The biggest tech event of the year that attracted an audience of over 171,000 attendees, 4,000 exhibitors, and 6,000 media contacts in 2020 will be hosted virtually in 2021. As one of the most prominent trade shows in the world, CES must go on! Brands, buyers, and media outlets are ready to adapt to the first-ever, all-digital CES to connect with innovation leaders worldwide. As the event quickly approaches, understand how to craft your strategy to gain maximum exposure for CES 2021. To make planning easier, we have outlined what activities to focus on in the months leading up to the show.
What to Expect
While CES has served as a stage for global innovation for over 50 years, CES 2021 will be a unique experience. By hosting the event digitally, thousands will be welcomed to share new innovations and ideas from around the world safely online. There are many advantages to participating in the event virtually, such as having access to a full library of keynote speeches and conferences allowing attendees to focus on presentations without distractions such as schedule conflicts. The digital product showcase will allow exhibitors to create a dynamic experience, including live demos, product feature detail accessibility, and more. Your brand will also have the opportunity to increase the reach of your audience due to convenience without facing the burden of traveling. After a year of various setbacks, this highly influential tech event is still providing the opportunity to connect with consumers and press across the world safety from home.
What to Plan Right Now
Throughout September and October, your brand should take the time to craft your CES 2021 strategy. The strategy should outline which awards, events, SMTs, and editorial opportunities you would like to participate in. Consider creating a detailed document of submission details, costs, and deadlines to ensure you are organized and on track. Creating the strategy now will give you ample time to gather materials needed for the coming months. As registration for CES will become available for exhibitors soon, we recommend signing up for notifications on when registration begins to take advantage of the early-bird pricing.
A few prestigious awards our team recommends to submit to each year are the CES Innovation Awards, TWICE Picks, Dealerscope IMPACT! Awards, and many others. The deadlines for these awards are quickly approaching, with the first deadline on October 9th for the CES Innovation Award. Stay in the loop and sign up for updates on when entry submissions will be accepted and when the deadlines are.
CES Unveiled, Pepcom Digital Experience, and Showstoppers are a few of the events your brand can participate in to further leverage your CES experience. At these events, you have the exclusive opportunity to connect with top tier media outlets with undivided attention as opposed to during the show. Deadlines for these events are quickly approaching. If you would like to participate in these events be sure to have your media kits, press releases, and social posts completed and sent in for submission in this phase.
Looking Ahead
November and December are what our team considers “crunch time” for all CES activities. During this time period, the execution of your strategy will be in full effect. Finalizing your embargoed press release is crucial, as outreach to key media outlets will be a main focus. At this time, you will have access to the pre-registered attendee list for any of the events. This will allow you to launch an aggressive, all-encompassing public relations strategy to ensure you connect with key press contacts. Set up your press meeting calendar to proactively schedule meetings with the media. Doing this in advance will allow the press to learn more about your brand, product announcements, and more before the virtual meeting.
Showtime and Beyond
After months of hard work and planning, CES 2021 will arrive and your brand will be prepared to showcase its latest innovations! The week before the show, confirm all virtual meetings with press and create a detailed schedule to ensure nothing is missed. This itinerary will be your secret weapon to staying organized come showtime. Once the show is complete, continue to foster relationships with the press contacts you built. By doing this, you increase the chances of getting coverage and inclusion in key features from the show.
CES 2021 will be quite the unique experience for all. By following these guidelines, you and your team will feel completely prepared for the virtual event early next year!
Do you need help creating and executing your CES 2021 strategy? Get in touch today!