CES 2023: The High-Tech Inventions and High-Level Activations That Caught Our Eye

The CES Innovation Awards program honors outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products across home accessories, health and fitness, wearable tech, computer hardware, and more. The judging panel is made up of executives from the likes of NBCUniversal, Southwest Airlines, Amazon, Adobe, and more.

Of the 2023 honorees was the world’s first-ever smart aquarium, the AI Aquarium. The high-tech tank helps fish owners identify marine life in real time thanks to an intuitive virtual-real fusion system that recognizes aquatic species and shows corresponding information on a transparent display according to the onlooker’s line of sight. The tech makes use of a compact apparatus and draws on data from an extensive database of marine life, and once it’s set up, it’s contact-free.

In its first-ever CES activation, Reddit took over a ballroom at the Wynn to introduce its “Future Tellers” installation. In an on-site interview with Reddit’s vice president of business marketing, Timo Pelz, the exec told BizBash that when building out “this kind of experience, we like to ground ourselves in a manifesto that’s really rooting us in the experience of people that come together on Reddit.” Thus, a future-telling motif was appropriate. For reference, as a curated wall in the experience pointed out, Bitcoin was first talked about on Reddit in mid-2010. “I always like to put that in perspective—that’s the same year the first iPad came out,” Pelz said. “There’s this forward-looking nature of Reddit that inspired this because when we look back, there have been instances in the past where things that are mainstream today have been talked about on Reddit a long time ago.”

Fittingly, the space was anchored by an oversized, Reddit-branded crystal ball-type structure fabricated by Giant Spoon (the team behind Reddit’s CES and Cannes activations). Here, activation visitors could get a glimpse on what Redditors are talking about today that may sound ludacris now, but will become mainstream in the coming years. “We talked to 2,000 people that are Reddit users—who are also using Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, and YouTube—to try and figure out what they’re thinking about for the future, how they’re adapting new trends, and what’s driving the research,” Pelz said of the crystal ball’s content.

After selecting a topic—which spanned entertainment, crypto, Web3, and culture—user-generated content (UGC) of real conversations that happened on Reddit populated the LED ball. Pelz pointed out that the art installation also served as a “relevant case study” on the “opportunities for brands out there.”

“The Communi-Tea Bar” (seen back left corner) invited guests to “read the communi-tea leaves” and further interact with futurism on Reddit’s platform. Tea bags were individually wrapped based on their subreddit, and featured future-telling posts (like “I think the 2032 presidential election is the first ‘gas prices don’t matter’ election” from the r/electricvehicles subreddit). After your tea was brewed, a QR code was revealed at the end of the tea bag’s string, which led to the actual subreddit thread on the platform.

And in another interactive moment, a quiz asked visitors true and false questions about what they think Redditors are future-telling about. For example, “grasshoppers are the new kale,” which was true.

There certainly was no shortage of touchpoints throughout the space, which Pelz said only took since mid-Q3 to fully brainstorm and fabricate. He also teased a possible Reddit pop-up in fans’ futures, as the brand has “been trying to find ways to bring these kinds of experiences [to fans].”

But why was now the perfect time to join in on the CES action? Pelz noted the importance of waiting until the post-pandemic buzz was in full swing. In doing so, “we feel like the industry is really interested in hearing from us. And we owe it to them to help them better understand Reddit, and see how it helps them reach their audiences,” he said. The exec also mentioned the importance of deepening existing relationships. “We’re still developing our offerings for businesses, and we want to make sure people stay in the know and find ways to deepen their investment. And then obviously we’re meeting new clients and partners here and introducing ourselves to them.”

CES 2023 featured 200-plus conference sessions with more than 750 speakers. And with a demand for increased female leadership in the tech industry, Thursday’s “Women in Tech Q&A: Live at CES” panel had an unsurprisingly large turnout. For reference, Deloitte reported 33% overall female representation in global tech firms—up a mere 2% from 2019.

