We looked back at a few images from CES a decade ago. Standing at the main entrance of North Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center, from up on top theater-style seating, one could see near clear to the other end of the hall. It was a sea of logos suspended from the ceiling. The carpeting, in abundance. The lighting, bright. The colors, primary and bold. And the competition for eyeballs, clearly fierce.
Fast forward to this week, and brand exhibitors at CES have cooked up tactical recipes for deeper engagement. The juiciest of product news and prototypes are buried deep within footprints to be discovered. Queue lines, while not welcome by all attendees (as we overheard one say, “We have to do a cattle call just to get into this booth?”) are allowing visitors to better engage with staff and the products, in theory, rather than requiring they muscle through rows of body for a glimpse at the displays.
And as for the tall walls—budget or design strategy decisions aside—they do keep the “other” logos around visitors out of camera view and help place the focus on what matters most… for that moment anyway. In some cases, the walls create an air of mystery. In others, it feels a little walled garden. We’re curious to know what the larger exhibitor community thinks.
There is buzz in the air, loads of friendly booth staff, top-notch wayfinding and intel from CTA reps, and there’s always more to see. Here, we present even more findings (check out part one of our CES 2024 coverage here) and trends from the show floor.
(For coverage questions and agency/fabricator credits, reach out to Rachel Boucher, [email protected].)
Lighting Play
Panasonic is leveraging projection for graphical displays and signage throughout its curtain-rich booth in Central Hall. (Partner: Czarnowski)
Kohler’s serene booth features marble-styled and backlit pop-lettering signage. (Partner: 3D Exhibits)
Ambient Sound
The Kia Connected Home booth outside the Las Vegas Convention Center in Central Plaza is an oasis of product discovery, featuring a flowing waterfall feature and an audible spa soundtrack that tied into a welcoming, tranquil space that introduced the brand’s concept EVs and the future of vehicle-to-home capabilities. (Partner: EWI Worldwide)
4D Rides
Walmart is taking attendees through all three technologies it utilizes to deliver foods and services to consumers through a 4D film, complete with moving theater seats, wind, mist and scents. (Partner: LEO Events)
Portal Doors
Google’s Android-themed mega booth in Central Plaza features multiple product zones encased in other-worldly pods. (Lead Agency: Media.Monks; Builder: Sparks; Product Displays: Pink Sparrow)
This portal entrance moment in smart lighting brand Govee’s booth at The Venetian guides attendees from light into dark to demonstrate its effects lab.
In-Booth Theaters
Speaking of portal doors, here’s another entrance moment by LG, which leads visitors into a dimmed theater space with an automated product “show” that played on rotation. (Partner: Czarnowski)
AARP’s massive booth in The Venetian features an expansive program stage featuring a lineup of guests and discussions. (Partner: MC²)
AARP’s footprint also hosts a podcast studio. (Partner: MC²)
Photo Ops
Shoutout to John Deere for creating a photo moment complete with oversized logos, vehicle displays, and a decent corner vantage point. (Partner: MC²)
AI Engagements
Google is promoting the new AI-powered “suggested responses” capabilities of its messaging system (Magic Compose in Google Messages) with physical postcards. Attendees can come up with a message on the screen and have it printed out and mailed, bringing together the best of digital and physical worlds. (Lead Agency: Media.Monks; Builder: Sparks)
Small-Group Experiences
Among experiences designed for small groups at a time was a Sony “Ghostbusters” experience, where a “tour of New York City” was interrupted by the Marshmallow Man via a 360-degree, interactive, haptic and motion sensor-triggered experienced in an enclosed space.
