We just got back from 3 grueling days at the 2010 International CES.  I have a number of posts, about the show, about the newest gadgets, and a slew of "marketing "what not to do's".  Stay tuned.

The Big News at CES - how small CES was this year compared to previous years!  CES has been the biggest US tradeshow ("13 footballfields of technology" or over 1.8 million square feet in 2007 ) andthe second biggest in the world (behind CeBIT in Hanover).  However, Iestimate that this year the square footage of exhibit space was 20%-30%smaller than 2009.  In particular, last year CES included 3 of the 4halls of the Sands Convention Center, but this year those halls of theSands were empty!  In addition, many of the remaining Halls (NorthHall, Central Hall and South Halls 1-4) were notably smaller withsections of the floor closed off with curtains. 

 

Why, you ask?  Well, for one thing, HP, an exhibitor last yearwith a HUGE booth, did not exhibit at all this year and others, such asGoogle and SanDisk, which had mid-size booths last year, were likewisenot exhibiting (some companies had meeting rooms, but did not exhibit).  Second, exhibitors like Creative Labs, last yearwith a 50' x 50' booth (my estimate of cost $1-$1.5 million for the show,space, booth and staff for a booth that size), this year exhibited in what looked like a 20' x 20' booth (15%of the size!) showing only 1 newly announced product. 

This samepattern, either absence of exhibitors or shrinkage of the exhibit spacewas repeated all over the show.  Below is a quick summary of the keystats for CES since 2007 to give you a sense of the changes in the showdue to the tough economic conditions:

 

The 2007 International CES - overall attendance totaling 143,695 (includes attendees, press, exhibitors etc)

1.8 million net square feet of exhibit space (with the addition of CES' newest venue, the Sands Expo and Convention Center/The Venetian)

More than 2,700 exhibitor

 

The 2008 International CES^® - overall attendance totaling 141,150 (includes attendees, press, exhibitors etc)

1.85 million net square feet of exhibit space.

3000 exhibitors

 

The 2009 International CES - overall attendance totaling 113, 085 (includes attendees, press, exhibitors etc)

1.7 million net square feet of exhibit space

2700 exhibitors

 

2010 preliminary numbers:  Gary Shapiro, president/CEO of CEA,said total attendance by the end of Day 2 was 112,515, higher than the98,495 at the end of 2009's Day 2. CEA had forecast 110,000 attendancefigure for 2010 CES  

Note that CE sales declined 7% in 2009, while total units grew 10% - the first industry revenue drop in 20 years.
(see Twice Daily Magazine, January 7, 2010, page 1, "CE Sales Should Rise 0.3% in 2010")