Evaluating the Evolution, Post CES

​Evaluating the Evolution Post CESThere are consistent themes over the years that resonate from the CES Experience.
I’m into my second decade of attending and as I reflect on what I’ve learned, I’m just as curious as what our industry has learned...and more importantly acted on.
Partnerships are a key value proposition of the Consumer Electronics Industry and as our business has evolved, how can we evaluate our performance regarding partnerships?
Let’s look back over the years to see what we can learn.
I first directly noted after the 2011 CES show how partnerships are important to the Consumer Electronics Industry and that we should consider this an opportunity.
Back in 2011, CTA CEO Gary Shapiro said about radio “it requires constant innovation. It requires partnering you’re not used to partnering with, get out of your industry events and go to other events like CES, means trying things and failing.”
Well, many in our business did begin making the exodus out to CES as the years have passed.
Partnerships first truly hit me as an opportunity for the radio business back in 2011 when I acknowledged Ford and their view of partnerships “we should emulate Ford and welcome strategic partnerships to enhance our brands. Ford has developed partnerships in an open source manner with its in car apps, reaching out directly and saying “Become a Ford app developer and partner.”
Back in 2018 when Fred Jacobs and I interviewed CTA CEO Gary Shapiro we asked him about new examples of partnerships that we would expect at CES and he said “we partnered to create a Smart Cities Focus and we partnered with the Prince of the Netherlands to bring Dutch startups to the CES and we have partnership behind virtually every new marketplace. We partner because we need and want expertise and new ideas that we simply can’t manufacture internally. Increasingly in the technology space every successful company partners because the days of stovepipe organization success is over.”
For those of you who have attended CES there are many partnerships throughout the show, including Eureka Park which is the breeding ground for startups.
We’ve recently witnessed many partnerships in the automotive sector like Intel partnering with Ferrari North America using Intel’s AI technology to change the distribution of sports broadcasting and content and last year at CES Microsoft and Ericsson, who partnered around the integration of both companies connected vehicle solutions.
As resources for all companies continue to be challenged as a result of the pandemic era have you taken a beginners mindset with your team and considered new opportunities for partnerships?
Join Fred Jacobs, Paul Jacobs and their special guest tech guru Shawn Dubravac for the CES 2021 Virtual Tour next week.
For more information go to Jacobsmedia.com/CES2021 to sign up.
As Fred says “Innovation marches on, even during a pandemic.” I might add... especially during a pandemic!
If I can help your team plan for the future reach out to me at buzz@buzzknightmedia.com