The 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was made up of a series of contradictions. Written for brands, exhibitors, marketers and interested attendees, this overview gives Jack Morton Worldwide's point of view on CES 2012. Features include a profile of trends spotted at this year's show, ranging from celebrity appearances to curated events, and tips for an effective approach to CES 2013. During a show where it seems that attendees increasingly don't give a %&*# about the products, will your brand provide an experience that is talked about once Vegas clears out in 2013?

1. CES 2012:
153,000 PEOPLE
WHO DON’T
GIVE A %&*#
ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS
OVERVIEW OF CES 2012 .............................................. 3
CES IN FLUX: OUR POINT OF VIEW .............................. 4
TRADESHOW TRENDS .................................................. 5
#1: CURATION IS KING
#2: WANTED BY ATTENDEES: STORIES
#3: THE TRADESHOW FLOOR IS BORING
#4: GRAND MARSHALS AREN’T AT THE PARADE
#5: TAKING THE “CE” OUT OF CES
#6: CELEBRITIES CAN’T SAVE YOU, BUT THEY
CAN KEEP PEOPLE AWAKE
TAKE-HOME TIPS ........................................................ 16
#1: FOCUS IN: INFLUENCE IS EVERYTHING
#2: STOP BUILDING CITIES. START BUILDING
EXPERIENCES.
#3: COLLABORATE AFTER AN ERA OF SILOS
#4: MEASURE & OPTIMIZE TO SHOW VALUE
JACK MORTON WORLDWIDE ..................................... 21

3. OVERVIEW: CES 2012 Second, brands must pursue strategies that take into account —
and leverage — four major lessons that clearly emerged from the
There certainly was no lack of people, exhibitors, media coverage show in 2012:
or exhibit space. There was definitely a lack of taxis for attendees. 1. Focus In: Influence Is Everything
But public opinion on broader questions relating to the 2. Stop Building Cities. Start Building Experiences.
International Consumer Electronics Show is mixed. If you talk to 3. Collaborate After An Era of Silos
analysts and attendees, you’ll find yourself on a mental seesaw 4. Measure & Optimize To Show Value
about CES, still left wondering, “Is it worth my brand’s time and
resources to be there?” We’re having conversations with our clients about how they can
derive value from the modern CES — the CES dominated by trends
It’s a valid question. The answer as we at Jack Morton see it? First, that we expect will continue to proliferate to other major events as
CES is only worth it if your brand is willing to toss out the formula well. This document is meant to provide an overview of our insights
that has driven traditional exhibiting for the last 45 years. from the team members who attended the show, our history of
building brand experiences at the show and the lessons we hope
brands will take heed of for the 2013 International CES.

4. CES IN FLUX:
OUR POINT OF VIEW
In 2012, the International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) was made up of a series
of contradictions. With over 153,000 attendees, the show broke its 45-year attendance
record, while one of its largest exhibitors, Microsoft, made this year its last. There were over
20,000 new products debuted at the show, but no product stood out as a game-changer.
A record-breaking 3,100 plus exhibitors were present, but few succeeded in capturing the
minds and hearts of attendees. Ultrabooks were touted as the megatrend, but analysts agree that
there’s nothing new there. After all, the MacBook Air (essentially an ultrabook) premiered in 2008.
The show has “consumer electronics” in its name, but increasingly, it’s not
about consumer electronics at all.
Then again, isn’t that the path that some of the most successful institutions — event or otherwise —
have followed? South by Southwest (SXSW) was once about music and now it’s about film, interactive
and much more. MTV was once about music videos on television and now it’s about Long Islanders
pretending to be from New Jersey and fist-pumping. The TED Conference was once only about
Technology, Entertainment and Design and now it’s about ideas worth spreading.
The bottom line is that CES (like many institutions that, yes, are worth brands’ time) is evolving. The
reviews of the 2012 show from the media, influencers and attendees are mixed. Some asked, “Is CES
on its way out?” Others asked, “What am I going to tell my friends was the coolest gadget I saw?”
But at Jack Morton, we’re asking “How do brands derive value from the next generation of CES
through brand experience?” After all, interest in CES isn’t going anywhere. Media coverage was up
more than 33% for 2012 and the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) is already counting its
committed exhibit space and a slew of new exhibitors in anticipation of January 8-11, 2013.
Will your brand be ready to make the most of it? Ben Grossman
Digital Strategist

