1 Canon USA Inc.
While Canon USA Inc.'s exhibit may have lacked the conspicuous high-tech trappings of a typical Best of CES stand, it far surpassed its competitors when it came to ingenuity, experiential offerings, and sheer scope – even if that scope wasn't readily apparent. The 90-by-120-foot exhibit (designed by FCBX & FCB Chicago and fabricated by Unit9) leveraged the buzz surrounding the upcoming release of M. Night Shyamalan's latest thriller, "Knock at the Cabin," which was filmed using many of Canon's innovations. As such, Canon treated booth visitors to a multipart experience that centered on key elements of the blockbuster in waiting. For example, in the demo for Activate My Line of Sight (AMLOS), a technology that makes hybrid meetings more engaging and effective, groups of attendees sat at computers and interacted with an actress playing a character from the movie while she navigated a replica of the cabin set. Cool enough. But what set this activation apart was the fact that this actress's performance was taking place in real time on a sound stage in Pennsylvania and was repeated with each round of demos throughout the show. An adjacent station had participants chatting with another live (and remote) actor via Kokomo virtual-reality headsets, while inside the in-booth cabin visitors used MREAL devices to complete a series of plot-driven tasks in mixed reality. All in all, the exhibit was an experiential wonderland unlike any we've seen at CES.
2 Google LLC
"Joyful" isn't a word often used to describe trade show exhibits, but that's the most accurate descriptor for Google LLC's stand in the Central Plaza outside the Las Vegas Convention Center. Designed and fabricated by Sparks Marketing LLC, Google's 80-by-100-foot playground was a colorful, fun-filled exploration of the many ways Android and the company's connectivity innovations touch and improve every part of a user's day, from turning up your home's thermostat with your Google Pixel watch to seamlessly syncing all of your devices with your car. Notable activations included a "Nearby Share" demo where attendees could design their own versions of the Android "bugdroid" on tablets and instantly showcase them on framed LED screens in a blue-walled gallery, as well as a giant slot machine highlighting how Google's ecosystem allows one-tap pairing with more than 300 types of headphones. And if there was an award for Best Booth Staff, Google's cheerful fleece- and puffer-clad reps would have won it.
3 Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
The 800-pound gorilla of CES, Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd. was once again the show's largest booth, and didn't disappoint. Moving on from the "Samsung City" concept of years past, this iteration (designed by Cheil Worldwide Inc. and fabricated by MC2) focused on how the company's myriad tech offerings are "Bringing Calm to Our Connected World" – no easy feat amid the overstimulation of the CES show floor. However, the enclosed 125-by-290-foot stand effectively blotted out the hoopla of the exhibit hall with a soaring entrance featuring five super-sized LED screens. Inside, the exhibit was a delightful labyrinth of themed spaces that one wanted to get lost in for hours. In other words, this exhibit was a marathon, not a sprint. Activations ran the gamut from traditional product displays to large-scale LED walls to nuanced vignettes of kitchens, game rooms, and camp sites all outfitted with Samsung gear. Presenting so many products, solutions, and messages that involve more than 300 partners could have easily overwhelmed attendees. And if Samsung had pushed the envelope about 10 percent further, this would have been chaotic sensory overload. But the company found the sweet spot, offering up a Vegas-style buffet of content that attendees could pick and choose from without overindulging.
4 Togg Inc.
A CES success story if there ever was one, Turkey's Automobile Joint Venture Group Inc. (dba Togg Inc.) tripled the square footage of its 2022 debut stand and captivated this year's attendees with a 70-by-140-foot "Digital Mobility Garden." Designed by Capital Events Türkiye (which also helped BTWN Exhibits and Atlas Expo with fabrication), Togg's garden was filled with such digital delights as an immersive "Beyond X" tunnel featuring dynamic computer-generated art followed by an experience in a circular mock automobile positioned in front of a curved LED wall showing any of four transportive scenarios complete with wind and scent effects. Meanwhile, four nearby "pods" educated participants about Trumore, Togg's new digital platform offering numerous travel services and perks. Intended to position Togg as more than a mere automaker while referencing the convergence of mankind, technology, art, science, and energy, the high-concept exhibit did sometimes stumble when it came to clearly communicating its purpose. Nevertheless, there was no denying the stand's head-turning design and magnetic allure.
