From repurposed booth elements, to total departures from the prior year, to noteworthy collabs, and provocative materials, the exhibit and experiential landscape at CES in Las Vegas this week (Jan. 7-10) is serving up mainstay vibes and a few surprises.
AI is the hot topic again this year, with brands showcasing what place it holds is in their ecosystems and that of their customers, as CES invites attendees to “Connect. Solve. Discover. Dive In.” While many exhibitors at last year’s show invited attendees to play (“attractivations” were everywhere), this year’s booths are a bit more back to business… but with plenty of show-stopping moments to go around.
Check out what caught our attention on day one at the Las Vegas Convention Center. (For coverage questions and agency/fabricator credits, reach out to Rachel Boucher, [email protected].)
Some Fresh LG Showstoppers
From the carousel dance of translucent screens (a nod to the new transparent wireless OLED TV), to the corrugated cardboard signage that told LG’s story of sustainable exhibition, inclusive product design, environmental causes, and more, to the split-flap signage that was super playful, LG is doing as LG does at CES… always serving up surprises—including a lower-key entrance moment than in year’s past that invited exploration inside. (Build: Czarnowski)
SK Goes All in on an AI Data Center Experience
SK, the talk of CES last year, traded in the “SK Wonderland” theme park experience for an AI data center exploration and a “dancing screens” entry moment (reminiscent of LG in years’ past). The cylindrical LED moment in the center invited attendees to quite literally circle the space.
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TCL’s Robots Come to Play
You couldn’t miss the nearly two-story-tall interactive welcome robot at TCL’s booth that invited attendees to snap a photo of it and share it to instantly win a prize. The nearby performance stage where the brand introduced a concept companion robot, Ai Me, was also a constant draw.
Mirror Play at Dassault Systems
For a smaller-scale booth, the brand made a few design choices that caught our attention, including the use of mirrored facades on the floor, the walls and the ceiling. Combined with the bright and interactive LED displays, it was effective and oh-so shiny.
An Activation Feel for Abbott Laboratories
From biowearables to diagnostics to nutrition, Abbott took a dynamic approach to showing how what’s next in wellness tech can be integrated into everyday life. The 50-by-50-square-foot. exhibit
Was encompassed by an athletic track on the ground—and an attention-grabbing light-up track overhead. To showcase the blood donation awareness campaign with the Big Ten Conference, the exhibit featured a wall with school jerseys. Attendees could get an ECG after tossing a basketball or learn about the tech to determine a traumatic brain injury with a refreshingly analog display, adding a human touch. (Partner: Factory 360)
Bigger is Better for 3M
Booths have grown taller and taller at CES over the years, and 3M joined the fun with this bold-statement entry moment featuring an oversized logo and archway, as well as towering LED wall displays. Interestingly enough, inside the booth, the brand leveraged analog design elements, like 2D schematics and drawings, in displays throughout the space.
Siemens’ Nooks and Crannies
Mixing some familiar elements (the translucent LED hanging square frames made a bold statement last year) with the new, the brand was dripping in its signature sea-foam color that coated the floors and showed up in accent LED strips throughout. One thing we loved: a theater with comfortable bench seating that enveloped attendees in a cinematic experience on three sides. (Build/Agencies: Freeman; Sparks)
Color Play with Hisense
Its big bold entrance moment was colorful, and inside, the juxtaposition of dark walls with colorful media created eye candy all around. A hot item: attendees lined up for a customized jersey or accessory earned by visiting and checking off different zones on a map from their mobile device. (Build: Impact XM)
That’s it for now. Look out for even more coverage as well as exclusive interviews with corporate event trade show marketers on the show floor.
–Additional reporting by Anna Huddleston, Event Marketer trade shows editor
