Calvin Koh, Assistant Project Director at BroadcastAsia spoke to BroadcastPro ME about the shows 2014 edition, its journey so far and what’s in store for 2015 How have BroadcastAsia and CommunicAsia 2014 been? I am very happy with how the shows panned out this year. We welcomed more than 50,000 attendees. Nearly 2,000 exhibitors from more […]
Calvin Koh, Assistant Project Director at BroadcastAsia spoke to BroadcastPro ME about the shows 2014 edition, its journey so far and what’s in store for 2015
How have BroadcastAsia and CommunicAsia 2014 been?
I am very happy with how the shows panned out this year. We welcomed more than 50,000 attendees. Nearly 2,000 exhibitors from more than 50 countries/regions across the world brought their latest technology showcases to the exhibition. The shows three conferences drew more than 1,300 attendees.
The events have shown a steady year on year growth in terms of the quality of visitors and product showcase. To me, numbers dont matter. What matters is that the exhibitors should be able to meet their objective of translating numbers into business. We paid more emphasis on the commerce part of the conferences this time.
From the technology aspect, we had a number of non-linear solutions providers with companies such as Akamai and Brightcove at the forefront. Multi screening and 4K were the buzz words on the show floor this year.
Next year, we expect to place more emphasis on IP-based solutions for TV and audio as well as remote production capabilities.
Can you share some statistics with us?
We have good timing after NAB, where Asia gets to see what has been launched in Las Vegas, and that, I think is a big advantage in attracting relevant companies.
Out of the 660 exhibitors at BroadcastAsia 2014, we had more than 90% of the companies from overseas who were here to reach out to the Asia Pacific audiences. Whats noteworthy is that 90% of the exhibitors returned from last year.
We can also confirm that 80% of these exhibitors have already booked for BroadcastAsia 2015.
How do you ensure that the show and conferences are relevant to the industry?
We are in touch with the people on the ground. We take feedback from our clients very seriously and constantly engage, deliberate and validate their feedback to ensure that the exhibition remains relevant. At the end of the day, the event has to translate into a revenue-generating commercial activity for all the players involved.
Which territories do you cater to?
Our tier 1 focus is South East Asia that includes Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines and Indo China. India is a very important market for us, which we will continue to develop.
Having said that, I must add that we are not a regional show but an international show where we are constantly expanding our horizons to reach out to newer markets.
What is the year-on-year growth for BroadcastAsia?
Exhibitors worldwide consider BroadcastAsia as a good brand name to be associated with. We have experienced a double digit growth in terms of exhibitors numbers over the years.
What do you attribute the exhibition’s success to?
We look at the event from the end users point of view. The visitors feedback is very important for us, based on which we improve and make changes. I believe that the visitors and exhibitors contribute to the success of the show.
The objective of this show is to enable companies to integrate technology and monetise content. I have been associated with the exhibition for the past eight years and have seen that the dynamics of this industry is ever changing. It is a growing industry so we need to constantly reinvent our offerings.
What are the current trends in exhibitions?
We have seen a growing trend towards more meeting rooms and hospitality suites. Companies like to host private presentations and demos on the exhibition premises without having to go out. Canon, Panasonic, Ericsson, Brightcove and Akamai were some of the companies that hosted their hospitality suites with us this year.
With growing connectivity, what according to you is the future of exhibitions?
Exhibitions are important to understand the backend solutions and workflows. You have to be at the show to get a first-hand feel of the technology. Exhibitions will continue to be relevant because they offer a platform to talk, feel and engage. Exhibitions offer a multi-dimensional approach that cannot be achieved through online or print media.
How do you see the event five years from now?
Five years from now, we will only get better, not necessarily bigger, but definitely better.
I want BroadcastAsia to be known as the NAB of Asia. We want to introduce what people want, not what we think is important.
