P&G rolls out innovative, connected products at CES 2019

P&G rolls out innovative, connected products at CES 2019

P&G rolls out innovative, connected products at CES 2019

P&G

LAS VEGAS: Can an FMCG company go the connected product route too?

Well the Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble obviously believes that's the way to go. At a press conference today, the global major unveiled six products at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas during CES 2019. The purpose according to a press release it issued is to share “how the company is leveraging cutting edge technologies to develop new products and enhance everyday experiences for consumers around the world” at the world’s preeminent showcase for global innovation.

Among the six products it featured include:
SK-II’s Future X Smart Store, transforming beauty retail shopping with facial recognition and gesture-driven “phygital” experiences, augmented by SK-II’s proprietary skin science and diagnostics. 
Team SK II marketing director global operations Sandeep Seth spoke at length about SKII’s smart bottle which recommends and rewards users for successful applications of the serum. He, however, revealed that the focus of the brand will be China and Japan, the place where the SKII has some seven to eight per cent marketshare. “India is sometime away,” he said.

Olay’s Skin Advisor platform, which uses artificial intelligence to provide personalised skincare analysis and recommendations by analyzing selfies and a short questionnaire.

The Oral-B Genius X toothbrush, which uses artificial intelligence to recognise how users are brushing and provides personalised feedback that leads to better brushing, and superior oral health. Company officials say that product pricing has not been fixed as yet, it is expected to be in the $200-250 range.

The new Heated Razor by GilletteLabs, which features a warming bar that heats up in less than one second and elevates the shave experience, delivering the pleasure of a hot towel shave with every stroke.  The focus, according to company executives, is to make the shaving experience a comfortable one for users. “Other innovations can follow,” said they.

Opté Precision Skincare System combines camera optics, proprietary algorithms, printing technology and skincare in one device that scans the skin, detects hyperpigmentation and applies corrective serum with precision application to reveal the natural beauty of skin. The corrective serum is available in  light, medium and dark shades and one fill of the serum in the applicator lasts for about 60 applications. 

AIRIA, a smart home fragrance system that uses patented, capillary action and heating technology to establish scent-enhancing ambiance with the touch of a button.

DS3 range of  personal care products which feature compressed serves of detergent, handwash, detergent. “The products will be great for travellers as they and their packaging is fully dissolvable with water on use,” said a company official. “And they are very compact just a few inches in size.”

“We’re living in a time of mass disruption, where the exponential power of technology combined with shifting societal and environmental forces are transforming consumer experiences every day,” says P&G chief brand officer Marc Pritchard. “P&G is integrating cutting-edge technologies into everyday products and services to improve people’s lives. We’re combining what’s needed with what’s possible. By answering the question, ‘what if,’ we’re delivering irresistibly superior consumer experiences.”

“We’re innovating faster than ever, combining more than 180 years of capability with the entrepreneurial spirit of a lean startup,” said P&G chief research, development & innovation officer, Kathy Fish. “As consumers are changing, so are we. What remains the same is our focus on deeply understanding how consumers live, work and play so we know precisely what they want. When we combine breakthrough science and technologies with this deep consumer understanding, we’re able to deliver transformative innovations that improve life every day.”

The company is scheduled to unveil additional products on Tuesday in P&G’s LifeLab exhibit when CES opens to the public. P&G promises an immersive experience that highlights how the company’s approach to innovation and partnership-building is creating the products consumers want, often before they even know they want them, says the company press release.