The discussion was moderated by HP Inc.’s senior vice president and managing director Stephanie Dismore, who interviewed Karyn Schoenbart, the CEO of The NPD Group Inc., a market research firm. When asked what the biggest roadblock is for women in their respective careers, Schoenbart replied: “Imposter syndrome,” which she said she suffered from her “entire career.” For those who don’t know, “it’s basically this syndrome where competent people feel they will be discovered as fraud,” Schoenbart explained. To get over this feeling, the exec recommended a three-fold approach: One, “start a fan file. Start a file and put in your accomplishments (a positive letter from your boss, for example).” Two, “find people who believe in you. And I don’t just mean people who will support you, but people who will push you out of your comfort zone.” And three—”maybe the most important—is don’t just focus on your weaknesses.”

Online advertising company Criteo tapped brand experience agency Cheerful Twentyfirst to outfit two hotel suites at Aria Resort & Casino “to bring guests into the Criteo brand,” explained Jules Staveley, Cheerful Twentyfirst’s brand experience director. “The suites needed to feel approachable with elements of brand ‘moments’ that popped from the space.”

The result? “Brand iconography was used to create distinctive and functional spaces with their own personality. Each space had a vibrant aesthetic layered with key messages to educate, surprise, and delight,” Staveley said.

It was no secret that the suite was Criteo’s, as each decor element and touchpoint reflected the advertising company’s brand color—orange—and messaging.

In a clever effort to get even more visibility during CES, a custom-wrapped Chevrolet suburban cruised around the Las Vegas Strip.

Knock at the Cabin is a horror film directed and produced by M. Night Shyamalan that’s set to hit theaters Feb. 3. As a fan of Canon, Shyamalan reached out to the photography company for a way to partner, and CES was the perfect fit. Together, they produced Canon’s largest-ever booth at CES, which featured a life-size replica of the cabin from the movie, which was tucked away in a fabricated forest in a 10,000-square-foot space on the LVCC’s show floor.

Using Canon’s KOKOMO technology—VR technology that utilizes a headset, as described on-site by Christine Sedlacek, Canon’s senior director and general manager of its corporate communications division—guests could “insert themselves into the film.” And in the spirit of the movie’s plot, where a young girl and her parents are taken hostage in their own cabin while vacationing in the woods, participants could also barricade the cabin with virtual objects in a 3-minute VR game, plus speculate how the story ends.

Canon’s MREAL technology—which is designed for mixed-reality experiences—as well its AMLOS hybrid workspace technology was also employed during the Knock at the Cabin experience. “We tried to create a very immersive experience using M. Night Shyamalan’s film as the basis,” Sedlacek said. “We feel that this could even be a future movie experience.”

On Jan. 5, iHeartMedia and MediaLink partnered with Delta Air Lines to host a VIP dinner experience at the Wynn’s Intrigue Nightclub. A star-studded guest list sought to bring together leaders in the media ecosystem, and included the likes of Paris Hilton and TikTok star Dixie D’Amelio, along with C-suite executives from Instacart, Yahoo, Snap, and General Motors, just to name a few. The evening concluded with a special performance by John Legend.

Amazon took to CES to show off its partnerships with Panasonic and Disney, as well as to showcase more than 140,000 Alexa-compatible smart home devices. New tech was also at the forefront, such as the Hey Disney! voice assistant, which was publicly demoed on the trade show floor. Hey Disney! gives customers unique access to 20-plus Disney, Pixar, and Star Wars characters to hear jokes and soundscapes, play trivia games, and more. The tech is set to be released for purchase later in 2023 through the Alexa Skills Store or part of an Amazon Kids+ subscription.

Amazon’s trade show footprint included a model of a home, complete with a kitchen, dining area, and laundry room. The fabrication accompanied announcements on the next phase of Matter—which Amazon describes as “a new unifying standard for smart home connectivity”—that includes credentials sharing, group sync, and two-way device sync for all smart home devices to be able to work together. Developed by the Connectivity Standard Alliance, Matter not only works with Alexa-compatible products, but will also soon work with other home devices like thermostats, blinds, and sensors.

Security and smart home company Ring was acquired by Amazon in 2018 for $1 billion, and took the opportunity to showcase its new Ring Car Cam at CES. The tech takes Ring’s security technology from users’ homes to their vehicles, utilizing a dual-facing camera for interior and exterior recordings. The Ring Car Cam is now available for preorder for $199.99.

