As a technology journalist, I’ve attended more tech events and launches than I can count in more than a decade, but Delta’s CES 2025 keynote was the only one that blew me away, both literally and figuratively. . That’s because the airline combines technology with storytelling to inspire an emotional response that’s surprisingly personal and impactful, and in doing so, builds a savvy relationship with one of the biggest possibilities of the coming year. contact.

Delta used the technology for its centennial event at the Las Vegas Sphere, the world’s largest spherical venue, a giant sphere covered with screens both inside and out. To commemorate its 100th anniversary, the airline also brought in Viola Davis, Tom Brady and Lenny Kravitz to turn it into Had a formal party. But what’s particularly impressive is how Delta leverages every bit of immersive power the Sphere possesses to bring a wow factor to CES, which has been lacking in compelling moments to inspire excitement about how technology is changing The real excitement of our lives.

In fact, by fully leveraging the power of Sphere technology, Delta seems to be showing the world how seriously it takes technology, and many companies (including well-known technology brands) can learn from it. Sphere’s wraparound LED screen acts as a canvas to tell epic stories of the airline’s past, present and future.

Tech companies often promise us that their innovations will make us feel more connected and give us more meaningful experiences. They rarely deliver on those promises in a way that satisfies those of us who end up using the technology. From social media to virtual reality to conversational artificial intelligence, there’s a gap between what we’re told to feel and how we actually feel.

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The Sphere, on the other hand, is packed with technology that delivers on its promise. It creates a sense of shared wonder, which in this case helped me feel emotionally invested in the brand. Even as someone who has never flown with Delta before (it’s not a major airline where I live in the UK), I was thoroughly educated on the airline’s priorities, staff and announcements, which include an AI concierge service and With Uber and YouTube.

Before Delta CEO Ed Bastian took the stage, viewers watched a slow sunrise rise on the sphere’s 160,000-square-foot giant screen before a giant The Delta plane was coming straight toward us. My seat rumbled and a gust of wind blew through me, making me feel like I had literally been blown off the runway.

It was one of several moments during the keynote where Delta leveraged haptic technology built into each of the Sphere’s 10,000 seats, combined with the venue’s visual and audio capabilities, to create a full-body, multi-sensory experience. At one point, as the screen transformed into a giant cockpit and we seemed to careen off the ground, I felt my eyes cross and my stomach cramp—a feeling similar to the motion sickness I’ve felt before in VR and other devices. .Roller Coaster.

The 3D effect of the spinning globe gave the impression of a filling sphere, while the final pyrotechnics filled the sky with whooshes, crackles and explosions that echoed in the seats. In more intimate moments, the camera zoomed in on longtime Delta employees scattered in the audience as Bastian paid tribute to their contributions to flying over the years.

Even before the keynote (which Delta had spent nearly a full year designing and preparing for), the event was already a hot ticket at CES — and it turns out, it was. Perhaps Delta’s frequent fliers might prefer that the airline spends the money to expand legroom, but this often cynical reporter was so impressed by the spectacle that it made me appreciate the technology more than I did in this rather mundane episode. The exhibition is even more promising.

The contrast between the boring, repetitive announcements and the heartfelt speeches from the Delta flight attendants, combined with the multi-sensory nature of the event, made me feel like I was immersed in a world of bold, iconic brands without the fear of being ripped off. show.