CARIAD@CES 2023

At the CES tech event in 2023, Volkswagen Group's software powerhouse CARIAD, made its remarkable debut on American soil. This marked the launch of its innovative tech hub in the United States, solidifying its global presence across the EU, US, and China, boasting a formidable team of over 6,000 software and hardware engineers and developers. However, the primary challenge was to introduce CARIAD to the US market – where the brand was previously hardly known – creating awareness, establishing its image as the paramount software powerhouse and ultimately positioning the company amongst global tech visionaries.

Inspired by the renowned 3-tier architecture principle in software development, CARIAD employed a modular three-story container design, effectively embodying their tech stack encompassing hardware, software, and applications, rendering it tangible and accessible.

This monumental container structure, comprising six 40-foot containers, lent a palpable and immersive quality to the brand. Complemented by an awe-inspiring 8.5-meter high LED wall and backlit glyphs and letters, it bridged the physical and digital realms, symbolizing the synergy between power and technology at CARIAD. Guests could interact with the colossal LED wall through tracking technology, becoming integral parts of the on-site media spectacle.

A seamless narrative thread wove through all of CARIAD's communication channels, extending before, during, and after CES. To ensure accessibility for both on-site attendees and a global audience, they leveraged an internal daily review on CARIAD Net and the MS Teams community, extending the reach of all events, talks, and blog posts in real-time. Their Digital Newsroom activities further shaped external communications, capturing CES talks for public consumption and offering virtual support through social media. Following CES, they delved deeper into their offerings with explanatory blog posts.

Shortly after CES, CARIAD's extraordinary impact reverberated through Exhibitor Group Magazine, a leading source for experiential marketing in the US, which unveiled the Best of CES 2023 Award winners. Remarkably, CARIAD's booth clinched the 9th spot among 3,200 competitors, underscoring the profound influence of their inaugural appearance on a US audience that was previously unacquainted with their brand.