi, who offers autonomous interaction with consumers 24/7.

Issue of trust?

The rise of micro/nano influencers showed us that brands were already turning away from IG influencers who had large numbers of

followers. Now, Virtual Influencer signal a further shift in the influencer industry as brands and followers move away from famous human

influencers who sometimes appear inauthentic. Only 4% of global internet users trust what influencers say online – this stems from

suspicion around opacity of brand-influencer deals and creator’s large followings. Influencer fraud and fake influencers have stirred up

enough controversies – but trust and transparency is absolutely fundamental for brands. Now, the real challenge lies in VIs’ battling the key

issue of authenticity – considering they are in fact manufactured and managed by real-life people in the background!

Liam Nikuro – the first highly

realistic male VI created in

Japan

5. VIRTUAL INFLUENCERSSOCIAL EXPERIMENT OR NOVELTY TECH?

What does this mean for brands/marketers?

It is certainly intriguing to work with VI – why pay real human influencers to market brand/products, when one

can create a personal influencer from scratch? These avatars are the future of storytelling! Brands now do not

have to risk PR disasters and abnormal communication strategies that could tarnish the carefully curated brand

image. Virtual Influencers also provide a level of authority to end-consumers – by transforming mere spectators

to creators. There is an opportunity to somehow manipulate the VI to respond to current trends and dictate

what they should engage in.

Aside from the many benefits of partnering with VI, this also raises serious moral issues. Essentially, a VI does

not feel any emotions nor has he/she any defined values or belief system – in this perspective, authenticity is

stolen from the process. A VI is also unable to honestly provide opinions after testing a product! Additionally, VI

can appear so real that consumers might not even realise the difference – raising an ethical issue. Given there

are limited regulations governing the usage of VI, brands will need to be mindful of potential legal issues.

From monitoring last year’s performance stats of top VIs, they have almost 3x more engagement rate than real

influencers. On the contrary, in Asia, followers still provide importance to real-life influencers – relying on them

to provide trustworthy content on a large breadth of topics. It may be too early to acknowledge the success of

VI in the region, but trust must be integrated within all marketing efforts.

“It's also worth noting that much of what we see on Instagram is edited, filtered, and posed - so, really, is a real person's highly filtered version of "real life" much different from virtual reality, anyway?.”

Median virtual influencers engagement rate

compared to real influencers worldwide

12%

6%5%

4%3%

5%

2% 2% 1% 1%

1K-5K 5K-20K 20K-100K 100K-1M >1M

Virtual Influencers ER Worldwide ER

5. VIRTUAL INFLUENCERSSOCIAL EXPERIMENT OR NOVELTY TECH?

followers followers followers followers followers

6. DEEPFAKE TECHNOLOGY

What is Deepfake Technology?

Stemming from a combination of the words ‘deep learning’ and ‘fake’, Artificial Intelligence is used to

superimpose a video image on top of another video, creating a realistic imitation – giving rise to fake videos

and digital trickery. Imagine photoshop, but on videos! The technology has evolved vastly such that

information on how to create a deepfake video is publicly available with a simple Google search. Even an

amateur can easily create one via the likes of new Chinese app ZAO, which allows users to swap their faces

with celebrities, sports stars or anyone else in a video clip. What is more worrying is that the technology is

developing so quickly – deep learning algorithms are in fact learning to create superior fake content from the

visual clues that the computer scientists had created in order to spot a fake!

Dangers or opportunities?

A cyber security company called Deeptrace found 14,678 deepfake videos online as of October 2019, and

96% of them are pornography. The possibilities of artificially manufactured content are horrifying – aside

from being edited into non-consensual videos, it is being used for political weaponisation to sway the voting

public, conduct phishing and other cyber attacks including money laundering.

On the flipside, it could also open a wealth of opportunities, when used ethically. For example, advertisers

now have the possibility to utilise this technology to better represent multiple demographics to serve diverse

communities. While this could prove to be immensely valuable in Asia, it seems that the disadvantages of

deepfake technology are outweighing the benefits for the time being.

