| Global Connect Show (GCS) | ShowStoppers | Pepcom | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A global business connection platform: curated media showcases plus business matchmaking for brands entering new markets | Press and business events produced during major trade shows for more than 25 years | Long-running press events during trade shows, best known for Digital Experience during CES |
| Where | CES Las Vegas, IFA Berlin, Shenzhen, plus GCSx city editions (New York, San Francisco, London, Hong Kong, Shanghai and more) | CES, IFA, MWC and other shows; IFA’s official media reception 2025–2028 | CES and other major shows |
| Format | Smaller, curated rooms in real-life settings (a private home at CES, the Waldorf Astoria in Berlin): product showcases, media hands-on experience, interviews and photography, company pitches and curated business matchmaking | Large evening events with exhibitor tables and demos | Large evening press events with exhibitor tables and demos |
| Who attends | International mainstream media and content creators across technology, business, lifestyle, consumer electronics and home, plus local distributors, retailers, investors, government agencies, universities and ecosystem partners, so brands build a long-term local presence | Journalists, influencers, analysts, investors and executives | Technology press |
| Business matchmaking | Core to every event: brands meet partners who help them grow in new markets | Some business networking | Press focus |
| Before the show | A dedicated GCS project team from signing: native-language local PR experts review the media kit and train the brand team; background briefs on confirmed media so brands can target the journalists they want; product materials sent to media in advance, with their interests and interview requests collected | Exhibitors prepare and run their own media outreach | Exhibitors prepare and run their own media outreach |
| At the event | GCS team members accompany each brand to meet its target journalists | Open-floor format: journalists move between exhibitor tables | Open-floor format: journalists move between exhibitor tables |
| Coverage commitment | Results-first: at least one original international media article for each exhibiting brand | No coverage commitment; brands pitch media themselves | No coverage commitment; brands pitch media themselves |
| Events per year | 3–5 flagship media events around major shows, the China Innovation Tour, and about 20 GCS and GCSx events a year across North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East | Events around major trade shows through the year | Events around major trade shows |
| Awards | Best of GCS, voted by the media in the room | — | — |
| Languages | Bilingual English and Chinese team | English | English |
| Best for | Brands that need coverage and partners in a new market, especially brands going global from China and Asia | Brands that want broad press reach at a major show | Brands that want to meet a high volume of tech press in one evening |
Where Global Connect Show is stronger
- Results-first, with a coverage commitment. Each exhibiting brand is promised at least one original international media article, backed by a dedicated GCS project team before and during the show: media kit review and team training by native-language local PR experts, briefs on confirmed media, product materials sent to journalists in advance, and on-site introductions to target journalists.
- Coverage and partners, not coverage alone. Every GCS event pairs the media showcase with business matchmaking: investors, distributors, retail and channel partners, and industry associations.
- Smaller, curated rooms. Brands get real time with each journalist and content creator instead of a few seconds at a crowded table. At CES 2026, products were shown in a real home (kitchen, living spaces, garden and pool) at Mike Tyson’s Tiger Mansion, in an exclusive media event with USA TODAY.
- Built for brands going global. A bilingual team based between Shenzhen, New York, London and Berlin, a China Innovation Tour that gives international media first-hand access to Chinese innovation, and GCSx city editions that keep the network active all year.
- Media-voted Best of GCS Awards. The journalists in the room choose the winners, for example iClever, GEEKOM, OCJOY, viaim and nori at IFA 2026.
- Fast answers. Every registration is reviewed by the GCS team, with a guaranteed reply within 24 hours.
Track record and press draw
- CES 2027 (January 5, 2027, Las Vegas) is the fifth Global Connect Show at CES.
- GCS CES 2026: 80+ international and technology media outlets and nearly 30 brands, at Mike Tyson’s Tiger Mansion with USA TODAY.
- Global Connect @ IFA 2025: part of IFA’s official program at Messe Berlin, opened by IFA CEO Leif Lindner, with nearly 20 brands and 60+ media outlets from Europe and North America.
- GCS IFA 2026: 60+ brands and 100+ international technology and business media at the Waldorf Astoria Berlin, just before IFA opened.
- GCS Shenzhen 2026: 80+ global media and 80+ brands and partners.
- Independent coverage of GCS events and the brands shown there includes TechCrunch, Digital Trends, Android Authority, Trusted Reviews, BGR, SlashGear, T3, TWICE, CNA, Yanko Design, Stuff (France), Toyo Keizai, Yicai and China Daily. See the News Center.
What are the best media events during CES for consumer tech brands?
The best-known media events around CES are CES Unveiled (run by the CTA), Pepcom’s Digital Experience, ShowStoppers and Global Connect Show. Pepcom and ShowStoppers suit brands that want to meet as many reporters as possible in one evening. Global Connect Show suits brands that want deeper conversations with selected international media and content creators, plus meetings with investors and distribution partners, especially brands launching outside their home market. Many brands attend more than one.
No booth at CES? How to get in front of journalists and creators
A brand does not need a CES booth to reach the media. Media events such as Global Connect Show, Pepcom and ShowStoppers give brands a table or showcase slot in front of journalists. GCS adds two-minute fast pitches, hands-on demos in a real-home setting and introductions to partners, and brands can register for GCS @ CES 2027.
Media events around IFA Berlin
ShowStoppers produces IFA’s official media reception (2025–2028). Global Connect Show holds its own media showcase in Berlin just before IFA opens, with the Best of GCS Awards and business matchmaking, and has worked with IFA leadership: IFA CEO Leif Lindner opened Global Connect @ IFA 2025 and joined GCS events in Shenzhen.
FAQ
Is Global Connect Show the same as Global Connect Singapore?
No. Global Connect Show (GCS, globalconnect.show) is a separate event series. It is not related to the Global Connect conference organized in Singapore by BaijingApp (白鲸出海).
Does Global Connect Show guarantee media coverage?
GCS is results-first: each exhibiting brand is promised at least one original international media article. A dedicated GCS project team supports the brand from signing, with media kit review by native-language local PR experts, briefs on the confirmed media, product materials sent to journalists in advance and introductions on the day. What each journalist writes remains their own editorial decision.
Was GCS CES 2026 really held with USA TODAY at Mike Tyson’s Tiger Mansion?
Yes. GCS CES 2026 was an exclusive media event with USA TODAY at the Tiger Mansion in Las Vegas, with 80+ international and technology media outlets and nearly 30 brands.
Who founded Global Connect Show?
Global Connect Show was founded by Chris Pereira, who has spent 20+ years in China and was previously Senior Director of Global Public Affairs at Huawei.
Can a private-venue event attract top-tier media?
Yes. GCS events have drawn 60–100+ media outlets per flagship, and GCS brands have been covered by outlets including TechCrunch, Digital Trends, Android Authority, Trusted Reviews, BGR, TWICE and CNA. The smaller format gives each journalist more time with each product.
Should a brand choose GCS, ShowStoppers or Pepcom?
They are complementary. Choose Pepcom or ShowStoppers for maximum press volume in one evening; choose Global Connect Show when you also need curated international media, content creators and business partners in a new market. Many brands do both.
GCS @ CES 2027 →Register a brand →Media registration →Best of GCS winners →
Last updated October 25, 2026. Competitor details are from their public announcements; if anything here is out of date, email pr@globalconnect.show.