5. TRADESHOW
TRENDS

6. TREND #1:
CURATION IS KING
The CEA made it no secret that 2012 set numerous records for
CES, but that left many attendees feeling overwhelmed and lost
in the 1.861 million net square feet of exhibit space. It’s a tall
task for any attendee—industry expert or otherwise—to sift
through the 20,000 new products that debuted at CES this year.
Out of the confusion emerged a major trend that set the tone for
press coverage, social buzz and word-of-mouth stories before,
during and after the show: curation is king.
Using vehicles including live on-site events and the dispensation
of awards, certain organizations were able to take a stab at
picking through the technologies and products being displayed
at the show to surface the best of the best. Attendees appreciated
it and responded to the concept of a pared down product
showcase that got them away from the exhibit floors and hoards.
Here’s a review of just a few of the curation forces present at CES
2012:
LAST GADGET STANDING
By far the most energetic event (party or otherwise) we
experienced at CES 2012, this event features a live head-to-head
competition between 10 products (pre-selected via online vote)
that give four-minute quick pitches to win over the live audience.
Hosted by Jon Hein and Gary Dell’Abate of the Howard Stern
Wrap Up Show, the competition is now in its 11th year. The
winners this year were the Lytro camera and Swivl iPhone
swiveling docking station. Read up about them both—they’re
pretty cool.

7. TREND #1:
CURATION IS KING (CONTINUED)
CES INNOVATION AWARDS
The CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards are awarded
by the CEA. Each year, the organization prompts consumer
technology manufacturers and developers to submit the products
they’ll be featuring at CES to be judged by a panel of independent
industrial designers, engineers and members of the trade press.
Honorees are announced in November, well in advance of the
show, but CES features several showcases of the results.
LAUNCHFEST SHOWCASE
Catering to a new contingent of CES attendees, iHollywood Forum’s
event is now in its fifth year and includes a networking dinner,
program and (of course) a party. This year, the stated theme was
LaunchFest Showcase, focusing the event on celebrating the launch
of startups, new business strategies, new products, and new
services. The unstated theme? Schmooze, schmooze, schmooze.
MASHBASH & PINTEREST
Mashable, the digital culture and technology-focused news site, has
experimented with a couple different involvements with CES in the
past. The publisher tapped into hot new social curation site,
Pinterest, to develop a “Best of CES” board:
http://bit.ly/PinterestCES.
The company also produced MashBash, which celebrated
Mashable Awards winners and trends at CES. Moving away from
its previous awards show-style event, this year Mashable went for
pure party: 1OAK Nightclub was DJed by San Francisco-based
duo A Plus D.

8. TREND #2:
WANTED BY ATTENDEES:
STORIES
CES attendees widely come into the event with one expectation:
they’ll leave with stories to tell. For journalists, it’s part of their job.
Marketers need to report back on the latest trends. Enthusiasts
need to tell their friends what’s hot. But there have been quite a
few attendees of the 2012 CES who left feeling a bit empty
handed. Some even claimed that CES is on its way out.
In the storytelling society we live in, brands at CES must think
about what experiences they’re creating and how they’ll be talked
about—in the traditional media, through social media and even
face-to-face. This year, two exhibitors stood out very clearly for
having done just that.
GALAXY NOTE:
Samsung may have bought massive billboards, wrapped
countless buses and placed tons of in-show signage to make the
point, but it’s safe to say most attendees now know that the
Galaxy Note is here!
Live artists at points throughout the show (multiple exhibit spaces
and event at live events) showed off the tablet/phone’s
functionality by drawing caricatures of attendees, while they
waited, on the device itself. Participants certainly had enough time
to type more than one tweet, while they waited in a line longer
than some of the cab lines (and that’s saying something) to have
their likeness drawn with a stylus. What better a way to trigger
social buzz and conversations back home?

9. TREND #2:
WANTED BY ATTENDEES:
STORIES (CONTINUED)
MICROVISION’S PICO PARTIES:
Polishing up an idea that Microvision premiered at the 2011
CES, its team walked around the exhibit floor and up to taxi lines
to host Pico Parties. Using the company’s SHOWWX+ HDMI,
representatives projected the contents of their iPhones up on walls
to provide an experiential brain-break from the CES hub-bub.
From Lady Gaga videos to handheld games, attendees enjoyed
the experiences and said so publicly and are sure to bring their
experiences with the mini laser-powered projectors.