Check out this viral deepfake

video of Barack Obama saying…

well, what he should not say!

NEXT STEP INTO DIGITAL EVOLUTION?

“Videos – previously the ultimate form of proof, an ironclad defense against slander – can now no longer be trusted”.

6. DEEPFAKE TECHNOLOGYNEXT STEP INTO DIGITAL EVOLUTION?

Building up the trust infrastructure

The spotlight has been cast on the tech giants (i.e. Facebook, Google) to both develop and integrate tools for exposing fakes – to build

trust via consumer applications that will verify photos and videos when they are taken. By taking on a more educational role to raise

awareness on the associated risks of fake content and distribution, the public will have greater media literacy and will be less likely

influenced by purveyors of fake news. At least, we hope so!

What does this mean for brands/marketers?

As deepfake hoaxes become common and likely to rapidly advance in terms of its sophistication, brands must be aware of the damages

that its related content comes with. The threats of deepfake can be compared to ad-fraud, starting from brand safety risks (brand ad being

placed near deepfake content) to PR scandals (fake content claiming to come from brand representatives).

In 2020, we believe that regulations from industry bodies will come in place as the threat became wide-spread throughout 2019.

However, for brands using this trend positively, the need for transparency into whether a video is altered by deepfake technology, will

become paramount. Marketers must realise that we are facing a complex and multi-faceted emerging trend which can be used to both

harness its potential power of deep learning technology, while also being aware of its (potentially brand-damaging) implications.

AI and IoT are so yesterday. Here is Smart Dust.

Smart Dust is a system of many tiny microelectromechanical systems such as sensors,

robots, or other devices, that can detect light, temperature, vibration, magnetism, chemicals

and other stimuli.

“The Pentagon has been

looking into the possibility of

developing “smart dust,”

dust-sized particles that have

tiny sensors inside […]. In the

future it is conceivable that

“smart dust” might be sent to

the nearby stars.”

Michio Kaku, theoretical physicist

These devices, often smaller than the eye of a needle, can collect data and transmit it

back to a base for processing. The ‘dust’ itself is also known as motes, which can hold a lot

of information considering their limited size.

They can detect anything from light

to vibrations and temperature, but

they can also combine sensing,

autonomous power supplies,

computing and wireless

communication in a space that is

typically only a few millimeters in

volume.

“Alongside vast opportunities, smart dust brings sweeping new concerns about privacy and ethics.”

7. SMART DUSTMUCH MORE THAN JUST FAIRY DUST

What are practical application of Smart Dust?

For now, many of the real-live applications for smart dust are still in the concept stage. In fact, Gartner

listed smart dust technology for the first time in its Gartner Hype Cycle in 2016. While the technology

has forward momentum, there’s still a lot to resolve before we will see real impact on our lives.

However, it is important to pay attention to it and how it will develop over the next decade, because

one thing is certain – it is no longer science fiction.

Here is four examples of applying Smart Dust

1. Transport Sector - It can be used to transport perishable goods where certain conditions such as

temperature, humidity, vibrations, dust, and aeration need to be controlled.

2. Agricultural Sector - It can be programmed to monitor the temperature and humidity in the soil

which can protect crops from any damage.

3. Military Applications - It can be used to monitor activities in inaccessible areas, or it can also help

alert military personnel about dangerous substances in the air.

4. Factory Automation - Smart Dust can be installed in factories to monitor the condition of

equipment and alert if there are issues. To be more practical, it can be programmed to turn on

the AC in the server room if the server becomes too hot.

“It is unlikely that

smart dust

technology will

trickle down into

consumers’ homes

before it has

penetrated sectors

such as industrial

monitoring and

medicine.”

