Stateside with Stephanie
All about activiation on the show floor
The month of January in the US , particularly on the West Coast , rolls out fast . For Stephanie Selesnick it began with PCMA Convening Leaders in San Diego , California , then right into CES in Las Vegas . Here ’ s a quick round up , followed by her thoughts on an auspicious start to 2024
PCMA Convening Leaders 2024 PCMA Convening Leaders took place in early January in sunny ( but freezing ) San Diego . Being a native southern Californian , one of the great misperceptions people from all over the US and around the world have , is that it ’ s never cold there . Wrong ! I always suggest visitors check the weather forecast and pack accordingly , which clearly a good many people did not do . The 4,200-strong in person event focused on business events education . The digital version had around 800 people following along online . Sponsors were gathered in a central area within the San Diego Convention Center ’ s Sails Pavilion that was called The District . While the stands in The District ( and just outside the main hall ) were called activations , many were that in name only .
A brand activation is more than interactivity and / or gamification ( actively persuading people to give up information / data while having fun ). It should harken back ( easily ) to whatever the brand stands for .
Best activations : New Orleans ’ ode to its distinctive architecture was delightful ! Serving yummy Cajun food ( hot and takeaway packages of sweet treats ), it was a different kind of activation – one that fed lucky delegates and provided a moment to sit and have a conversation . Bringing in a chef to prepare the hot food from the Ernest N . Morial Convention Center was clever .
Montreal ’ s lavatories takeover . With strong branding outside and inside of the men ’ s and ladies ’ toilets at the top of the main escalators inside the venue , this was a hit . Lighting , fresh flowers , calming music , spa scents , special
Stephanie Selesnick
Left : CES 2024 soaps , lotions , and other high-end amenities became the norm . They literally transformed institutional lavatories ( a nominal experience at best ) into something special and very memorable – particularly to a convention population of over 60 % women .
Seattle ’ s pickleball court . With the game having been invented in nearby Bainbridge Island in 1965 , the city owned its heritage . Whether visitors played the game or simply watched others compete , there was a way to engage . Great conversation starter !
SmartSource ’ s activation was all about providing relevant content , not easily gained elsewhere . Held only one day , it featured half-hour presentations on business events trends by Julius Solaris , BoldPush . Limited to 25 people per session , delegates had to preregister ahead of the event . The company created a memorable experience utilising some of their audio / visual technology along with a Californiathemed stand , complete with surfboard ! ( As a side note , anytime anyone can see Julius , just go . Trust me on this .)
CES 2024 This year ’ s focus was on integrating technology even more into dayto-day living . Think of smart appliances , medical devices , etc . – all with AI . The exhibition was also one of the largest automotive / mobility exhibitions in the US . Flying taxis are in our future !
The grandaddy of all exhibitions in the US was held the second week of January . With over 135,000 trade visitors ( 40 % of whom were internationals ), 4,000 exhibiting companies and thousands upon thousands of meetings , CES 2024 was memorable .
One of the things that strikes me every year when visiting this expo besides the huge stands , costing
14 Issue 1 2024 www . exhibitionworld . co . uk