CEDIA Expo 2022 returned in full force at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, this past fall from September 29 – October 1, 2022.
The show marked a strong return to in-person events for the residential systems channel. The event, which welcomed 11,946 verified industry professionals and 317 exhibitors, was the channel’s largest gathering in over two years. With over 143,000 net square-feet of exhibits, sound rooms and highly engaging activations on the show floor, CEDIA Expo fulfilled a pent-up demand to return to live, face-to-face meetings where attendees reconnected with exhibitors and peers, saw the latest products first-hand, learned from industry experts, discussed business opportunities and networked with friends and colleagues old and new.
First Time Attendees Make Presence Felt; CEDIA Expo 2023 Anticipation High
CEDIA Expo’s post-show report and exhibitor prospectus has revealed insights into the event’s performance measured by online attendee and exhibitor feedback surveys. According to the survey results, attendees credited new products and innovations as their top objectives for attending CEDIA Expo 2022. Additional objectives included that were revealed include keeping up to date with market trends and industry networking. Notably, for two in five attendees, it was their first time at the show—but a significant number of attendees had also attended more than five times before.
Amanda Wildman, CIT-SME, IST-SME, ESC, COI, CEDIA board of directors and owner of TruMedia, a family-owned business providing home automation systems, home theater systems, custom integration and electrical services, returned to CEDIA Expo to network with industry peers, meet with exhibitors and participate in educational opportunities.
“CEDIA Expo 2022 did not disappoint! The energy was palpable from the moment you stepped off the plane. It was as if all of Dallas turned out to help us celebrate the almost three-year hiatus for many from being together again,” comments Wildman.
“Showing true leadership, Jason McGraw, CEDIA Expo’s Show Director, kept everyone abreast of what was going on, even behind the scenes with his candid, no-filter daily videos that I genuinely enjoyed. The events were electric, full of energy and excitement and were extremely well attended. I can’t wait to see what Jason and his team from Emerald have in store for us in Denver for 2023.”
CEDIA Expo 2022 also offered opportunities for custom integration manufacturers to reconnect and re-engage with manufacturer’s representatives, distributors, dealers and integrators to drive businesses forward. According to the post-show exhibitor survey, increasing brand awareness and generating sales leads were critical objectives for exhibitors. Exhibitors felt that CEDIA Expo 2022 helped them to achieve their goals at an overall level. Notably, with an 97% overall exhibitor satisfaction rating, CEDIA Expo 2022 improved on an already stellar score from the last pre-pandemic event held in 2019.
Just under a quarter of exhibitors were there for the first time—most exhibitors (54%) had exhibited more than five times previously. The 2022 event welcomed back hundreds of seasoned exhibitors, including brands such as Origin Acoustics, Harman Luxury Audio, Legrand AV, LG, Lutron, MetraAV, Nice, Planar, Paradigm, Samsung, Savant, SnapOne, Sound United, Sonance, Sony, URC and many others. The fall 2022 show also marked the return of industry powerhouse Crestron.
“CEDIA Expo proved once again how impactful in-person events are and the value of those face-to-face conversations was even more apparent to our team after seven years from the show,” comments Brad Hintze, executive vice president of global marketing for Crestron.
“It was great to be back in full force with our colleagues, customers, and partners to show our commitment to our residential channel. We are already looking forward to next year in Denver.”
David M. Weinstein, vice president of residential sales for Lutron Electronics, notes that it was great to experience an event that rivaled shows that were held prior to the pandemic, and he says that he looks forward to the CEDIA Expo 2023 show.
“For Lutron, it was great to get back to an in-person Expo and see a booth so packed with CEDIA members that it was difficult to move. That’s resilience. The custom installer community thrived during the most challenging times. It proved that education, new product rollouts, and meetings are effective when done remotely, but nothing beats the experience of connecting with our customers and industry friends in person,” adds Weinstein.
“We look forward to continuing making in-person connections a priority and part of our continued strategic outreach to the CEDIA community.”
CEDIA Expo 2023, which will be co-located with the newly introduced Commercial Integrator Expo, will take place September 6–9, 2023, in Denver, Colo.
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