MUCH MORE THAN JUST FAIRY DUST7. SMART DUST

8. EDUCATOR BRANDS

77% of APAC consumers agree that when they need information, the first place they look to is the internet. Today’s consumers are digital natives, mobile-first,

and tech-savvy – they are also thirsty for better knowledge of the products and brands they buy into. To get smart quickly, they have the internet at their

fingertips – for product reviews, expert opinions, online communities sharing similar passions/aims, etc.

This poses a new challenge: how will brands continue to interact with their consumers now that they have far fewer opportunities to connect directly with

them (previously they could depend on physical retail stores)?

Become an educator of your brand

To continue to re-invent themselves in this challenging marketplace, brands will need to morph into brand educators by developing and offering rich and

insightful content around relevant topics which speaks to their consumers. Lush, a cosmetics company, has established a loyal fan base for those with a

passion for ethical and eco-friendly products – by inspiring and educating both consumers and staff on the benefits of naturally derived ingredients. Aside

from educating consumers on the provenance of the brand/products, now it is almost required for brands to take a stand on social issues that matter, even if

they are considered taboo. For example, take feminine hygiene, once considered a taboo conversation is now becoming a normalised one in Asia.

HappyShappy, a tech start-up in India have taken to social media to educate the young demographic – via a light-hearted approach of introducing

menstrual cups to men. Some of the major brands in the world have also shown a commitment to make a positive impact on the society either by taking

meaningful action or simply being conscious about its importance – Nike supporting its athletes in their personal passions, be it social or otherwise while

Starbucks is working to address racial bias.

EDUCATING TO ENGAGE

“If people believe they share values with a company, they will stay loyal to the brand.”Howard Schultz

8. EDUCATOR BRANDS

What does this mean for brands/marketers?

By positioning your brand as an educator, brands carve a niche opportunity of creating value through

experiences, which builds a solid foundation for consumers to interact and, nurture a community who are

loyal in response. The upcoming generations of consumers are consciously making their choices –

successful brands will have to be pro-active and demonstrate authenticity. Especially in Asia, brands need to

understand the cross-cultural intricacies and consider talking to the diverse cultures via personalised and

localised narratives.

To truly become empowering advisors, brands can create their own content – having in-house content

marketing team would be greatly beneficial. This allows the brand to control the quality of content while

creating stronger emotional connections with their customers. Though we notice start-ups and new brands

leading the way in the educator brands arena, we expect more established global brands to up their

content game. This can be done via content partnerships or hosting pop-up events to allow consumers to

dive deeper into knowledge. For example, Nissan partnered with Vice Australia to create the illuminated

video series – film explores the hurdles faced by young people in their careers and show how tech and

psychology can help them pursue their dreams.

…of APAC consumers

wants brands to help them

improve their knowledge/skills

…of APAC internet users agree

that it is important to be well

informed about things

…of APAC consumers

would be more motivated to

promote their favorite brand

online when something is

relevant to their own interests

40%

76%

37%

EDUCATING TO ENGAGE

9. E-SPORTS 2.0E-SPORTS HAS REACHED MAINSTREAM

“eSports will rival the biggest traditional sports leagues in terms of future opportunities.”[Steve Bornstein, former CEO of ESPN]

eSports has achieved mainstream status

Within only 10 years, playing video games has turned into a billion-dollar industry with a market

value worth of USD 1bn in 2019. There is no doubt that eSports’ economic potential is huge,

especially in Southeast Asia, the fastest growing region in the world for eSports with 9.5 million

players.

According to GlobalWebIndex, there are many ways you could define something entering the

mainstream, but it really does feel like Esports has become part of almost everyone’s life in 2019.

Chris Beer, Senior Trends Analyst at GlobalWebIndex, says that even though eSports may be open

for business, it is also transitioning into more mainstream entertainment – that is why a blanket

approach to marketing isn’t enough. Each gaming genre has a distinct audience that needs

tailored messaging, and attitudes to sponsorship are shifting. […] In 2020, the eSports community

will be more discerning. Brands will have to fully understand what drives its varied sub-groups to

ensure that the right messaging lands in the right place.”

