by Travis Stanton, The Experiential Design Authority
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) represents different things to different people. To some, it’s the chance for startups to gain global attention. Others see it as a chance to witness tech innovations up close and personal. For exhibit and event professionals, it’s a peek inside the crystal ball of experiential marketing and design trends. Teaming with some of the world’s most exceptional trade show exhibits each year, CES is a creative catalyst inspiring the industry and fueling the future of exhibit marketing and design.
As The Experiential Design Authority’s official U.S. media partner, Exhibit City News, teamed up the organization to help celebrate the most remarkable stands from CES 2025. The resulting BOSS Awards (Best of Show Stand Awards) competition recognized the 30 best booths, which were ranked by an all-star panel of experiential experts. The five exhibits featured here, finishing in first through fifth place, all earned Gold Awards and praise from this year’s panel.
FIRST PLACE
LG Electronics
Design: LG Electronics
Fabrication: Czarnowski
At CES 2025, LG Electronics captivated attendees in the Las Vegas Convention Center’s Central Hall with its immersive “Live Beyond” exhibit, a showcase of AI-powered innovations designed to enhance daily life. Through a carefully curated journey divided into morning, noon, and night, visitors explored 41 core innovations that seamlessly integrated smart home technology, mobility solutions, and personalized entertainment experiences. This thematic storytelling not only provided clarity but also reinforced LG’s refined brand identity, rooted in human-centric, “Affectionate AI.”
Designed and executed in partnership with Czarnowski, the exhibit offered hands-on interactions that brought LG’s vision to life. For example, in the Intelligent Home vignette, dubbed the Rise and Shine zone, LG demonstrated AI’s ability to anticipate user needs, featuring a transparent OLED refrigerator door that provided real-time inventory tracking and proactive solutions. Meanwhile, in the Connect and Cruise area, guests got a futuristic look at AI-powered mobility, highlighting in-cabin sensing and Vision AI technology designed for heightened safety, convenience, and hyper-personalization. Finally, at the Gear Up and Game vignette, attendees were welcomed into a dynamic gaming experience powered by ThinQ ON, an AI-driven ecosystem that synchronizes with IoT sensors to create a fully customized gaming environment at the touch of a button.
Judges praised the exhibit for its immersive storytelling, seamless technology integration, and bold visual impact. One judge noted, “Iconic visual elements were seamlessly woven into an unforgettable experience. The details were carefully considered and well executed, showcasing a remarkable level of meticulous attention. Every element worked in harmony to create a cohesive and impactful brand experience.”
A standout feature was LG’s kinetic transparent OLED display—an awe-inspiring, showstopping element that further elevated the experience.
SECOND PLACE
Waymo
Design: NVE Experience Agency
Fabrication: Dreamcraft
Waymo used CES 2025 to reinforce its leadership in autonomous vehicle (AV) technology—not by showcasing distant-future concepts, but by demonstrating real-world advancements happening today. Designed by NVE Experience Agency and fabricated by Dreamcraft, the exhibit blended sleek, retro-futuristic aesthetics with interactive storytelling, creating a bold yet fluid environment that immersed attendees in Waymo’s cutting-edge innovations. The result? A clean, cohesive, and highly engaging experience that earned the only perfect 10 in the competition.
Anchoring the exhibit was Mission Control, the heart of the footprint. In the air above, a mesmerizing animation showcased 150,000 points of light representing Waymo’s weekly rides and setting the stage for a tech-driven journey. From there, visitors explored a series of hands-on, interactive demos.
Using wooden dials, guests engaged with the exhibit’s Ecosystem Touch Table, a circular interface that explored Waymo’s impact on industries and communities, with a holographic display illustrating each connection. The Driven by Data station illustrated the company’s safety metrics and growing adoption within various markets. Nearby, an interactive LED globe slowly rotated to display Waymo’s current markets. By selecting a market, guests activated new red dots representing that yet-to-come expansion.
In another segment of the space, Waymo presented a high-tech, laboratory-inspired alcove where projection mapping on a Jaguar iPace highlighted the company’s suite of sensors and the science behind its autonomous fleet. And in the Array of Riders section, a curved screen featured real-world uses—including a few celebrity riders—offering their own personal experiences using AV transportation.
Judges hailed the exhibit’s intentional design, tactile engagement, and seamless technology integration. One judge called it “a modern, futuristic masterpiece with brilliant, beautiful, tactile touches.”
THIRD PLACE
SK
Design: Rish Iyagi
Fabrication: Dreamcraft
SK took center stage with a space inspired by the theme: Innovative AI, Sustainable Tomorrow. A striking showcase of AI-driven advancements designed to transform industries and everyday life, the immersive exhibit featured 21 groundbreaking technologies, including AI-driven data center solutions, security innovations, and next-gen AI applications.
A dramatic facade comprising dozens of kinetic screens which moved in choreographed patterns captivated CES attendees and beckoned them inside. At the heart of the space, a towering LED pillar dynamically visualized SK Group’s AI Data Center (AIDC) solutions, representing real-time data flow across AI, energy, operations, and security.
The booth also featured cutting-edge AI security technologies, including ScamVanguard, a financial fraud prevention system that recently won the CES Best Innovation Award. Other standou applications included Litmus Plus, an AI-powered crowd and network data analysis system for indoor and outdoor environments; X Caliber, an AI-driven veterinary diagnostic assistant; AI Quantum Camera, a next-gen imaging solution with applications in robotics, security, media, and healthcare; GenAd, an advertising production tool; and AI Media Studio, a media processing and content enhancement platform.
