David Savastano, Editor05.25.16
The Internet of Things (IoT) has the potential to change the way customers interact with product while, at the same time, brand owners and retailers can learn more about their products are used. This exchange could provide a rich source of data for all.
The challenge is to develop a widespread system that provides the two-way communication needed at high volumes at a price point that makes sense.
Avery Dennison and EVRYTHNG may have solved this challenge with Janela, their ambitious effort to digitize up to 10 billion apparel and footwear products.
Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS) is a leader in the RFID space, and has longstanding ties to major apparel and footwear brands. A software technology specialist, EVRYTHNG manages billions of intelligent online identities in the cloud for consumers and retailers.
Together, the two companies see their Janela Smart Products Platform as the enabler for the IoT’s growth in the next three years in what has been called “the largest number of IoT-connected products in a single deal ever” by the companies.
“We have been discussing how the IoT will be the next technical frontier and a key mechanism for customer engagement,” said Deon Stander, VP and GM of Avery Dennison’s RBIS division. “We have been providing identities for the apparel and footwear space, and our ability to digitize this will create a platform where brand owners and retailers can deliver specific content and gather data from consumers. It will also benefit consumers as they can receive specific tethered brand messages.”
EVRYTHNG CEO Niall Murphy noted that the Janela platform is already reaching the market.
“One of the hurdles for the industry has been the ability to add digital identities. We are now at the point where digitalization can be inherent within the product itself. This should be widespread in the next couple of months,” Murphy added.
EVRYTHNG provides the digital identity and manages the data, while Avery Dennison’s expertise in production allows the products to be digitized at the point of manufacturing.
“Avery Dennison’s core competence is material technology, with its tags, transponders and labels,” Murphy noted. “Avery Dennison is very involved in the manufacturing process. They are attaching labels and tags to products, whether it is RFID, NFC or serialized QC codes.”
Avery Dennison RBIS and EVRYTHNG have been collaborating on the Janela platform for the past 20 months, doing feasibility studies and working on integration.
“We have had to sort out manufacturing processes to achieve this, so that we would get to the point where we can make products more digital,” said Murphy. “We will be able to deliver services directly to the customer while receiving brand analytics.”
The Janela platform does not require a specific reader. The products can interact with smartphones to start applications and services with consumers.
“We are going to be able to put a digital ID on these items, but it is trigger-agnostic,” Stander observed.
“We have brought into the process a unique active digital identity that captures data about the product. It is programmable and linked to the Cloud. We are able to connect products through the web with any smart phone, as opposed to RFID, which requires a reader,” said Murphy.
For consumers, the brands can provide personalized, real-time mobile experiences and content, such as loyalty rewards, product reordering and suggestions for similar products.
“The consumer experience is ultimately most important. Brands need to think about it from a digital point of view and come up with compelling uses,” Murphy said.
Murphy said that privacy is paramount. “People are obviously worried about privacy,” he added. “We are not talking about a world where your shirt is spying on you.”
For retailers and brand owners, there are a wide variety of benefits, from inventory flow to brand authentication and loss prevention.
“When you scan the item, you can start data exchanges,” Stander noted. “We now provide a unique digital reference so the customer can connect to the item. Every time you use the item, the brand owner will know how it was used, where it was used and how much you used it. This is an excellent opportunity for brand owners and retailers.”
Murphy and Stander both see new opportunities for IoT to transform the way consumers and brand owners interact.
“Apparel is the second biggest mobile commerce category behind food,” Murphy said. “We are engaged with quite a number of apparel brands with whom Avery Dennison has had sustained relationships, and the business case is pretty compelling. We are literally deploying hundreds of millions of identities right now.”
“I believe the IoT is about to take off,” Stander concluded. “We are in discussion with major brand owners and retailers and they are excited about the possibilities. The public will see the impact of this in the next three years. We are at the start of something immense.”
The challenge is to develop a widespread system that provides the two-way communication needed at high volumes at a price point that makes sense.
Avery Dennison and EVRYTHNG may have solved this challenge with Janela, their ambitious effort to digitize up to 10 billion apparel and footwear products.
Avery Dennison Retail Branding and Information Solutions (RBIS) is a leader in the RFID space, and has longstanding ties to major apparel and footwear brands. A software technology specialist, EVRYTHNG manages billions of intelligent online identities in the cloud for consumers and retailers.
Together, the two companies see their Janela Smart Products Platform as the enabler for the IoT’s growth in the next three years in what has been called “the largest number of IoT-connected products in a single deal ever” by the companies.
“We have been discussing how the IoT will be the next technical frontier and a key mechanism for customer engagement,” said Deon Stander, VP and GM of Avery Dennison’s RBIS division. “We have been providing identities for the apparel and footwear space, and our ability to digitize this will create a platform where brand owners and retailers can deliver specific content and gather data from consumers. It will also benefit consumers as they can receive specific tethered brand messages.”
EVRYTHNG CEO Niall Murphy noted that the Janela platform is already reaching the market.
“One of the hurdles for the industry has been the ability to add digital identities. We are now at the point where digitalization can be inherent within the product itself. This should be widespread in the next couple of months,” Murphy added.
EVRYTHNG provides the digital identity and manages the data, while Avery Dennison’s expertise in production allows the products to be digitized at the point of manufacturing.
“Avery Dennison’s core competence is material technology, with its tags, transponders and labels,” Murphy noted. “Avery Dennison is very involved in the manufacturing process. They are attaching labels and tags to products, whether it is RFID, NFC or serialized QC codes.”
Avery Dennison RBIS and EVRYTHNG have been collaborating on the Janela platform for the past 20 months, doing feasibility studies and working on integration.
“We have had to sort out manufacturing processes to achieve this, so that we would get to the point where we can make products more digital,” said Murphy. “We will be able to deliver services directly to the customer while receiving brand analytics.”
The Janela platform does not require a specific reader. The products can interact with smartphones to start applications and services with consumers.
“We are going to be able to put a digital ID on these items, but it is trigger-agnostic,” Stander observed.
“We have brought into the process a unique active digital identity that captures data about the product. It is programmable and linked to the Cloud. We are able to connect products through the web with any smart phone, as opposed to RFID, which requires a reader,” said Murphy.
For consumers, the brands can provide personalized, real-time mobile experiences and content, such as loyalty rewards, product reordering and suggestions for similar products.
“The consumer experience is ultimately most important. Brands need to think about it from a digital point of view and come up with compelling uses,” Murphy said.
Murphy said that privacy is paramount. “People are obviously worried about privacy,” he added. “We are not talking about a world where your shirt is spying on you.”
For retailers and brand owners, there are a wide variety of benefits, from inventory flow to brand authentication and loss prevention.
“When you scan the item, you can start data exchanges,” Stander noted. “We now provide a unique digital reference so the customer can connect to the item. Every time you use the item, the brand owner will know how it was used, where it was used and how much you used it. This is an excellent opportunity for brand owners and retailers.”
Murphy and Stander both see new opportunities for IoT to transform the way consumers and brand owners interact.
“Apparel is the second biggest mobile commerce category behind food,” Murphy said. “We are engaged with quite a number of apparel brands with whom Avery Dennison has had sustained relationships, and the business case is pretty compelling. We are literally deploying hundreds of millions of identities right now.”
“I believe the IoT is about to take off,” Stander concluded. “We are in discussion with major brand owners and retailers and they are excited about the possibilities. The public will see the impact of this in the next three years. We are at the start of something immense.”