After Proto Inc.’s CEO David Nussbaum was named a BizBash Industry Innovator back in June, the holographic display company was named a CES 2023 Innovation Awards Honoree (for the second consecutive year).

Proto also took CES as an opportunity to debut Proto Beam, the app that lets people beam into a Proto with just their smartphone. The tech aims to make it easier for people, including celebrities, to attend events in hologram form no matter where they are in the world.

Another exciting announcement from Proto at CES: Paris Hilton joined the Proto Inc. team as an investor and advisor. The socialite-turned-entrepreneur will also serve as a consultant on the metaverse and Web3 for the hologram company.

Pinterest took over Scarpetta at The Cosmopolitan Hotel for a multiroom activation and meeting space that encouraged visitors to step into the future and dream big. With colorful decor, a mix of shapes and textures, and photo collages on the wall, the main space was an IRL iteration of the Pinterest platform.

One corner of the activation was home to Kerin Rose Gold of A-Morir Studio, which Rose Gold described as “a 14-year-old, direct-to-consumer brand that specializes in very heavily embellished eyewear, and accessories, and objects worn often by” the likes of “Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nicki Minaj, Taylor Swift, [and] Missy Elliott.”

“DIY is a huge part of the work that I do. It’s also a huge part of the work that Pinterest is into. It’s not just about watching videos where you learn how to do something, we also want people to be able to do something. So we’re bringing the internet to them, and so we have live crafting classes here. We’ve also collaborated with Pinterest on a take-home DIY kit that’s not only linked to a PinTV video that I did, but also an idea pin that shows you exactly how to use everything in the kit and how to actually craft at home if you can’t be here,” Rose Gold explained in an on-site interview.

Rose Gold had her previous projects on display—including Lizzo’s bedazzled flute—and let guests try on a range of sunglasses for a fun selfie moment. Judy Lee, the head of global brand experiences and programs at Pinterest, said that “one of the inspirations for wanting to work with Kerin on this specific project is the bright colors, light, and shine” that’s often associated with Las Vegas, plus “how it influences fashion.” She continued: “I’ve been coming to CES for about 20 years, and one of the things I know is that a lot of my friends and colleagues that are in the industry are going to wear that special leopard print outfit or that special sparkle up. And so who better to sparkle up with?”

Breakout meeting rooms nodded to hot topics on the social media platform. Pictured is the psychedelic-inspired room, which boasted fantastical wallpaper, mushroom decor pieces, and funky seating. The entire activation was produced by Los Angeles-based experiential firm Amplify.

In the spirit of dreaming big, one wall was outfitted in colorful tiles that showcased the names of Pinterest boards by users dreaming big. Some fun titles we spotted? Dream retirement, rainbow hair dreams, coffee shop dreamz, and my dream butler’s pantry.

Brand experience company Freeman, which also serves as the general contractor for CES, partnered with Siemens for its 2023 participation in the conference. Adam Charles, the executive vice president of agency and professional services at Freeman, told BizBash that the goal in attending CES “is always to create effective moments that matter for our clients [and] that leave a lasting impression on their attendees.”

This year, that meant designing, developing, and building out “elements like an immersive Space Perspective flight using high-end projection from above with LED screens all around the attendee and the use of VR,” Charles explained. In layman's terms, the Siemens software simulated the space environment while showcasing how different technologies could possibly one day lead to leisure travel in faraway places. Charles also pointed to the “Nemo’s Garden biosphere showcasing an underwater journey—all while highlighting Siemens’s sustainability theme” and relaying the message, “Dream it. Make it.”

Mercedes-Benz joined forces with global entertainment brand SUPERPLASTIC and announced the partnership at this year’s CES with the introduction of a new character to the SUPERPLASTIC universe. Named Superdackel (pictured middle), he’s joining Janky (left) and Guggimon (right) in the SUPERPLASTIC universe. Superdackel is the reinvention of Wackeldackel, the iconic bobbing dog dashboard ornament, and attended CES as a 8.2-foot figure on the trade show floor.