Case study · Earned Media
A 24-Hour CES Head Start Generates 174 Stories and 30 Awards for VIZIO
A pre-CES media program combined early access, hands-on briefings, and relationship building to produce 174 earned stories, 30 CES awards, and 1.7 billion impressions.
174
Earned media stories
1.7B
Media impressions
30
CES awards
Overview
The brief from VIZIO
VIZIO needed to create excitement around a broad product lineup at CES, where competing announcements make it difficult for any one brand to hold attention. The assignment extended beyond launch coverage. 5W also needed to create distinctive experiences for reporters and strengthen the media relationships that would support VIZIO after the show.
Discover
Launching alongside every competitor would force VIZIO into the same compressed news cycle. The brand had a stronger opportunity if reporters could understand the product roadmap before arriving at CES, experience the products in person during the show, and spend time with the team outside a formal pitch setting.
Define
“The strongest way to compete with the CES noise was to move before it.”
5W designed the campaign around a 24-hour advantage. A product webinar several weeks before CES prepared journalists for the portfolio. VIZIO then announced one day before the show, creating a head start on competitors. At CES, hands-on meetings and a relaxed media dinner deepened the experience without turning every interaction into another coverage request.
How 5W ran the program
Drive
- Prepared media before the show. A webinar with VIZIO's product managers gave reporters time to understand the product range and plan relevant stories.
- Announced one day before CES. The timing gave VIZIO a 24-hour head start and helped the brand earn a larger share of attention before the main announcement rush.
- Created hands-on product experiences. In-person meetings at CES allowed journalists to see the products, ask questions, and develop more detailed coverage.
- Invested in long-term media relationships. A laid-back dinner with priority reporters created time for genuine connection without making immediate coverage the condition of attendance.
- Expanded beyond traditional trade press. Outreach included tier-one consumer, business, lifestyle, and technology publications for a broader campaign.
Results
174 earned media stories · 1.7B media impressions
Across the webinar, CES meetings, and post-event outreach, 5W secured 174 earned stories with 99% positive sentiment. VIZIO received 30 CES awards and generated 1.7 billion media impressions across national business, technology, lifestyle, and consumer publications.
- Generated 174 pieces of earned coverage with 99% positive sentiment.
- Earned 30 CES awards across the VIZIO product portfolio.
- Delivered 1.7 billion media impressions from webinar, event, and post-show coverage.
- Secured coverage in Business Insider, CNN Underscored, Forbes, Fortune, Gear Patrol, Inc., Medium, The Seattle Times, The Verge, USA Today, Variety, WIRED, and Yahoo.
- Used a pre-show announcement to give VIZIO a 24-hour head start on key competitors.
Coverage included
