January is always an exciting time of year - it marks a fresh start to strive towards new goals, push boundaries, and explore uncharted opportunities. For many, no January would be complete without the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, a week-long event showcasing new and exciting creations that exemplify the same ingenuity and explorative spirit that the new year brings. 

Last week, the Samba team joined thousands of eager brands and consumers as we returned to Vegas for our 11th CES! For us, CES is one of the biggest events of the year and a big part of Samba’s history. It brings together our entire partner ecosystem - from TV Manufacturers to publishers, agencies to brands - in one collaborative and energetic environment, and is where Samba caught the attention of early investor Mark Cuban in 2009. Whether we are presenting, speaking, or reveling at the inspiring new technology, CES is always an amazing learning opportunity. This year was an especially notable experience because not only did we have the chance to meet, connect with, and learn from our valued partners at our ARIA Sky Suites, we also had the opportunity to unveil our exciting new product release, TV Boost.

TV Boost is a cross-channel activation solution that helps brands and advertisers achieve unparalleled incremental reach beyond their broadcast TV buys. Boost merges our exclusive TV viewership data with our premium media inventory, so advertisers can maximize the impact of their linear campaigns across digital and OTT channels. Fueled by our proprietary ACR technology, our partners can identify the audiences who viewed (or missed) their broadcast campaigns, build customized retargeting strategies around those audiences, and then engage them on their second screen with relevant and timely messaging. Now advertisers can deliver more effective campaigns and measure the true impact of their TV buys across devices. 

CES never fails to showcase the latest and greatest in technology for consumers, and this year one of the most talked-about announcements came from Sony, a Samba TV partner. Sony revealed the next generation of its 8k televisions, but even more exciting was the unveiling of their electric car concept. The Vision-S, which focuses on safety, entertainment, and adaptability, features a 360-degree view of its environment and any potential hazards, while also boasting a sleek and modern design. This type of ingenuity and creativity is why we are proud to partner with Sony, and excited to strengthen that relationship, as we continue to pioneer the new frontier of television with products that enhance the lives of consumers around the world. 

In addition to our suites, we also sponsored the Brand Innovators Mega-Trends event during CES. Samba TV CRO, Dan Ackerman, moderated a roundtable discussion with panelists from iCrossing, Dentsu, Hearts & Science, and Havas. It is always a CES highlight for us to sit down with industry leaders to discuss trends, challenges, and predictions for 2020.

Take a look at the video with Samba TV CEO Ashwin Navin, as he synthesizes his biggest takeaways from CES, as well as expectations for the future of television.