Yesterday was Day 1, the official opening of InfoComm 21. Before the ribbon-cutting, David Labuskes, CTS, CAE, RCDD, and Chief Executive Officer of AVIXA, took to the microphone to address the respectable-sized crowd gathered outside the entrance of the show floor waiting for the doors to open.
“Throughout the pandemic, AV pros have leaned on each other for support—whether it be for personal or professional challenges. AV peers were only a text, tweet or video call away. Conferences and social gatherings were held virtually so we could continue to learn and make new connections. The AV industry is a tight-knit community, which is evident at InfoComm shows and even more so during hard times,” Labuskes said.
With great class, Labuskes concluded by saying, “We acknowledge some important parts of the AV community are unable to participate with us this year and we will miss connecting with them. Please know that for those attendees or exhibitors that couldn’t make it to InfoComm 2021, we respect and appreciate them all.”
What Would Be Revealed Once the Doors Were Opened?
The overall footprint of the show floor was markedly smaller, and as attendees quickly dispersed, the aisles felt sparse. But as the day drew on, if you focused on individual booths, they were surprisingly full.
As someone covering the show, my day was as packed as any InfoComm in the past. Just after lunchtime, every booth I visited said they were surprised and caught a bit off-guard by the number of attendees. Each admitted they weren’t seeing as many people on the first day as, in years past, but said that the quality of the conversations was deeper and there weren’t as many “tire-kickers.” More than one said they wished they had brought more products to display.
Day 1 was best summed up in this tweet by NETGEAR’s product marketing manager John Henkel, “Wow. I wasn’t expecting to be this busy at #InfoComm21!! Excellent conversations and great enthusiasm.”
Auralex Acoustics’ CEO, David Pedigo, said, “If #InfoComm2021 was only one day, it would be worth it. The traffic has been great, conversations even better. Worth every penny.”
I am looking forward to seeing what Day 2 brings. For those who couldn’t attend, I’ll let you know how today goes so you don’t have to suffer the Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).
