Creating a Fresh Perspective

As many of you know, CES is one of the world’s largest (and  important) trade shows that occurs annually in Las Vegas.  While CES has a desired goal of being the global stage for innovation, there is no one single formula for success for a particular brand.  This week, there was a lot of buzz around Microsoft pulling out.  And the fact Apple has always had a minimal presence off the floor.  So what should a strong or emerging brand consider for their presence next year?

Based on what we heard and have experienced with our clients, we believe it’s:

Identify your clear differentiators before you begin to design your presence or event.  If you don’t have a differentiator that’s immediately understood…you become a commodity.  And your presence feels like a “me too” marketing activity rather than an innovative company.

Define the audience you really want to engage and focus the development of the audience journey on them.  There is such a wide spectrum of attendees, we often see brands trying to appeal to all of them rather than zeroing in on the key targets who will generate the best ROI.  Ask the questions:  Who are they?  What do they want to hear and experience?  (And by the way…it’s not a lot of specs!)  And what do they need to take away?  Design your experiences to that.

Keep is simple.  No more than three primary messages.  Provide enough space to move around as well as have comfortable conversations.  Ensure there are several opportunities for human connectivity and genuine dialogue – not just an abundance of demo stations.  Consider if your brand is best served on the floor of CES or some other location that allows your brand’s goals, products, and services to really stand tall.  Ask yourself:   “How can we stand out in all of the noise that is Las Vegas?”