Jupitermedia CEO Alan Meckler
Consumer Electronics Show Is Officially Comdex
Back to an old and tired and somewhat painful topic. This blog was created back in February 2003 to write about Jupitermedia's experience in creating a new trade show called cdXpo to take on and replace the venerable Comdex.
We won. There was a need for cdXpo and Comdex died. We lost too because we did not continue with cdXpo. The people who own Comdex (Media Live) periodically indicate that Comdex is not dead, but only suspended. Believe me. It is dead. The reason for my certainty is the lineup of keynoters at the CES show next week in Las Vegas.
Microsoft -- Bill Gates
Intel -- Craig R. Barrett
Hewlett Packard -- Carly Fiorina
Motorola -- Ed Zander
Texas Instruments -- Rich Templeton
All these heavyweights are not from consumer electronics companies. Years ago CES would have had keynoters from Sony, Phillips and a host of other Japanese consumer electronic companies. CES is the main event forever and ever.
Comdex missed the evolution and blending of consumer electronics with computer-related devices. I doubt the creator of Comdex would have missed this trend. But once Sheldon Adelson sold Comdex, the pretenders that ran Comdex had the creative skills of zombies. And that folks is how a franchise is lost.
I agree that Comdex is probably not coming back. However, whenever I hear that a show is "the main event forever and ever," I start to worry. That's probably exactly what people said about Comdex in 1999.
Trade shows have to continually re-invent themselves - even the leaders. CES is in a very critical time right now. They are hot, no doubt. But to stay that way, they'll have to continually operate like they are under attack and NEVER get complacent. There must be a real reason for exhibitors to come back every year. The reason "Because we're the biggest" will only last so long.
CES is obviously doing things right. They'll need to continue to do so to remain the leader.
It is amazing to me as a biz owner how quickly an entity can go from top dog to bottom of the barrel. The oddest part of al is that it is frequently a biz that was transferred from a few entrepreneurs with a mediocre college background to a large group of highly schooled and highly recognized biz ‘experts’ with former biz experience. Things that make you go hmmmmmm.
Hi, Alan -- What do you think about the blogger ban at CES? How do you think conference organizing shops should deal with bloggers?
Alan -- how you can utter the phrase "we won" is a real mystery to me. I took a walk through your CDXPo show in Vegas last year -- and the lack of quality was eclipsed only by the sheer lack of people (GHOST TOWN).
If you want to credit CES, terrific -- it's a great event. If you want to disrespect COMDEX -- I can't disagree with that either.
But to claim that CDxPo was anything more than a miserable failure is a blatant lie.