Packing List: What to Know Before CES 2025

It’s that time again, CES is upon us! As many celebrate the Holidays spanning Thanksgiving, Christmas and the New Year, the consumer electronics industry is busy at work preparing for its biggest, most influential trade show of the year. That’s right, as soon as the Times Square ball drops, it’s a last-minute scramble to finish preparation for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Commonly known as CES, the show is expected to attract more than 130,000 consumer tech insiders including manufacturers, retailers, media, and more.

What’s the attraction? Well, it’s the one place where the latest technology goes on display for all to see, and it provides a sneak peek at the new gadgets that will be available to consumers in the year ahead.

While CES does bring with it glorious tech-filled days, it’s also a brutal endeavor filled with massive crowds, endless lines, and it is daunting to navigate the seemingly endless exhibit space.

For those venturing to their first CES in 2025, here are a few tips that I’ve learned along the way.

CES Survival Tip #1: It’s All About the Shoes

CES is spread over multiple convention centers and countless hotels around the Las Vegas strip. While the exhibit halls at the Last Vegas Convention Center (or LVCC) have set hours, chances are your working hours will far exceed those times. Opt for sneakers over dress shoes, and layer your clothing to adapt to changing temperatures. Regardless of your schedule or planned attire, wear comfortable footwear—it will be crucial to your survival!

CES Survival Tip #2: Hydrate, then Hydrate More

Las Vegas is a desert—dry and unforgiving. Plus, with long hours, running to meetings around town, and constant networking, it’s very easy to forget to drink water. However, it’s the single most important thing you can consume to keep your energy up, plus it will keep you from getting sick.

CES Survival Tip #3: Rest Up When You Can

A good night’s sleep is probably rare in Las Vegas regardless of the time of year, but it’s especially difficult during CES. Between early mornings on the show floor and late night dinners with customers, colleagues, and partners, the days can be very long. Find time to get off your feet when you can. Remember, when it comes to CES, it’s a marathon and not a sprint.

CES Survival Tip #4: Always Give Yourself Extra Time

Normally in Las Vegas, getting around is pretty easy, thanks to plenty of taxis and no shortage of ride share options. But with the influx of people in town for the biggest show in Tech, just getting a cab can feel like an eternity. If you have a meeting you’re trying to get to at the booth at the sprawling LVCC or elsewhere on the strip, always pad the amount of time you expect it will take to get there—you are going to need it.

CES Survival Tip #5: Master the Maze

Las Vegas hotels are intentionally designed to be labyrinths. However, it is sometimes better to cut right through the hotels to get to your next destination, rather than walking around them or waiting in taxi lines. Make time to familiarize yourself with the layouts of the convention centers and the hotels you know you’ll be visiting. You might just find that navigating through the indoors is quicker, so long as you don’t get lost in the maze (hat tip M. Brandon Lee)!

CES Survival Tip #6: Prioritize Health

Things are more or less back to normal, post-pandemic. However, even in a normal year the amount of people from around the world, together in tight spaces, pose a health risk. Before you go, get up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots for everyone’s benefit.

It’s also important to get plenty of rest, eat healthy meals, and review the latest health and safety guidelines. Consider carrying masks, keep your distance from fellow attendees, opt for outside air flow and open spaces whenever possible, and never be far from hand sanitizer.

CES Survival Tip #7: Learn Something

There’s a lot of work that goes into CES prior to to the show’s official start in Las Vegas, and many grueling hours once you hit the show floor. But after many years of attending this show, there’s for sure nothing quite like it. 

CES showcases new and revolutionary technology. It’s where tech trends for the year ahead begin. It is the one place where the world comes to display the latest innovations, and not just when it comes to wireless technology, home automation, and smart home devices.

As both a marketer and as someone who loves technology, there’s a lot to absorb. Take plenty of pictures. Bring a pocket notebook to take notes. Be sure to capture interesting things you see.

Just make sure you come away from this event with some new learnings.

A Battery That Lasts Longer Than Yours

I often discuss the interplay between brand marketing and performance marketing, as well as the intersection of the two combined. However, brand campaigns can blend together with product marketing in interesting ways as well.  