5 LG Electronics Inc.
After last year's polarizing plywood non-exhibit, LG Electronics Inc. returned in spectacular fashion with its signature façade of curved OLED screens that stopped slack-jawed attendees in their tracks in order to feast their eyes on a mesmerizing array of colorful sunrises, constellations, and massive humpback whales – all in riveting clarity. Designed by Square Graphy and Solutions Plus and fabricated by Czarnowski Display Service Inc., LG's booth won high marks for style. The centerpiece of the interior featured a kinetic display of four "wireless" OLED TVs suspended above a serene pool of water, showcasing how the company's latest flatscreen does away with unsightly tangles of wires by requiring only a power cord. The 4K images were "beamed in" by a remote transmitter box inconspicuously perched on the edge of the pool. Most of the rest of the action took place in a series of discrete scenes along the periphery that presented LG's wares in IKEA showroom-like fashion. Each richly detailed vignette showed LG products in the sleek and sophisticated environments of a well-appointed home, e.g., kitchens, living rooms, laundry rooms, etc. While it may have been stately business-class at the front of the booth, it was definitely party mode in the back, where LG amped up the energy via a club-like vibe of colorful lighting and throbbing techno music emanating from spaces dedicated to immersive gaming set-ups. For the most part, LG resisted over-the-top – and all-too-often distracting – activations, instead opting to let attendees experience its offerings in everyday yet masterfully appointed settings. If Samsung's exhibit was a delightful maze begging to be explored, LG's stand was more of a high-end, open-concept showcase that let the products do the heavy lifting.
6 Mercedes-Benz AG
Mercedes-Benz AG put the pedal to the metal in its 70-by-105-foot booth, showing it's prepared to drive innovation on the highways of tomorrow. The exhibit delivered an experience that was altogether sleek, sexy, and brimming with the style one would expect from the luxury automaker. Designed by Jangled Nerves GmbH and fabricated by Raumtechnik Messebau & Event Services GmbH, the space was dominated by an angular walk-through "tube" that essentially functioned as a massive kaleidoscope due to the mirrored reflections of a modest LED wall at the far end of the structure, all centered around the sporty Vision EQXX sedan. Near the back of the tube, Mercedes unveiled its partnership with global entertainment brand SuperPlastic (think high-end European Funko Pop) with an 8-foot-tall branded canine sculpture named Superdackel that proved to be a popular photo op. The space in front of the tunnel was reserved for tabletop displays offering digital and tactile learning moments, while the other half of the exhibit featured a modish theater space containing a large LED wall where presenters delivered talks on topics such as the automaker's Level 3 self-driving approval for Nevada roads (the first such certification in the United States) and its $1 billion electric-charging network set to begin rolling out in North America this year. Based on its booth experience, Mercedes is in pole position to accelerate the future of automotive engineering.
7 Caterpillar Inc.
Much like Canon, Caterpillar Inc. earned major points by giving attendees an experience that extended far beyond the show floor. In addition to the obvious allure of climbing into the cab of a 100-ton autonomous truck (an opportunity that had passersby lining up throughout the show), booth visitors were able to sit at either of two stations and operate a real-life, in-the-field excavator in Illinois or a bulldozer in Arizona, 1,678 and 445 miles from Las Vegas, respectively. The interior of the 70-by-90-foot exhibit (designed by Converse Marketing and fabricated by Spiro, a Global Experience Specialists Inc. company) was dominated by a presentation space, the seats of which came equipped with touchscreens that allowed attendees to make self-led explorations of Caterpillar's innovations and career opportunities. Finally, showgoers could ascend to the massive truck's "dump body" and partake in four tablet-based learning activations. Equal parts eye candy and once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the entire exhibit was an ode to childhoods spent in sandboxes imagining what it would be like to operate giant earth-moving equipment.
