01 Nov Mastering CES 2025: A Guide to Maximize Your Media Impact
Technological innovation continues to transform healthcare. As consumers become increasingly active and engaged in their healthcare, consumer technologies are assuming their place alongside traditional pharmaceuticals and medical devices as drivers of wellness. It’s therefore no surprise that the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) has become one of the premier events for showcasing the latest in consumer health and wellness tech.
Whether for a startup or a Fortune 500 player, participating in CES calls for a significant investment of money and time. A strategic approach to show communications can help maximize the return on that investment. With just a few months to prepare for CES 2025 (January 7-10 in Las Vegas), it’s time to consider how you’ll take full advantage of the opportunity.
How will you make your voice heard?
Sharpen your Story
Everyone at CES has something interesting to say. To earn your share of media coverage from the thousands of assembled media representatives, you need to stand out in the crowd. Develop a concise narrative focused on your differentiators. What is your groundbreaking “first”? What problem are you solving that no one else has addressed? What’s the potential impact? How can you quantify that with stats or qualify it emotionally?
Consider how your narrative fits within the formal theme of the show and with other emerging trends in pre-show media coverage. A media monitoring program to identify coverage trends leading up to the show will provide insights on the stories media are chasing and what other industry leaders are saying.
Pitch with Purpose
Time is of the essence for securing media opportunities at the show. Schedules will book in advance and early outreach is vital. Don’t waste it with irrelevant pitches. Identify journalists and publications most interested in your story. Be clear and concise – offer a compelling picture of the story they can write. What can they experience? Who can they interview? Make your vision for their story clear and compelling.
Go Beyond the Show Floor
CES activity stretches well beyond the main exhibit hall and hours. Media-focused events like ShowStoppers, Pepcom’s Digital Experience! and CES Unveiled present a target-rich environment to connect with hundreds of journalists on the hunt for compelling stories. These events typically sell out. Now is the time to make plans for exhibiting at one or more of them. The incremental investment could reap significant value added.
Staff up for Success
Booking media visits and interviews in advance is best practice. It’s also essential to have dedicated media relations professionals on-site during show hours. They will adjust and pursue opportunities when inevitably media schedules change. They will ensure media get what they need (materials, spokespersons, images) on-site and in follow-up, and they will engage with media on the show floor to deliver new opportunities.
Be Prepared: Train Your Spokespeople
Your story is only as good as the people telling it. In advance of CES, designate appropriate spokespersons for media. Preparing more than one representative ensures both constant availability and a variety of perspectives. A top-tier business outlet may want to speak with a C-suite executive. A specialized tech publication may need an engineer who can talk in-depth about your tech. Overall, training all spokespersons to deliver the same critical key messages will ensure consistency and accuracy in reporting.
Leverage Social Channels
CES is a massive social media event. Develop a plan for creating engaging content before, during, and after the show. Consider live posting, on-site video production, influencer partnerships, and paid amplification strategies to maximize social media reach.
Ride the Wave: Follow Up is Key
The buzz doesn’t stop at the end of CES. Before the show, define a follow-up strategy to capitalize on your success with both internal and external audiences. Leverage media round-ups, award recognition, and industry publications to extend your earned media coverage throughout the first quarter.
BRG Communications is an experienced partner for your CES communications needs. Whether you are starting from scratch and want to outsource, or simply need to augment your existing resources, BRG can tailor a CES solution for you. Reach out today to schedule time to talk about your goals and how we can help.
