Content Creation and Distribution Becoming More Important for AV Pros

Slowdown in integration and shift of InfoComm 2020 to virtual event highlight a shift in AV industry that could have long-term benefits post-COVID-19.

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As integrators, live events professionals and manufacturers deal with the reality of a slowdown in the AV installation market for the foreseeable future, the announcement this week of a virtual version of InfoComm 2020 puts a stronger spotlight on content creation and distribution.

InfoComm 2020 Connected, the three-day virtual event that AVIXA will host June 16-18 on the same days it was supposed to welcome 40,000-plus people to Las Vegas for the AV industry’s largest North American show, is just one example of the opportunity in what could become a profitable new focus area for those in AV, says AVIXA senior director for market intelligence Sean Wargo.

“Enterprise organizations are becoming broadcasters,” says AVIXA senior director of market intelligence Sean Wargo. “That creates a lot of opportunity—pre-production and planning, post-production and planning, content management and more.

“That was always there, but now it’s amplified. It’s never about completely abandoning all of your capabilities. It’s about being flexible. You’re not going to plan for perpetual rain. You’re going to plan for a mix of rain and sun,” he says.

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Preparing for the Turnaround

The slowdown in work across the U.S. and global economies that’s seen 22 million Americans file for unemployment benefits in the past several weeks gives company leaders more time for planning, says Wargo, and that’s a good thing for AV integrators too.

“Companies will be looking at reimagining their workspaces,” says Wargo. “The AV design side of the industry is part of those discussions now. That can create downstream work and allow them to get in earlier on conversations with clients.”

The fifth week of the AVIXA COVID-19 Impact Survey showed some stark truths for the AV industry, but Wargo says that increased focus on the reality of the immediate future for integrators and live events professionals helps to give them focus of “how to act, where to go, what to do for businesses.”

“It’s important to look at the go-forward path and focus more on the areas that might rebound a little more quickly so they can plan for that and understand what skills they need,” says Wargo. “A big part of that is just listening to your customers.”

 

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