The dust has settled on CES 2025, and if there’s one overarching theme that we walked away with it’s that static is no more. Dancing installations, holographs, flip signage, movement in architecture, and soundscapes were among moments that caught and kept our attention across the show floor.
We saw a new dimension to architecture and storytelling as exhibit builders continue to reach to the sky leveraging height with walls and massive LED facades. Overall, there appeared to be a little less investment compared to previous years—in addition to holes left by the likes of Google and automotive brands—but there was plenty of innovation and inspiration (and newcomers) to give experience trackers something to talk about.
A few other interesting notes: Several exhibitors noted that they added meeting space for this CES, sometimes at the expense of the demo areas. Virtual reality activations were also back, and everywhere, and didn’t sit empty, and attendees appeared eager to complete passport cards and whatever challenges exhibitors threw their way to earn premium swag.
Settle in, and let’s review the biggest trends and takeaways. And for all our coverage from the show this year, click here. (Additional reporting by Anna Huddleston, EM trade shows editor.)
Experiences that fulfilled the promise of CES.
Everyone was talking about BMW’s secret lockbox, and of course, that Delta keynote at Sphere. But transportive experiences and venues continue to transform the “show floor” at CES.
Bose, for example, opened the doors of the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for invited guests to explore automotive audio technology in collaboration with McIntosh and Sonus faber (recent acquisitions of the brand). The brand transformed the ice hockey arena into a cutting-edge branded space that included an entry moment and sound tunnel to “transport them from the frenetic energy of CES into the tranquil and innovative world of Bose.” (Agency: Mirrored Media)
Once inside, guests were treated to hands-on demos and immersive experiences, including the preview of a concept Dolby Atmos x Bose surround sound experience. There were vehicle audio demos in newly released vehicles (like the 2025 Lamborghini Revuelto equipped with Sonus faber, and a Jeep Wagoneer S (equipped with McIntosh). Brand experts circulated amid a Hi-Fi Vinyl listening experience with a spinning dj that kept the energy up. A nice touch: Attendees were chauffeured in Maseratis equipped with Sonus faber sound systems or in McIntosh-fitted Jeep Grand Wagoneers. Check out an interview with Bose CMO Jim Mollica here.
Annual hangouts and escapism abound.
Vibing, off-the-show-floor lounges continue to gain traction at CES. Pinterest again took over the Blue Ribbon restaurant at The Cosmopolitan, installing a moody-chic creative space that featured an interactive collage studio, where attendees could try out Pinterest’s new collaging feature that allows users to cut, combine and layer images into interactive pins. There was also a Funnel Vision slot machine activation, where attendees could spin to win a jackpot prize to visit Sphere while discovering how Pinterest helps advertisers “score at every stage of the funnel.” (Agency: DesignScene)
Reddit, which has become a popular CES experiential stop, created “A Different Conversation” activation at The Cosmopolitan guided by Reddit’s conversation bubble pathways. Attendees began their journey examining the broader conversation landscape outside Reddit, setting the stage to uncover what makes Reddit conversations stand apart. Pretty. (Agency: Giant Spoon)
Vertical real estate is real.
Brands constructed elaborate ceiling structures on top of double-decker exhibits, creating “brand skyscrapers”—Nordic Semiconductor, Roborock and QNX, among them. And as we mentioned earlier, walls were everywhere—again—with SEG fabrics helping to bring on the appearance of textures.
While solid walls allow brands to maximize messaging and offer more control of the experience, some are also building in “windows” to create intrigue. Transparent and color Plexiglass was also the material of choice.
Product discovery that is engaging storytelling.
Product displays featured in-depth, physical signage that offered text explanations (sometimes full-on case studies to read) that, perhaps, helped cut out that extra step between a product display and a microsite housing the information. We noticed attendees actually spent time reading and taking notes with their phones in the Siemens booth (Agencies: Freeman, Sparks). John Deere paired vignettes with screens for an engaging deep-dive, bringing a bit of whimsy to the booth. (Agency: MC²)
Waymo’s clean, futuristic design showcased three vehicles in the autonomous fleet: the familiar Jaguar iPace, road tested Zeekr RT, and (seen for the first time in person) Hyundai IONIQ 5 and offered interactive demos including a touch table featuring animated projections, an LED sphere highlighting Waymo’s current and future markets, a projection-mapped sculpture, a hero screen with “real rider stories” and a driving scenario. (Agency: NVE Experience Agency)
Interactive holograms as guides.
We’ve watched as holographic signage has come into its own on the show floor the last couple years, tech that is helping to personalize attendee journeys and provide interactions with executives or other key company figures that would be hard to deliver in person. It’s all about the “innovation meets the human touch” approach, and AARP, PwC and LG all leveraged it at the show. Read more about AARP’s use of holograms in our exclusive Q&A.
Large product replicas and displays for maximum effect.
Larger-than-life product replicas have been a staple of the experiential industry over the years, but they certainly were hard to miss at CES. Shokz headphones and Xreal smart glasses turned heads, while Ring brought a larger-than-life Ring selfie camera (that snapped and printed photos). Meanwhile, BMW’s entire product showcase was centered around the attendees and hosts “shrinking” and exploring dashboard tech up-close, with a giant pair of wayfarers, coffee cup and BMW steering wheel and dashboard that offered stunning visuals for attendees to share (and a truly up close and personal demo).
Booths that engaged all the senses.
CES is a lot of sights and sounds, but the brands that cut through focus on the tangible. Visitors of Kubata had four senses that were activated in an immersive sensory experience—sight, sound, touch and smell—in each product segment area of the booth. The product zones represented locations, including a vineyard, pecan orchard, park and construction site. Among the multisensory moments, attendees could smell fresh cut grass being piped in near the autonomous, zero-turn lawn mower. For a moment, you feel like you’re on the green itself. The booth then shifted from day to night scenes to spotlight the main attraction. (Agency: Czarnowski)
Over at Panasonic, attendees walked through mist to feel transported (the brand incorporated misting last year, but this year, made it an entrance moment).
But let’s not forget flavor! In some instances, sampling was inherent to products, such as pizza in the Hisense kitchen and coffee from Bosch coffeemakers. Artly’s barista robot was drawing a crowd at a 10-foot by 10-foot booth. And Aiper’s doughnut glazing station was a delicious way to bring vacation home.