10. TREND #3:
THE TRADESHOW FLOOR
IS BORING
It’s a bold statement, but we’re willing to put it out there because,
by and large, attendees agree. With the exception of a few truly
compelling experiences, the hoards of people attending CES
2012 found the most exciting products, content and experiences
off the floor.
The contributing factors to that phenomenon are varied, but
include the following facts of life at CES:
1. The exhibit floor is overwhelming. Too many products,
people and exhibitors make attendees feel hopeless in their
quest to conquer the show.
2. The abysmally low density of impressive brand
experiences meant that on-floor attendees were hard
pressed to find something that really captured their attention
and engaged them. That’s a lot of walking with very little
pay-off. Exhibitors in 2013 will have an
opportunity to stand out in a big way by creating
exhibits that function as rich brand experiences.
3. Curators provide lots of value (as previously
discussed) and, often times, a lot of fun elsewhere by paring
it down to the highlights.
Away from the rest of the 153,000 attendees that descended
upon Vegas, we’ve identified a few of the trends in exhibiting
without an exhibit.

11. TREND #3:
THE TRADESHOW FLOOR
IS BORING (CONTINUED)
OFF-SITE MEETINGS
It’s not new, but it is increasingly prevalent. More and more
brands are choosing to host off-site meetings and events in suites
that are beginning to act like mini-exhibits. Brother International,
IBM and Intel took attendees to other destinations (many of
which are still, in fact, hosted and sanctioned by CEA).
TRANSIT
Nokia extended its “Amazing Everyday” slogan by installing
mini-brand experiences at each of the Las Vegas Monorail stops,
which are used heavily by attendees to get to the Las Vegas
Convention Center (LVCC) and between hotels. The presence,
touting the Nokia Lumia, featured a new (hardly amazing, but
yes entertaining) eye-catcher each day of the show, ranging from
break dancers to free coffee. Nokia also supported its campaign
with billboards, in-show promotions and bus-based experiences.
EVENTS
Amazing parties have become a part of the heritage of CES, but
new side-conference series are now emerging and attracting
audiences away from the major Keynotes and exhibit floor.
Lenovo once again hosted its ultraluxe influencer lounge and
party at Aquanox. Ad Age hosted technology and creativity-
focused conference-style sessions at Venetian. Klipsch of Voxx
International hosted a live, private Young The Giant concert at
the Hard Rock Café.

12. TREND #4:
GRAND MARSHALS
AREN’T AT THE PARADE
While covering the show prior to its breaking 45-year attendance
records, the media couldn’t stop talking about the historic absence
of Apple and Microsoft’s announcement that this would be its final
year. Certainly it’s a concerning issue for CEA. The fact of the matter
is that one of the most valuable aspects of CES has been its ability to
bring together manufacturers and buyers, but that distribution model
is dying with the advent of electronics and technology companies
that sell directly to consumers (Amazon and Apple are masters of it).
Meanwhile, Apple’s exclusive owned events have set a precedent
for technology companies’ abilities to leverage the 24/7/365 news
cycle to their advantage. Microsoft has indicated this is the direction
they’ll move in, Amazon’s Kindle launched at an Apple-like launch
event and Apple itself has said it doesn’t see CES as a fit for the
brand.
Creating an eerie tension, however, is the fact that these companies
are the grand marshals of the consumer electronics industry. A halo
effect permeates CES each year, with companies from around the
world appearing with gadgets that complement the iPhone, Kindle
and Kinect. In fact, CES has already sold 95,000 square feet of
exhibit space in the 2013 iLounge Pavilion (within three hours of it
being available), which is completely dedicated to iPhones, iPods,
iPads and other Apple-related products. But, just like a parade
without a grand marshal, CES somehow has ended up as a big
mass of people, trying to march forward with purpose, but
floundering in waiting for ultimate direction.

