IoT Device Owners: 3 Must-Do’s to Protect Your Privacy

Almost every new device or appliance on the market today connects to the internet.  While these devices can make our lives much easier, they also collect huge amounts of private, sometimes-sensitive data and expose us to cyber attacks.  As a consumer of such devices and a digital marketing student at Northwestern University’s Medill IMC program, I have found two articles that will inform you how to protect your household in the IoT age.

In an article from McAfee titled 5 Tips to Protect Your IoT Devices, consumer security expert Gary Davis outlines five of the most important steps tech consumers should take to ensure their safety.  Davis goes into detail about the definition of IoT devices, explaining what differentiates them from normal devices – the fact that their main purpose is to perform offline tasks.  He then explains some of the history behind IoT security breaches, namely the Mirai attack of 2016.  With the context of cyber attacks being on the rise, Davis finally delves into his list of tips.

In a very similar article on the Hubspot blog, titled IoT Security: Why Experts Are Scared -- And What You Can Do to Protect Yourself, staff writer Clifford Chi provides his perspective on the current state of security in IoT.  Chi does a great job of providing real-life examples of how we use IoT everyday, but he also utilizes some eye-catching statistics.  For example, IoT has made it possible for our refrigerators to order milk for us, but the criminal IoT compromises have also increased by 600% this year.  Chi then looks to the future to predict some future risks and suggest ways in which companies could improve their security.  This article, just like the previous one, ends with a list of recommended action items for IoT users.

After reading these articles and with my experience from Northwestern, I have decided on the three most important takeaways for IoT device owners.

·      Know Vendors’ Motivations - When you buy a device, consider who is making the product and what they intend to gain from you using it.  Some companies will overlook your personal security if it means they can profit off of your data.

·      Diversify Your Passwords - It’s the oldest tip in the book, but having matching usernames and passwords on all IoT devices can leave you susceptible.

·      Separate Your Networks - It is safest to separate your personal, work, and device networks.

As you're using your IoT devices, think about these tips to ensure no personal data is leaked.

Oliver Hodgetts is a senior at Northwestern University studying economics, marketing, and history.  He enjoys following trends in technology and plans to work as a consultant in Chicago after graduation.

You can connect with Oliver on Twitter or LinkedIn.

Retail Store Owners: 3 Recommendations on How to Prosper in the Digital Marketplace

With Amazon and the rise of online shopping, retail stores are quickly going out of business. As a Northwestern student studying communication studies and Integrated Marketing Communications, I have found two articles that provides tips on how to prevent retail stores from going out of business.

In the first article “Retail Trends Taking Shape in 2018,” TomMcGee, a writer for Forbes, discusses the changes in retail stores are taking to market themselves and stay in business. He believes “that 2018 is coinciding with what feels like an entire new era of retail and retail real estate, though brick-and-mortar remains a proven formula.” One of the changes McGee mentions is that retail stores are now expanding beyond just traditional shopping; they’re incorporating entertainment and other activities to attract both shoppers and non-shoppers. He also focuses on technology and its impact on the retail world. By 2020, he believes that approximately 45% of retailers will incorporate artificial intelligence into their store to enhance the customer shopping experience.

Source: medium.com

The second article is “Top 14 Retail Trends of 2018 ThatWill Redefine the Industry” written by Michael K. Spencer for Medium. This article, as the title suggests, shares current trends in the retail industry. Spencer and McGee share similar thoughts on the usage of new technology and creating more than just a shopping experience in stores. Spencer goes more in-depth into the different technology functions, such as mobile payments, QR codes, and retail robots, that will ultimately help improve and create a memorable in-store customer service experience.

Based on these two articles and my experience as a Northwestern student and avid shopper, I have developed 3 action items you should consider when revamping your retail store.

Incorporate new technology
Brands are incorporating more advanced technology and should continue to do so to enhance customer service and satisfaction and gain their attention in our digital society. 

Think entertainment
Physical stores need to be more than just a place to buy to prevent closing. They should offer other sources of entertainment to keep customers in-stores.

Stay up-to-date
Brands need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and technology to update their stores as needed and not lag behind everyone else.

Retail stores must remember the three tips above to gain customers and prevent closure.

Grace Hong is an undergraduate student at Northwestern University majoring in communication studies, minoring in Chinese, and pursing the Integrated Marketing Communications certificate. You can get in touch with Grace via LinkedIn or Twitter.

Brand Strategists: 3 effective ways to keep consumers engaged in the age of technology

As a Brand Strategist in the age of technology, it is becoming increasingly imperative to ensure that new developments in technology don’t alienate your consumers from your brand. As a graduate student of Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern Medill interested in brand-consumer relationships, I have found two articles on technological trends and their implications that you will find interesting.

In the article Hourglass brands and blurred reality: The top 5 trends for marketers in 2017 published on Campaign US, Mark Curtis, Fjord’s Chief Client Officer, writes about the predominant undercurrents identified in the Fjord trends 2017 report. In this article, Mark Curtis describes the influence that emergent technologies will have on marketing, customers, and society, and the shifts marketers need to make to form new types of relationships with their customers. He also stresses the importance of staying in touch with technologies and practices, and devising flexible strategies to reach, engage, and captivate audiences.

Image source: Hakisa

In the article Why the Most Important Word in 2017 Will Be ‘Experience’ published on Adweek, David Shing, Digital Prophet at AOL, writes about why ‘Experience’ will be more important than ‘Disruption’ and how going forward brands will find their space for differentiation in experience. In this article, David Shing details his predictions for the future of marketing trends around experience. He explains how brands can leverage technological innovations like IoT, VR, smart watches etc. to create better experiences and how these new technologies can make old experiences better. David Shing also stresses that while consumers will enjoy new and unique experiences, they will punish bad experiences.

Based on my review of these two articles and relevant studies I have done in the Northwestern Medill Integrated Marketing Communication program, here are 3 effective ways to keep your consumer engaged this year:

• ENRICH ROUTINE EXPERIENCES - Take the fuss out of daily decision making and make things more convenient for the consumer. Turn tools into gadgets to simplify and enhance routine tasks.
• CREATE STORY-MAKING MOMENTS - Hand over control of your platform and let consumers shape your brand story. Don’t tell consumers what your brand can do, let them experience it for themselves.
• DEMONSTRATE EMPATHY - Respect consumers’ need for space and privacy, and strengthen your relationship with the consumer by taking a step back and earning their trust.

The next time you want to enrich consumer experiences using technology, think about these three ways to keep your consumers engaged.

About The Author: Hello, I’m Rujuta Gandhi. I am currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Integrated Marketing Communications specializing in Brand Strategy at Medill at Northwestern University and will graduate in 2017. I am an experienced advertising professional committed to changing consumer behavior with actionable insights. You can follow me on Twitter @TheLittleGandhi or find me on LinkedIn.