This week, our passion for innovation took us to Las Vegas for 2016’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the world-famous electronics and technology meet-up. Among Target’s top leadership in attendance were CEO Brian Cornell, CMO Jeff Jones and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer Casey Carl—all in town to share and discover more about the future of technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), virtual reality, robotics and more.
As this week’s conference draws to a close, Brian, Jeff, Casey and other Target leaders reflect on one thing they learned:
The Samsung exhibit at CES 2016
"As I walked the CES floor, I was really impressed by what I saw from Samsung. They are driving incredible innovation across multiple categories - appliances, refrigerators, watches, speakers, phones, TVs and even air vents. They will be introducing some really terrific products in the near future and I look forward to seeing consumer response to these new technologies." — Brian Cornell, Chairman and CEO
A sneak peek at what’s next in wearable tech for 2016
"A tidal wave of newness is coming to fitness technology and many companies are on the cusp of changing the game. From nutrition and sleep to how you exercise, it's all going to be measured, linked and tracked. Wearables are here to stay and getting smarter every year." — Jeff Jones, Chief Marketing Officer
“One thing I learned at CES was how critical global infrastructure investments will be to determining the rate of adoption and innovation in IoT.” — Casey Carl, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer
"Being at CES helped confirm for me how close my team [in San Francisco] is to the developments in the IoT community. I expected to engage with a lot more up-and-coming companies at their booths, but the most meaningful conversations I had at CES were around strengthening some of our existing relationships with players in the IoT community." — Adam Laskowitz, Senior User Experience Architect, Target Open House
Highlights from this year’s CES exhibits
"Customization and personalization are coming faster than ever in the technology world. Whether it's personalized 3D-printed headphones, health and wellness products with personal diagnostics, or other connected app-based products including TVs, consumers will be able to customize their lives. And if we think our phones are important today, it will soon be the personal remote control for our entire lives." — Scott Nygaard, SVP Hardlines
“It’s amazing to see the continued progression every year at CES; TVs get clearer, appliances get smarter, wearables get hipper and cars come to life. I had two main takeaways this year. First, now that smart appliances are maturing, I think manufacturers and product companies will have a new obsolescence problem that has to be solved for. And second, I’m intrigued by the development of technology that works on frequencies outside of wireless and broadband – there is massive potential for communicating in new ways.” — Kristi Argyilan, SVP Media & Guest Engagement
“Prior to CES, the Consumer Electronics Association changed their name to the Consumer Technology Association, a change that illustrates how technology is impacting almost every major industry segment and is going to impact every corner of our guest’s lives. This continued evolution is reflected at CES more than ever this year.” — Ryan Beach, VP GMM Hardlines
A look into the future of fitness tracking at CES
"What struck me most is how many similar devices we saw throughout the conference floor: a proliferation of smart watches, fitness trackers, VR headsets and home security and automation. There are clear trends emerging that are accelerating with consumers." — Keith Colbourn, SVP Loyalty and Lifecycle Marketing
"It seems like the future of entertainment is that it will be centered around consuming it in your home. Everything from massive theatre-like high definition TVs to immersive virtual reality sets are meant to provide you on-demand entertainment and keep you from ever having to leave your house." — Ryan Broshar, Managing Director, Target + Techstars Retail Accelerator
A companion robot on display at CES
"It's been incredible to see the advancements in robotics over the past few years. For the first time, I can see the possibility of having a companion robot in my house to help with day-to-day tasks like cleaning, answering the door and scheduling my day. The future of in-home robotic helpers in our homes and offices isn’t as far away as it once seemed." — Kate Whitcomb, Growth and Innovation Lead, Target Open House
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