CES - A Different Perspective

By this time of year everyone must be tired of hearing and reading about CES. ( even 110+ pages of Audioholics coverage? ) Well, my hopes are to spin a tale that will hopefully offer a somewhat different perspective about the Vegas electronics show. Just like Audioholics' crack reporter, Toby Dalsgaard said, CES is a place of surprises... and more.

Providing a feminine perspective of the Audio/Video world, I have to say that CES can be overwhelming, but at the same time very amazing. The products displayed and the amount of effort put forth by many into presenting their best and newest products was admirable. So much work and sweat was expended by the ones who cared that it showed in their faces (some looked a little beyond tired, more like insomniacs).

Let's just forget for a moment why Audioholics was really there (to cover the show and highlight some of the newest technologies coming to market) and focus more on what happened from my perspective. Let's be honest, how many women attend CES for the sole purpose of covering the products? We all know that, official PR and marketing people aside, many of the women at CES are "used" for booth appeal, dressing up and looking pretty, leaving only a few remarkable ones there to really work. As I mentioned, very few of the companies had women with the job role of PR or Product M anagers, but the ones that did offered a distinct sense of organization and functionality to the manufacturer. In other words, the women and the company representatives really knew their stuff. A good example was LG, whose PR firm was Ogilvy PR Worldwide. I was indeed impressed with the female rep's knowledge of not only the products, but of the competitors as well. She definitely did her homework and it showed! This is not to mean that other companies in which guys were utilized were not equally good. However, this is for the most part a men-targeted venue, and very few women are there to truly represent the companies.

On a different note, the purpose of me attending went beyond shooting pictures and mingling with the PR people, Product M anagers and Presidents of these companies. I was there to support Audioholics by learning more about the products and manufacturers we provide information on. This is the best way to help our consumers get the "good stuff." I wanted to personally find out what really is out there and how functional they truly were for both the Audioholics readers and the general consumer. I must admit that it was overwhelming, both physically and mentally, but it was all worth it. The knowledge and fresh perspective I acquired cannot be matched by anything other than this one-on-one experience. The manufacturers (at least the good ones) are trying harder every day to meet the expectation and needs of the public - and believe me, they are definitely on the right track. Sooner or later they are bound to create equipment that will operate on the impulses of human thought and customize the performance to each individual's preference within the same household.

Now let's bring it back home. Another common trait found in women is fear of electronics. I have found that this experience, this familiarity and exposure to so many new technologies and the designers behind them, served to alleviate some of the stigmas I had associated with home theater. After all, it's just a box designed to do what I tell it. For those of you still carrying some phobia of audio and video equipment I urge you to take another look. If a Florida nurse can conquer her fears of the unknown then you can too!