Is the "celebrity buzz" factor coming back to trade shows? It may look that way, with Bill Gates set to unveil Xbox 2 at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in 2005. But according to Jeff Weir, director of corporate communications at National Semiconduc-tor in Santa Clara, CA, even the presence of A-listers can't stop the trend toward shows becoming smaller and more targeted. Besides, says Weir, in Gates' case, "It used to be that Comdex wouldn't begin until he made his presentation."
With Comdex defunct, however, it's obvious that big tech companies sought other avenues for promoting their products. Since 2001, "Most tech shows have downsized," says Weir, "and because most of the big ones are no longer around, the lone survivor, CES, has inherited the tech firms that were still going to Comdex." In addition to doing their own proprietary road shows, "Big tech firms are also surfacing at other consumer electronic shows, but they're ones that tend to be more specialized and on a smaller scale, because that's where the market is," says Michael Goldstein, president of Encino, CA-based tech consultancy MSG Communications.
But the use of A-list celebrities even at these smaller events is, in fact, taking place. After all, it benefits both parties by driving traffic as well as media coverage. For instance, with Clint Eastwood introducing WMS Gaming Inc.'s video games (of himself) at the Global Gaming Expo in Vegas this past October, it's clear that WMS and Eastwood saw the potential for enhancing both their brands.