Stateside with Stephanie
Ten CES 2024 interesting things I ’ ve seen and / or experienced at events / expos in 2024 ( so far )
L iving in Las Vegas , I ’ m fortunate to have a plethora of expos to attend just down the road . I ’ ve also been known to hop on a plane and visit others from time to time . Here ’ s a list of interesting things I ’ ve seen ( good and bad ) at the 15 + shows I ’ ve attended so far this year .
1 . Unmemorable activations : Thousands spent by sponsors , with no recollection of the company name and what they sell – 5 minutes , 1 hour , 1 day , and 1 month after show . ( Multiple shows , multiple cities , January – March 2024 )
2 . Memorable activations : These are good experiences that stick with the end-user .
a . 1st place : Shaw Floors Puppy Petting area . The sponsor has a line of pet proof flooring which was used under the activation . It was a natural ! And adorable . Because puppies . ( TISE , Las Vegas , February 2024 )
b . 2nd place : Montreal , Canada ’ s lavatory takeover at PCMA Convening Leaders . They made the men ’ s and women ’ s institutional toilets look good , smell good and sound good ( ambient music ). ( PCMA CL , San Diego , CA , January 2024 )
3 . Booth makeover : Competition for 9sqm stands to have a retail expert redo their stand with the reveal just before show open . ( ASD Market Week , Las Vegas , March ‘ 24 )
4 . Food shows : Once you start sampling the wares , it ’ s all over . You will walk out stuffed . Deliciously so ! And yes , I know better , but I ’ m only human . ( Fancy
Foods Show , Las Vegas , January 2024 ) 5 . Citywides : The Superbowl is a fun citywide event . They know what they are doing and spent a lot of time working with their host city , local businesses , and residents . The Formula 1 people could / would / should learn a lot from them , then implement those ideas for this November ’ s edition . ( Las Vegas , February 2024 ; F-1 Las Vegas , November 2023 ) a . The Paramount + streaming service constructed an alpine village on top of the Mirage ’ s volcano and tropical islands . This free activation ( reservations recommended ) was filled with games , photo opportunities , swag from their most popular series , and a VR / hapticenhanced cable car ride featuring a few of their shows . My big realisation : I rarely view only one show – South Park which I already get , so I can save my US $ 2.99 a month . In all fairness , it was an excellent experience , so this one goes in the ‘ memorable ’ column !) 6 . Concrete rocks : You can make anything out of concrete including wearable crowns , amazing art – and buildings too ! ( World of Concrete , Las Vegas , February 2024 ) 7 . Hole in one : Using data and combining it with smarts and a whole lot of courage ( and good budget allocation ), RX and the PGA ( Professional Golfers Association of America ) attracted a younger , more diverse audience and smashed it . Congrats ! ( PGA Show , Orlando , – January 2024 ) 8 . If you build it , they will come : It ’ s impossible to walk the co-located International Home Builders Show or KBiz ( Kitchen & Bath ) Expo without wanting to completely
Above : Puppies , concrete crowns and South Park
renovate one ’ s residence . Or get through the aisles ! These shows were busy ! Maybe there ’ s room in my budget for some new appliances ? ( IHBS & KBiz , Las Vegas , February 2024 )
9 . B2B doesn ’ t have to look like B2C , even if they are the same industry in the same venue . Also , there is a show for everything , including adult entertainment . The B2B expo floor ( excepting the products ) was traditional and the B2C was interactive , in a legal way . Realisation : Some things cannot be unseen , and I ’ m talking about the fans . ( AVN / ANE , Las Vegas , January 2024 )
10 . Community is everything . It ’ s palpable . It ’ s invigorating . It takes a lot of consistently hard work to manifest – and it ’ s worth it .
www . exhibitionworld . co . uk Issue 2 2024 15