Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is now so completely embedded in the global pro AV calendar that it can be difficult to remember a time before it existed. So it’s pleasing that – as well as providing a chance to assess the event’s remarkable two-decade trajectory – the upcoming 20th anniversary also represents an opportunity to revisit its origins.
Mike Blackman, MD of organiser Integrated Systems Events since its inception, recently recalled that the original idea for an integrated systems technology exhibition came from Randy Lemke of InfoComm (subsequently rebranded as AVIXA in 2017). While InfoComm had held a number of shows in Germany, Lemke realised that a new type of event was needed to cater to the changes occurring throughout the AV industry.
Hence the decision to collaborate with CEDIA and NSCA, who along with InfoComm became the original owners of the show that ultimately became ISE.
With an extensive career background that includes roles at the Financial Times, event and marketing consulting, as well as a passion for technology, Blackman was perhaps the ideal choice to head the development of the new exhibition.
LOW-KEY AFFAIR
As befits the transitional state of the industry at the time, the first show in Geneva was a relatively low-key affair, attracting 120 exhibitors and around 3,500 registrations – and was mainly geared to the residential sector. But even though “the first year was a struggle”, according to Blackman, and it soon became apparent that another location would have to be sought, many of those involved at the beginning say its long-term potential was always apparent.
“Straight after our first show in Geneva in 2004 – that was when I thought, ‘we may be on to something big here’,” Blackman goes on. “Europe needed a dedicated pro AV and systems integration show, and ISE answered the call perfectly.”
Dan Goldstein, a former editor of Installation who has been involved with ISE since its early stages, firstly as the organisation’s director of marketing & communications and latterly as chief marketing officer at AVIXA, recalls: “When ISE first started, one of the things we needed it to do was help define the European AV industry, which was quite fragmented at the time and very much in its formative phase.
“That objective was pretty much fulfilled within the first 5-10 years, and since then the show has become more about broadening the definition of AV.”
Matt Nimmons, managing director of CEDIA EMEA, adds: “From modest beginnings – where the show floor was made up of simple shell schemes – to the incredible eye-catching booths over eight halls in our new home in a modern, purpose-built facility, it has been a truly global growth and a remarkable journey.
“ISE, and the industries it serves, has brought people together from all over the world, and I am delighted it has found such a great new home in Barcelona. I cannot wait to see how the show continues to evolve over the next few decades and look forward to many more successful years ahead.”
AMSTERDAM YEARS
The essential purpose of the show having been crystallised, priority number following the first event was to identify a suitable location for the future – a requirement ultimately met by the RAI in Amsterdam. Its central, accessible position ensured that, with the exception of a one-off edition in Brussels in 2006, it became the show’s home for the next 15 years. Moreover, the validity of the move was confirmed almost immediately: “The show floor more than doubled, the attendance more than doubled, and so that was a very strong message in support of the show,” says Blackman.”
Year by year, the event steadily expanded, gradually broadening its remit to encompass the full spectrum of technology in pro AV – and, increasingly, into related areas such as broadcast and new media. By the time ISE held its penultimate show in at the Amsterdam RAI in 2019, it was recording an attendance of 81,268 unique visitors. So it’s perfectly understandable if the show’s trajectory has sometimes taken even its stakeholder organisations by (pleasant) surprise.
Daryl Friedman, global president and CEO of CEDIA, remarks: “One of the most astonishing elements is the sheer scale of the event as ISE has evolved to become the world’s largest exhibition for AV and systems integration. The increase in exhibitors, attendees and floor space reflects the escalating importance of integrated systems across various industries.”
RECORD NUMBERS
Rosanne Lang, executive director of trade shows & events at Crestron, is confident that the record numbers achieved pre-Covid, will be eclipsed very soon. “In the next two years, I believe they’ll exceed 2019 attendee numbers,” she says. “I don’t have hard data in front of me, but it certainly appears that ISE is leading the charge with the number of people returning to their in-person event in a post-pandemic world.
“Mike Blackman and the ISE team have always allowed us to be part of an open dialog. That’s one of the things that I love most about this show: I say to Mike Blackman all the time, ‘We’re not just an exhibitor. We’re truly a partner in this with you.’