8 SK Group Co. Ltd.
Last year's No. 1 "Best of CES" exhibitor once again stunned attendees with an immersive experience that reinforced SK Group Co. Ltd.'s Net Zero Pledge, its ambitious carbon-neutral goal set for 2050. Designed by Cheil and fabricated by MC2, SK's 1,200-square-foot booth was a bit of "A Tale of Two Cities" – or worlds: the dystopia we're on the brink of, and the utopia SK hopes to help society achieve. Groups of visitors first got their feet wet by entering an enclosed and ominously darkened theater hall where, via superbly detailed projection mapping, they watched rising sea levels engulf landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty, Big Ben, and the Sphinx – a bleak warning about the impending climate crisis. The sobering experience ended with a pointed message projected onto the floor: "Time to act now. Let's go on a net-zero journey together." That trek led to a more idyllic vision titled "SK Around Every Corner." Here attendees encountered a well-lit enclosure, full of blue skies and cotton-ball clouds, where eight SK companies and 10 global partners showed off more than 40 eco-friendly solutions through a series of spaces backed by large-scale video walls. Through a passport-style campaign, visitors were incentivized to learn about the different technologies. At one activation, quartets of attendees clambered into a model helicopter, donned Oculus VR headsets, and embarked on an aerial taxi ride. At another, contestants competed against one another by shooting computer viruses in an attempt to cool down a mainframe before it overheated. Elsewhere, visitors learned about cutting edge batteries for electric vehicles, a warp speed EV charger, and much more. Those that participated in the passport program could turn in their stamped cards and receive a voucher for an earth-friendly dessert that could be redeemed at an outside food truck. As mesmerizing as the Roland Emmerich-like theater experience was, we're hoping for the brighter future along with SK.
9 Cariad SE
CES is best known as an opportunity for companies to garner attention for their glitziest widgets. First-time exhibitor Cariad SE, Volkswagen AG's new automotive software division, was on the hunt for something else entirely: 1,700 software engineers. So the company made the bold decision to build a recruiting station in the middle of LVCC's Central Hall adjacent to big-name brands such as Mercedes and Stellantis. Despite being a newcomer, Cariad wasn't shy about announcing its presence and intentions, stacking six colorful 40-foot-long shipping containers into a triple-deck stand (one of just two spotted at the show) and slapping a large "Join Us" graphic near four touchscreens that allowed interested visitors to submit resumes and request interviews. Those meetings were conducted in multiple rooms on the upper levels of the containers. On the opposite side of the exhibit, a trio of vehicles served as magnets for those wishing to dive into conversations about Cariad's tech platform and the future of in-car infotainment. But the standout element was a 30-foot-tall LED wall on the back of the containers. When not used to support tech talks in an adjacent theater space, the wall leveraged facial-recognition software to toss booth visitors' faces up on the screen and label them with autogenerated titles such as "Safety Geek" and "Data Techie." Attendees who lingered in the space long enough became "heroes" of the wall with an enlarged icon that provided a perfect selfie opportunity. Among the high-tech wizardry of CES, Cariad stood out in part for its focus on the human component.
10 HD Hyundai Co.
While it seemed every third exhibitor at CES was trying to conquer autonomous navigation across the world's roads, HD Hyundai Co. (formerly Hyundai Heavy Industries Group) made waves by showing how it's taming the Seven Seas with its "Ocean Transformation" exhibit. Encased in parametric fins of tension fabric, the exhibit (designed by Cheil and fabricated by MC2) instantly read as nautical. The 80-by-100-foot booth was segmented into a trio of activations around the perimeter, a tactic that left the center of the space feeling as expansive as the ocean itself. At the Ocean Mobility sector, a pair of flatscreens affixed to robotic arms brought a model of an unmanned vessel to life via a kinetic AR demo. In coordination with the screens, virtual aerodynamic sails autonomously raised and lowered to demonstrate how tomorrow's ships will increase efficiency by better harnessing sea wind. Across the booth in the Ocean Wise zone, crowds gathered behind a railing resembling the prow of a ship for a series of talks that were backed by dynamic scenes and messaging on a tsunami-sized curved LED wall. After spectators learned how HD Hyundai is working to ensure global trade – 90 percent of which is transported across the oceans – becomes more efficient through its smart-shipping and AI-based solutions, they headed toward the third zone, dubbed Ocean Energy. This space featured a swooping projection-mapped table highlighting how the company is tackling the global-energy challenge through its ongoing development of a worldwide ecosystem through next-gen tech. From the eye-catching exterior to the dynamic activations within, it's no surprise that HD Hyundai sea-zed a spot in Best of CES.
