The last company you’d expect to see at CES is one like Coca-Cola. It doesn’t exactly scream high-tech. But then again, maybe it does…
Coca-Cola Company executive vice president and chief marketing officer Joe Tripodi will appear on the Entertainment Matters keynote at next month’s CES conference. He’ll be joined by executives from marketing and financial services companies as well.
But having marketers and financiers talk at stuff like this is nothing new. We’re more interested in having a company like Coca-Cola represented. It doesn’t exactly scream bleeding edge of technology.
However, Coke has had to turn to the high-tech space in order to be relevant in its marketing messages. By offering text-to-win promotions on Coke bottles, becoming highly integrated with social networking services, and partnering with consumer electronics firms in the My Coke Rewards program, it really is part of the tech landscape today.
This highlights how every company these days is a content company. For an organization to be successful and connect with its consumers, it needs to practically have its own Twitter department, and if you don’t have an iPhone app you’re somehow seen as less valuable.
In other words, CES, and future technology events, are no longer just about the typical hardware manufacturers and venture capitalists. Rather, it’s about every single company in corporate America and the world. More so than ever, everyone needs to be on the edge of tech. Being blissfully blind to what’s going on in other sectors isn’t an option anymore.
The Entertainment Matters keynote will take place on Friday, January 7.
