Wearable technology may have been subject to much ad-based press in recent months, but it seems that marketers themselves aren’t convinced about its potential.
A survey of over 100 marketing pros from the UK has revealed that nearly three quarters (70%) believe the hype around wearable devices including the Apple Watch has been unwarranted, claiming the technology to be more about style than substance.
It’s a hit rate that soars far above levels of disgruntlement pinned to some of the other things being touted as the ‘next big thing’ for advertisers and tech in general. Following questions by digital agency Greenlight, 36% of the group said ‘crypto currencies’ including the Bitcoin were overhyped, with 24% saying the same about beacons.
The result suggests that wearable device-makers may have suffered from the unrelenting press coverage around their products – something that has only been amplified by offerings from Sony, Apple and Motorola entering the market.
‘The biggest turn-off’
While users get to grips with wearable devices like the Apple Watch and Fitbit, the focus has been on the potential for brands and what they can do with the technology once adoption takes off.
As a result, concepts like the ‘Internet of Things’ – encapsulating a word of connectivity – boom around their innovation hubs as the planning begins. Unfortunately the early press seems to have been a little too heavy, with Greenlight’s findings suggesting that seven in ten marketers will have to be convinced that wearables have a future in their strategies.
Other results from the survey indicate that brands will definitely look before they leap this year, as 41% said they had recently regretted investing in a new technology or platform.
Reasons for this included lower-than-expected adoption for new systems (24%) and generally poor business results (13%).
With this in mind, it might be up to the likes of Apple to bring their wearable user bases up to an attractive figure before the marketers pile in.