Maybe the coolest thing about CES last week wasn’t a hot gadget, a concept car, an amazing TV, or a cool innovation. It was the fact that an in-person show actually happened. Last year, COVID forced CES to produce a virtual event. And Jacobs Media staged our own radio-centric version that attracted 350 “attendees.”
While the 2021 show was loaded with information and innovation, we had to watch it all from our homes and offices on our screens. The missing piece is what the Consumer Technology Association calls “serendipity” – that at any point in time you can stumble across something or someone unexpected and special. There is a also a social aspect to CES that cannot be replicated in the virtual space.
COVID & the crowds
Not long after that show, CTA committed to a live event in 2022. The belief was that COVID would subside. And then came delta, and later omicron.
So in just the past several weeks and despite considerable pressure – mostly from the media – CTA held fast, beefed up health protocols, and pulled off CES 2022. All attendees were required to be fully vaccinated, using the excellent Clear app to prove our status. Masks were also non-optional, and I’m pleased to tell you that compliance was excellent at all exhibits.
But the pièce de résistance was that upon registration, attendees received two rapid tests. CTA encouraged CES-goers to take one before hitting the show floor, with the other one reserved for the end of event or upon one’s return back home. Of course, none of these preventative measures are guarantees, but most of the attendees I spoke with were thankful for CTA’s efforts.
CTA procuring these tens of thousand of tests may go down as one of the greatest trade deals of all time. Made by Abbott, the pharma firm ended up with a nifty display exhibit at the Convention Center. And as Susie Hedrick from vCreative quipped, it was the best swag ever.
After attending 13 consecutive CES events, the 2022 show will go down in history as the most unique of them all. Attendance was way off, as you might imagine, given the timing of omicron. CTA estimates a crowd of over 40,000. Most years it is north of 170,000.
Very few radio people were in attendance this year, aside from our two tours and a handful of others who braved the negative hype. And
of course, you read about the many exhibitor cancellations, some of which were announced right before showtime. These created “holes” in exhibit areas, much like you’d see vacant lots in between healthy businesses.
Ironically, this made for the least stressful CES ever. It was easier to maneuver, get from point A to point B, find an Uber or a taxi, get into restaurants – and most importantly, engage with exhibitors. That last element is key. Paul and I have media credentials which are always helpful, but for the average attendee with a badge, access to and face time (OK, “mask time”) with exhibitors was excellent throughout.
The smaller crowds also allowed our tour to include about a half dozen more stops along the way. Ease of mobility and more space in all the halls made it simpler to navigate, and most exhibitors were more than happy to show off their wares and technology. And we had the best CES tour guides in the business – Shawn DuBravac and Steve Koenig.
Eureka Park – the place where small, bootstrap entrepreneurs from around the globe show off their innovations – was as cool and dynamic as ever. I blogged about that exhibit last week. You can read it here.
The spirit of CES – while always great – was intensified at this year’s show. I think most people understood the significance of “the show goes on” and appreciated the chance to enjoy the event – and hang out with one another. Politico said it best:
“CES had a lot of dropouts among the big tech companies that are usually the targets of Washington’s scrutiny. That made for more collegiality between policymakers and smaller exhibitors.”
At the aforementioned Eureka Park, we were taking a water break and ended up at a long table with a group of college kids representing the Seoul Metropolitan Government, promoting Korean tech startups. And it wasn’t long before we started chatting with each other.
They were delightful and excited to be at CES 2022. For most, it was their first visit to the U.S. – and of course, this event.
These are the kind of chance encounters that happen routinely at this show, the ones that don’t get written up in Mashable, Wired, or TechCrunch. Despite decades of difference in our ages, and our hometowns being literally worlds away, we connected over our mutual enthusiasm for the show. That’s CES.
VIPs at CES
We’ve long had a great relationship with Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CTA, and the person most responsible for sticking with his conviction of making this year’s show happen.
A number of years ago, Gary wrote a book called “Ninja Innovation,” which emphasizes the importance of cultivating the right mindset to get the job done, even in the face of adversity. Over these past several weeks, he pulled out some of those tactics, showing much courage, resilience, and passion in innovating his way into producing CES 2022.
We had heard stories Gary was under pressure to move CES to the spring. But for those who attended last week, there is a huge value in starting the new year in Las Vegas in this unique atmosphere of innovation.
Gary was kind enough to kick off our two tours at the spacious and beautiful new West Hall, answer questions, and take photos with the group. It meant a lot that the head of the entire operation took the time to meet and greet our attendees.
Our tour was followed by a cocktail party at the Bellagio, courtesy of Xperi, Quu, Beasley, and vCreative. And later, a dinner for Jacobs tour attendees, including the new NAB CEO, Curtis LeGeyt.
For Curtis (pictured), it was his first speech since becoming the head of the broadcasting industry’s most important trade organization.
I can tell you he is sincere, smart, and focused on helping broadcasters achieve their goals in the coming years, and to not only survive in a very intense and difficult environment but to thrive.
As you probably have read in the trades, Curtis is committed to an in-person NAB Show in April. I believe seeing CES reinforced his enthusiasm for bringing the radio and TV broadcasting industries this spring for a Las Vegas show.
