After a series of interesting tweets, comments, discussions, and drunken ramblings with a variety of Internetters, I really came to notice how different the perspectives are from those attending CES. Aaron Brazell of Technosailor asked me to write a post on his blog to try to represent both sides of Pitching and Being Pitched at CES. Here’s the opener, and you can read the rest at Technosailor:
2009 is rapidly approaching, and as a 10 year veteran of CES I’ve seen it from many different angles. I’ve been there as a tiny underfunded startup using a hotel room to do all demos and I’ve taken center stage in a multi-million dollar booth. I’ve attended as press and I’ve pitched the press. From virtually every perspective, CES is an exhilarating and exhausting process. I love it. With the massive surge in blogger registrations at this year’s show, I’ve also noticed more than usual complaints about the pitching process, so as someone who sits on both sides of the fence, I thought I’d share some observations and suggestions.
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Thanks, Aaron, for raising the discussion and inviting me to participate in your digital turf!
Our organization attends every year. The costs have risen to corporate irresponsibility. From fees, room, airfare , meals, etc.
The event is poorly ran and the staff is less than professional. The demise is eminent.
We are buyers. Our President has now decided to cancel our trip to CES, and we are no longer attending. The lack of professionalism and poor CES Management has prevented us from attending. That will cost a few Manufacturers a few dollars. Instead our President has canceled our rooms, and is taking all of us to Whistler.
GREAT!!