CES 2026: What Banjo Communications Learned About Tech PR, AI, and Influencer Marketing

lisa1661
10 hours ago
4 min read

Influencer & Tech PR Insights Shaping 2026

Every January, Las Vegas transforms into the global stage for innovation at CES, where brands from AI and deep tech to consumer gadgets, robotics, and health tech showcase products that will define the year ahead.

This year, Banjo Communications was on the ground, connecting with brands, influencers, and journalists, analysing how technology is being communicated to the world. CES 2026 wasn’t just about gadgets - it was about storytelling, credibility, and visibility in a crowded market. The lessons we learned are already shaping how tech brands should approach PR in 2026 and beyond.

Storytelling Over Specs: The Shift in Tech PR

One of the clearest trends at CES 2026 was that features alone no longer capture attention. Whether it’s AI-driven smart devices, robotics platforms, or wearables, audiences now care about impact, relevance, and human benefit.

For tech PR in 2026, this translates to:

Focus on outcomes, not just specs. Brands that show tangible results - whether efficiency, convenience, or sustainability get coverage.
Human-centred narratives win. Journalists and influencers respond to stories about founders, users, and real-world applications, not just technical data.
Credibility is crucial. Deep tech and AI audiences are skeptical, so expert endorsements, technical proof points, and live demonstrations are essential.

Brands in consumer tech, AI, robotics, smart devices, and mobility must ensure their PR communicates why the technology matters, not just what it does. CES demonstrated that even the most sophisticated products can fail to resonate if the story behind them isn’t compelling.

Influencer Marketing in 2026: Authenticity Over Reach

CES also highlighted how influencer marketing is maturing. The era of mass sponsorships is giving way to strategic, long-term partnerships. Brands that stood out this year collaborated with:

Niche experts and micro-influencers who understand AI, robotics, and deep tech
Thought-leader creators who double as credible voices in their industries
Long-term partnerships rather than one-off promotional posts

The lesson for 2026: influencer tech PR is about credibility, authenticity, and authority. In emerging technology sectors, consumers and journalists can tell when a partnership is genuine - and when it’s just marketing noise. For AI-powered smart home devices or advanced robotics platforms, working with influencers who understand the technology adds significant credibility and ensures meaningful media coverage.

AI Search Is Changing How Brands Are Discovered

Another major insight from CES 2026: AI-powered search is redefining visibility for tech brands. Journalists, buyers, and consumers increasingly rely on AI tools to find product information, company insights, and expert commentary.

For PR, this means:

Structured, authoritative content is essential. Press releases, product pages, and thought leadership must be AI-readable.
Cross-platform consistency matters. Brand messaging must align across media coverage, influencer content, and digital channels.
Timely, relevant insights boost visibility. AI search favours brands that provide accurate, current information on trends in deep tech, AI, robotics, and consumer tech.

At Banjo Communications, we are integrating media, influencer, and AI search strategies to ensure clients are discoverable in the digital-first, AI-powered landscape.

CES 2026 Trends: Tech That Adapts

While CES often dazzles with flashy gadgets, 2026 felt different. The overarching theme was technology that adapts to users’ needs, quietly enhancing daily life.

A few standout trends:

Projectors are back. Brands like Hisense are delivering projectors that scale from a modest 65-inch display to a wall-filling 300-inch image, with quiet liquid cooling, optical zoom, and smart sensors for alignment. PR messaging here should focus on user convenience, immersive experience, and lifestyle enhancement, not just technical specifications.
Screens that disappear. LG’s Wallpaper TV blends into walls, transforming TVs into framed art. The story isn’t just the technology - it’s the design thinking and user experience. Communicating this helps position the brand as innovative and forward-thinking.
Folding and multi-screen devices. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Trifold and ASUS Zenbook Duo highlight devices that adapt for work and play. Messaging should emphasise flexibility, productivity, and user empowerment.
Chore-focused robots. LG’s CLOiD folds laundry, while Ecovacs’ Milo acts as a digital companion. PR here is about saving time, simplifying life, and integrating tech into daily routines.
Invisible tech for kids. LEGO’s smart play bricks hide the technology entirely, allowing children to play naturally while the tech responds quietly in the background. Messaging focuses on subtle innovation, safety, and ease of use.
Driverless and practical robotics. Autonomous rides and cleaning robots are increasingly functional, emphasizing usability and convenience over spectacle.

The takeaway: CES 2026 showed tech that changes shape, adapts to users, or even disappears entirely. For PR agencies, this means messaging must highlight real-world benefits and experiences, not just engineering feats.

Timing and Relationships Still Matter

Even with AI and digital-first strategies, relationships remain central to PR success. CES offers unmatched opportunities to:

Build credibility and trust with journalists and influencers
Position brands as thought leaders in emerging tech sectors
Secure long-term coverage and partnerships

Pre-event storytelling, post-event follow-ups, and exclusive angles remain essential for consumer tech, mobility, and robotics PR. CES is still a place where direct human connections make a difference that digital campaigns alone cannot replicate.

Practical PR Lessons for 2026

From CES 2026, Banjo Communications is applying these lessons to client campaigns:

Integrate PR across channels. Media, influencer campaigns, and AI search must work as a single ecosystem.
Prioritise credibility. Trust signals in AI, robotics, and deep tech outperform flashy launches.
Focus on human impact. Stories about users and real-world applications resonate more than specs alone.
Leverage influencer expertise. Micro-influencers and industry thought leaders create stronger engagement than mass outreach.
Plan your timing. Strategic pre- and post-event communication is as critical as CES floor presence.

