While there will be no gathering of 170,000 attendees or 7,000 member of the media in Las Vegas this coming January, yet another victim of COVID’s global proliferation, companies will still have the opportunity to 'exhibit,' albeit in a vastly different form.

Rebranded for CES 2021 as “Digital Activations,” exhibitors can purchase the show’s version of a virtual exhibit booth at a cost of US $1,200 for CTA members, and $1,500 for non-members. 

“CES 2021 will unite the entire tech industry in a digital experience for discovery, collaboration, networking and thought leadership,” said Brian Moon, Vice President of Sales and Business Development, CTA. “Our Digital Activation packages give companies opportunities to launch products, build brands and form partnerships with a highly targeted, global audience at their fingertips.”

CES has integrated into their Digital Activations several benefits designed to effectively replicate many of the traditional features typically available to show exhibitors including virtual opportunities to showcase products and services, provision of digital content, networking sessions, enhanced search optimisation and platforms on which to schedule one-on-one meetings with everybody from buyers and potential investors to the media.

“These benefits give exhibitors multiple opportunities to connect, network and collaborate with key audiences in one central location,” said Moon. “An all-digital CES provides a unique opportunity to extend these benefits beyond the days of show. Attendees will be able to interact with content and host meetings for 30 days beyond CES 2021, enabling exhibitors to extend their reach to new and key audiences.”

But wait, there is a catch.

While CES normally spreads 4,000 exhibitors across half-a-dozen conference venues, CES 2021 is limiting its numbers to just 1,200 digital activations.  And while exhibitor registration has not yet officially opened, CES marketing teams are taking space reservations now … and according to various departments within CTA, they expect to sell out fast!

But for those who do secure activations, there’s is good news – and lots of it.

With attendance no longer limited to people who can afford to take the time and incur the cost of travel to Las Vegas, show organisers expect a major increase in eyeballs, meaning CES 2021 will clearly attract the curious among us who have “always wanted to do CES.”  Media participation could very well exceed 10,000, which also means an exponential increase in coverage opportunities for those who secure activations.

While exhibitors will certainly rely on their public relations agencies or their internal communication teams to spread the word about their products and services in conjunction with CES 2021, three organisations will host virtual media showcase events designed to connect exhibitors with interested journalists.  CES Week typically launches with CES Unveiled, a massive event that connects journalists with exhibitors two days prior to show opening, but this time around, there will be no CES Unveiled, organisers say.  To fill the void, Showstoppers, Pepcom and Techfluence have each announced their intent to offer opportunities for emerging technology companies to connect with journalists through virtual events. 

Techfluence will run their event on Wednesday, January 6 from 1:00-5:00pm ET.  Pepcom’s Digital Experience will take place on Monday, January 11 also from 1:00-5:00pm ET, while Showstoppers will run four events bracketing CES on January 6, 10, 12 and 20.  Event times for Showstoppers are yet to be determined. 

According to CTA President and CEO Gary Shapiro, the move from the traditional in-person event to digital was an absolute necessity. "Amid the pandemic and growing global health concerns about the spread of COVID-19, it's just not possible to safely convene tens of thousands of people in Las Vegas to meet and do business in person,” he said.  “Technology helps us all work, learn and connect during the pandemic – and that innovation will also help us reimagine CES 2021 and bring together the tech community in a meaningful way. By shifting to an all-digital platform for 2021, we will deliver a unique experience that helps our exhibitors connect with existing and new audiences."