That’s what Sennheiser's new campaign for their Momentum 4 Wireless headphones does exceptionally well. It’s a clever blend of humor and relatable storytelling, specifically highlighting the impressive 60-hour battery life. In partnership with Ogilvy Amsterdam, Sennheiser developed a campaign that taps into the universal experience of commuter fatigue that makes the feature benefit a little more relatable. 

The campaign features candid shots of people napping on public transportation, showcasing the headphones' unwavering performance even when their owners are fast asleep. 

The message is clear: while your battery might give out, the Momentum 4 Wireless headphones will keep going strong.

Shot guerilla-style with a handheld camera, the campaign captures the raw, authentic moments of commuting life. The viewer is invited to peek into the lives of fellow passengers, adding a touch of humor and relatability.

There’s a clear consumer goal communicated here, which is that people want to listen to music uninterrupted for hours. They’ve also incorporated a key human insight here that makes the message more emotional, showing how hard-working people who give it their all during the day simply fall asleep on their commute at the end of the day.

There’s a subtle aspirational quality to the creative as well, seeing people who give it their all and push themselves. It’s what we admire in other ads featuring famous athletes leaving it all on the court or on the field. Here, it feels a little closer to home as Sennheiser opted instead to show “normal” people exhibiting the same dedication.

Pixel 9 Review: First Impressions and Beyond

I love nerding out on the latest tech, so I thought I’d share some of my initial reactions to Google’s new Pixel 9. Full disclosure, I’ve always loved Pixel phones. Plus, at least in my mind, Android has always delivered more than other OS options. 

With that confession out of the way, I will say the Pixel 9 is the best Pixel phone yet. 

Let’s start with the design: it is amazing.

Google was much more intentional about delivering a high end device this time around. The flat back and flat aluminum frame give the device an incredibly refined look. The latter is one of the main reasons I upgraded from a Pixel 8, which had tapered edges that looked great and gave the device the illusion of a thinner profile.

Sure, the new design does look more iPhone-like, but that's not a bad thing. Most importantly, the edges of the Pixel 9 feel so much better in the hand and makes it easier to hold. 

The previous generation Pixel was the first phone I’ve used without a case and that trend continues with the Pixel 9. That’s how good it looks and feels! Notably, the latest phone feels more durable and solid, so I do have more peace of mind. Even the buttons on the side are more sturdy and responsive, lending to that overall premium fit and finish.

My favorite part of the design, though, has to be the matte finish along the sides. It’s actually one of the reasons I chose the 9 over the 9 Pro, which has a polished finish. 

Beyond the design, I need to talk about the display. Of course, this is one of the most important features of any phone. The new Pixel 9 features a 120Hz refresh rate that lends a more premium response. It’s brighter than the Pixel 8 and it just seems infinitely more responsive to every touch or swipe. 

Matching the buttery smooth experience is incredible brightness of up to 2,700 nits. The Pixel 9’s new Acuity display is one of the best displays of any phone this year. While hiking recently, I searched for a podcast to listen to and even in the bright sunlight, the visuals were sharp and clear.

Battery life is solid. While the screen’s refresh rate doesn’t go down to 1Hz like the Pixel 9 Pro, I’m seeing stable performance thanks to Google’s adaptive battery. Best of all, I’m not running into overheating issues like I did with the Pixel 8, so I suspect that the new Tensor G4 processor is managing processes extremely well. Plus, there’s no sign of stutters, lag, or slowdowns either. 

As for the camera, Pixel devices have always been impressive. This generation is no exception. 

So far, the camera on the Pixel 9 is simply awesome. On paper, specs don’t reveal a major difference from the Pixel 8. However, Pixel 9 gets a new 48 MP ultra-wide lens supporting autofocus and macro functionality.

That is a huge upgrade! 

The combination of lenses feels very complete in this generation. Low light photos are much improved, even without moving up to the Pro. Still, truly incredible all-around performance. 

With an amazing form-factor, a fluid and bright display, and versatile camera configuration, I can’t recommend the phone enough. 

