Mike Blackman: “ISE has become an essential event for end users and the integration channel”

The CEO of Integrated Systems Events, Mike Blackman, advances ISE news 2020, while analyzing why this event has become the “essential” event for both users of AV technology, as for professionals in this industry and integration.

Integrated Systems Europe has experienced year-on-year growth since its inception. As has happened in other editions, WHEREAS 2020 It will be the biggest and best yet?

Without a doubt. In the last ISE we had more than 81.000 visitors and we look forward to more in 2020. In 2019 we had 56.100 m2 of net exhibition area, and in the edition of 2020 will increase by more than 800 m2.

Two important changes this year are the expansion of the pavilion 5, much larger and permanent, while the pavilion 14 will be home to the new Innovation Zone; an area specially designed for companies that are new to ISE to showcase their technology. Besides, the ISE Main Stage theater will also relocate to the pavilion 14 and will offer a full program of ISE leadership and good practice sessions, Avixa y give in.

After the success of our spectacular videomapping at the nhow Hotel during ISE 2019, This year there will be another exciting screening showcase in another space in the complex of the Amsterdam RAI. This year's keynote address will be given by Duncan Wardle, former director of innovation and creativity at Disney. He has some really interesting ideas about how all businesses can harness their resources of imagination and creativity., and I'm looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

What is the new proposal in the conference and professional development program in this edition?

All conferences held at ISE 2019 they will return in the edition 2020: smart buildings, XR, digital signage, cine digital, hospitality, visitor attractions, stadiums and professional audio, in addition to the two conferences What’s Next…by Avixa, focused on business and higher education.

Besides, we have two new ones: Cedia Control Room Summit and Design and Construction Conference. As in the edition of 2019, many of the conferences will be held at the Okura hotel, near Amsterdam RAI. To the conferences organized by Avixa, those that he celebrates at his stand are also added, with sessions FlashTrack twenty minutes long.

Cedia also has a four-day program of training sessions, which starts on monday (10 February 2020) with a workshop on cybersecurity, in addition to offering free talks at their stand.

ISE has had upward growth from the beginning, What are the challenges presented by a contest that has become so big??

One of the most important is to ensure that visitors can easily locate what they are looking for., and that relevant exhibitors can be easily found. One of the ways we have addressed this issue is by creating six technology zones – for audio and live events; digital signage and DooH; education; residential buildings; smart buildings, and unified communication.

These technology zones allow visitors to quickly locate how to find the most relevant technology and product trends for their interests at the fair.. The ISE application has been a great success among visitors, and its guidance and route finding functions are a key part of that.

How has the average profile of ISE visitors changed over the years??

When we started our audience was made up almost exclusively of system integrators and other AV channel professionals.. However, increasingly, the fair has become a destination for end users; our exhibitors want to interact directly with them, as well as get to know your existing and potential channel partners.

At the moment, we can assure that ISE has become an event “essential”, for both end users and the channel, which they must attend.

And what has been the formula to make ISE more attractive to end users??

Over the years we have substantially increased our conference program, as end users have told us they get tremendous value, not only for the opportunity to speak directly with manufacturers and learn about the products and technologies that will shape the AV strategy of their companies, but also to network and learn from industry experts and business partners..

Our Special Interest Group Program (Special interest group) is designed to attract attendees from key vertical market sectors to ISE, helping end-user technology buyers meet technology providers and solution partners.

This program is the result of formal agreements between ISE and a variety of associations, companies and consultants, and is designed to satisfy the information needs of the executives who attend the event, with planned visits to the stands, presentations, networking events and dinners.

He pointed out the training sessions of the Avixa and Cedia organizations, but what is your role with ISE?

It's easy to explain. ISE is owned by Avixa and Cedia, two trade associations focused on professional development, so education and training have always been an important part of the fair. Another priority for both associations is to reach beyond the industry, to other interested parties within audiovisual projects.

Establishing and granting professional certifications plays an important role in establishing the expertise of the industry as a whole., as well as to demonstrate the competence of the people who work there.

Avixa and Cedia are instrumental in helping to deliver the extraordinary visitor and exhibitor experience that ISE has become., setting the tone and themes of the event and helping us to continue developing and creating increasingly attractive content, both for our channel and for end users in vertical markets. Both associations provide a host of market intelligence initiatives, guidance and education, as well as many thought-provoking development opportunities.

What technological trends should visitors who come to ISE take into account? 2020?

We will begin to see how artificial intelligence (IA) permeates a large number of AV applications. Already being used in digital signage, but many see opportunities in other customer-centric applications, as hospitality. This technology is also being used to improve the quality of meetings and collaboration.

I think ISE 2020 will provide evidence of the growth of the Led screen market, They have advantages over LCD and prices are falling rapidly; It will also be interesting to see the progress of OLED technology. Visitors should also keep an eye out for new generations of application-specific projectors., and in audio the trend is object-based sound.

In the year 2021 The contest will be held in Barcelona, so the edition 2020 of ISE will be the last one hosted by the Amsterdam RAI. What feelings arise about it??

The RAI has been a great venue for us for more than a decade, so, of course, There is some sadness and I will leave with many good memories that we have lived there. It has served us very well and has been part of our rapid growth to become the largest professional audiovisual event in the world.. The downside is that we have become too big for a convention center the size and facilities of the RAI.

However, I'm also excited. Fira de Barcelona is a fantastic facility and a much larger space, which is located in a very attractive destination. The move is not simply about increasing the number of exhibitors: it's about offering a better quality experience to our exhibitors and visitors.