Jan 4, 2025
Every January the tech world converges on Las Vegas for CES, produced by the Consumer Technology Association. It is where product roadmaps go public, where startups meet buyers and press in the same aisle, and where the year’s design language for consumer electronics gets set. For exhibitors it is also one of the most demanding shows on the calendar. Here is what makes CES so influential and what that means for your booth.
The whole industry is in one place
CES draws manufacturers, component suppliers, retailers, distributors, investors and media across consumer electronics, automotive technology, smart home, health tech, gaming and AI. Deals that would take months of travel happen across three or four days. That density is why announcements made at CES carry through the rest of the year – the audience that matters is already in the room.
It sets the trends
Because so many companies unveil products at the same moment, CES functions as an annual snapshot of where technology is heading. Vehicle makers show software-defined cars, display companies show what screens will look like in two years, and entire categories – from home robots to personal health devices – get their first public read on the CES floor. Exhibiting there positions a brand inside that story rather than reacting to it.
Press coverage is unmatched
Thousands of journalists, analysts and creators cover CES. A well-designed booth with a clear demo is a content engine: it gets photographed, filmed and shared. That is why booth design at CES is less about square footage and more about a single, legible idea that reads from the aisle and translates to a phone screen.
What CES demands from your exhibit
Scale and competition. You are next to the largest brands in the world. A modest space can still win attention with a strong hanging sign, a bold color field and one hero demo, but it has to be deliberate.
Live technology. Screens, sensors, vehicles and robots all need power, data, mounting and sightlines planned into the structure – not bolted on at the venue. We engineer AV and product integration into the build from the first drawing.
Logistics. CES spans the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding venues, with strict move-in windows, union labor jurisdictions and heavy drayage. Exhibits that assemble fast and ship light save real money here. From our La Mirada shop, Las Vegas is an overnight run, which lets us stage complete booths in-house and deliver them ready to stand.
Durability. Four days of dense traffic is hard on finishes and graphics. Materials should be chosen for the abuse, with replacement graphics on hand.
How to stand out at CES
Lead with one demo, not ten. Make the structure photograph well from a low angle. Put the product at eye level with clean lighting and no reflections. Give staff a place to have a real conversation away from the aisle. And plan the booth as an asset that can travel to other shows through the year, so the CES investment keeps working.
Beaver XP designs, fabricates and installs custom exhibits for CES and other major technology shows from our Southern California facility. If you are planning a CES presence, tell us your space and your goals and we will return a line-item quote and a design direction built for that floor.
Frequently asked questions
When and where is CES held?
CES takes place every January in Las Vegas, Nevada, across the Las Vegas Convention Center and nearby venues, produced by the Consumer Technology Association.
Who exhibits at CES?
Consumer electronics, automotive technology, smart home, health tech, gaming, AI and component companies of every size, from startups to the largest global brands.
How far in advance should I plan a CES booth?
Reserve space as early as the show allows and begin exhibit design four to six months before the show so engineering, fabrication and show-service orders are not rushed.