For me at least the design is the most radical improvement, but there are many small things done right to make this feel like a true flagship-level device. 

The Google Pixel 9 is one of the best Android phones you can get in this price range—full stop.

British Airways Redefines Travel Marketing: A Must-See Campaign

Sometimes you need to be bold to reinvent yourself. 

British Airways clearly accepted this challenge in its new ad campaign that attempts to re-establish its premium brand positioning, amid internal struggles and encroaching competition.

The airline went so bold that its ‘Windows’ ads don’t appear to be ads at all. There’s no tagline, no website URL, no call to action, no QR code. Even the logo is hardly visible.

Out of home executions feature uniquely cropped imagery that at first may seem off-kilter, like they were printed in error, undoubtedly prompting some bystanders to look twice. 

According to the airline, the campaign is designed to "capture the wonder on customers’ faces when they look out of an aircraft window and onto the world from 35,000 feet."

‘Windows’ is clearly a departure from your typical travel advertising, which often shows gleaming planes soaring across an open, majestic sky. Or, exotic locales where travelers frolic happily in their intended destinations. 

British Airways is no stranger to bold advertising

Instead of using the traditional travel advertising playbook, Uncommon Creative Studio – the London-based agency behind the creative – put the focus squarely on travelers’ emotions as they look towards their destination while building on British Airways’ 'A British Original' positioning. 

British Airways isn’t new to emotional campaigns. In 2022, the airline used OOH, digital, and print placements to highlight relatable reasons to fly. Once again, the ads were void of traditional product benefits, promotional prices, or specific calls to action, showing the airline understood travelers and their motivations.

Brand marketing that sells more than value 

Brands that are looking to move up-market should tap into something more than a customer’s basic needs or their hunt for value. Ultimately, British Airways knows that price isn’t an area where they will be able to compete against low-cost European counterparts. 

This campaign aims to solidify BA’s brand and positioning before travelers begin their search for flights, and even before price comes into account. But when that happens, the travelers are confronted with a tradeoff. Should I spend $100 more for a British Airways experience, or save $100 and settle for a discount airline that simply gets me there? 

What’s more is that the airline isn’t touting features or where they can deliver value. For example, BA is not advertising slightly more comfortable seats, or more convenient routes, or recently remodeled terminals. Diving into those features may very well bring it back to price for the traveler. Is it really worth paying $100 more to have just a slightly better seat?

That line of consumer decision making is what this campaign is cleverly trying to avoid altogether. 

Of course, the bravado of this campaign works because British Airways already has an iconic brand with strong awareness. Still, it underscores that powerful brand marketing has the potential to shift perceptions and expectations, ultimately making the purchase decision about excitement, emotion, and much more than dollars and cents. 

In the case of British Airways, they’re not trying to convince you to choose the cheapest airline, or even the one with the most bang for the buck. They want you to believe that having a truly great trip is only about choosing the right airline.

Beyond the Brochure: Where "Ultimate Driving Machine" Becomes Reality at the BMW Performance Center

When I was in high school my parents had a BMW 3 Series wagon. I have so many fond memories of this car. Once on the road, this seemingly demure family hauler truly embodied the brand’s late ‘90's to early 2000's slogan: The Ultimate Driving Machine.

Responsive acceleration, grippy brakes, and precise steering, were some of the qualities that made the car an absolute blast to drive. It also handled like a dream thanks to the near perfect 50:50 weight distribution—something of an obsession by BMW engineers.

Simply put, the car was made to be driven. For those who love driving, these qualities are what makes a BMW so thrilling every time you get behind the wheel.

However, BMW didn’t just stop with creating a high-performance product. They’ve long created experiences that showcase what The Ultimate Driving Machine really means to owners and non-owners alike. Perhaps no better place to experience the thrills is at BMW’s Performance Center West. 

Located about 45 minutes southeast of Palm Springs, the driving school consists of several race tracks within a private club in Thermal, California. There are a range of programs available, from a teen driving school to Mini stunt driving program to intense two-day track events. I recently had the pleasure of taking the M Performance Course where I put a BMW M3 Competition through its paces. 

