5 Ways To Get Media Attention at CES
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is the place to be if you’re interested in the latest in technology and consumer electronics. More than 100,000 people attend the show each year. Thousands of companies exhibit and thousands of members of the press attend the show looking for projects and stories to share with their audiences. CES is a place to see and be seen. But with more than 3000 exhibitors all vying for the public’s attention, it can be difficult to stand out. How do you get the media to come to your booth when you’re surrounded by innovative and exciting startups and companies? Here are 5 ways to get media attention at CES:
Make Yourself Visible
The first step to generating media attention at CES is to make yourself visible. CES offers some great built-in tools for its exhibitors. Write a compelling press release and upload it to the press portal. Journalists will scan the portal for stories. If your brand isn’t there, they won’t know to look for you! The portal allows visitors to see all CES exhibitors’ press releases in a single feed. Your press release needs a catchy headline and should include your booth number. It also needs to outline all of your products, awards, and events related to the show. Include photos and videos that help educate the press and public.
Be proactive
Uploading a press release is important, but is also a passive way to conduct PR for trade shows, especially for a show as big as CES. In addition to your press release, you’ll want to pitch your story directly to the bloggers and journalists attending the show. All CES exhibitors can access the event’s media list. The list includes names and email addresses for every person who registered to attend with a media badge. The list can be daunting. Not every journalist on the list is going to be a good fit for your brand. Someone on your team will need to comb through it and identify journalists to pitch. A pitch is much shorter and more conversational than a press release. It should include an intro to your company and a booth number along with a quick pitch for why their audience would be interested in your story.
Attend Media Days
CES Media Days take place before the show floor officially opens. They include press events, presentations, and keynotes. It’s a great opportunity for generating media coverage for new product launches and unveilings, as much of the press that attends CES will be there. There are a few events to participate in. Showstoppers is one of the more popular events. Companies showcase their products in front of hundreds of members of the media. Other CES media events include CES Unveiled, which is the official media event of CES, and CES Tech Trends to Watch. Companies can also host a Media Days Power Session. There are other private media events taking place across Las Vegas before and during CES, so it is important to stay keyed into that area.
Bring Excitement to Your Booth
A lot of the press attending CES are looking for exciting stories with visual elements. Design your booth in a way that draws people in. Look for opportunities to attract the media. You could host product raffles, demonstrations, celebrity meet-n-greets, and more. The most successful companies at CES have activities happening at their booth. Think about ways you can educate and entertain an audience.
Watch for Press Badges
CES helps people identify one another during the show by color coding their show badges. Exhibitors typically wear one color around their neck, while attendees, buyers, and the media wear other colors. On day one of the show, identify which color badges the media is wearing and lure those people into your booth. Ask them what kinds of stories they’re working on and, if appropriate, give them your best elevator pitch.
These are just some of the ways to get media attention at CES. With earned media coverage, it is always a bit of a gamble as to whether or not they’ll love your pitch. But they definitely won’t find you if you don’t let them know who you are and what you’re doing!
Want to work with Orca Communications on a PR campaign for CES or your next big trade show? Talk to our team about our exclusive trade show media blitz packages. You can also see our list of the Best Trade Shows for Press Attendance.