CES 2021 was an event like no other, with the convention being entirely digital, we will break down the pros and cons of this format and some cool new tech we saw this year.
First off, with CES 2021 being an all digital conference I was already somewhat uninterested from the start, while the registration and account process was the typical chore that CES always makes it, this involves creating an entirely new user account every year and lack of instructions which always leads to confusion as to whether the login page is asking for my old credentials or my newly created (new to me) credentials. The “virtual show floor” was already intimidating, but I found my way around, built my “Show Plan” and was off to vendors virtual booths. I would like to say that I anxiously awaited January 11th, but I didn’t, I logged on and spent a few hours browsing and watching videos before my eyes needed a break, I worked my way through keynotes and other vendors throughout the week.
Amazon Reinvent took place this past December, registration was free and the entire event was spread across 3 weeks with on demand streaming of recorded sessions available into January. ReInvent does their video presentations really well, it’s very hard to tell what content has been pre recorded and what is actually live. While CES relied heavily on pre recorded content it wasn’t entirely the same, part of this different experience for me was the expectation of an in person event that I have previously experienced at the Las Vegas Convention Center in years past.
To the future…
While the future of conventions and trade shows is still uncertain, they will inevitably need to come back to support the networking of industry professionals. This type of networking is crucial for
Foose Industries 