Gearing up for CES...and the Adult Expo?

It's not even Christmas, yet everyone in this industry is already gearing up for the 2009 International CES in Las Vegas. You're weeding through hundreds of e-mail product pitches and meeting requests. Setting up booth tours and plotting out a daily plan that allows you to cover as much ground as possible, and meet as many clients (and potential clients) as a day and evening will permit. Are you attending, and have you created a schedule yet?

Judging from e-mails requesting that I come see a nifty new gadget, or advising that on-site interviews can be set up with key manufacturer executives, it's clear that there will be plenty to see at the show. The most puzzling e-mail request I received, however, originated from an exhibitor at the Adult Expo, which runs concurrent to CES, inviting me to register, and visit their booth at that show. Two things initially crossed my mind. First: where do they see a tie-in between my industry and theirs? And second: how on earth did this person gain access to my e-mail address since the two expos have nothing to do with one another other than sharing the same city as their venue?

The person was pitching an iPhone application that optimizes adult films for viewing on the portable device's screen. Ahhh, now I get it. There is a clear tie in. Still: would traditional CE journalists cover this?

In many ways, when you think about it, the adult industry is a huge part of the consumer electronics industry. A few years ago, people were even predicting that X-rated films could very well be the deciding factor between which format won the high-definition DVD war - Blu-ray or HD DVD. In fact, this particular firm claims to have been filming in HD for the past 5 years! There are lucrative opportunities there, that's for certain. But you're walking a fine line if you consider covering this side.

With that said, while the Adult Expo won't be on my radar during CES (as if we don't have enough ground to cover already!), it'll be interesting to see how that area of business could eventually become further entwined with CE; especially with HDTVs, the Internet, and downloadable content making waves as the way of the future for content of pretty much every kind. Yes, including the adult kind.

As for CES, many still wonder whether attendance at the show will be down. It probably will be, but I doubt to very noticeable proportions. Exhibitors will have booked their booth space a year in advance, which means there will be just as much product on the show floor. From an attendee perspective, we'll most definitely see fewer feet roaming the aisles. But it will still be a packed show floor. And if some of those people decide to take the Adult Expo up on their offer and mosy on over to those exhibits at the Sands Convention Centre, so be it. But rest assured that the only scantily clad "booth babes" you'll see in the mainstream media will be holding a gadget of some sort, or standing nearby a line of flat-panel TVs.

CES: Huge Leaps or Status Quo?

As anyone in the CE industry knows, CES, North America's largest technology trade show, is fast approaching. Returning to Las Vegas this January, the show will feature everything from the latest in consumer electronics, computing, wireless technology and other portable gadgets, digital imaging, and entertainment. You name it: if it's a really influential, really cool, and attention-getting device or technology, it'll be at CES. But just as quickly as all the facets of the technology industry are coming together in harmony, so, too are they branching off in various directions. Because of this, does CES still have the same clout that it used to?

When you think about it, the show, despite its massive magnitude, is surrounded by several other smaller, more focused events. In September, CEDIA EXPO is where the custom A/V companies congregate, while PMA EXPO, held in March, is the show for the photo industry. If you're looking at wireless, whether we're talking handsets, software, apps, or business systems, April's CTIA WIRELESS event is a must-attend. Do you work on the commercial side of things? Then InfoComm is the show for you! So where does this leave CES?

Sure, CES gets the most media attention, and the most visitors, especially internationally. Because of this, many companies hold out for the iconic show to make major announcements. But what if you don't have that much happening in a year? If you're a flat-panel TV maker, for example, you can't hold back the following year's big items until January. Then what will you show at CEDIA? Hey, here's my old stuff. Thanks for coming. See you at CES! (?) Likewise, a camera maker might wait until March to make its big announcements at PMA, but then what do they show at CES? Do you divy up the line-up, showing off some teasers at CES followed by the grand reveal at PMA? Granted, it makes absolutely perfect sense to display the same products at CES that you did at CEDIA or PMA or whatever show floats your boat, because the smaller-scale events certainly don't target the same, massively mainstream audience that CES does. But if your dealers, partners, and specifically targeted media members were already at that other show, is CES worth it for the remaining exposure you're going to get?

The answer to this, of course, depends on a number of factors. How much does the rest of the exposure mean to you? What percentage of your dealers attend CES but don't attend the other targeted show(s), whether that be CEDIA, PMA, or what have you? How important is your message to both targeted and mainstream audiences? And finally, how major is the new product or technology that you're featuring this year? Even if it isn't a "revolutionary" breakthrough as so many companies claim the smallest adjustment to represent, the more exposure your company gets, the better. Exposure is everything. As they say, people might not notice you were there, but they'll certainly notice that you weren't.

With that said, while the 2009 CES might very well be a "status quo" year where we don't see any mind-blowing technologies introduced like we might have in previous years (Blu-ray and HD DVD, flat-panels TVs and 1080p, digital photo frames, and satellite radio, to name a few), it still remains a worthy event to attend if you're in the industry.

**Speaking of those in the industry, I'd love to know your favourite spots in Vegas to take dealers/clients, hang out for a drink or two, or relax during down time. If you send your top recommendation(s) to me via e-mail at cpersaud@marketnews.ca, we'll compile a "top spots" list to publish in the mag and/or online that you can peruse and get some ideas. Because hey, just as much as the show is about learning about products, it's also about wining and dining your dealers, potential dealers, and American/overseas affiliates. Here are a few of my recommendations to get you started:

Japonais in the Mirage Hotel: it serves a fusion of Japanese and French food, and has sushi dishes that are absolutely amazing. The ambience is great, and service is impeccable.

Cirque de Soleil’s LOVE at the Mirage: It’s an exciting, captivating show that’s worth experiencing at least once, especially if you’re a Beatles fan.

The Shadow Bar in Caesar’s Palace: Having stayed in that hotel for the past three years, it’s almost become like my “local bar” a few times every year. It can, in many ways, be considered the new Bugsy’s Bar because it often ends up being a meeting place for Canucks. You’re sure to run into some Canadian industry members there.

And of course who can forget Canada Night at Caesar’s Palace: It’s the event for the Canadian consumer electronics industry. No invitation is required, and all are welcome. We’ll see you there on Friday, January 9, 2009 at 6 p.m.! Click Here for more details.

The deadline to send me your suggestion(s) is November 20, 2008.

IM For Facebook?

It's 5 p.m. on a Friday night, and I logged into Facebook from the office to post some details on our new photo contest (you could win a great Nikon digicam!) I noticed a tiny, icon on the bottom, right of my screen that said "online friends" but didn't think much of it. Perhaps it's a quick, one-button method of seeing who's currently online? Whatever. That was until a box magically popped up with a message from one of my colleagues.

"Working hard, I see," he said. What? Huh? How did THAT happen? For all you Facebook members, apparently instant messaging capabilities have now been added to the service, whether you've asked for them or not. I clicked on the link to discover a list of all my contacts that were currently online. Interesting.

So, as I entered our contest information, my colleague and I got to chatting. When I was done, he asked: "Did you just post that in here?" Post what in here? Without my asking it to, he received an IM letting him know what I had just posted in the Marketnews & here's how Magazines - About Tech group. Geez. Is it going to let him know when I take a sip of my coffee and get up for a bathroom break as well?

It seems a bit too invasive, if you ask me. Mind you, my posting in the All About Tech group would have eventually appeared in everyone's News Feeds anyway. Shortly after, I received an IM that told me he just posted two notes himself. Gotcha! It's sort of like Big Brother is watching. Scary stuff.