As the media sector experiences rapidly change, Amazon Web Services (AWS) came to the NAB Show 2026 with the mission to empower storytellers to create, distribute, and monetize content at unprecedented scale. To deliver that, the brand leaned into a multi-pronged activation approach that engaged attendees across multiple touchpoints, from high-energy fun challenges to hands-on, actionable learning.
Before stepping onto the floor, attendees could test their basketball skills at the Cloud Court Challenge, where their shots were analyzed, compared to those of Toronto Raptors players, and turned into a personal trading card and a social video, powered by AWS Elemental Inference.
For a deep dive, the trade show booth featured more than 60 demos with experts. At AWS Builder Lab, attendees could participate in instructor-led 90-minute workshops and walk away with practical skills and code to use in their work. Podcasts were recorded throughout the show in the on-site studio running on AWS technology. Content sessions were taking place in the Theater. Upstairs, the Entertainment Loft featured Amazon companies powering a living room experience that overlooked the show floor.
In the middle of all the action, EM caught up with Gaby Ferreres, head of industry marketing, m&e, sports, games and advertising at AWS.
Gaby Ferreres, Head of Industry marketing, M&E, Sports, Games & Advertising, AWS
Event Marketer: What was your thought process behind the AWS presence at NAB this year?
We like to innovate in how we show up, so we lean heavily into experiential activations. This year, we brought the Cloud Court Challenge, where attendees could shoot hoops while learning how cloud and AI influence performance and fan engagement. It might be a little intimidating to be compared to a professional NBA player, but it was fun. We also launched a hackathon-style experience where attendees could build with AI and work on their use cases, which was very busy. Many people think that B2B technology marketing has to be boring, but it’s not. There are ways to make people’s hearts leap, and that’s what excites me the most.
What is your approach to measurement?
We measure all touchpoints, from meetings conducted to demos to new leads and their conversion. Overall, we are evolving how we measure from a marketing standpoint, where a few years ago, we were more focused on a marketing-generated sales pipeline resulting from one marketing activity. That approach has evolved to measuring marketing effectiveness from multi-touch attribution. We are shifting to what we’re calling a marketing-engaged qualified pipeline. It’s a more complex formula, but it’s more accurate in terms of measuring engagement through multiple touchpoints over time and conversion to sales. It is also more accurate when it comes to measuring our investment.
How does this inform your trade shows and events strategy?
It definitely informs how we rightsize our investment in events compared to the expected ROI. It also allows us to make adjustments, such as adding more meeting space versus demo space, if we see that most of the business comes from hour-long one-on-one meetings. We were recently at the video game developers’ conference, and based on the previous year’s data, we decided to invest in meeting space outside the conference center, which turned out to be very successful.
It also allows us to test out new events. In the media and entertainment industry, gaming is the fastest-growing segment, so we decided to attend ISE in Barcelona for the first time with a small investment. The results were mind-blowing, so it was a signal to invest more next time.
What is your trade show pet peeve?
My heart sinks when I see over-reliance on talent for talent’s sake with no connection to your brand ethos or your brand story. I truly believe there are meaningful ways to combine the two and not just bring a star to attract attention.
What are you excited about for the future of experiential for trade shows?
Humans love experiences, and I think there needs to be more of that. Take our Fragrance Lab at the 2025 Cannes Lions, where technology translates attendees’ preferences into custom perfumes. Side note: the previous year, we did an AI portrait painting activation, and I loved my picture so much that I used it as my LinkedIn profile photo. The Fragrance Lab turned out so successful, we brought it AWS re:Invent 2025, and people were a little skeptical at first about bringing fragrances to mostly male developers. But they loved it. Over 3,000 attendees went through the experience. We had technical experts discussing with people waiting in line the backend of the technology. (Agency: Wildlife) Now we’re bringing it to VivaTech in Paris, and of course, planning a surprise for Cannes. It will be heavily experiential. That’s my passion.
*This interview was edited for length and scope.
Photos: Courtesy of AWS