A very different auto show
By now, you’ve heard about the big name car companies that pulled out of CES. They include GM, Ford, Mercedes-Benz, and others.
But many also showed up, including the Fiat Chrysler line (along with allied brands under the Stellantis umbrella brand), Hyundai, and of course, the BMW iX Flow concept you saw at the top of today’s post.
The latter captured a lot of eyeballs and generated much buzz for its ability to change colors. In actuality, it changes shades, from black to white to (yes) many shades of gray.
The wrap is like the e-ink process you’ve seen before on Amazon Kindles. It’s a very cool effect, and another example of technology being creatively used to personalize our favorite vehicles.
Many of the cars on display this year at CES were absolutely beautiful but also cleverly equipped with impressive technology. In fact, we were stunned to see amazing innovations from a different array of car companies, some of which we’d never heard of.
One of the three pictured here is a Fisker (above left) – eponymously named for its owner Henrik Fisker, famous for his design of the BMW Z8 and the Aston Martin DB9. One of his new vehicles features an amazing rotating dashboard screen so its owner can take in “Diehard” while the vehicle is charging. It was another sign about the rising importance of video content and display in cars.
The VinFast (pictured middle above) is a Vietnamese entry, the first to display at CES. It has a fascinating system that “reads” the driver’s mood and delivers a climate/infotainment experience to match. So, if you’re stressed about a format change or you lost a big buy, the vehicle responds with a relaxing soundtrack to help you regain your emotional equilibrium.
The Togg from Turkey is a very cool vehicle. If you remember last year’s Mercedes-Benz “Hyperscreen” that took up the entire width of the car, the Togg (right above) has a similar design. The pillar to pillar display was a reminder to our attendees about the importance of radio looking as good as possible in the dashboards of the future (and the present).
As has been the case in recent years, electrification and autonomous vehicles continued to be the two technologies in the forefront. We saw both converge in all sorts of different treatments, including coast-to-coast semi trucks, utility/delivery trucks, and of course sedan and SUV treatments.
But what has become even more common this year are the companies that create what is now being called “skateboard chassis.” An Israeli firm, REE, is one of these. Their platform can be
used by any company to bolt on a body, seats, and infotainment systems.
If you remember the long-running rumor about an Apple Car, the chassis was said to be one of REE’s. This manufacturing concept allows for a wide range of vehicles, designs, and types that can be easily built on this platform.
Where was radio?
That is THE question.
And it’s one we’ve been asking the last 13 years at CES, especially to the many auto executives and marketing reps we meet as we move from one spectacular exhibit to another.
The fact is, “infotainment systems” (as they’re often called) simply weren’t in the forefront this year. And that’s been the case at these CES extravaganzas. The automotive sector has for the most part moved to the new West Hall. And while we saw some incredible innovations, as well as much progress with AI, electrification, and autonomous driving, the dashboard content is often an afterthought. It is more about design and function than it is the specifics of what ends up where.
Our question – “Is there an AM/FM radio in that vehicle?” – is typically met with surprise or a shrug. More often than not, we hear drivers will be able to bring in whatever content they like, typically from their mobile phones. To our ear, this underscores the importance of a radio station’s presence on mobile devices.
But it also a harsh reminder that drivers (and other folks in the car) will be able to choose from a variety of different sources, platforms, channels, and stations. And for radio operators and programmers, this begs the question of whether their content will cut it in radio’s most popularly listening location historically.
The main point our tour attendees often tell us is that after two hours of exhibit hopping, they often wonder out loud, “Where is radio?”
And the answer was Xperi. (In fact, they’ve been present – formerly iBiquity – at every CES we’ve attended.) The fact they had a strong presence at CES 2022 was meaningful when others opted to pull out.
We once again included the makers of HD Radio in our tour itinerary. The big attraction this year was Xperi’s DTS AutoStage dashboard display, an impressive looking product that helps keep radio front and center in many vehicles.
Gary Shapiro welcomed our broadcast executives this year, but radio continues to make up a miniscule part of CES 2022’s technological array of creativity and innovation.
It is essential for radio broadcasters to stay in the game with the technology, but also give consumers – and that includes automotive and Tier One execs, car dealerships and their sellers, and of course, listeners – a reason to demand radios continue to be standard features in the majority of the new vehicles that roll off the assembly lines around the world.
We will be back in Las Vegas for the NAB, of course. And we will also be on hand a year from now for CES 2023. Join us – or better yet, be a part of our tours – for that show.
This week, we’ll announce a free webinar that will cover all the highlights from this year’s show – and what they mean to radio. Stay tuned for info on the date and details.
And I invite you to read Inside Radio’s wrap-up of their CES 2022 coverage in today’s edition. You can access it here.
Jacobs Media has consistently walked the walk in the digital space, providing insights and guidance through its well-read national Techsurveys.
In 2008, jacapps was launched - a mobile apps company that has designed and built more than 1,300 apps for both the Apple and Android platforms. In 2013, the DASH Conference was created - a mashup of radio and automotive, designed to foster better understanding of the "connected car" and its impact.
Along with providing the creative and intellectual direction for the company, Fred consults many of Jacobs Media's commercial and public radio clients, in addition to media brands looking to thrive in the rapidly changing tech environment.
Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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