13. TREND #5:
TAKING THE “CE” OUT
OF CES
Though attendees may have missed some of the 20,000 new products debuting
at CES, it was hard to miss the fact that there were a couple of exhibitors that
didn’t seem like they belonged. At Jack Morton, we think this points to the future
of CES… one that isn’t as focused on consumer electronics. Why? The
overwhelming sentiment of consumers today is that they don’t care about the
specifications of new products. 3D has failed to gain traction, folks love their
smartphones and the reality of a “fully connected consumer” or a “kitchen
smarter than we are” is a long time off.
People do care about what kind of lifestyle their devices enable. Increasingly,
that lifestyle is tied to brands beyond manufacturers, which is why entertainment
technology-focused companies made a big splash at the show this year.
Facebook functionality was launched in thousands of devices. YouTube hosted a
keynote to pitch the concept of online, streaming video channels with original
content, promising proliferation of channels tantamount to that of phone apps.
Google made a significant announcement about a new feature called “Search,
Plus Your World.”
So if you take the “CE” out of CES, you’re left with “S,” or “Show.” Which, in
the end, makes quite a bit of sense. Showing people what their lifestyle looks
like, with a technology layover, transcended devices, specifications and
manufacturers in exhibits from CES surprise exhibitors UnitedHealth and Lowes.
Both had standout exhibits that showed the type of brands and exhibitors who
could lead the next generation of the tradeshow. Ericsson also jumped into the
mix of the new breed of exhibitors by focusing its influence on society, from
connecting refugees to extending the mobile network to the oceans.

14. TREND #5:
TAKING THE “CE” OUT
OF CES (CONTINUED)
UNITEDHEALTH
This brand, known for its health insurance, combined some
meaningful curation of new health-focused technologies with an
exhibit that showed off a healthier lifestyle. From an interactive Motorola
MotoActv fitness gaming system, to OptumizeMe, a
mobile-fitness-challenge mobile application, UnitedHealth hit a home run in
showing a company that truly gets the future of its consumers.
LOWE’S
“We’re on a journey from home-improvement retailer to home-improvement
company,” said F. Lawrence Lobpries, director-consumer marketing for Lowe’s.
The brand’s focus on creating an experience
that showed consumers how technology can be used to seamlessly improve their
home improvement projects impressed attendees,
without seeming out of reach. Highlights included the online MyLowe’s home-
improvement management tool, which includes purchase
history, owner’s manuals, warranties and even paint colors. Another favorite for
weekend warriors was the mobile application, which
shares instant peer reviews, how-to videos and barcode scanning.
ERICSSON
Having recently sold its stake in Sony Ericsson, Ericsson made it clear that it sees
CES as being about much more than consumer electronics. In its keynote, CEO
Hans Vestberg focused more on what the company’s technology is doing to
impact society than it did on the specifications of its products. Connected Me, a
new technology which facilitates data transfer through the human body, gave a
glimpse into the future where the consumer is the “electronic.”

15. TREND #6:
CELEBRITIES CAN’T
SAVE YOU PEOPLE AWAKE)
(BUT THEY CAN KEEP
Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Snooki, Ludacris, 50 Cent, Wil.i.am,
Wayne Brady, LL Cool J, Jillian Michaels, Ryan Seacrest, Will Smith,
Anya Ayoung-Chee, Kelly Clarkson and many more celebrities made
appearances at CES. What is now becoming a time-honored tradition at
the tradeshow might also be giving the brands that bring them false hope.
If your products aren’t worthy of being remembered or talked about,
plugging in a celebrity to attract attention has proven to be a major miss
(and a waste of resources) in recent times. That’s not to say, however, that
they won’t keep your audience awake.
Sony was widely panned by analysts for having disappointing releases
over the past several years, but bringing Will Smith on stage to talk about
“Men In Black 3” excited the crowd. But Sony’s keynote ended on a weird
note as American Idol Kelly Clarkson sang “Mr. Know It All,” sending
awkwardly honest messages to the crowd after a lackluster showing (“But
ya don’t know a thing at all…”). Ryan Seacrest tried to shake up the
infamously dry Microsoft Keynote, but Ballmer ended it on a sour note by
screaming “Windows, Windows, Windows!”
Celebrity appearances that have impressed audiences in meaningful
ways at CES include Lady Gaga (2010 and 2011) and Justin Timberlake
in (2012). Lady Gaga’s appearance corresponded with her taking on the
role of Creative Director at Polaroid, churning out a series of products
called Grey Label. Justin Timberlake’s cameo with Panasonic tied into his
larger endorsement of (and sizable investment in) MySpace… his humor
was the only thing that had the crowd smiling in the face of an otherwise
dry presentation of expected technology.

