LAS VEGAS—When you think of Walmart, it's likely "tech company" doesn't come to mind. So what was the mega-retailer doing at CES this year? CES is, of course, one of the world's most powerful tech showcases, where brands like Samsung, LG, Amazon, and more show off their buzziest new products and bring six-figure attendance numbers to Las Vegas.
2024 marked Walmart's largest presence at the high-profile trade show—where Walmart CEO Doug McMillon also served as a keynote speaker—and it enlisted the help of LEO Events to pull off something particularly memorable for attendees.
"They're trying to ignite change into the perception of who they are," said David Kenyon, senior vice president of production at LEO Events. "They are a technology-powered company, probably more so than anybody out there, including Amazon. ... They thought [CES] was a good opportunity to show people how technology-powered they really are as a company."
So why was now the right time to go big at CES? Because of the buzzwords on everyone's lips last year: artificial intelligence. Walmart was keen to showcase how AI helps its business and how deeply integrated it is in its operations, especially back of house. "They had a purpose," Kenyon adds.
The 50-by-140-foot structure was built on the Las Vegas Convention Center's Central Plaza, spanned two floors, and had its own HVAC system.Photo: Courtesy of LEO Events
And that purpose was on full display inside Walmart's massive activation, erected outside the Las Vegas Convention Center on its Central Plaza, where other big brands like Google and Kia also activated. The Walmart "booth" comprised a 50-by-140-foot tented structure that spanned two floors (the second floor was dedicated to meeting and conference rooms) and was partly an immersive experience of what it's like to be at one of the company's distribution centers—highlighting the robotics and automation. Other zones highlighted store/club floors and home products. The technology used to enhance customer, member, and associate experiences was highlighted within each zone.
Upon entering the "booth," visitors were greeted with a sculptural element depicting the patents Walmart has acquired over the years, plus an interactive timeline.Photo: Courtesy of LEO Events
Features inside the warehouse-like structure included an interactive timeline of Walmart's history, a sculptural element that represented 2,200 patents the company has acquired over the years, a game where attendees could test their pallet-packing skills against AI, and an augmented reality display showcasing Walmart's way of seeing inventory.
"We built everything to feel like you're walking into the warehouse or back room of a store," Kenyon said.
One of the standout features: this interactive game that allowed visitors to test their pallet-packing skills against Symbotic, Walmart’s automated pallet builder.Photo: Courtesy of LEO Events
Attendees could also get a glimpse of autonomous floor scrubbers used by Walmart that can also identify which bays need restocking. Kenyon said these devices take about 24 million pictures a day to report all kinds of information. Other Walmart tech on display included a peek at its drone delivery service and its virtual try-on technology.
The pièce de résistance, though? A 4D ride. The museum-exhibit walkthrough of the tented structure ultimately led attendees to a 4D theater, where they could take a nearly five-minute virtual ride that follows the path of a strawberry through Walmart's product distribution system—from planting to the store to someone's home.
At the end of the experience, visitors had the option to experience the 4D Walmart ride, where they followed a strawberry supply chain story.Photo: Courtesy of Walmart
Walmart first approached LEO in June about CES—LEO has also produced Walmart Associates Week—and it took both teams about three to four months to develop the activation's concept and content. Shooting for the 4D ride's video began in November and featured drones zipping through five different Walmart locations for truly immersive footage. The ride even featured strawberry scent and water effects.
So what were some major lessons learned? This was LEO's first time operating at CES, and Kenyon said one of the biggest learning curves was "understanding how CTA, the owner of CES, works." Other than that, the biggest challenge was aligning on the messaging and content. "Once we got that locked, the process of physically building and designing this was pretty smooth and easy. Our design team did a great job."
Activating outside, instead of inside on CES' massive trade show floors, also allowed for more freedom and the ability to avoid confusing freight logistics. "Outside, you're in your own world," Kenyon said. He estimates that 15,000 people came through the booth throughout the duration of the show. "That first day, a lot of people were like, 'Walmart? At CES?'" Kenyon recalled. "That's exactly what they wanted people to ask. That's the whole point."