11 Kohler Co.
When everyone around you is shouting, sometimes the boldest thing you can do is whisper. So it went with Kohler Co., which turned a patch of concrete at The Venetian Convention and Expo Center into what can only be called a bona-fide oasis. Designed by an internal team and fabricated by 3D Exhibits Inc., a Sparks Marketing company, the 50-by-40-foot stand wisely let Kohler's products do the talking – or, in this case, splashing. While nearby booths solicited attention with loud graphics and saturated videos, Kohler's muted, elegant exhibit hummed with the gentle babel of water as it ceaselessly fell from more than a dozen showerheads and wall-mounted jets into a pair of shallow pools. The result was akin to a massive white-noise machine that drew passersby with the promise of a temporary escape. Stepping into the exhibit, attendees immediately noticed the Stillness Infinity bath that emits a light blanket of fog over the surface of the water. Even the air smelled sweeter, courtesy of Kohler's new aromatherapy shower-infusion pods. While there was plenty of tech to be found in the stand, including smart valves, space-age toilets, and water-monitoring systems, the focus was less on "under-the-hood" specs and more on style, refinement, and ease of use – all hallmarks of the Kohler brand.
12 Mitsubishi Electric Corp.
Some exhibits struggle with communicating a clear purpose, but that certainly wasn't the case for Mitsubishi Electric Corp., which was refreshingly upfront about the journey booth visitors could expect. The entrance of the enclosed 60-by-70-foot stand, designed and fabricated by Creative Solutions Group Inc., featured a straightforward header ("Creating a Smart Society") along with a series of monitors (each backlit by a signature color) stating the five themes explored inside: carbon neutrality, circular economies, safety and security, inclusion, and well-being. After taking a few more steps, attendees discovered a space that combined the best elements of a hands-on science museum (e.g., elaborate graphics, demos galore, and learning opportunities around every corner) with a level of sophistication befitting a global tech leader. And the colors affiliated with the five aforementioned themes? If a particular activation addressed that topic, that hue appeared on an adjacent icon. For example, the station for advanced air mobility featured three such markers: green (carbon neutrality), yellow (safety and security), and red (inclusion). Mitsubishi's graphics also deserve high praise. Often spanning top-to-bottom swaths of entire walls, the renderings of everything from building cross-sections to verdant fields of solar panels boasted attention-grabbing backlighting and a hard-to-define quality that just, for lack of a better word, worked. Accessible without being boring and educational without being pedantic, Mitsubishi pulled off the perfect balancing act.
13 Deere and Co.
Deere and Co.'s CES strategy consisted of three parts, all of them successful. To continue positioning the company as a forward-thinking provider of tech-based agricultural solutions (rather than just a machinery manufacturer), the 100-by-110-foot exhibit, which was designed and fabricated by MC2, adeptly focused more on bits and bytes than nuts and bolts. Yes, there was the requisite piece of massive farm equipment in the middle of the booth, but its purpose was to highlight farmers' new ability to spray for weeds in their fields with near pinpoint precision, thereby reducing their use of herbicide, as shown by a giant vinyl graphic on the floor. Additional stations highlighted productivity-boosting "farm to cloud" software solutions and the ExactShot seed planter that also cuts fertilizer use by more than 60 percent. Then, to illuminate the CES audience regarding the far-reaching impact of the agricultural industry, the Thank a Farmer wall showed how four crops (rice, corn, soy, and cotton) affect the production of everything from memory foam pillows to batteries. And finally, to grow brand awareness, the company had brand ambassadors outside the LVCC hand out packaged Rice Krispies treats, the wrappers of which recipients could bring to the booth and exchange for a John Deere hat. The giveaway strategy made hay out of attendees' eagerness to sport the iconic green baseball caps and promote Deere's presence.
