Shapiro, in Facebook Exchange, Regrets CES 2022's Lack of Digital ‘Pivot’

CTA President Gary Shapiro thinks CES 2022 “will be awesome!!!” he said in a Facebook exchange with Robin Raskin, founder of the Life in Digital Times conference that CTA now owns. CES 2022 will have “a little less glitz, a few messy gaps but cool stuff from thousands of entrepreneurs,” said Shapiro.

On Raskin’s “only little quibble” about CES 2022 -- the show’s inability to link conference panelists participating remotely with live in-person speakers in Las Vegas “for a truly hybrid event” -- Shapiro said: “In a perfect world we could do that -- but not with the platform we selected. Not a pivot we could make in two weeks over a holiday season.” CTA said in October it picked Web Summit as “digital platform provider” for CES 2022's online component for the company’s expertise in supporting events “with both in-person and digital audiences” (see 2110260044). Web Summit didn't comment Tuesday.

Producing a digital and physical event with exhibitors was “a challenge” enough, said Shapiro. “Our focus on additional covid protections was a new layer. Adding in remote panelists not likely possible at such a late date.” The remarks are likely to raise eyebrows after the many months CTA had to prepare for a hybrid physical-virtual CES 2022 under many possible COVID-19 scenarios.

As CTA looks to CES 2022, “we confront a tough choice,” said Shapiro in a Christmas Eve LinkedIn essay. “If we cancel the show, we will hurt thousands of smaller companies, entrepreneurs and innovators who have made investments in building their exhibits and are counting on CES for their business, inspiration and future. If we do not cancel, we face the drumbeat of press and other critics who tell the story only through their lens of drama and big name companies.”

The association is “mindful of concerns” about CES 2022 becoming a superspreader event for the omicron variant, said Shapiro. “No one wants to get sick. We respect that some do not want to take the risk involved in travel to Las Vegas, even in the vaccinated bubble of CES.” CTA consulted with experts, medical and analytical, “and have been advised that with our health and safety protocols infections should be minimal,” he said. The protocols don't cover the airports, taxis and monorails along the CES 2022 journey, none of which have vaccine mandates.

Procter & Gamble’s CES 2022 presence will now be "an all-virtual one,” a change the company is making “out of an abundance of caution,” tweeted Chief Communications Officer Damon Jones Tuesday. P&G, a first-time CES exhibitor at the January 2019 show (see 1812280035), was to have occupied CES 2022 space in the Venetian Expo. “While we recognize the significant safety protocols implemented by the organizers,” said Jones, “given rapidly shifting developments with COVID-19 and with the health and safety of P&G people as our top priority, we believe limiting our physical presence is the prudent course of action."

One medical expert Shapiro said CES 2022 is relying on, Anthony Slomin, is CEO of Reno's Renown Health, the largest healthcare network in northern Nevada. "The good news is we are now more prepared than ever to keep people safe, which is the top priority for CES," said Slomin in a show testimonial. CTA partnered with Las Vegas hotels and convention venues, he said, and they "worked diligently to put every contemporary safety practice in place to ensure a healthy and successful in-person meeting this year."

Las Vegas requires masks in all indoor spaces, and CTA imposed a vaccine mandate in August for all those picking up a badge at CES 2022. Badge pickup stations will distribute free Abbott BinaxNOW antigen self-test kits, in a new layer of protocols announced Dec. 17. There’s no change in CTA policy of not requiring booster shots.

CES 2022 exhibitor move-in begins Wednesday at 8 a.m. PST for companies occupying space in the Las Vegas Convention Center, says a FreemanOnline manual. CES 2022 rules say exhibit booths must be complete by 3 p.m. PST Jan. 4, the afternoon before opening day. Freeman didn't respond to questions about the health and safety protocols for workers setting up CES 2022, including whether they require vaccines.

Heeding the trend of media people and exhibitors who don’t want to travel to Las Vegas for CES 2022 due to COVID-19's omicron variant, or can’t, ShowStoppers is adding a livestream component Jan. 11-12, while going ahead with its in-person event Jan. 5 at 6 p.m. at the Wynn Las Vegas, the company emailed prospective media registrants Monday.

ShowStoppers @ CES 2022 in Las Vegas “is moving forward and we can't wait to see everyone in person,” said the emails. “But ... for those who can't attend, and for everyone making the trip to Vegas, stay tuned. We have special programs coming up the week of 10 January with more new tech to discover for home, work and play, from more companies, with more innovations. Streaming live to your desktop, laptop, notepad, smartphone, anywhere -- without the health and safety protocols.” Registration for the livestream event opens Wednesday, it said.

A “large contingent of companies” is participating in person at the Wynn Las Vegas event, emailed Steve Leon, ShowStoppers partner-media operations and business development. “Same for press,” he said Monday. “In the past week, a contingent of companies are opting out because of Covid numbers to not travel, as is press, and we are putting into motion plans we made long ago to do both in person and streaming events.”

Pepcom is "absolutely moving forward" with its Digital Experience! media event Jan. 4 at 7 p.m. PST at the Mirage, emailed President Chris O'Malley Tuesday. "The majority of our exhibitors, and of our registered media, tell us they are still attending." Though Pepcom fully respects "the decision of some not to come to CES this year, we will be there for those who do attend," he said. “For those who cannot attend, we will be live streaming the Digital Experience! event so they can experience some of what our showcase has to offer. It’s not the same as being there, but it’s a window into the event.”