Today's Seattle Times features an article about the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show opening today in Las Vegas. It also prominently features comments from yours truly about CES and how exhibitors should approach it.
If you're not familiar with CES, there are several ways to view it. It's gargantuan. 2700 exhibiting companies. 140,000+ attendees. Over 1.2 million net square feet. Be sure to wear your Nike's.
It's a techie's dream. The newest and coolest consumer electronics - camcorders, flat screen TVs, wireless, cellphones, you name it.
And it's an exhibitor's nirvana or hell, depending on your perspective. Getting the attention and time of your best targets is the dilemma of every exhibitor.
Ben Romano interviewed me for the story. He also features four other local companies - Microsoft, Microvision, Lagotek, and AudioControl. Each company has a unique approach to the show.
Microsoft has a massive presence with a 16,000 nsf booth and 150 demo stations staffed by 450 eager(?) people. I think they'll finally get noticed.
Microvision is pulling a trade show industry No-No by doing what's called "outboarding" the event. This is when a company sets up shop in a nearby hotel suite and doesn't buy space in the exhibit hall. Essentially they're riding the coattails of all the other companies and CES who have invested enormous amounts of money attracting buyers to Vegas. As you can guess, I'm not a fan of such actions.
Lagotek gets the advantage of actually being inside the Microsoft booth as a partner, so I expect they'll do well.
The kudos goes to AudioControl. Recognizing they don't have the clout of a Microsoft, their plan for CES is pragmatic and realistic:
Scott Horman, brand communications manager with AudioControl of Mountlake Terrace, said the small crew going from his company will try to avoid the distractions of Vegas.
"We're not the partiers," he said. "We're not going to go out all the night before and show up the next morning expecting to be at our best. We're there to work."
AudioControl, which makes home and car audio equipment, designed its 20- by 30-foot booth not to attract the CES masses but to best display its products to a select group of high-quality audio dealers.
Ahead of the show, the company contacted about 120 dealers and invited them into the booth, Horman said.
I say good for you and your team, Scott. You understand this is work and you understand you can't talk to everybody. By designing the booth to attract only their target market and focusing preshow efforts on a manageable 120 people, I'll bet they have a great show.
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