Why CES Is the Most Important Marketing Event of the Year

8 reasons you need to be in Vegas this January

CES celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, and with age comes wisdom—in the form of intelligence that can change how brands and advertisers think about their customers.

The truth is, CES is as much an advertising event as it is one dedicated to the latest in consumer technology. New technologies change the way consumers interact with the world around them and with each other. Which is why CES presents an enormous opportunity for brands to add value to their overall customer experience. It’s not about finding the next big thing, but about how that thing is going to change the future of brand marketing.

Taking place January 5-8 in Las Vegas, this year’s CES will have expanded activities for marketers and advertisers. C Space—its program for content, creators and brands—highlights technology’s influence for advertising and entertainment executives. It’s the place where news from the exhibit floor gets curated through a marketing filter so you can understand how these new technologies will impact your business and your customers.

How important is CES to marketers? Consider some of these facts and figures. Last year CES attracted over 165,000 attendees, had more than 3,800 exhibiting companies and some 6,500 media representatives covered the show floor. Through the C Space program, 92 percent of the Interbrand 100 leading brands were represented, with more than 22,000 people from the advertising and marketing communities and more than 23,000 from the entertainment and content communities. That’s quite a showing, and 2017 should be even bigger.

Still wondering if CES is for you? Here are eight reasons why you should be booking your trip to Las Vegas this January:

1. Set the tone of 2017

For the ad industry, CES has become the way to kick off the year and set the tone for how the latest technology will transform the business. For many, it has become more important than spring’s annual TV upfronts and fall’s Advertising Week. Why? It’s the place to discover what’s next and an opportunity to pinpoint the shifts that are going to impact their media buys and creative executions over the coming 12 months.

2. Identify the technologies that will take hold

Most marketers have an inkling of what technologies will be on display at CES. Expect to see a bevy of new connected devices—wearables, smart home, car tech and media streaming devices. Look for much discussion around virtual reality and AI-driven virtual assistants. Travel the show floor—either on your own or via an official show floor tour—to get a feel for where consumer technology is heading. That wow factor is a big part of what you’ll take away from CES.

3. Determine what the impact of those technologies will be for brands

It’s one thing to see all the new technologies. It’s another to dive in deeper and determine how these developments will impact brands. It’s important to remember that while the show is about technology, it is also about consumers. It’s a way to see both the devices that will take hold and how they can rapidly change the way consumers behave. That’s why major brands—who you probably don’t associate with groundbreaking technology—make CES a key part of their marketing planning. Some examples? A major CPG brand has been sending marketers to CES to meet startups, gain new ideas and even make strategic investments. A top snack brand came up with innovative, personalized packaging after discussions it had on the Vegas show floor.

4. Remember, it’s a Big Data world

Top-performing brands know that success today is all about marrying the art of marketing with the science of data. Big Data is really the quiet star of CES. The convergence of household gadgets and networks into the Internet of Things, the use of sensors and wearables that create the Internet of Me, or, more directly, the way connectivity has made the Internet of Everything, has resulted in enormous amounts of data that will drive the advertising campaigns of the future. CES is the place where brands are going to see how this epic shift to data is going to create the kinds of personalized experiences consumers now demand.

5. Hear from brands and thought leaders

The C Space program brings in the top influencers that are driving the intersection of technology and media. Sessions cover the latest in ad tech, content monetization and emerging distribution platforms. High-level keynotes and panels feature leaders from top advertising agencies, content creators and major studios. Prominent consumer brands (last year’s lineup included Google, L’Oréal, Kraft and AT&T) will share their latest advertising models. Partner sessions will look at the changing world of content and advertising.

6. Build your brand narrative

At the C Space Storytellers sessions, influencers and newsmakers share stories, best practices and case studies about how emerging technologies are being used to enhance brand narratives. You’ll get first-hand insights from some of the top names in technology, marketing and entertainment. This year, look for sessions from Google on the impact of AI and mobile, Verizon Digital Media Services on leading content creators using over-the-top technologies to engage audiences and Turner on how brands are using technologies such as VR, AI, social optimization and wearables to connect with fans through “personalized everything.”

7. Bridge the gap between brands, media and entertainment

C Space now includes Entertainment Matters, the program developed specifically to help Hollywood navigate CES. This expansion further unites the advertising, marketing, content and entertainment industries in a setting designed for networking, learning and discovery. You’ll be able to find out how technology is shifting the ways people consume entertainment and how that impacts what they expect from advertising.

8. Create some serendipity

Ask past attendees about their CES experiences, and you’re likely to hear something about how a chance meeting turned into something more. CES is a global gathering place—bringing together a technology community that spans countries and industries. With a dedicated space headquartered at Las Vegas’s ARIA, C Space creates ways for unexpected encounters to evolve into new opportunities. Meeting spaces, hospitality suites, lounges and more drive the connections that will create the partnerships that change the face of marketing and advertising.

Learn more about CES and C Space, and why marketers need to attend.