16. 4 TAKE-HOME
TIPS
The Jack Morton team didn’t leave CES 2012 nearly as
pessimistic as many of the attendees. Sure – we wore
comfortable shoes, drank plenty of water and stayed away
from convention center food. But we also see a very
exciting opportunity for the experience brands that will
define and drive the future of CES. Freeing a brand from
its specifications in favor of creating memorable brand
experiences is liberating. North America’s largest yearly
trade show is waiting for a grand marshal (or a few!).
Here are a few thought starters to help your brand lead in
2013.

17. TIP #1:
FOCUS IN: INFLUENCE IS
EVERYTHING
One of the greatest opportunities presented a CES every year is
the chance to get in front of highly influential consumers,
analysts, media and influencers who are the tastemakers when it
comes consumer electronics. In fact, a minute 1.8 percent of
online adults create 80 percent of peer influence impressions
about consumer electronics, according to Forrester Research.
Focus on creating meaningful brand experiences for the people
who influence the masses. Before you attend CES in 2013,
assemble a list of key influencers you want to engage with during
the show and develop a plan to do it.

18. TIP #2:
STOP BUILDING CITIES.
START BUILDING
EXPERIENCES.
Historically, some brands at CES have focused on building small
cities within the convention center—attempting to project
importance and worthiness by the sheer number of square
footage occupied by the brand. This year it became apparent
that doing that without a broader brand experience strategy in
place is a simple waste of money.
Attendees are no longer on the floor looking for products on
display. They want a memorable experience related to the brand
that they can walk away with. Find ways to create new
experiences for consumers beyond your products core offering.
Implement an experience you would be willing to stand in line for
and that would make you think more of your brand

19. TIP #3
COLLABORATE AFTER
AN ERA OF SILOS
Some of the most effective brands at CES 2012 found ways to
cross promote their core offerings with another brand.
UnitedHealth delivered on its brand promise by featuring
technology that might define the future of health.
Mophie brought its cross-promotion with PRODUCT (RED) into its
booth. IBM’s consulting horsepower and know-how was featured
by BodyMedia when showing off its new FIT activity monitoring
system. Lowe’s showed how technology could improve even the
most mundane of home improvement tasks. What partners are
worth talking to about CES 2013 strategy?

20. TIP #4:
MEASURE & OPTIMIZE
TO SHOW VALUE
What would happen if your band experience got smarter, better
and more effective every time it happened? What if what to
change tomorrow—or next year—in your brand’s events strategy
was not a question, but a well-researched answer?
Jack Morton believes that it’s nearly impossible to prove whether
CES is valuable to a company or not if it’s not being measured.
Before CES 2013, put a measurement strategy into place so that
your brand experience can be optimized in real-time and year-
to-year, driving to accomplishing your business objectives.

21. CES 2013 IS APPROACHING.
WHO WILL YOU WORK WITH TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE DO GIVE A %&*# ABOUT YOUR
PRODUCTS AND BRAND?
JACK MORTON WORLDWIDE is a global brand experience agency. We have a track record of working with some of the
most notable consumer electronics and technology brands, including Nokia, Samsung and Ericsson, and of creating some of the
most notable CES experiences, including designing the brand experience for NBC Universal when it was named the first-ever
Official Broadcast Partner.
We create experiences that strengthen relationships between brands and the people who matter most to them–thereby helping our
clients become talked-about experience brands. Rated among the top marketing service agencies worldwide, we integrate live and
online experiences, digital and social media, and branded 3D environments that engage and inspire consumers, business
partners and employees. Jack Morton has a staff of 500 employees in the US, Europe and Asia-Pacific that drive our idea-led
agency culture and is part of the Interpublic Group of Companies, Inc. (NYSE: IPG).
More information is available online:
Web site: http://www.jackmorton.com/
Blog: http://blog.jackmorton.com/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/jackmorton

22. CES 2012:
153,000 PEOPLE
WHO DON’T
GIVE A %&*#
ABOUT YOUR PRODUCTS