“That’s an attitude that they’ve brought to their relationships with all their exhibitors. The people behind ISE always keep their eyes and ears open to the people around them. They understand that the exhibitors serve the attendees, and the attendees grow the show. They never act as if they ‘know it all.’ By keeping that feedback loop open, they adapt, evolve, and grow the show.”
An increasingly symbiotic relationship between the stakeholder groups and the professionals already attending – or thinking about attending – the show has certinaly become more discernible. “It used to be the case that ISE would do all the attendee acquisition and AVIXA would simply show up and try to convert some of those attendees into members,” says Goldstein. But more recently, it’s been “starting to work the other way around: AVIXA uses online content streams such as our market network AVIXA Xchange, our newsletter and webinar programmes, and our AVIXA TV video platform to bring new people into the AV industry, and ISE then ‘converts’ the most engaged newcomers into attendees.”
Inge Govaerts, director of corporate communications & events, agrees that ISE leans towards a symbiotic mindset: “ISE is the ultimate gathering for the AV community, going beyond the traditional customer relationship,” she says. “Its success is based on ISE’s profound understanding of the AV audience’s needs, resulting in a must-attend event. Year after year, the organisation strives for improvement, ensuring future relevance.
“For us, ISE is not just a show, it’s a pivotal moment in our plans – a prime opportunity to unveil our future vision, showcase cutting-edge solutions to a broad audience, and connect with partners and customers.
“We are grateful for the close relationship with the ISE organisation. They are a partner who thinks along to find solutions for our (creative) challenges, spanning from the booth to whisper suites, the conference program, and other actions during the event.”
POST-PANDEMIC POSITIVITY
‘Expect the unexpected’ is an important maxim in virtually every business context – but especially so when you are responsible for a rapidly growing event with a global profile. The first 15 years of ISE were hardly without international events that could have turned out to be destabilising – from the global financial crash of 2008-10 to continued instability in the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
But it was the pandemic that arguably provided the show’s first significant hurdle, especially as it arrived as organisers were bidding farewell to Amsterdam and preparing to say ‘hola’ to ISE’s new home at the Fira de Barcelona. Consequently, attendance at the final RAI show did drop, while pandemic conditions meant that the in-person 2021 show had to be cancelled outright in favour of regional and virtual events. Then, with infections still high in many countries, the 2022 event had to be pushed back to May, before the normal January/February time-frame was restored in 2023.
COVID CONCERNS
Asked whether there were worries about the show regaining its pre-Covid success, Blackman says: “There were concerns in 2021, but … industry figures are showing that everybody’s reporting strong figures returning to pre-2020 times. Certainly, for us, we exceeded pre-2020 with 58,000 people [at ISE ’23]. We think that was a very, very good result. And doing our surveys of the non-attendees, what we saw was a huge feeling and feedback from those who didn’t come that they want to come in the future and are planning to attend in 2024.”
The degree to which the show has come back strongly post-Covid can be gleaned by a look at the 2024 conference and event schedule. Pam Taggart, vice-president of content creation at AVIXA, explains: “This year is the largest programme AVIXA has ever hosted at ISE – both in what we are producing directly for ISE (show floor tours, Tech Talks, conferences and more) as well as what AVIXA is bringing directly…”
Hence the familiar programme of returning events will be augmented by features such as AVIXA Xchange LIVE (stand 4G300), which will cover topics including disruptive technology and environmental social governance in sessions taking place from Tuesday to Friday; AVIXA TV, broadcasting live from the trade show floor Monday to Thursday with hosts Samantha Powell and Ben Barnard; and a three-hour Sustainability Workshop on Friday, co-hosted by AVIXA and CEDIA that will address the need for pro AV to adapt to the global issues of climate change, nature loss, and social resilience.
Meanwhile, attendees to CEDIA’s annual Smart Home Technology Conference, taking place from Tuesday to Thursday, can expect a programme that “delves into the intricacies of smart home and sustainable design,” according to Friedman. CEDIA is offering nearly 60 hours of courses, with areas such as technical installation and design, business excellence and future trends.