14 Panasonic Holdings Corp.
Most showgoers couldn't help but notice that Panasonic Holdings Corp.'s 15,600-square-foot booth (designed and fabricated by Czarnowski) was entirely carpetless, which at first glance looked a bit like showing up to the red carpet at the Oscars with no dress. That, combined with the rather minimal use of exhibitry, alerted visitors that the electronics giant was laser focused on promoting its sustainability efforts, a point staffers were only too happy to drive home by explaining that the stand's components were largely fabricated from recycled materials and eco-friendly textiles that allegedly helped remove half a ton of plastic from the ocean. Still, the space, which was devoted to Panasonic's Green Impact City concept, was by no means void of some rather compelling displays. Near the front of the exhibit, attendees gathered around a faux tree whose leaves were an array of small solar panels – an installation that could soon be found in urban parks and allow patrons to charge anything from phones to ebikes. But if its physical exhibitry was scaled back, the company was one of the few that went all in on a complementary digital component, designed in partnership with Endava PLC. Staffers encouraged visitors to scan any one of the numerous QR codes found throughout the booth to launch a digital counterpart of the exhibit. After completing a game-like virtual quest that involved collecting badges by learning about Panasonic's Green Impact campaign, the company pledged to plant a tree on the participant's behalf.
15 Siemens Digital Industries Software
On any trade show floor – and especially at CES – exhibitors tend to convey a message that can be roughly translated as "Look at me and all the cool stuff I can do!" Not a bad justification for asking for the attention of passersby, but it does tend to get a bit repetitive about halfway through the exhibit hall. Siemens Digital Industries Software, a subsidiary of the German megabrand whose Xcelerator open digital business platform was the cornerstone of the exhibit, had a strategically altered call to action: "Look at our clients and all the cool stuff they do!" And the two guest stars of the 40-by-50-foot exhibit (designed and fabricated by The Freeman Co. LLC) got equal billing via a pair of experiences. First up was Space Perspective, which offers carbon-neutral space flights via a giant balloon. Upon stepping into an enclosed, immersive theater, attendees watched a film highlighting Space Perspective's impressive story – with a mention of how the company used Xcelerator to fast-track its research-and-development process. Then, near the back of the booth, attendees could don VR headsets and explore the biospheres of Nemo's Garden, a burgeoning enterprise hoping to harness the capabilities of underwater greenhouses to help feed the planet. And as in the Space Perspective film, the spotlight was solely on the intrepid researchers. In other words, Siemens' clients were the entree, and Xcelerator was the secret sauce that helped them "Dream it. Make it." It was a recipe for CES success.
16 Hisense USA Corp.
While electronics giants such as LG and Samsung found success by tucking their offerings behind high enclosures that blotted out the exhibit hall, Hisense USA Corp. largely eschewed barriers around its 70-by-200-foot booth and opted to stop feet in the aisles, beginning at a dazzling LED-lit waterfall display behind its latest ULED X television in the front corner of its exhibit. But inside the space (designed and fabricated by Impact XM), Hisense fell in line with many of its competitors and displayed its wares in a variety of vignettes – from gaming setups to refined living rooms – showing the range and versatility of its smorgasbord of flatscreens, short-throw projectors, and household appliances. Unlike most other companies showing off high-end televisions, however, Hisense welcomed foot-worn visitors to lounge in front of its screens by supplying an armada of comfortable sofas and armchairs near the aisles. And of course, the furniture was arranged facing its televisions, ensuring the resting visitors were enrapt with HD entertainment. The booth also earned kudos for its nontraditional presentation space. Inside a hotel-room-sized enclosure, Hisense built a modern-day living space that included kitchen, laundry, and entertainment zones. Several times a day, presenters encouraged visitors to wander in and find a spot to relax before demonstrating how the ConnectLife app makes managing everyday tasks easier. And if all that left attendees hungry for more, they could find some chow near the back of the exhibit, where Hisense employed cooks to demo the ins and outs of the company's latest smart stove. While the space may have lacked a bit of the pizzazz compared to a couple of its competitors higher on the list, Hisense nevertheless deployed some tactics that helped it connect with attendees in ways others neglected.
17 Abbott Laboratories Inc.
Abbott Laboratories Inc.'s exhibit at CES 2022 focused on the human stories behind the company's health-care innovations. This year's stand, designed and fabricated by Catalyst Exhibits Inc., put Abbott's technologies front and center (while still under the banner tagline of "Human-Powered Health") via a series of stations designed to increase attendees' knowledge. Placing a clear Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)-enabled disk containing one of Abbott's medical devices on top of a designated pad launched a brief interactive video explaining how, say, the Proclaim Plus Spinal Cord Stimulation System assists with pain management and improves patients' quality of life. Around a corner, another RFID station highlighted Abbott's testing solutions for COVID-19, traumatic brain injuries, and monkeypox. Meanwhile, large-scale video walls displayed inspirational content of human bodies in motion, and one such installation at the exhibit's entrance captured the passing movements of arriving attendees and transformed them into multicolored digital "ripples." The combination of screen-based engagement with hands-on learning gave Abbott a clean bill of exhibiting health.
