LAS VEGAS—For its 55th year, CES took over the Las Vegas Strip, with programming primarily at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC), but also at surrounding hotels, including The Venetian and its adjacent convention center. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), this year’s iteration took place Jan. 5-8 and welcomed more than 3,200 exhibitors (1,000 more than last year) and 4,700 media members across 174 countries, territories, and regions. Exhibitors spanned approximately 2.2 million square feet.
During the four-day event, C-level executives gathered to talk innovation, fortune global 500 company representatives shared new tech on the scene, and booths leveled up the meaning of exhibiting at an industry trade show.
BizBash’s editorial team was in attendance, and in true events industry fashion, is breaking down not only what high-tech inventions are set to become mainstream in 2023 and beyond, but also what activations and flashy touchpoints caught our eye. But don’t take it from us—take it from the conference’s innovation awards honoree, uses of VR and holographic technology, Pinterest’s restaurant-takeover activation, and Reddit’s future-telling walkthrough experience (just to name a few)...

Of the 2023 honorees was the world’s first-ever smart aquarium, the AI Aquarium. The high-tech tank helps fish owners identify marine life in real time thanks to an intuitive virtual-real fusion system that recognizes aquatic species and shows corresponding information on a transparent display according to the onlooker’s line of sight. The tech makes use of a compact apparatus and draws on data from an extensive database of marine life, and once it’s set up, it’s contact-free.


After selecting a topic—which spanned entertainment, crypto, Web3, and culture—user-generated content (UGC) of real conversations that happened on Reddit populated the LED ball. Pelz pointed out that the art installation also served as a “relevant case study” on the “opportunities for brands out there.”

And in another interactive moment, a quiz asked visitors true and false questions about what they think Redditors are future-telling about. For example, “grasshoppers are the new kale,” which was true.
![There certainly was no shortage of touchpoints throughout the space, which Pelz said only took since mid-Q3 to fully brainstorm and fabricate. He also teased a possible Reddit pop-up in fans’ futures, as the brand has “been trying to find ways to bring these kinds of experiences [to fans].” But why was now the perfect time to join in on the CES action? Pelz noted the importance of waiting until the post-pandemic buzz was in full swing. In doing so, “we feel like the industry is really interested in hearing from us. And we owe it to them to help them better understand Reddit, and see how it helps them reach their audiences,” he said. The exec also mentioned the importance of deepening existing relationships. “We’re still developing our offerings for businesses, and we want to make sure people stay in the know and find ways to deepen their investment. And then obviously we’re meeting new clients and partners here and introducing ourselves to them.”](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/01/Reddit_at_CES___Photo_3.63c02bfe4fc79.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
But why was now the perfect time to join in on the CES action? Pelz noted the importance of waiting until the post-pandemic buzz was in full swing. In doing so, “we feel like the industry is really interested in hearing from us. And we owe it to them to help them better understand Reddit, and see how it helps them reach their audiences,” he said. The exec also mentioned the importance of deepening existing relationships. “We’re still developing our offerings for businesses, and we want to make sure people stay in the know and find ways to deepen their investment. And then obviously we’re meeting new clients and partners here and introducing ourselves to them.”

The discussion was moderated by HP Inc.’s senior vice president and managing director Stephanie Dismore, who interviewed Karyn Schoenbart, the CEO of The NPD Group Inc., a market research firm. When asked what the biggest roadblock is for women in their respective careers, Schoenbart replied: “Imposter syndrome,” which she said she suffered from her “entire career.” For those who don’t know, “it’s basically this syndrome where competent people feel they will be discovered as fraud,” Schoenbart explained. To get over this feeling, the exec recommended a three-fold approach: One, “start a fan file. Start a file and put in your accomplishments (a positive letter from your boss, for example).” Two, “find people who believe in you. And I don’t just mean people who will support you, but people who will push you out of your comfort zone.” And three—”maybe the most important—is don’t just focus on your weaknesses.”

The result? “Brand iconography was used to create distinctive and functional spaces with their own personality. Each space had a vibrant aesthetic layered with key messages to educate, surprise, and delight,” Staveley said.



Using Canon’s KOKOMO technology—VR technology that utilizes a headset, as described on-site by Christine Sedlacek, Canon’s senior director and general manager of its corporate communications division—guests could “insert themselves into the film.” And in the spirit of the movie’s plot, where a young girl and her parents are taken hostage in their own cabin while vacationing in the woods, participants could also barricade the cabin with virtual objects in a 3-minute VR game, plus speculate how the story ends.






Proto also took CES as an opportunity to debut Proto Beam, the app that lets people beam into a Proto with just their smartphone. The tech aims to make it easier for people, including celebrities, to attend events in hologram form no matter where they are in the world.


![One corner of the activation was home to Kerin Rose Gold of A-Morir Studio, which Rose Gold described as “a 14-year-old, direct-to-consumer brand that specializes in very heavily embellished eyewear, and accessories, and objects worn often by” the likes of “Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, [and] Missy Elliott.” “DIY is a huge part of the work that I do. It’s also a huge part of the work that Pinterest is into. It’s not just about watching videos where you learn how to do something, we also want people to be able to do something. So we’re bringing the internet to them, and so we have live crafting classes here. We’ve also collaborated with Pinterest on a take-home DIY kit that’s not only linked to a PinTV video that I did, but also an idea pin that shows you exactly how to use everything in the kit and how to actually craft at home if you can’t be here,” Rose Gold explained in an on-site interview.](https://img.bizbash.com/files/base/bizbash/bzb/image/2023/01/Pinterest_CES3.63c02d6a5e67b.png?auto=format%2Ccompress&q=70&w=400)
“DIY is a huge part of the work that I do. It’s also a huge part of the work that Pinterest is into. It’s not just about watching videos where you learn how to do something, we also want people to be able to do something. So we’re bringing the internet to them, and so we have live crafting classes here. We’ve also collaborated with Pinterest on a take-home DIY kit that’s not only linked to a PinTV video that I did, but also an idea pin that shows you exactly how to use everything in the kit and how to actually craft at home if you can’t be here,” Rose Gold explained in an on-site interview.




This year, that meant designing, developing, and building out “elements like an immersive Space Perspective flight using high-end projection from above with LED screens all around the attendee and the use of VR,” Charles explained. In layman's terms, the Siemens software simulated the space environment while showcasing how different technologies could possibly one day lead to leisure travel in faraway places. Charles also pointed to the “Nemo’s Garden biosphere showcasing an underwater journey—all while highlighting Siemens’s sustainability theme” and relaying the message, “Dream it. Make it.”