Read the full blog here: https://blog.globalwebindex.com/trends/2019-review-esports/

USD 2,6Asia-Pacific

USD 2,5North America

USD 1,5Europe

2023 projectionE-Sports revenues worldwide, by region, in billion

9. E-SPORTS 2.0E-SPORTS HAS REACHED MAINSTREAM

But what’s new when we are talking about eSports is the variety of brands that have started to

embrace this trend. While brand like Nike or Coca Cola seem to have a natural affinity for eSports

(Nike signed its first eSports competition sponsorship, a four-year deal with League of Legions

Pro League in China earlier in 2019), it might be a bit of a surprise that luxury brand Louis Vuitton

also started to leverage eSports.

According to AdAge, the fashion house Louis Vuitton is designing clothing for characters in the

popular fantasy video game League of Legends, part of a new partnership between the LVMH

unit and publisher Riot Games. This is a great example of showing that eSports has officially

reached mainstream status.

Want to find out more about eSports in Asia?Read this article published on ExchangeWire - written

by Matt Harty, The Trade Desk https://bit.ly/2DpmhRW

0

10

20

30

40

Q3 '17 Q4 '17 Q1 '18 Q2 '18 Q3 '18 Q4 '18 Q1 '19 Q2 '19

Watched a live gaming stream Watched an e-sports tournament

% of Internet population (Asia-Pacific)

Source: GlobalWebIndex 2017-2019

10. OLYMPIC GAMES - TOKYO 2020A TECH EXPLOSION

You don’t think flying can go green?

Well, Japan wants to use algae as a

fuel source for jets and buses. Algae

is a clean and efficient fuel source

which can cut carbon dioxide

emissions by up to 70 percent.

While it is still an expensive

procedure, Boeing is partnering

with over 40 organizations,

including the Japanese government,

the University of Tokyo, Japan

Airlines, and All Nippon Airways.

AN ARMY OF ROBOTS: How can we help?Japan is already a global leader in robotics technology so it is no

surprise that the country plans to have a small army of robots

ready to be at the beck and call of international visitors in time

for the opening ceremony. In fact, there will be enough of them

to warrant the construction of their own village (adjacent to the

Olympic village). The robots will be able to help guests

with directions, transportation – and

even translation. The Japanese hosts

hopes that the village will showcase a

future in which robots assist humans

regardless of their age, nationality, or

socioeconomic status.

2020 will be a magical year in many ways! One of the world’s leading international sporting events, the Olympic

Games, will take place in Tokyo in 2020. While it will be 16 days of competition, cheering and sportsmanship,

Tokyo will also take the centre stage for technological novelties.

Below is a collection of some of the most thrilling technologies – WE. CAN. NOT. WAIT.

ALGAE-FUELED AIRLINES: Ready for take off!

ARTIFICIAL METEOR SHOWERS: The sky is the limit

As for the opening ceremony, a Japanese astronomy start-up

is planning a manmade meteor shower to descend upon

Tokyo. The start-up called ALE is trying to design a cube-

shaped microsatellite that will be launched into space, where

it will shoot out tiny spheres made from special chemicals.

Upon re-entry the spheres will burn and glow like a

magnitude-3 star while racing at five miles per second.

10. OLYMPIC GAMES - TOKYO 2020A TECH EXPLOSION

3D ATHLETE TRACKING: No blind spots anymore

Intel has announced that it will be using its new 3D athlete

tracking (3DAT) technology during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics,

with the system featuring 4 cameras that will record athletes in

the 100m and other sprinting events.

During the race, an algorithm will analyse the biomechanics of

the athletes' movements, and then display visual overlays

The show will mimic asteroid

shower patterns, and ALE is

even looking to come up with

glows of different colors. The

estimated cost of the show is

USD 4mn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Ntp2hpqJ8

during replays. The new 3DAT

technology is a first-of-its-kind

of technology that combines AI

to take viewers to the next level

with real-time insights and

visual overlays of athletic

events.

Watch the video here:

Sources

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