POV: A Guiding Light
Jan 1, 2006 12:00 PM,
By Blake Brubaker
The Exhibitor Committee for InfoComm International represents InfoComm’s exhibitor members, who make a significant contribution to the annual success of the association and the tradeshow. In essence, its “project” is the show — shaping its focus by incorporating trends into the annual event that provide the most benefit to both exhibitors and attendees.
For many exhibitors, the InfoComm tradeshow marks the high point of their annual product and service marketing efforts in the AV industry. For exhibitors, the show is an opportunity to gain market share, meet with distribution channels, generate new sales leads, and offer technology training.
The Exhibitor Committee works with the InfoComm International staff to implement the show’s operational, sales, and marketing plans. It recommends show rules and policies, and provides feedback to the show’s management staff on how to keep improving the show for everyone involved.
Recently, the Exhibitor Committee tackled the issue of where to best host the show in the years to come. Upon its recommendation, the InfoComm Board of Governors approved a rotation between Las Vegas and Orlando for 2008 through 2013. Following Orlando in 2006 and Anaheim, Ca., in 2007, InfoComm 2008 will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center June 18-20. InfoComm 2009 will be held at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center June 17-19. The show will then rotate between the two cities through 2013.
These cities were selected for two reasons. Orlando and Las Vegas are terrific destinations for both attendees and exhibitors and fit with the association’s efforts to center the show on both the East and West Coasts. Plus, each city has outstanding facilities, world-class hotels, and incredible entertainment options.
The Exhibitor Committee is expecting the largest InfoComm tradeshow ever June 7-9, 2006, in Orlando. InfoComm 06 will host more than 28,000 professional commercial and end-user attendees from more than 80 countries and all 50 U.S. states.
So far for 2006, most of the 775 expected exhibitors have signed on. Including exhibitor meeting, demo, training, and special events space, InfoComm 06 may occupy more than 425,000 square feet, an InfoComm record. Big names and start-ups alike will exhibit thousands of products in audio, display, projection, lighting and staging, and web-, audio-, and videoconferencing.
Pavilions on the show floor include the Large Venue Display Gallery, Digital Content Creation Center, Home Theater technology demo, Collaborative Conferencing demo, Independent Programmer Showcase, Rigging Demo Area, and Audio Demo Rooms. Companies such as Harman Pro Group, Renkus-Heinz, Tannoy, and Telex Communications (among many others) will round out the excellent display technologies on the show floor.
If you’ve ever wondered what makes AV applications tick, sign up for the show’s Behind-the-Scenes AV Technology Tours. The tours are given by those who manage and use the facility, and cover why the facility was built, how it’s being used, what lessons were learned, and what’s planned for the future.
InfoComm 06 is expecting more than 4,000 attendees to participate in some 250 education sessions held in conjunction with the show. The courses will cover the gamut of topics with two-hour sessions, four-hour workshops, full-day workshops, and intensive three-day Institutes for Professional Development. Additional conferences held at InfoComm are EduComm, targeting higher education and K-12 audiences, Syn-Aud-Con, and the Projection Summit.
In addition to product knowledge shared by technical staff on the show floor, key exhibitors will also be conducting Manufacturers Training Sessions.
InfoComm 06 marks the second year of the show’s participation in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Buyer Program, allowing key international dealers, distributors, and buyers from around the world to take part in the show.
On behalf of InfoComm’s exhibitors, the Exhibitor Committee encourages you to join us in Orlando this June for InfoComm 06. Network with industry colleagues and experts while watching the latest trends in audiovisual and information communications come to life on the show floor.
Blake Brubaker,CTS, is Exhibitor Committee chair for InfoComm International.
