Ryan Schram's top tips for #CES2025

A big chunk of the advertising, media, and technology universe is en route to Las Vegas over the next 24-48 hours for one of the largest single site conferences in the world: #CES2025

Thanks to the Consumer Technology Association 's innovative spirit, CES is no longer limited to strictly product unveilings across consumer tech. In fact, it’s arguably become one of the absolute tent-poles of the annual calendar for marketers as well!

Initiatives like C-Space — where most of marketing and media’s top minds congregate — at Aria Las Vegas along with “sidecar” conferences from ADWEEK, Brand Innovators, and Variety, CES is one of the most productive investments of time industry practitioners can make. Even better? It happens right at the start of the New Year - making for a massive “dysfunctional family reunion” of sorts coming off the holiday break!

While I’ve shared pro-tips in past years, I thought I’d add some specific to this year….

??? Know that going in, it’s absolutely impossible to see and do it all during your time at CES - from both a raw square footage perspective and agenda-overlap standpoint.

Therefore, prioritization is key, as is being realistic with your schedule day to day. Distances (walking or driving) matter, as does whether you are going to concentrate your time on the Strip, at LVCC, Aria/Cosmo, and/or the Sands. Also accept that others might fail to do this — so have a backup plan within your daily agenda if your meeting attendees are suddenly unavailable!

?? Vegas is phenomenal at hosting large events... but CES is about as big as they come and it pushes the Strip to its absolute max. Even more so this year because the city is “down” two major resort hotels: Mirage (which is being renovated to a new Hard Rock Resort property) and Tropicana (the site of the new home of the Las Vegas Athletics... if they can get funding for it). Therefore, hotel room availability is at all-time lows and prices are at all-time highs for this year’s show.

????If you’re able to walk from venue to venue, do it! The taxi and ride share waits will be long at peak times and traffic will be congested - especially by LVCC along Paradise Road.

That said, do not underestimate forced perspective of tall building skewing their actual distances from you. While you certainly can physically walk from LVCC back to Venetian/The Sands and it looks like it’s “close by,” it’s actually a two mile walk, one-way!

A great productivity hack is taking advantage of the Vegas Loop tunnel network beneath all of the LVCC halls (and connected as well to Resorts World). It's free within the convention center area and inexpensive to hop to Resorts World.

??On this same note, I highly recommend packing a.) shoes that are fully broken in (e.g. not brand-new shoes) and b.) wearing footwear that is functional-first, fashionable second. It’s not uncommon to rack up 20,000+ steps per day at CES — and that assumes that you’re not on your feet all day at a booth. I’ll be packing my Allbirds with comfy insoles as my go-to!

??This is the planet’s leading technology show, so the wireless infrastructure should be pristine, right? Guess again.

Public WiFi and LTE/5G networks are also pushed to their limits in all forms during CES. While your device might show you “have” coverage, don’t assume that it will always be fast or functional.

And if you aren’t already, consider utilizing a repeatable VPN service to encrypt your network traffic when you’re attached to any public WiFi network across Vegas.

??? Reservations and quiet places are your friend this week. If you travel to Vegas for a ordinary weekend escape or for smaller conferences, you probably have a favorite center bar at a casino or a restaurant where you can walk up and get a table without an issue.

That will not be the case this week.

Same with that hotel lobby Starbucks that looked empty on your last trip. It’ll now be slammed with a seemingly endless line all day and mobile orders will be stacked up...

Plan accordingly; reservations via OpenTable, SevenRooms, and Yelp are useful, but only when used in advance. As are certain hotel lobbies, like the Waldorf Astoria (mid-Strip) and the Four Seasons (south Strip) that can serve as quiet meet-up spots in a pinch.

It can also be beneficial to befriend your resort’s concierge if they have one (and tip them generously). In Vegas, they are absolute magicians who can open a lot of doors for you at short notice.

?? If you’re like me and coming from a non-desert home climate, adjusting to 15% relative humidity can really take a toll on you. Staying hydrated in all of the ways — drinking water, using moisturizer, and remembering eyedrops — will not just be necessary, but the means to allow you to survive your time in Sin City. If you enjoy a cocktail or craft beer like I do, remember that that alcohol also dries out your throat, which, paired with lots of quality conversations can cause attendees to lose their voice a lot more quickly than usual.

?? CES is the ultimate “commerce conference” — meaning, its sole purpose is to both inspire people and prompt them to buy something. (It’s been reported that CES’ annual global economic impact is over $20 billion dollars — so, clearly, it’s working!)

At the same time, recognize that when everyone is in the act of trying to sell something, they often forget their audience are fellow human beings.

Therefore, resist the urge for the ‘hard sell’ and instead focus on building real connection by asking questions rooted in genuine curiosity and pairing that with active listening. I promise that great outcomes can (and will!) come from this approach.

?? CES is the proverbial 'Olympics' of portable batteries for your devices. You’ll definitely drain your iPhone or Galaxy smartphone during an active day of exploring CES. The last thing you’ll want is to be tethered to a wall outlet or a charging station when you could be out and about!

Therefore, MagSafe batteries or other small, pocketable batteries are a lifesaver for your productivity. If you haven’t bought one recently - it's time to upgrade! Technologies have also gotten far better in recent years. Make sure to get one north of 10,000 mAh and a higher wattage (ideally 30W+). It'll be inexpensive and you'll thank yourself later.

I just picked up Anker Innovations LTD 's latest MagGo Power Bank for my iPhone, which I'll use in tandem with their trusty Nano Power Bank 10,000mAh Portable Charger to get me through each day of the conference. (Full disclosure: this isn't a sponsored post; I just like their stuff!)

?? Last, but not least, have a great time!! 2025 marks my 19th CES and each year I look forward to heading back to Las Vegas for it. The combination of starting off the business year seeing old friends, meeting up longtime clients, being inspired by the latest tech, and having some fun while doing is truly intoxicating (and that's even before I win a few hands of Blackjack at the cheap tables or enjoy a cocktail while watching the Strip come alive at sunset!)

However you choose to spend your time at #CES2025, I hope you find these various tips helpful to maximize your experience in Las Vegas this year.