#ISE20Years: What's the formula for success?

The journey from ISE’s humble beginnings in Geneva to the juggernaut it became in Amsterdam and now Barcelona has been an amazing story of bold aspirations, industry collaboration and the efforts of a dedicated, hardworking team. Congratulations to AVIXA and CEDIA for their vision and stewardship, the greater AV industry for its participation and leadership and, of course, Mike Blackman and his team for delivering so well on those bold aspirations. 

Terry Friesenborg, former Chief Global Officer, AVIXA (retired) 

Mike Blackman and the ISE team have always allowed us to be part of an open dialogue. 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. 

They’ve done a great job bringing a diverse group of people together and somehow managed to include all those ideas and perspectives under a single roof.  

That’s borne out by what I’ve been seeing. In the next two years, I believe they’ll exceed 2019 attendee numbers. 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. 

Rosanne Lang, Executive Director of Tradeshows and Events, Crestron 

Timing is a big factor. Scheduling an AV industry show at the start of the year where most major manufacturers are in attendance makes it an essential date in the calendar. It’s a well-organised, ideally located show, and it’s the place to go to see everything that’s new for that year, all under one roof.  I’m looking forward to welcoming even more customers and sales partners to our booth in 2024 in Barcelona. I think ISE will continue to grow, and get better and better every year! 

Patrick Maier, Marketing and Communications, WolfVision 

Reflecting on our journey, it's impossible to ignore the role that ISE has played in Ecler's growth. We fondly recall our very first exhibit at ISE in 2010. Over the past 14 years, ISE has consistently embodied qualities that resonate with Ecler's own spirit – it's been fresh, dynamic and flexible. As ISE celebrates its 20th anniversary, we extend our warmest congratulations for two decades of remarkable success.

Daniel González, Marketing Manager, Ecler

I have witnessed how ISE has evolved over the years to meet industry transitions. For the smart homes industry, this has meant an expansion into the lighting, security and networking sectors. The show has gone from being very European focussed to now a global show that has expanded from an exhibition to a platform for content and learning.

Wendy Griffiths, Senior Vice President of Membership & Global Development, CEDIA

The show has kept its promise year after year to constantly bring new technologies to the show and to attract not just the residential sector of our industry, but to also provide potential new sectors to each of the professionals visiting the ISE. Since we attended for the first time in 2006 in Brussels, the show has experienced amazing growth – it is a path lined with success for us.

Nadine Aubriot, Waterfall Audio

ISE brings together the ProAV community from more than just Europe, but across the world. It is a great opportunity for VITEC to connect with our existing partners, plus meet new contacts that are expanding their solution offering and want to understand better how we can support them. Attendees come to the show with a desire to see new innovations and find new ways to meet the evolving requirements of their end customers. VITEC is always excited to give visitors a demo of our newest IPTV and Digital Signage platforms so they can understand how we are focused on delivering the best video experience in terms of quality and latency. 

Bryan Reksten, VP of Marketing, VITEC

We have been visiting ISE since 2008 and have seen the show grow exponentially since then. We believe that the secret to ISE’s success is that it never stays in its comfort zone – every year, they introduce something new to ensure that the event remains relevant and that there is something of interest to all visitors. They also have their finger on the pulse for how the industry is progressing, and they mirror this in the features that it brings each year. It’s been great to see ISE putting efforts in bringing new blood into the industry via its AV Careers Day – this shows that they are also considering the future workforce – something that is so important to all of us.

Katy Bradshaw - Director of Marketing, Meridian Audio

ISE's consistent success stems from its ability to adapt and stay ahead of the curve. They've maintained an unyielding focus on the needs of exhibitors and attendees, ensuring every edition is relevant and future-focused. The expo acts as a mirror to the industry's trajectory, making it an indispensable event for professionals worldwide."

Pete Baxter, Senior Vice President, Kramer

I’m confident in saying that ISE entered the market at the right time, and with the right goal of merging or integrating the different market disciplines into one exhibition. I also find it pleasing to see that the AV install and pro audio communities have found eachother, since there was previously a kind of a ‘wall’ between these segments, albeit an imaginary one.

Lars-Olof Janflod, Strategy Advisory Officer, Genelec