The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), one of the world’s leading technology trade fairs held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada, has unveiled a new brand identity. Inspired by cutting-edge technology, the visual design will also serve as a trademark for the CES organizing body, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). For the first time, both entities will appear under a common graphic motif.
As a significant technology fair, CES is a prestigious exhibition for various manufacturers to showcase their latest technological achievements. While the first CES event took place in New York City in 1967, Las Vegas has been home to the fair since 1998. This year’s edition, held in January, gathered about 135,000 visitors who learned about the latest innovative trends from 4,300 companies. The CES 2024 was dominated by AI technology, with the main awardees including Mitsubishi Electric (mobile devices), LG Electronics (home appliances), and Samsung Electronics (gaming & e-sports).
In recent years, the fair’s identity has changed several times. The current rebranding’s goal, according to a CTA press release, is to “improve user experience across all touchpoints of the brand.” “Much like the technology industry is constantly changing, our point of view, our approach, and our vision of the future have to change,” CTA President Kinsey Fabrizio said.
The organization also states that the rebranding, carried out by the New York-based design studio Triptk, marks a significant milestone, especially considering that CTA is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Beyond an ordinary identity update, the transformation is intended to express how modern technology intersects with human aspects, offering optimal solutions for the biggest challenges of the present.
From now on, CES and CTA will share the same icon, consisting of two overlapping elements: a quadrangle and a circle. The design is a metaphorical representation of the interface between technology and humanity. According to the design concept, the intersection of the surfaces forms a structure through which one can see the world. Along with the main colored version of the logo, both the fair and its guiding organization may use a monochrome emblem.
Until now, the brand has used a color palette including dark blue, yellow, and turquoise. These colors will remain in the identity. However, the branded palette will be complemented by a dark shade of blue, featured in the new logo with some gradient, which is designated as the main brand color.
The CES/CTA corporate typography is now represented by the CTAMonument typeface. Used for the CES wordmark, the font is also featured in the design of the CES official website, distinguished by a traditional yet refined style.
Overall, the new CES/CTA emblem does not fundamentally showcase a new design. The fair’s old logo similarly featured folding and overlapping surfaces, and in this sense, the new one is evidently a continuation of a visual tradition. However, it features a simpler design using only two geometric figures.
On the other hand, despite the logo’s conceptual idea, the icon appears rather solitary when viewed standalone, and small compared to the wordmark, which can be disadvantageous in a digital environment. The negative space of the figures’ overlapping doesn’t feel sharp enough, lacking semantic expression. Additionally, this element is relatively weak compared to similar techniques in, for example, the Mastercard logo, where symmetrical overlapping forms a clear and concise figure.
