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Last week, I attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas for the very first time. As a technology-focused PR professional, CES had long been on my career bucket list – an opportunity delayed by the pandemic, but one I’d been eager to experience in person.

Walking into the show, I was immediately struck by the sheer scale and energy of it all. From global household names like Panasonic, LG, and John Deere to emerging startups, CES is where companies go to be seen – to make deals, spark conversations, and showcase innovations they hope will define what’s next.

After three days on the show floor and trekking more than 20 miles, I walked away with more than just notes and photos. The experience prompted me to think more deeply about my profession, the evolving role of marketing and communications, and the direction technology itself is heading.

Here are a few of my biggest takeaways:

1. In-Person Events Are Truly Back: Remote work has shaped how many of us connect since COVID, and I assumed large-scale events were still playing a secondary role to virtual meetings. CES quickly challenged that assumption. With more than 140,000 attendees, the show floor was constantly in motion – from Eureka Park at The Venetian to Central Hall at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

What stood out most was the global nature of the crowd. Attendees came from every corner of the world, including Japan, the Netherlands, Romania, and countless other countries. Some conversations were purely exploratory, focused on learning and sharing ideas; others centered on partnerships, deals, or investment opportunities. And many people – my colleagues and I included – were simply there to meet new faces and see how brands were using physical spaces to come alive. The energy was palpable, with a genuine sense of camaraderie and excitement that’s difficult to replicate online.

2. CES Rewards Brands That Know How to Show Up – and Exposes Those That Don’t: Until I stepped into the West, North, and Central Halls, I didn’t fully grasp the scale of CES. Compared to other conferences I’ve attended – often defined by modest booths and simple backdrops – CES is in a different league entirely. Two-story, immersive installations with dedicated meeting spaces, live demonstrations, and carefully designed brand experiences were the norm, not the exception.

CES creates a massive opportunity for brands to make a statement, whether about a specific innovation or their broader vision. Some of the most striking examples included Clarios, Waymo, John Deere, Dreame, TCL, Bosch, Oshkosh, Mammotion, and The AgeTech Collaborative from AARP. These brands didn’t just occupy space; they activated it. From selfies inside a Waymo self-driving car, to blowouts at the Dreame booth, to Top Chef-led cooking demos at Bosch, the most effective exhibitors turned their presence into an experience, leaving a lasting impression well beyond the show floor.

While many of the largest brands excelled at creating immersive, memorable experiences, CES also highlighted missed opportunities. Several well-known companies occupied sizable 20×20 or 20×40 booths that were largely blank on three of four sides – even when positioned along main thoroughfares of the exhibit halls. That was surprising, given how valuable this real estate is. These high-traffic areas offer a prime opportunity to stop attendees in their tracks or, at the very least, leave a strong visual impression that prompts a follow-up after the show.

That said, it’s important to recognize that not every company arrives at CES with the same budget or resources. Many startups and small- to mid-size companies made a strong impression with much more modest 10×10 or 10×20 booths. They relied on clear, visually compelling signage, podiums, and banners that quickly communicated the specific pain points their technologies were designed to solve. Just as importantly, these booths were often staffed by highly engaged, knowledgeable team members who were ready to answer questions and start meaningful conversations. It reinforced an important lesson: when resources are limited, the right messaging, design choices, and people can make an impact.

Even so, CES also revealed moments where opportunity was clearly left on the table. Some companies seemed to do the bare minimum with their booth presence, despite being part of the world’s largest technology showcase. I was surprised to see exhibitors relying on little more than a plain white sign with their company name typed out – or, in some cases, just a standalone logo with no supporting context. In an environment where thousands of attendees are constantly moving through crowded halls, brands have only seconds to capture attention. If your signage isn’t immediately legible or doesn’t clearly communicate the problem you solve, it’s easy for attendees to walk past – an outcome that ultimately undermines the value of being there.

3. Media Relations at CES Requires Intentional Strategy: I’ve coordinated CES media meetings from afar before, but being on the ground gave me a much clearer appreciation for just how challenging they can be to execute. CES doesn’t take place in a single building – it stretches across an entire city. A “quick walk” between halls or venues can easily take 45 minutes to an hour, and that’s before accounting for security lines, packed walkways, or an unexpected bottleneck caused by a must-see activation (dancing robots included).

Because of that scale, journalists can’t easily hop from one booth – or even one hall – to another. Meetings require real effort, which means there has to be a compelling reason for the media to make the trek. For public relations professionals, that raises the bar. It’s not enough to simply secure time on a calendar; we have to be thoughtful about what a journalist will walk away with, whether that’s meaningful thought leadership, a strong product story, or both.

Just as important is where those conversations take place. Being strategic means understanding where journalists plan to spend most of their day, asking the right questions in advance, and anticipating natural meeting points – like media rooms or nearby venues where reporters are already writing and filing stories for that day. At an event as sprawling as CES, smart media relations isn’t just about access – it’s about logistics, relevance, and respect for time.

4. AI Is Everywhere, Which Makes Differentiation Essential: Working primarily with B2B technology clients, I knew AI was already deeply embedded in many products and services. But CES made something unmistakably clear: AI is everywhere. From AI-powered LiDAR and speech technologies to robots of every shape and size, artificial intelligence is no longer a differentiator in and of itself; it is simply expected

As I moved from booth to booth, I found myself repeatedly asking the same question: So what? What makes your LiDAR meaningfully different from the one across the hall? Why does your robotic lawn mower look nearly identical to the robotic snowplow I passed just hours earlier? When AI is the baseline, it can’t be the headline.

What stood out most were the companies that moved beyond buzzwords and clearly articulated the real-world problems they were solving. Whether addressing cost and performance in consumer electronics – like hair dryers or gaming platforms – or improving safety, efficiency, and experience in vehicles, the strongest brands focused on outcomes, not algorithms. CES reinforced a simple but critical truth: in a world where AI is ubiquitous, differentiation comes from clarity, relevance, and a deep understanding of customer pain points – not from saying “AI” the loudest.