Following some light refreshments in the Center's lounge and instruction space, and a surprisingly quick tutorial on track fundamentals from a seasoned racing driver and instructor, it was time to get behind the wheel. 

Turning on to the racing track, we followed the instructor on a reconnaissance lap to get familiar with the course. Slowly we followed the instructor, mirroring his path, how he turned into each corner, braking when he slowed down, accelerating when sped up 

After only one intro lap, it was time to open up our M3’s. 

With each adrenaline-pumping lap at speed, the instructor continued to provide on-going tips over the radio, like when to brake, reminders to accelerate out of turns, and suggestions to help refine our skills and lap times.

Trying to keep only a few car lengths from the instructor’s car I hit higher and higher speeds—close to 120 mph—and felt the G forces increase as I tamed over 500 horsepower around the twists and turns. 

The experience certainly helped forge my performance driving skills. It also kept the focus on what sets BMW vehicles apart. 

BMW’s promise of building The Ultimate Driving Machine isn’t just about speeds and feeds. It’s about delivering sheer driving pleasure to anyone who gets behind the wheel. 

At BMW’s Performance Center, that ethos is perfectly brought to life in a one-of-a-kind experience. You can see the caliper size of the M3’s massive Brembo brakes on a table of specs, but feeling of their stopping power before heading into a turn and smelling the pads after a pit stop gives you a completely different understanding of the product feature. 

In a crowded marketplace, experiential events like these can help brands stand out from traditional marketing strategies and grab consumer attention. The community built at the performance center was also amazing. Everyone was there for the same reason, and that made for a great day.

This event also perfectly reinforces and envelops participants in the brand message as they learn about products in a fun and interactive way. After all, the path to purchase for premium products is by no means linear. Plus, there’s even an opportunity for brands to gather valuable data and insights to inform future marketing efforts. 

I am not even in-market for a new car, yet somehow I found myself venturing to BMW’s website to learn more about the vehicle I happily tortured around the track. 

While navigating the course, as my heart rate went up, I got closer to understanding my limits, as well as the car’s (considerable) limits. It also revealed that there’s a lot more to BMW than a tagline. That’s the point at which the promise of a slogan gives way to a memorable brand. 

For me, the experience in Thermal brought back childhood memories of that 3 Series wagon I had a love affair with, amid some adolescent mischief. It also reminded me that BMW hasn’t lost their way. Even decades later, at least in my mind, BMW remains The Ultimate Driving Machine.

Prepare for the Future: How Digital Marketing Will Change in 2024

From the explosion of AI to the exploits of X, it’s been an exciting year for social media, e-commerce, and digital marketing in general. 

There are countless trends to watch and predictions to make for next year. Here are just a few of the things I’m thinking about as I look to the year ahead. 

Cookies are Being Deprecated

Third-party cookies for ad targeting and measurement are going away. This is huge. 

According to eMarketer, more than $123 billion in programmatic advertising is transacted via real-time bidding on the open internet—much of that being guided by the use of cookies today. 

As a result, brands, agencies, publishers, and ad tech companies, all have to rethink their media strategies in 2024. The entire advertising industry will shift to new targeting and measurement technologies in the year ahead, if they haven’t already.

Immersive In-person Shopping Experiences

During the pandemic, we loved browsing our favorite products from the comfort of our own homes. However, shopping behavior during this past year indicates something truly shocking, at least to me: brick-and-mortar isn’t going away. 

In-store sales have rebounded post-pandemic, and most businesses are confident that physical stores will continue to play a large role in the purchase journey. 

As such, brands need to invest in enhancing the customer’s in-store shopping experience to stand out from the competition. This is especially important when put into the context of an omnichannel landscape, where shopping can happen anytime, anywhere. 

The journey to the store is no longer just transactional, either. Enjoying the in-store experience is the main reason 35% of consumers shop in-store, and another 24% want to interact with products before buying.

Perhaps the biggest opportunities will be in bridging the online and offline gap, which might include options for: buy online, pickup in-store (BOPIS); buy in-store, ship to home; buy online, return in-store. These will all be important to savvy shoppers in 2024. 

