The CPG Guys: Live from CES 2026 with Tracy Locke’s Curt Munk

Release Date: January 31, 2026
Hosts: Peter V.S. Bond (PVSB) & Sri Rajagopalan
Guest: Curt Munk, Head of Sales & Strategy, Tracy Locke (Omnicom/Flywheel Commerce Network)
Location: Recorded at Omnicom’s podcast studio, Cosmopolitan Hotel, Las Vegas

Episode Overview

Main Theme:
This episode captures the 2026 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas through the eyes of Curt Munk—a retail and commerce strategy expert renowned for curating tours that reveal the most innovative and commercially relevant tech on the show floor. Hosts Peter and Curt dive into standout trends, especially in health and food technology, and explore the evolving nature of CES, practical innovation, and what consumer brands should be paying attention to for future growth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Structure & Focus of CES (04:23–05:42)

• Diversification of CES Floors:
  • The Venetian hosts practical consumer tech—health, food, home appliances—while the Las Vegas Convention Center focuses on TVs, gaming, and traditional electronics.
  • Curt notes: “The Venetian… has been a lot of health technology, food technology, maybe more practical consumer use technology… as opposed to televisions and gaming” (04:53).
• International Flair & Brand Curation:
  • Increasingly, brands from Asia and Europe dominate, many unfamiliar to North American audiences.
  • National groups (e.g., “French Tech”) exhibit coordinated branding and support for their startups, offering a glimpse into regional innovation ecosystems.

2. Preparing for CES as a Curator (05:51–09:25)

• Challenge of Mapping the Floor:
  • With new brands, little PR, and shifting show-floor arrangements, Curt invests significant effort each year to identify what’s retail-relevant.
• Eureka Park:
  • Explained as the “basement” where early-startup innovation happens, with country-based organization and a pecking order for advancement:
    “First technologies develop in Eureka park … The next year … they move to the first floor of the Venetian. And then after two or three years...” (07:37).

3. What Makes a CES Booth Effective? (12:08–13:25)

• Physicality Matters:
  • “You have to have a physical thing. Right. Because so much technology is now... you can't just show a video of something.” (12:29)
• Pre-show PR Essential:
  • Pre-CES buzz and teasers—through the Consumer Technology Association and other means—are crucial to drive booth traffic.

4. Thematic Innovations at CES 2026

a. Age Tech: From Monitoring to Empowerment (13:58–17:43)

• Beyond Wearables:
  • Devices now do more than alert caregivers; they actively empower users (e.g., exoskeletons enabling mobility, AI-assisted learning opportunities for seniors).
  • “Now with AI, there’s the expectation of… learn new things, get a new degree in your 70s… embracing the optimism of age.” (15:38)
• Tech for Workforce & Healthcare:
  • Exoskeletons are not just for the elderly—they support fields like baggage handling (Delta Airlines), improving workplace safety and efficiency.
  • Demo story: “She was picking up 200-pound bags and flipping into what I can only describe as a basketball net easier than he could get the thing off.” (18:28)

b. Health Tech: Moving to Integrated, Personalized Care (19:22–20:48)

• Beyond Passive Devices:
  • “Mirror” devices that scan your physiology, mood, and health data every morning.
  • Longitudinal tracking: similar to OURA rings—devices collect, interpret, and nudge users for preventive care.
  • Curt: “It’s making all sorts of really interesting health judgments about you in seconds.” (19:27)

c. Food Tech: From Air Fryers to All-in-One, Connected Appliances (21:05–29:13)

• Evolution of Smart Appliances:
  • “All-in-one” cooking machines now deliver advanced meal prep: users dump in ingredients, input goals, and machines execute cooking to perfection—connected to delivery and shopping ecosystems (e.g., orders ingredients automatically via Instacart or Amazon Fresh).
  • Example: “Brisket… does all of the food preparation and the thawing and the seasoning and the warming, and it is connected to your ordering infrastructure.” (11:48)
• Brand Integration Gaps:
  • Despite tech advances, there’s limited direct integration between CPG brands and these devices; most brands are hesitant due to uncertain technology adoption.
  • “CES is missing… the brand integration into the technology store. I can say that almost full stop.” (31:18)

5. The Value of Serendipity & On-Site Learning (25:55–27:21)

• Most Innovations Can’t Be Pre-Researched:
  • 80% of CES insights come from discovery and industry conversations onsite, not pre-show planning.
  • Example: RZA from Wu-Tang Clan discussed AI removing resource constraints from music creation—analogous to how brands/creatives can now ideate with fewer limits.

