Blog

Vehicle Technology and Mobility Suppliers: Here are Six Things to Do Now for CES 2024

January will be here before you know it, so it’s time to start planning for CES 2024.

Taking place Jan. 9-12, 2024, CES, which has become one of the most important automotive industry shows in the world, brings together manufacturers, developers and suppliers of consumer technology, content, technology delivery systems and more to address the industry’s biggest challenges.

If your company is seeking PR opportunities at the show, which offers many public relations and market attention opportunities, you must act fast.  

Here are our top six suggestions for what you can do now to score PR success at CES:

1. Review CES Past: If your company participated in CES last year or before the pandemic, look back on how the show went for you. Get your planning team together to review: what worked; what didn’t work; what problems did we face; what could we do better; and what can we add?

2. Save your spot: CES exhibit space fills up fast. So, if you haven’t saved your spot for 2024, lock down your space by contacting the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). The CTA team can help you, whether you’re looking for indoor or outdoor exhibits or set packages. Don’t forget to ask the CTA about sponsorship opportunities, speaker proposal submissions and other special events you want to be a part of during CES.

CTA also offers a number of hospitality suites, exhibit suites and meeting rooms outside of the main show floor. These options allow your company to conduct meetings or media interviews in a private and distraction free location.

We strongly recommend booking these facilities through CTA, as trying to book a space for unsanctioned events during CES offsite can get you banned from future CES events.

You can sign up to be notified when registration for the show opens here, and it’s never too early to think about booking your flights and hotel accommodations, because you’ll be among some 150,000 attendees expected to travel to the show.

3. Strategy planning: Next up, start working on key messaging and defining your key objectives for CES 2024. Start asking questions like: what’s our news; what products or technologies will we launch or showcase; do we have enough hard news for a press conference; what customers and/or partners might want to participate with us; what executives and subject matter experts will we have available for media interaction; and what can do we to ensure we stand out in the crowd?

When you have your answers, and your messaging and objectives have been defined, you can start creating your public relations, advertising and social media strategies. This would be the perfect time to align with your PR and marketing agency partners that have significant experience with trade shows, especially with CES.

4. Finalize your exhibit design: Now it’s time to meet with your exhibit team so you’re not scrambling at the last minute during the winter holidays. The planning of your exhibit, no matter how simple or complex, small or large, should begin several months prior to the show to minimize stress and to prevent premium rush charges and labor overtime costs.

Your exhibit house team can assist you with showcasing your company’s image, brand and products the best way possible, while helping your company stand out amongst the thousands of other companies exhibiting at CES.

5. Update your outreach list: It’s a big investment to have a presence at CES. And even with the best booth and most eye-catching CES event invitation, it won’t mean anything if you don’t get the right people to your event or booth.

It’s necessary to have your team start cleaning up and expanding your outreach lists (both prospects and media) now, so you’re not reaching out to the wrong people or scrambling right before the show. Try setting a goal to have your final, vetted lists complete by early October, allowing your team to focus on execution for the last few months before CES.

6. Look for speaking opportunities: When it comes to speaker submissions, the CTA team says the best submissions demonstrate how the speaker is a catalyst for innovation and change and is an influencer in the industry.

The CES content team receives an overwhelming number of submissions and makes selections based on the following criteria:

• Concise objectives with actionable takeaways for attendees;
• A unique take on the latest trends in technology that will inspire and educate;
• A diverse voice and point of view; and
• Shows engagement, mobilization and enthusiasm on the topic.

You can sign up here to be notified when the CES 2024 call for speakers opens.

When it comes to important industry shows like CES, you cannot leave success to chance. Start planning today!

Note: Over the next few months, we will be sharing other installments of our CES 2024 blog series — offering practical, insightful information from our team to help automotive suppliers and mobility technology providers leverage their presence at CES.

You might also be interested in:

• The Top 9 Reasons to Participate in CES 2024: Accelerating Success for Automotive Suppliers and Mobility Technology Start-ups
• 2023 Detroit Auto Show Offers New Engagement Opportunities for Automotive & Mobility Suppliers
• Meet the Media: Michael Freeze, Features Editor at Transport Topics