NEW CONFERENCE
ISE 2024 will also play host to a brand new conference, the European/Latin American AV Summit (ELAS), supported by the Catalan Government and Barcelona City Council. Taking place on Tuesday and Wednesday, this event will include an overview of the AV market and industry trends in Latin America and the rest of the world; the EU-LAC (European Union – Latin America and the Caribbean) Foundation and its projects; and the EU-LAC Global Gateway Investment Agenda.
Other notable events are set to include the Opening Keynote on Tuesday afternoon, which will be given by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, who was the first filmmaker from Pakistan to win an Oscar and the first female film director to have won two Oscars by the age of 37. Meanwhile, a number of special features to mark ISE’s 20th anniversary include the ISE Time Tunnel – which will explore 20 years of technology developments at ISE – and and an Audio Museum showcasing historic audio equipment, including vintage live and studio gear formerly used by acts including David Bowie, Pink Floyd and The Who.
But what of the showfloor – the area where, ultimately, most attendees will spend most of their time during the show…? ISE has confirmed that the total show floor will be 30% bigger than last year – making it the largest ever in the event’s history. As a result, some technology zones have relocated, with Hall 1 providing the new home of Lighting & Staging, while Hall 4 affords a new location for Content Production & Distribution – as well as enabling an extension of the Multi-Technology Zone.
HOT TOPIC
It seems inevitable that AI – without doubt the technology world’s hottest topic for 2023 – and, to a lesser extent, the various technologies falling under the XR bracket will evince a presence on the ISE showfloor. Indeed, in time they may have an impact on the show experience itself, agrees AVIXA vice-president of market intelligence Sean Wargo: “On the AI side, the use of bots to provide customer service is one easy example, even if it takes a while before we have actual robots answering questions like they do at the Sphere in Las Vegas.”
Mike Blackman also expects AI to have an impact. “I’m sure AI’s representation at ISE is likely to undergo a transformative evolution in the coming years,” he says. The representation of AI at ISE will not only showcase current advancements, but also serve as a glimpse into the unpredictable yet promising future of the industry.”
Peter Broome, director of Rako Controls, is equally enthused by AI’s inevitable impact on ISE: “In recent years, immersive technology has added another dimension to the visitor experience, and we’re excited to see how AI will have a greater impact on the users experience of smart technology in the home.”
But if the current pace of change can sometimes feel unsettling, then it’s also important to remember how robust pro AV has proven to be, especially in the 2020s when geopolitics are arguably more fractured than at any time since 1945.
Countering this uncertainty, ISE has provided a forum in which to showcase and celebrate the industry’s remarkable resilience and gift for innovation for 20 years. Now we can look forward to the next few decades.
MODEST BEGINNINGS
“From modest beginnings – where the show floor was made up of simple shell schemes – to the incredible eye-catching booths over eight halls in our new home in a modern, purpose-built facility, it has been a truly global growth and a remarkable new home in Barcelona,” says Nimmons.
“ISE, and the industries it serves, has brought people together from all over the world, and I am delighted it has found such a great new home in Barcelona. I cannot wait to see how the show continues to evolve over the next few decades and look forward to many more successful years ahead.”
Peter Broome certainly shares this enthusiasm for pro AV’s premier event. “It’s great to see ISE still thriving and growing after 20 years,” he says. “As an exhibitor for 19 of those 20 years, ISE has always been the pinnacle of our exhibiting calendar.
“The show provides a fantastic opportunity to connect with new and existing clients from all over the world. As a leading industry event, at the forefront of new developments in technology and automation, ISE enables us to develop and showcase our latest products to this key audience.
“The size and scale of the event, which has been even more impressive since its move to Barcelona, also deserves recognition. The sheer number and quality of attendees that the show attracts is a great thing for us as an exhibitor, ensuring that the time and money we invest in the show is worthwhile. Here’s to the next 20 years!”
ISE 2024 takes place from 30 January to 2 February 2024, across eight halls of the Fira de Barcelona Gran Via.
