Beyond the Gadgets: Three Brands That Stole the Show at CES 2025

In the sprawling technological wonderland of CES 2025, where countless innovations vie for attention, three companies managed to transcend the usual tech-centric narrative, creating brand experiences that resonated far beyond the convention center floors. What's particularly noteworthy is that these standout performers weren't traditional consumer electronics incumbents, but rather companies that leveraged the global tech stage to reimagine their brand narratives.

Nvidia Talks Enterprise Technology with Measured Levity

On the evening of January 6, 2025, at 6:30 PM PST, Nvidia demonstrated how a B2B technology brand can create unforgettable moments through the calculated showmanship of CEO Jensen Huang. In a presentation that blended technical prowess with pop culture theatrics, Huang transformed what could have been a routine hardware announcement into compelling narrative. His unveiling of the GeForce RTX 50 Series GPUs powered by the cutting-edge Blackwell architecture became an instant viral moment when Huang strode onto the stage carrying the massive processor like Captain America's shield, complete with sweeping fanfare music – a self-deprecating nod to superhero cinema that brought unexpected levity to enterprise technology.

Huang's presentation style – at once authoritative about cutting-edge technology and playfully self-aware – allowed Nvidia to showcase both its technical leadership and its human side. His distinctive blend of technical expertise and showmanship transformed the keynote from a product announcement into a memorable brand experience. Even the keynote's YouTube thumbnail, featuring Huang's profile styled after Roman emperors on ancient coins, speaks to the careful cultivation of his public persona. It's a striking example of how a CEO's personal brand can be strategically woven into a company's identity without overshadowing its core technological mission.

Toyota Weaves a New Urban Future

Earlier on January 6, 2025, at 1:00 PM PST, Toyota expanded its rhetoric to more than vehicles. Its presentation of Woven City marked a defining moment in the company's evolution from automotive manufacturer to urban innovation leader. The announcement of Phase One completion for this pioneering smart city project, set to launch in fall 2025, revealed the tangible progress of a vision first introduced at CES 2020.

The 50,000-square-meter initial phase has already earned Japan's first LEED for Communities Platinum certification, but what truly sets Woven City apart is its collaborative ecosystem. Toyota announced an impressive roster of founding "Inventors" – including Daikin Industries, DyDo DRINCO, and NISSIN FOOD PRODUCTS – who will join the initial community of 360 residents in testing and validating innovative products and services. This human-centered approach to urban development demonstrates Toyota's commitment to expanding mobility beyond transportation to encompass the movement of people, goods, information, and energy.

The project's scope is ambitious: starting with Toyota and Woven by Toyota staff and their families in fall 2025, the community will gradually expand to include external inventors, ultimately growing to approximately 2,000 residents across all phases. By announcing plans to welcome public participation as "Weavers" in co-creation activities from FY2026, Toyota effectively positioned itself as an orchestrator of future urban living, inviting global collaboration in shaping tomorrow's cities.

Delta Transforms the Vegas Sphere for Tomorrow

As CES entered its second day on January 7, 2025, at 4:55 PM PST, in a bold move that captured the city's attention, Delta Air Lines transformed Las Vegas's most striking new landmark – the Sphere – into an immersive brand showcase that kicked off its 100th anniversary celebration. The airline crafted a multi-layered experience that transcended traditional keynote presentations, demonstrating how legacy brands can leverage cutting-edge technology to reimagine their story.

"Delta's Centennial kickoff at Sphere is a bold statement about our beloved brand and our future vision," said Delta CMO Alicia Tillman. "This isn't your typical CES keynote – it's a chance for attendees to experience the Delta brand like never before through immersive exhibits and an unforgettable show."

The activation brilliantly merged physical and digital experiences, beginning with an interactive pre-show exhibit in Sphere's Atrium that chronicled Delta's century-long journey through aviation history. Attendees engaged with compelling installations including a virtual pilot training experience and previews of new travel planning platforms. The keynote itself opened with a moving monologue by Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis, setting a powerful tone for CEO Ed Bastian's presentation.

"New marvels like AI, the digital revolution and sustainable technology are giving us incredible tools to transform the travel experience," Bastian told the packed venue. "But amid the wonder of new technology, we've always understood that the entire point of innovation is to lift people up."

The airline demonstrated sophisticated brand activation strategy by extending the experience beyond the keynote itself. The Sphere's massive exterior Exosphere became part of an interactive campaign, while exclusive benefits for SkyMiles members – including limited-edition merchandise made from retired 747 airplane metal – created additional layers of engagement. The experience culminated in an exclusive performance by multiple GRAMMY Award winner Lenny Kravitz, transforming what could have been a standard corporate presentation into a memorable brand spectacle.

Breaking Through the Noise

What united these three standout activations was their ability to transcend product showcases and connect with larger narratives. Nvidia linked gaming technology to the broader AI revolution, Toyota expanded the conversation from vehicles to entire cities, and Delta reimagined the future of travel through immersive technology.

In an event where technological specifications often dominate the conversation, these brands succeeded by focusing on human-centric narratives and ambitious visions for the future. Their success at CES 2025 demonstrates that even in a tech-focused environment, it's the ability to tell compelling stories and connect with broader human aspirations that truly captures attention and enhances brand value.

The lesson for marketers is clear: even in technology-focused environments, success comes not just from showcasing innovations, but from connecting those innovations to meaningful human experiences and societal progress.