Brands succeeding in AI, consumer tech, robotics, wearables, smart devices, and mobility treat PR as strategic storytelling, not just announcements.

Why CES Still Matters

Despite digital-first trends, CES remains the benchmark for tech visibility:

Trend validation: Being at CES signals credibility in emerging tech.
Networking: It’s where venture capital, media, and partnerships converge.
Brand positioning: Coverage from CES provides lasting credibility.

For brands in AI, deep tech, consumer electronics, and robotics, CES is more than an event - it’s a launchpad for market leadership.

To find out more, please contact lisa@thisisbanjo.com

Every January, Las Vegas transforms into the global stage for innovation at CES, where brands from AI and deep tech to consumer gadgets, robotics, and health tech showcase products that will define the year ahead.

Storytelling Over Specs: The Shift in Tech PR

One of the clearest trends at CES 2026 was that features alone no longer capture attention. Whether it’s AI-driven smart devices, robotics platforms, or wearables, audiences now care about impact, relevance, and human benefit.

For tech PR in 2026, this translates to:

Focus on outcomes, not just specs. Brands that show tangible results - whether efficiency, convenience, or sustainability get coverage.

Human-centred narratives win. Journalists and influencers respond to stories about founders, users, and real-world applications, not just technical data.

Credibility is crucial. Deep tech and AI audiences are skeptical, so expert endorsements, technical proof points, and live demonstrations are essential.

Brands in consumer tech, AI, robotics, smart devices, and mobility must ensure their PR communicates why the technology matters, not just what it does. CES demonstrated that even the most sophisticated products can fail to resonate if the story behind them isn’t compelling.

Influencer Marketing in 2026: Authenticity Over Reach

CES also highlighted how influencer marketing is maturing. The era of mass sponsorships is giving way to strategic, long-term partnerships. Brands that stood out this year collaborated with:

Niche experts and micro-influencers who understand AI, robotics, and deep tech

Thought-leader creators who double as credible voices in their industries

Long-term partnerships rather than one-off promotional posts

AI Search Is Changing How Brands Are Discovered

Another major insight from CES 2026: AI-powered search is redefining visibility for tech brands. Journalists, buyers, and consumers increasingly rely on AI tools to find product information, company insights, and expert commentary.

For PR, this means:

Structured, authoritative content is essential. Press releases, product pages, and thought leadership must be AI-readable.

Cross-platform consistency matters. Brand messaging must align across media coverage, influencer content, and digital channels.

Timely, relevant insights boost visibility. AI search favours brands that provide accurate, current information on trends in deep tech, AI, robotics, and consumer tech.

At Banjo Communications, we are integrating media, influencer, and AI search strategies to ensure clients are discoverable in the digital-first, AI-powered landscape.

CES 2026 Trends: Tech That Adapts

While CES often dazzles with flashy gadgets, 2026 felt different. The overarching theme was technology that adapts to users’ needs, quietly enhancing daily life.

A few standout trends:

Screens that disappear. LG’s Wallpaper TV blends into walls, transforming TVs into framed art. The story isn’t just the technology - it’s the design thinking and user experience. Communicating this helps position the brand as innovative and forward-thinking.

Folding and multi-screen devices. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Trifold and ASUS Zenbook Duo highlight devices that adapt for work and play. Messaging should emphasise flexibility, productivity, and user empowerment.

Chore-focused robots. LG’s CLOiD folds laundry, while Ecovacs’ Milo acts as a digital companion. PR here is about saving time, simplifying life, and integrating tech into daily routines.

Invisible tech for kids. LEGO’s smart play bricks hide the technology entirely, allowing children to play naturally while the tech responds quietly in the background. Messaging focuses on subtle innovation, safety, and ease of use.

Driverless and practical robotics. Autonomous rides and cleaning robots are increasingly functional, emphasizing usability and convenience over spectacle.

The takeaway: CES 2026 showed tech that changes shape, adapts to users, or even disappears entirely. For PR agencies, this means messaging must highlight real-world benefits and experiences, not just engineering feats.

Timing and Relationships Still Matter

Even with AI and digital-first strategies, relationships remain central to PR success. CES offers unmatched opportunities to:

Build credibility and trust with journalists and influencers

Position brands as thought leaders in emerging tech sectors

Secure long-term coverage and partnerships

Pre-event storytelling, post-event follow-ups, and exclusive angles remain essential for consumer tech, mobility, and robotics PR. CES is still a place where direct human connections make a difference that digital campaigns alone cannot replicate.

Practical PR Lessons for 2026

From CES 2026, Banjo Communications is applying these lessons to client campaigns:

Integrate PR across channels. Media, influencer campaigns, and AI search must work as a single ecosystem.

Prioritise credibility. Trust signals in AI, robotics, and deep tech outperform flashy launches.

Focus on human impact. Stories about users and real-world applications resonate more than specs alone.

Leverage influencer expertise. Micro-influencers and industry thought leaders create stronger engagement than mass outreach.

Plan your timing. Strategic pre- and post-event communication is as critical as CES floor presence.

Brands succeeding in AI, consumer tech, robotics, wearables, smart devices, and mobility treat PR as strategic storytelling, not just announcements.

Why CES Still Matters

Despite digital-first trends, CES remains the benchmark for tech visibility:

Trend validation: Being at CES signals credibility in emerging tech.

Networking: It’s where venture capital, media, and partnerships converge.

Brand positioning: Coverage from CES provides lasting credibility.

For brands in AI, deep tech, consumer electronics, and robotics, CES is more than an event - it’s a launchpad for market leadership.