Key Takeaways
- Lock in messaging, announcements and media materials early to meet CES timelines and capitalize on advance coverage opportunities.
- Customize your outreach using CES-specific media insights and contacts rather than relying on your usual press list.
- Focus on targeted, high-value media opportunities and stay flexible to support journalists’ unpredictable schedules during the show.
CES continues to reign as the world’s premier technology showcase. For automotive and mobility suppliers, CES 2026 presents another unmatched opportunity to showcase their biggest innovations and insights. The convergence of interest in AI, industry disruption, EV advancement and ADAS/autonomous systems at CES results in especially fertile ground to showcase thought leadership and impactful announcements.
But standing out is not a small feat amidst the 140,000+ attendees, 4,500+ exhibitors, and 6500+ media representatives and content creators in attendance. That’s why avoiding critical PR missteps is essential if you want your presence at CES to translate into real media traction.
Based on years of experience supporting clients at CES, we’re sharing five common mistakes mobility suppliers need to avoid and what to do instead to ensure your PR strategy delivers.
1. Assuming You Have More Time Than You Do
Registering and booking your booth at CES is just the beginning. If your messaging, product launches, or newsworthy announcements aren’t locked in by early fall, you’re already behind.
Journalists often request CES-related materials weeks in advance. Media preview days start before the show even opens. That means you need to finalize your key messages, spokesperson talking points, and internal approvals ahead of time to ensure you’re ready for both planned and last-minute opportunities.
Pro tip: Treat CES as the Super Bowl of tech PR. Game-changing stories need runway, not rushed execution.
2. Skipping Prep on What Media Really Want
CES is massive but that scale can work to your advantage if you approach it like a detective. The size of the show results in no shortage of media coverage year-to-year. Dig into what coverage looked like around automotive and mobility announcements / companies at the show in years past. Talk to reporters and influencers you’ve built relationships with who have attended the show previously and see what their takeaways were. Seek out peers and PR pros with CES experience to learn what resonated with reporters and what didn’t.
Pro tip: Insight-driven planning always beats assumption-based execution.
3. Using Your Standard Media List
CES demands a more strategic approach to targeting media. Simply relying on your everyday media contact list will limit you. Branch out and identify and engage with journalists who have covered mobility, vehicle tech, and CES-specific news in recent years. Check social platforms to see which media are talking about the show ahead of time. Review the list of official CES media partners – do any of them have an automotive / mobility / transportation beat reporter?
If you start early enough (as you should!), you should follow potential media targets well ahead of the show to understand what they’re covering before you send a pitch. Showing up on their radar as a relevant, responsive source can make you a go-to partner during the chaos of CES week.
Pro tip: Think long-term relationships. Do due diligence before you make the ask.
4. Ignoring the Intensity of the Media’s Reality
Thousands of companies, products and executives will be vying for reporters’ attention. That’s the landscape your pitch is competing in. Your job is to make it easy for them to find and care about you.
That means sending concise, timely, newsworthy pitches weeks in advance, offering flexible interview options, and being prepared to be flexible. Reporters’ schedules are unpredictable at CES, so your ability to pivot is key.
And don’t underestimate the value of reaching out to CES organizers themselves. From exhibitor tools to media engagement programs, there are more options available than you might realize if you ask early enough.
Pro tip: Be the team that makes a reporter’s job easier, not more stressful.
5. Setting Unrealistic Expectations
PR teams dream of landing a feature in Wired or a shoutout on The New York Times. And while it’s not impossible, CES is hypercompetitive within the automotive sector. Not only that but your company also be up against buzzy product launches from household names across the consumer electronics, gaming, AI, and health tech sectors as well.
Instead of aiming for volume, aim for precise, targeted impact. Prioritize the audiences and media outlets that align most with your specific business goals. The splashiest, buzziest outlet might not be the right fit if it’s not reaching your potential customers or the right decision makers. And make sure your spokespeople are available and prepared. While customer meetings come first, you must carve out time for media interviews too.
Pro tip: Success is about precision, not publicity overload.
Final Takeaway
If you can avoid these five common mistakes, you’ll be ahead in making the most of your company’s CES 2026 investment. And if you need experienced PR pros who’ve been in the trenches of CES year after year, we’re here to help! Contact our team.
Over the next few months, we will be sharing other installments of our CES 2026 blog series — offering practical, insightful information from our team to help automotive suppliers and mobility technology providers leverage their presence at CES.
Check out other posts in this series:
Key Data & Tips for Vehicle Tech PR Success at CES 2026
What Auto Suppliers Can Do Now to Make CES 2026 a PR & Marketing Success
Leslie Dagg is a Senior Account Supervisor at Franco. Connect with her on LinkedIn.
