Digital content creation and distribution software provider Avid will not be occupying its usual place at NAB in Las Vegas next April after the company revealed that it will not have an exhibition booth at the show.
The news is something of a surprise, given that the Avid booth is usually one of the most prominent – if not the most prominent – stands at the entire show. The company still plans to be in Las Vegas next April to meet with customers.
Avid announced its withdrawal as part of what it described as “a major shift in its approach to serving industry professionals in the digital content creation, management, and distribution industries.”
Based on extensive market research, Avid plans to announce a series of customer-focused initiatives in 2008 – all of which it says will be designed to make it “easier for customers, prospects and the media to interact with the company.” The company said it would reveal the full details of its 2008 plan to the public in February, which will set the stage for new user community initiatives, technical support programs, personalised events, and product announcements throughout the year.
“We are always evaluating the most effective ways to build closer relationships with our customers and keep pace with the ever-changing media market. Over the past few months, we’ve been collecting data from all of our constituents, and the findings have been clear – we need to connect with users in new ways,” said Graham Sharp, vice president and general manager of Avid’s Video division. “As a result, we’ll unveil a series of initiatives in 2008, which we believe will shake things up for our industry – in every region of the world and across all facets of our business. In the past, we’ve seen how investing marketing resources in alternative, customer-focused activities can be more effective with our users – and to our bottom line. It’s time for Avid to start giving something back to the industry and these activities will create a more vibrant community where customers and newcomers can learn, share, and understand where the industry is headed – and how they can help shape it.”
