SITUATION

Recent Samsung Electronics showcases its latest technologies and vision at CES, the world's largest information technology exhibition held annually in Las Vegas, USA. CES is recognized as one of the world's top three home appliance and IT exhibitions alongside Germany's IFA and Spain's MWC, offering a platform to experience diverse innovations that transform life.

At CES 2025, over 4,500 companies from around the world participated, with ‘AI’ emerging as the central theme. Samsung Electronics aimed to showcase a new Home AI connectivity experience centered on AI and SmartThings, alongside an expanding connected ecosystem extending beyond the home to ships, vehicles, and buildings. An exhibition layout was needed that could effectively highlight Samsung's unique strengths and leadership in the AI field, a key industry focus.

While communication about AI's convenience is active, its intangible nature made it difficult for visitors to directly experience its value. Furthermore, at CES where brands compete to showcase the latest technologies, Samsung Electronics needed to clearly demonstrate its unique, unrivaled differentiation.

SOLUTION

We transformed the invisible AI into a tangible presence throughout the exhibition, working alongside Samsung devices, thereby shifting the visitor experience from merely seeing AI to actually feeling it. We visually conveyed Samsung's strength in recognizing users and providing personalized services across various everyday touchpoints like mobile, TV, and home appliances.

Additionally, considering the complex CES exhibition environment with competitor booths surrounding us, we designed the space to naturally guide visitors from the façade into the interior exhibition area. By synchronizing façade content with interior lighting, we created a ‘vibrant spatial experience’ where the entire exhibition hall seemed alive and dynamic.

The entire visitor journey was structured into distinct zones: the Vision Highlight Zone, featuring an impactful structure showcasing Samsung Electronics' vision at a glance; the Excellence Zone, where visitors could explore the four core values of SmartThings; the Home AI Zone, centered on key Home AI values and showcasing various scenarios; and the Beyond Home Zone, demonstrating SmartThings' expansion beyond the home. This allowed visitors to naturally experience Samsung's expanding vision and technology. Each zone was designed with interactive content and SmartThings UX experience elements tailored to its theme, allowing visitors to directly operate and understand the technology.

RESULTS

Over the four-day period, 102,787 visitors attended, achieving a 1.2x increase in buzz volume compared to the previous year on the opening day and securing the top spot in overall brand mentions at CES. The improved SmartThings experience also significantly boosted the exhibition zone's NPS (net promoter score) year-over-year, leading to higher attendee satisfaction.

Particularly noteworthy was the positive feedback from business partners regarding Samsung's AI and SmartThings technologies, which have expanded into new domains.