It’s 2014: Do You Have Your Wearable Strategy Yet?
A sports bra that makes a Vine when it’s sunny. A pair of sunglasses that posts to Medium when you burn 100 calories. How about a wristband that throbs when you run out of milk? These are just a few of the innovative wearable tech ideas from a new funny site you may have seen floating around in your Twitter feed: What The Fuck is My Wearable Strategy.
The site encourages users and would-be wearable tech entrepreneurs to click through to different ridiculous product pitches. While the ideas themselves are funny, it’s the f-bomb-heavy copy that often steals the show: “Yves Behars’s on the phone, he’s heard about your fucking heart rate monitor that undulates when it’s sunny outside,” and “We can demo it at the next fucking Maker Faire.”
The site is the brainchild of Daniel O’Connell, a 35-year-old strategist at London agency POSSIBLE. “The ninjalike Ian Cocrombe did a talk last year called ‘WTF if my wearable fashion strategy,’ and I thought it would be fun to mash that up with shitprideas.com,” O’Connell told Digiday.
The site has definitely struck a chord in the industry. It only just went up last Friday and has gotten about 70,000 visits so far, has been shared on Facebook more than 5,000 times and on Twitter more than 3,400 times. O’Connell has also created a Twitter account for the site, @WTFIMWS for people who want follow “ideas from the bleeding edge of tomorrow.”
O’Connell recently chatted with Digiday about his life as a strategist, and whether he thinks wearable tech is a trend worth all of the hype. Excerpts:
You’re an agency strategist. How exactly would you define what you do?
For years I worked as a project manager but got bored of fighting fires all day long. Strategy is one of those ambiguous words that means different things to different people. For me, it’s about taking an educated guess about how to get from A to B, and convincing those around you that you’re right.
Is it safe to assume you think wearable tech is overhyped?
I think everybody’s just excited that the world they saw in the Terminator films is becoming a reality. You can’t blame them for that, but you can take the piss.
What has the reaction been to WTF is My Wearable Strategy? What does your agency think?
The reaction has been great. It’s made a lot of people laugh, which is the reason I made it. POSSIBLE have tweeted about it a little, but the language may be a little too fruity for a formal endorsement.
If not wearable tech, then what digital trends should we be keeping our eyes on?
I think wearable tech is part of bigger “connected everything” trend, but to be honest, I’m feeling a bit trend fatigued. I’d love to see a resurgence of some old-fashioned trends, like usability, good writing and penny-farthing races.
What’s your favorite wearable tech strategy you’ve come up with so far?
The money clip that twinkles when you need a shit.
Do you accept outside submissions?
With pleasure. I had a couple of gems today, including a live-pinning pair of socks and a crash-detecting wig that switches the Roomba on.
Image via Flickr
-
Wave of AI-based marketing startups arrives as Microsoft, Google rush AI-based products to market
As Microsoft and Google compete with generative content, much smaller firms are building their own tech to tackle new territory
-
Digiday+ Research: On the eve of the Super Bowl, brands much prefer advertising on CTV over traditional TV
Brands prefer investing in connected TV over traditional TV — if they're spending on TV at all, a Digiday+ Research survey found.
-
Pinterest jockeys for position in platforms arms race for short-form video
The company’s recent deal with Conde Nast was just the start.
-
SponsoredAdvertising predictions that will shake up the media industry in 2023
Chris Kelly, CEO, Upwave Like many people, marketers and advertisers were ready to see 2022 come to a close. A year that started off promising was assailed by inflation, layoffs and the disastrous effects of RSV, the flu and additional COVID strains. Still, despite an uncertain outlook for 2023, there are plenty of reasons for […]
-
Will Twitter continue to be where brands comment on the Super Bowl – or will TikTok play usurper?
As TikTok continues to dominate marketing conversations, experts sound off on whether or not it will become the future second screen for live events.
-
State Farm to skip out on a Super Bowl ad this year, going all in on TikTok instead
With a $7 million price tag, State Farm is skipping out on a traditional Super Bowl spot in favor of a TikTok campaign this year.
