CES is soon upon us.
The event both has its own language and manages to remake language we all already think we know. To help you navigate this shitshow of tech wizardry we created a PR-skewed CES glossary.
It is written for founders, execs, marketers, and comms leads who actually care about outcomes, coverage quality, narrative control, and what happens after Vegas empties out.
The Organization Behind CES
CTA (Consumer Technology Association)
These fine folks are the trade organization that produces and operates CES.
CTA:
- Sets the rules of the show
- Controls booth allocation and pricing
- Manages press credentials
- Runs the CES Innovation Awards
Important reality: CTA provides infrastructure, not storytelling. They do not get you coverage. That part is still on you.
CES Innovation Awards
Official CTA awards recognizing design and engineering. Less easy to get than people think.
They matter only if:
- You actively promote the win
- You reuse it across PR, sales, retail, and owned channels
Awards without amplification are decorative.
CES Geography and Venues
LVCC (Las Vegas Convention Center)
The biggest CES campus. Deceptively far if you’re at The Venetian
Be aware:
- The place is freaking endless – your feet will notice
- The shuttle is notoriously slower than you think
- Probably take a cab in and out of here.
Eureka Park
The startup zone, typically located at Venetian Expo.
Remember:
- Many companies here are early stage
- A lot of the products on display will never see the light of day
Media are on the look out here for:
- Vaporware
- Buzzwords
Venetian Expo / Palazzo
A major CES hub for accessories, lifestyle tech, and international brands.
Upside:
- You will often find Proper here
- Better access to food
- Try hard to stay nearby so you can walk here
Off-Site Hotel Suites
Private hotel suites used for press briefings and meetings.
From a PR standpoint, this is where:
- Real interviews happen
- Context can be built
- Journalists can listen without high surrounding buzz
Just make sure your suite is VERY close to the venue. Ideally in the Venetian.
PR and Communications Terms
Briefing
A scheduled meeting with a journalist. Try not to fuck these up.
Good CES briefings:
- Are tightly structured
- Respect time
- Focus on relevance, not specs
Embargo
An agreement not to publish until a set time. Generally not loved by media but useful (and something most consumer tech reporters are used to).
Easily screwed up. Whatever you do, don’t ask a journo to sign an actual contract around one.
Media Training
Activities aimed at prepping you for short, chaotic CES interviews.
CES is where untrained founders get misquoted. We can help with this.
Messaging Framework
Your internal structure for:
- The problem
- Why existing solutions fail
- Why your approach is different
If your team can’t repeat it consistently, journalists won’t repeat it accurately.
Execution and ROI Terms
Demo-Ready
A term indicating a state where:
- The product works every time
- Anyone staffing the booth can explain it
- Failure modes are anticipated
CES punishes fragile demos without mercy.
Post-Show Engine
Everything that happens after CES:
- Reusing coverage
- Sales enablement
- Affiliate and partner outreach
- Retail conversations
- AI search visibility
CES ROI is earned over the entire year, not just January.
Narrative Control
Your ability to influence how media frames your company. Typically it is low.
At CES, you don’t control the environment. You only control preparation.
The First-Time CES Attendee Glossary
If this is your first CES, you will feel behind. That’s normal.
Most first-timers fail because they underestimate how punishing the environment is.
Badge Pickup
Mostly, do it at the airport. And know this is likely the line you didn’t plan enough time for.
Whatever you do, don’t lose your badge, the CTA is draconian about replacements.
Footprint Shock
A state of mind that sets in the moment you realize CES is bigger than you thought.
A “quick meeting” can easily turn into a 45-minute commute.
Calendar Collapse
When your perfectly planned schedule disintegrates.
Smart CES planning assumes some total no-shows for meetings and builds in buffer time.
“Send Me Info”
A long shot. Not a yes. Not a no.
It’s a test of follow-up discipline.
Short-Form Interview
This is most CES interview and booth interactions
They are:
- Standing
- Loud
- Two to ten minutes long
As we’ve said, preparation beats polish.
Prototype Panic
The fear your demo will fail in public.
If it does, own it, reset, and go back to the story.
The Terms No One Puts in the Official CES Guide
After Party
A CES myth and a CES trap.
First-timers think: After parties are where the real networking happens.
What actually happens:
- Loud rooms
- Shallow conversations
- People get lit the fuck up
The occasional private dinner or invite-only event can matter. Most after parties trade tomorrow’s clarity for tonight’s open bar.
“Just One More”
The sentence that ruins day three.
You don’t feel it immediately. But the drinks compound. You feel it when a journalist asks a sharp question and your answer goes sideways.
The Day-Three Wall
Thursday is typically enough. And it is when we leave. When everyone is tired, patience disappears, and mistakes multiply.
If you plan for it, you can still win. If you don’t, you’re done.
CES Plague
The petri dish is real, and if you’re not careful, it will take you down. Post-holiday depletion, excess energy output, and scattered sleep can seriously challenge the immune system. Making smart choices when you can goes a long way in your CES sprint.
Final Word
CES is a trade show that doubles as a compressed communications battleground.
The brands that win are the most prepared and the most disciplined.
If you’re attending CES and want:
- Coverage that actually converts
- Messaging that survives chaos
- A post-show plan that extends ROI beyond January
Talk to Proper Propaganda before you land in Vegas.
We’ve made the mistakes already, so you don’t have to.