Event Marketer Spring 2023 - 33

FIELD REPORT
THREE TOP TECH TRENDS FROM
CES 2023
CES is a hot bed of consumer technology, of course. But it's
also a bellwether of what's to come in experiential technology
across the event marketing landscape. This year's show
produced a range of high-tech booth engagements designed
to create a little drama on the ground IRL and then drive
attendees into virtual worlds via friction-free access points,
like the almighty QR code. Here are three tech trends we
spotted:
QR codes were on display at just about every booth we visited, whether they were printed on tabletop signs,
projected onto vehicles, incorporated into large wall displays or distributed on business cards.
Just like ADT's friendly EvoGuard robot attracted curious passersby into its Safer City, several other booths
took advantage of robotics, bringing them in as special guests. Mitsubishi Electric used two robots to show
off its platforms and entertain attendees. Boston Dynamics' Spot agile mobile robot and the autonomous
Cartken Delivery Robot meandered around their own enclosed exhibit spaces, showing their capabilities on
inclines, declines and textured surfaces. British tech company HYPERVSN stood out with its holographic
displays, including a 16-foot-tall SmartV Holographic Human.
The metaverse is still an evolving concept, and brands put their own spin on it-in a physical space. Microsoft
caught our attention with a live demonstration of the FIAT Metaverse Store, one of the world's first
metaverse-powered interactive showrooms. A sales associate appearing on a tall, wide screen inside the
metaverse showroom spoke to an in-person presenter in real time, answering questions and explaining the
car's features.
VOLKSWAGEN
track to film a variety of angles for the cinematic
experience, in partnership with Vū
Studio and Mark Roberts Motion Control
Ltd. Following the filming, Nikon played
the final video that combined the physical
and virtual world, showing attendees
how filmmakers can use this technology
to shoot against any background without
certain constraints found in the real
world.
PINTEREST
Off the show floor at The Cosmopolitan
of Las Vegas, Pinterest transformed the
restaurant Scarpetta into a futuristic space
with iridescent lighting, bright colors and
sparkly textures reflecting its theme of
" The future looks bright from here. " Pinterest
created an exploration of its user
eventmarketer.com
communities and invited attendees to discover
beauty, fashion and home trends
coming in 2023 through its annual " Pinterest
Predicts " trend report available on
iPads at the front desk. Visual and stylistic
trends from the report influenced the look
of the meeting rooms to create vibrant
spaces. An interactive wall vinyl asked
attendees what they're dreaming of and
encouraged them to scan a QR code to
add their dream pins to Pinterest's shared
2023 vision board. Participants could also
bedazzle an accessory in crystals with the
help of eyewear designer Kerin Rose Gold
in a workshop area. (Partner: Amplify)
REDDIT
For its first activation at CES, Reddit
brought its communities and conversations
to life through an interactive " Future
Tellers " house of clairvoyance, decorated
in the brand's signature orange, at the
Wynn Las Vegas over two days. Welcomed
by Reddit's manifesto to " Find
Your People " and guided by future-facing
phrases on the floor, attendees encountered
games that brought popular Reddit
acronyms to life, a digital art installation
that allowed attendees to explore
future-forward subreddits and communities,
a tea bar that leveraged Reddit threads
and a " true-or-false " touch-screen game.
(Agency: Giant Spoon)
SAMSUNG
Samsung's booth created an air of mystery
with tall white walls that blocked off
any potential peeks into what was inside.
SPRING 2023 EVENT MARKETER
33

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Event Marketer Spring 2023

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