AVTweeps will have to wait until 2022 to get their first taste of a four-day Integrated Systems Europe event in Barcelona but could get a taste of what’s in store through the new ISE Live & Online series that will kick off at the Fira on June 1, the date ISE 2021 was supposed to mark its ribbon-cutting.
Integrated Systems Events and its co-owners AVIXA and CEDIA have jointly announced ISE Live & Online, a series of local events in Barcelona, Munich, Amsterdam and London which will be supported by a comprehensive digital offering powered by CISCO.
“With the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and global travel restrictions, ISE Live & Online will take the place of the traditional in-person large trade show format,” the ISE announcement says.
“We have reached this decision following extensive discussions with our exhibitors over the last few months, and more explicitly, these last 10 days,” said ISE managing director Mike Blackman in the group’s announcement.
Related: Inside the Decision to Postpone ISE 2021 in Barcelona to June
“All along there has been a clear demand for a four-day ISE show in Barcelona in June. However, uncertainty surrounding the pandemic and international travel remains, which means we are unable to run ISE 2021 in its traditional format,” said Blackman.
“Our exhibitors have made it clear that there is a desire to get the industry together, but on a local level. In response, we are targeting Europe’s key markets across the AV sector and aim to deliver a quality audience who want to meet potential suppliers, existing customers and network with their peers,” he said.
More information will be released on both the digital and the local events in the coming days
ISE Live & Online Schedule
- June 1-2: Fira Barcelona
- June 8-9: MAC Forum, Munich
- June 15-16: RAI, Amsterdam
- June 23-24: Evolution, Battersea, London
“For 2021, we have a rich and exciting digital offering” said Blackman in the ISE announcement. “We are proud to be working with CISCO on this innovative approach. We will be bringing ISE to four cities in June and continuing with our popular RISE Spotlight program throughout the year.
“Working with the industry in this way, we will be providing meaningful opportunities for sales teams to meet their customers, for people to experience product innovations, and of course, for networking,” he said.
“COVID has taught us all to listen more attentively,” said AVIXA CEO David Labuskes in the ISE announcement. “Listen to our neighbours, our family, our co-workers, our customers and our market. I believe this approach reflects what we’ve heard, a strong desire for prudent and safe face-to-face gatherings that can reinforce business connections and initiate growth.
“We are honored to be in a position to offer these to our community,” he said.
“Everyone in the industry is missing the human interaction that is such a vital part of our industry – the opportunity not just to see, hear and touch new products and innovations in our sector but also everything that ISE brings in terms of learning, networking and that all important sense of community,” said interim CEDIA CEO Giles Sutton in the ISE announcement.
“The ISE team has worked tirelessly to ensure that guidelines could be in place to protect our exhibitors and visitors on-site. However, there remains uncertainty around current travel restrictions and the ability for our global audience to take part in person,” he said.
“The success of ISE has been built on broad industry support and that is the reason why we have taken these decisions this week,” said Sutton. “We look forward to a debut show where our community can all be together again in Barcelona in February 2022.”
“We have been humbled by the many messages of support that we have received from our customers and partners who have appreciated the steps we have taken,” said Blackman. “We look forward to continuing to serve the industry in the year ahead and cannot wait to come back together in Barcelona, delivering the ISE show in February 2022.”