18 Robert Bosch GmbH
In many respects, Robert Bosch GmbH's 45-by-220-foot exhibit was pretty straightforward: The company was highlighting how it's embedding smart, machine-learning sensors into commonplace objects such as phones, appliances, vehicles, and even lawnmowers that enable them to sense their surroundings and thereby make people's lives safer and more manageable. And Bosch (with design partner Wenger.One GmbH and fabricator Czarnowski) was on point with a crisp layout and immaculate lighting. An internally lit back wall ran the entirety of the exhibit, which essentially transformed the island into an enormous in-line and seemed to magnify its length. But what really infused the space with energy and cemented its place on the Best of CES list were the presentations. Several times a day, Shawn, the charmingly goofy character used in media spots for the company's ongoing "Like a Bosch" campaign, and co-presenter Helena educated crowds about the company's latest BHI380 sensor system. Using dumbbells, kettlebells, and ridiculous dance moves, the gangly Shawn demonstrated how the AI sensor system inside smartwatches detects a variety of movements to learn new fitness exercises in real time, which was supported by dynamic graphics and messaging on an LED wall behind the presenters. While sensor tech is serious engineering business, the silly presentation shows a bit of comedy can be the spoonful of sugar that reliably helps attract a sizable crowd.
19 Ring LLC
To paraphrase an adage frequently proffered by the host of a popular competitive reality show, "You don't have to reinvent the wheel. The wheel is fine." The marketers and internal design team at Ring LLC likely had a similar mindset when planning their 40-by-70-foot exhibit. And while displaying the company's security offerings in a residential setting could be construed as playing it safe, what the team delivered was a textbook example of how to color inside the lines – and do so flawlessly. No detail, from the winding front path and lush planters to the edge-lit graphics and faux sod yard, was overlooked. Freestanding, self-service demos of Ring's peephole cameras, gate-access systems, and more allowed casually interested passersby to easily get hands-on, while more curious folks could step inside the main house (fabricated by Pinnacle Exhibits Inc.) for an in-depth overview of the company's myriad safety solutions. If the additional displays covering Ring's latest tools for safeguarding construction sites, cars, and commercial properties weren't enough, attendees only had to walk around to the far side of the house. There a ground-to-eave clear cutout offered a look into a room where Ring's new Always Home Cam drone buzzed through the air looking for intruders. It goes to show that when the majority of your business is home security, sometimes the best strategy is to stay close to home.
20 TCL Technology Group Corp.
TCL Technology Group Corp. kicked off its CES appearance by heralding its elevated status as the new official TV partner of the NFL. The company maximized its announcement and drew a stadium's worth of traffic to its sprawling 17,200-square-foot exhibit during the event's opening days by bringing in a lineup of Hall of Fame football players such as Barry Sanders, Marshall Faulk, and Charles Woodson, and by displaying the Lombardi Trophy during the rest of the show. TCL also brought its own roster of all-star tech – from televisions, phones, and AR glasses to computers, and appliances – to wow visitors while design partner and fabricator Acme International Exhibition Co. Ltd. made sure all the products were beautifully showcased. Quarterbacking the team were the Mini LED TVs, which had a prime-time position in the booth's front corner. Hundreds of strands of color-changing LEDs created an eye-catching chandelier effect behind the flatscreens. A dedicated gaming area – punctuated with dark walls, glowing graphics, and chain-link fencing – positioned the company as plugged in to the desires of Gen Z. Situated along the aisle, the space drew gaming enthusiasts inside by allowing them to test their mettle in rounds of the ever-popular Call of Duty and try out the latest gesture-based tech. While the front half of the booth was largely dedicated to its entertainment and mobile technology silos, the back half of the stand showed the softer side of TCL, i.e., its array of smart home appliances, such as an air conditioner displayed among living walls, LED towers, and color-changing landscaping lights.