More Selling with Video

Video had a huge impact on the shopping journey this past year, with 54% percent of consumers demanding more video content from brands.

Video will continue to have a massive influence, helping shoppers decide which product or brand to buy, as well as enhance the in-store experience. That’s also why online retailers are introducing more video advertising units and live streams within their platforms. 

Brands will likely embrace more video across social media, where selling via live videos on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others, is likely to grow. That’s apparent in the continued shopping capabilities that are being added to social media platforms. 

Of course, B2C brands are doubling down on short-form video and UGC content for good reason. The ROI on short-form videos is there, and that’s expected to continue next year. 

All Eyes are on YouTube

YouTube always amazes me. I’ve seen success on the platform from my own campaigns and content initiatives. In 2024, it’ll continue to be ripe with opportunities for brands and marketers. 

According to eMarketer, YouTube accounts for more than 20% of ad revenues and time spent with CTV in the U.S. That’s staggering, and it shows that the platform is building a following, even on the big screen. 

YouTube also caters to a wide audience, with Gen Zers and millennials accounting for the majority of viewers. YouTube’s influence is also expanding, fueled by a younger demographic deeply engaged with the platform. While TikTok and Instagram get all the buzz, Pew Research reports that 19% of teens use YouTube “almost constantly.” 

YouTube Shorts specifically shouldn’t be ignored in 2024. While daily views are still eclipsed by Meta’s Reels, YouTube Short generates more than 50 billion daily views and it’s growing rapidly. 

eMarketer predicts that YouTube’s growth will reach double digits in 2024 and 2025 and will exceed Hulu by 2025. That is just incredible and reveals the impact that YouTube still has on audiences. 

A Shift to Nano-influencers

Influencer marketing seems to have taken hold this past year, as brands become more savvy and embrace the fact that people follow people on social media. 

But what exactly is an influencer? That’s the question brands will grapple with in the year ahead. 

While macro influencers will continue to drive broader reach and brand recognition, there will likely be more opportunities for nano-influencers, or those with anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 followers. 

For brands, these influencers offer two advantages: lower cost and higher engagement. 

Consumers are on a Quest for Quality

The cost-of-living crisis hit hard consumers hard this year. Inflation, among other economic trends, are making consumers reevaluate their spending habits and prioritize long-lasting, premium items.

This was a BFCM 2023 trend where shoppers did hold out during big shopping moments earlier in the year to spend during Holiday. 

Beyond promotional cadence, brands should enhance their premium product offerings to cater to this rising demand. If you have a unique product story that emphasizes quality and longevity, tell it loudly and proudly.  

Shoppers are also looking for other qualities in their decision-making. Specifically, sustainability isn’t just a buzzword anymore. There should be messaging that speaks to what brands are doing to address it, either in their product, the packaging, or through other corporate programs, to appeal to the modern, socially conscious consumer. 

That too feeds into the shoppers’ quest for quality, where consumers say they’re willing to pay a premium for sustainably sourced items. Sustainability is also factoring into brand loyalty, especially among Gen Z. 

Rise of Retail Media Networks (RMNs)

Retailers are still investing heavily to create omni-channel digital experiences both in-store and online. The innovation here is really being led by Amazon, Walmart, and Instacart.

Stores will become more like their online counterparts, leveraging technology like self-service scanners and cashierless checkout, to produce more seamless shopping experiences. 

Online, retail media networks will get even better with new targeting capabilities, cross-selling and upselling opportunities, and provide easy access to retailer first-party data—critical in this new cookie-less world we live in. 

These retail media networks will grow by an estimated $10 billion this year, fueled by their ability to capture omnichannel sales attribution, tie online experiences to offline sales, and extend access to shopper data to exciting new digital ad formats such as social media, streaming video, and other offsite media. 

Closing Thought

By no means is this an exhaustive list. However, these are just a few trends and tactics I’ll be taking into consideration as prep for 2024 gets underway. What are you excited to lean into? Send me an email with some of your marketing predictions for this year.