CES Scales Up While Companies Push Back
 

The Consumer Electronics Show is being pushed in ever-more-glamorous directions as organizers attempt to top themselves every year. Much like the final years of the E3 event, this week's showcase will feature loud music and brightly-lit stages. At the same time, also mirroring E3, the big businesses that drive CES are starting to rethink the need for the event itself.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/07/te...ss&oref=slogin

I had an extensive course on event management looking at both sides, and loosing focus is THE biggest killer for any sort of event.

Since have the reason people go to CES is to network, I think it would be ridiculous to even try and think about scaling it back the same way E3 died. Remember that there are ~140,000 attendees, and many of them are real industry execs, unlike the media and attendees who faked their way into E3.

Perhaps I am a bit biased since I am at CES right now. ;)

Also from what I hear, this is the first year auto stuff has taken hold at the show... first year any auto manufacturer has even given a presentation, let alone had a section of the show dedicated to automotive gadgetry. GM even drove their Volt onstage.

Plenty of room to rethink and narrow down the core focus, but there is no way CES would go the way of E3. To many big giants behind it and to much demand for showcasing their products I figure.

When everyone wants a showcase, many won't get one.


Look at te 2nd Gen Zune, it recieved a lot of attention when it was released because it was alone. If they released it at CES, noone would have noticed.