6. CES 2026: Logical Evolution, Not Revolutionary (34:05–37:36)

• Trends Mature, Less Spectacle:
  • Curt’s perspective: “CES is growing up and getting a little bit more practical this year.” (34:42)
  • Practical problem-solving is in; fewer “vanity” innovations.
  • AI is deeply embedded but not always as visible as hardware leaps of previous years.

7. Advice for Brands & Attendees (35:36–40:44)

• Who Should Be at CES?
  • “Anyone that touches or is responsible for a consumer or shopper experience at some point along the journey… creative, digital, social.” (35:36)
• Leadership & Curiosity:
  • Strong warning against complacency: if C-suite leaders lack curiosity or outsources it entirely, they’re at risk of falling behind.
  • “Outsourcing curiosity to an agency or a third party anyway... can supplement your team. But that curiosity and that focus has to come from within.” (40:12)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On innovation cycles at CES:
  “[Eureka Park]… that's where the pure innovation lives. The next year, if successful, they move to the first floor of the Venetian. And then after two or three years…” — Curt Munk (07:37)

• On the growing practicality of CES:
  “Where years past, a large portion of this show was about entertainment… that's not what's getting the attention. It's almost like CES is getting maybe more grown up, more practical, more useful.” — Curt Munk (22:12)

• On the core value of attending CES:
  “Curation and exploring before you get here is only about 20% of the value. If you really have your eyes wide open… 80% of what you learn are things that you could not prepare for because you didn't know about it.” — Curt Munk (25:55)

• On agency vs. internal brand innovation:
  “If all of the curiosity and all of the resonant, innovative knowledge sits in your agency, you're not going to succeed the way your competitors will.” — Peter V.S. Bond (39:41)

• On leadership and innovation:
  “The whole point of being a good leader is being able to recognize…we as a board do not have the understanding of this. How do we beg, borrow or steal it to get it?... That's curiosity.” — Curt Munk (40:12–40:45)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• CES Structure & Experience: 04:23–09:25
• Curation Process & Booth Best Practices: 09:57–13:25
• Age Tech & Health Innovation: 13:58–17:43; 19:22–20:48
• Food Tech & Brand Integration: 21:05–31:59
• On the Floor Discovery vs. Pre-Planning: 25:55–27:21
• CES Trends—Evolution vs. Revolution: 34:05–37:36
• Advice to Brands & Executives: 35:36–40:44
• Leadership & Internal Curiosity: 39:41–40:45

Tone & Style

• In-the-trenches insights: Practical, firsthand, conversational experiences from “the ground” at CES.
• Candid advice: Both Peter and Curt use wit and humor, matching the energy of live show-floor storytelling.
• Respectful irreverence: Jokes about “cast systems” of floor levels, battling for Ubers, and the ubiquity of French wine keep the episode lively and relatable.

Takeaways for Listeners

• CES is a living crystal ball for practical consumer tech, especially in health and food.
• Brand leaders must cultivate in-house curiosity and tech fluency, not just rely on agencies or third parties.
• Integrating with connected home and health ecosystems is crucial, but brands must watch and learn before betting big, as the tech landscape is unpredictable.
• AI is pervasive but needs translation to tangible, demonstrated outcomes for both consumers and brands.
• Attending CES is as valuable for serendipitous discovery and cross-industry learning as it is for intentional research.

For more on Curt Munk and Tracy Locke, check show notes for LinkedIn and company website links.
Missed this year? Reach out to Curt for curated tours at CES 2027.