| | August 20159CIOReviewTechnological push can act as a catalyst to deepen consumer engagement, drive loyalty, and build brand preferencesindependently. This dichotomy created stress for parents. How could Philips Sonicare position itself to help parents give their children independence while also providing confidence that their brushing was effective? We started with what we knew about our target. Kids have an affinity for digital games [Source: Zero to Eight-Children's Media Use in America, 2013]. To capitalize on this interest, we created an app for our Philips Sonicare For Kids power toothbrush called "Brush Busters," where kids could help one of two characters--Vicky, a witch, or Bjorn, a Viking--brush his or her teeth. By gamifying the brushing experience, kids were able to follow a brushing guide, mirroring the game's actions of chasing down germs as they were brushing their own teeth. This approach helped educate them in a fun, relevant way and empowered them to take more control of their brushing habits. The Bluetooth-enabled Philips Sonicare For Kids power toothbrush also helps parents track their children's brushing progress in real time. It recognizes when a brushing session starts, pauses and is completed, so parents can ensure that their children are brushing for the dental-professional-recommended two minutes. With an integrated memory and time stamp on the toothbrush handle, parents are able to save the details of up to 20 brushing sessions. Data collected through the app revealed that more than 80 percent of kids using the Philips Sonicare For KidsBrush Busters app were brushing their teeth for a full two minutes and across the four quadrants (American Dental Association recommendation), easing parents' concerns about the thoroughness and effectiveness of their children's tooth brushing.Real-time Data Drives Product Innovation Not only did digital help us solve parents' problem in the household, but it armed us with real-time data that translated into consumer-behavior insights to help us evolve the app and our products. For example, we learned through the Brush Busters app that kids were so engaged with the product that they wanted to play with the character rather than go to bed. Unlike traditional marketing research, which can take months to act on, this real-time data helped us refresh the app and introduce a new element where the character returned to his boat to encourage kids to go to bed as well. This summer, we will introduce a Philips Sonicare For Kids power toothbrush that takes our digital insights and gamification for kids to a new and exciting level. Our experience with the Brush Busters app demonstrates that digital and the IoT have the capability to improve everyday lives, turning ordinary, daily obligations such as tooth brushing, into more exciting and enjoyable experiences. Digital technology can enable brands to become part of the solution to their customers' everyday problems. Our app helped Philips Sonicare For Kids solve a real parental need and also helped plant the seed of brand loyalty among our youngest of consumers. Digital Shaping Brand Strategy ­ The Way ForwardA study by the McKinsey Global Institute predicts the IoT in the year 2025, will create nearly $4 trillion to $11 trillion economic benefits globally. That includes profits to device-makers, efficiencies, new businesses and savings to consumers from better-run products. To get a cut of those gains, companies must adapt the new technologies. They must look for ways to use those new technologies to solve consumer needs and make consumers' lives more seamless. And they must constantly monitor the rich data they receive from their connectivity to nimbly innovate further. Companies who embrace this approach won't be the only winners-- consumers will win, too.Boon Lai
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