Judges raved about SK’s execution, calling the exhibit impressive, grand, and architecturally stunning. One judge noted, “SK understood the power of an emotional eye-catcher and its ability to draw visitors in,” while another praised the interior’s sci-fi-like Server Room, calling it an immersive experience “worthy of a blockbuster action film.” Another judge highlighted the exterior design, describing it as “a masterful way of incorporating existing technology in an impactful, innovative way.”
With bold design, interactive demonstrations, and cutting-edge solutions, SK delivered a standout CES experience—blending innovation with emotion to create an unforgettable journey into the future of AI.
FOURTH PLACE
Samsung Electronics
Design: Cheil Worldwide
Fabrication: MC2
The massive 37,000-square-foot exhibit for Samsung Electronics introduced the company’s bold new vision: “AI for All,” emphasizing how artificial intelligence can enhance everyday life. With a decade of leadership in the connected home space, Samsung’s strategy was to demonstrate how AI seamlessly integrates into modern living—creating a more personal, impactful, and empowering experience for users.
The exhibit masterfully balanced immersion and accessibility, allowing guests to explore Samsung’s future-driven innovations at their own pace. Each zone told a distinct story, from flagship Q-Series soundbars delivering next-level audio immersion to an autonomous super yacht powered via mobile app, demonstrating AI’s vast potential beyond the home. To ensure attendees fully grasped the technology at play, subject matter experts were stationed throughout the space, offering personalized demonstrations and in-depth insights.
A key focal point of the exhibit was Samsung’s new era of home appliances, tying into the company’s exclusive First Look event announcements. At the heart of this showcase, Samsung unveiled the first-ever Art Basel collection, demonstrating how its cutting-edge displays can transform living spaces into personal art galleries—bringing premier works into homes around the world.
Judges were thoroughly impressed, calling the exhibit “a masterclass in immersive storytelling.” They praised the juxtaposition of color, light, substrates, and flooring, noting the exceptional attention to detail, product placement, and dynamic effects. One judge raved, “Everything works in this spatial visual feast,” while another highlighted Samsung’s flawless AI integration, stating, “The stunning effects, translucent screens, and individual vignettes all combined to create an undeniable wow factor.”
FIFTH PLACE
Ring
Design: Monks
Fabrication: Two Eighteen
Ring, an Amazon company, redefined its brand presence with “The Ring Block,” an immersive outdoor exhibit spotlighting its evolution beyond video doorbells. Designed to emphasize connection, security, and community, the experience highlighted Ring’s expanded role in homes and small-to-medium businesses (SMBs) while reinforcing its mission to help people protect what matters most.
Leaning into its Southern California heritage, the exhibit embraced a block party theme with a home-inspired layout, featuring street tacos, churros, and a golden-hour happy hour. Inside the “house,” interactive displays demonstrated Ring’s seamless integration into modern homes and businesses, making life safer and smarter. Meanwhile, in the booth’s “backyard,” a supersized Ring doorbell doubled as a photo booth, reinforcing the brand’s role in capturing shareable moments.
Attendees engaged with an AI-powered scavenger hunt, using Ring Smart Video Search to find hidden items in exchange for exclusive swag. Finally, to celebrate its startup roots, Ring partnered with Leisure Hydration, an Los Angeles-based brand operating from a garage, bringing the bodega-inspired activation to life while showcasing Ring’s support for entrepreneurs and SMBs.
The high-energy, on-brand experience earned praise from BOSS Awards judges, with one calling it “a brilliant match between product and experience” and another adding, “Ring took a big swing, and it paid off. The design was incredibly well-executed, providing a soft-touch approach to a high-tech product.”
Meet the Judges
The nine CES 2025 BOSS Awards judges evaluated and scored finalists on five criteria: Concept and Design, Technology and Innovation, Engagement and Immersion, Execution and Fabrication, and Overall Impact.
Christian Lachel, LEED AP, Chief Creative Officer, BRC Imagination Arts
Christina Stoll, CTSM Diamond, CDMP, PCM, Former Senior Marketing Manager, Event Marketing, HD Supply
Frank Jones, Experiential Producer, A Team Experiences
Glenda Brungardt, CTSM Diamond, Former Global Event Manager, HP
Jessica Sibila, CMP, CTSM, Executive Director, The Exhibitor Advocate
Michael Vallone, Vice President, Creative and Brand, Hill & Partners
Mike Denison, Head of Design, Smithsonian National Museum of American History
Stephanie Chavez, CTSM, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, BlackPearl Technology
Stephen Ross, Vice President, Executive Creative Director, Access TCA
Additional Award Winners
6th Place: Scout Motors
Design by New Moon; Fabrication by MadeFirst
7th Place: Hisense
Design and Fabrication by Impact XM
8th Place: Xreal
Design and Fabrication by Together Act Marketing Consultants
9th Place: Bosch
Design by Made OK; Fabrication by Metron Eging
10th Place: Kubota North America
Design and Fabrication by Czarnowski Collective
PEOPLE’S CHOICE Oshkosh Corp.
Design by 3D Exhibits, a Sparks Company, and Sparks, a Freeman Company; Fabrication by 3D Exhibits
Honorable Mention
TCL Corp.
Design and Fabrication by George P. Johnson
For the full list of Finalists and Award Winners please visit: https://www.experientialdesignauthority.com/post/ces-2025-boss-award-winners-revealed-during-las-vegas-event
This story originally appeared in the Q2 2025 issue of Exhibit City News, p. 34. For original layout, visit https://issuu.com/exhibitcitynews/docs/exhibit_city_news_-_apr_may_jun_2025/34.
