Your Guide To The Hottest CES 2026 Events For Media & Ad Pros

The Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is more than a tech spectacle โ€” it’s where media, advertising, entertainment, creators, and connected-TV tech collide. If youโ€™re heading to Las Vegas this January, hereโ€™s your tight, curated guide to the must-attend gatherings that matter most.

Digital Hollywood at CES

๐Ÿ“ Jan 5 @ ARIA Resort & Casino
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event link

Kick off your CES week with the Digital Hollywood conference. Expect panels on AIโ€™s impact on film and television, the economics of the creator ecosystem, and where streaming is headed. Itโ€™s included with your CES badge, though registration is required.

Brand Innovators Marketing Leadership Summit

๐Ÿ“ Jan 5โ€“8 @ ARIA
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event link

A must for brand-side thinkers and marketers. Four days of leadership sessions, AI marketing case studies, attention modeling, and fireside chats from top advertiser and agency execs.

Future Decoded (MediaLink + UTA)

๐Ÿ“ Jan 6 @ ARIA C Space
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event link

An anchor event at CES. Future Decoded brings together leaders from Roku, IPG, Nielsen, UTA, and beyond to explore whatโ€™s next in data, creativity, and marketing transformation. This is consistently one of CESโ€™s highest-caliber content programs.

ADWEEK House at CES

๐Ÿ“ Jan 6โ€“8 @ ARIA (Orovada Rooms)
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event link

Think of ADWEEK House as your CES clubhouse: conversations on commerce media, cultural credibility, AI-driven insight, and brand/creator partnerships โ€” plus coffee, quiet workspace, and excellent networking.

Mediaocean Ski Lodge

๐Ÿ“ Jan 6โ€“8 @ The Cosmopolitan
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event link

A cozy, invite-friendly escape inside The Cosmopolitan. Enjoy cocktails, curated programming, and a standout fireside chat between Ari Paparo (Marketecture), Brian Oโ€™Kelley (Scope3), and Bill Wise (Mediaocean) on Jan 7.

Variety Entertainment Summit at CES

๐Ÿ“ Jan 7 @ ARIA
๐Ÿ‘‰ Main event link
๐Ÿ‘‰ Session example โ€“ โ€œThe New Business of Entertainmentโ€

A star-powered lineup featuring leaders from Netflix, Disney, NBCU, TelevisaUnivision, and Vizio discussing the future of streaming, advertising, content formats, and audience fragmentation.

TiVo + Comscore Neon Noir Happy Hour

๐Ÿ“ Jan 7 @ Beauty & Essex (The Cosmopolitan)
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event registration

A stylish, speakeasy-adjacent happy hour with measurement and CTV insiders. One of CESโ€™s most enjoyable informal networking environments.

Shelly Palmerโ€™s Industry Briefing

๐Ÿ“ Jan 7 (Breakfast)
๐Ÿ‘‰ Event link

Shelly Palmer distills the entire CES week into a succinct executive-level briefing on AI, media, advertising, and emerging tech. A longtime staple for agency and brand leaders.

Meetings & Suites Worth Booking

These arenโ€™t โ€œevents,โ€ but they are major opportunities:

Chase Media Solutions @ CES
๐Ÿ‘‰ Link

Private meetings on commerce media, payment data, audience insights, and retail media strategy.

Equativ @ CES
๐Ÿ‘‰ Link

Meetings focused on omnichannel monetization, CTV supply, and AI-driven audience planning.

Amagi @ CES
๐Ÿ‘‰ Link

FAST channels, cloud playout, distribution โ€” ideal for understanding FAST content economics.

Stingray @ CES
๐Ÿ‘‰ Link

Music-driven FAST channel strategies, retail audio networks, and ad-supported streaming.

iSpot @ CES
๐Ÿ‘‰ Link

Cross-platform measurement, CTV attribution, and incremental reach strategies.

CES Streaming & CTV Panels

(These are official CES sessions outside C Space.)

Full Stream Ahead: The New Standard in Viewing

Personalizing Entertainment with AI

StoryTech: CES 2026 Main Stage Programming

๐Ÿ‘‰ Link

These discussions feature leaders from Roku, Samsung, Google TV, Tubi, IMDb, and others โ€” great for understanding where UPROXXโ€™s distribution partners are headed.

Pro Tips to Maximize Your CES

โœ” Prioritize ARIA + Cosmopolitan โ€” this is where the media world actually gathers.
โœ” Book suite meetings early (Chase, iSpot, Amagi, Equativ).
โœ” Attend at least one creator- or CTV-focused panel each day.
โœ” Keep your badge handy โ€” most of the best content is badge-only.