Strategy in TECH...
The Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) announced on Tuesday that it is launching its first-ever consumer advertising campaign – something members have been asking it to do for years. The campaign is a professionally conceived, created, produced, and now distributed advertisement that includes, amongst other things, a 60-second video that educates consumers on the “magic” of a well-designed smart home and the need for a professional installer.
This past Sunday, on the eve of this week’s launch of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2025, the Consumer Technology Association (CTA) released updated projections for total Tech industry sales in the year, as is its custom. According to the trade association, total Tech industry sales are expected to reach $537 billion – the highest level in history.
Azione Unlimited, a buying group of predominantly custom integration dealers that is part of the Nationwide Marketing Group family of dealer buying organizations, announced recently that it is adding Mike Cleary, Sonance Senior Director of Strategic Accounts, to its Board of Advisors. Unique to Azione, for years it has maintained an advisory board consisting of five dealer members and five vendor members to operate as its “strategic think tank.” The board’s role is to assist group management in fostering innovation, enhancing business success, and strengthening connections within the smart home industry.
Last week, I had the opportunity to attend the CEDIA Tech & Business Summit at the Hilton Hotel in Hasbrouck Heights in Northern New Jersey. To my eyes, this was a well-attended event and I was impressed with how the Association has put together a well-oiled machine that shows some real progress in elevating the value of attending a regional industry event like this.
Once again, the industry gathered to celebrate the world of custom integration last month at the CEDIA Expo 2024 in Denver, Colorado. An annual event that is part business conference, part education/training confab, and part social get-together & party, many in the industry look forward to this one-time seminal event in anticipation of finding the seeds of future business growth in the innovation shown there.
This week, Emerald Expositions released the registration numbers for CEDIA Expo & Commercial Integrator Expo 2024 (CIX), but did not disclose the verified attendance number. At first, I thought this was an oversight…
Azione Unlimited, part of the Nationwide Marketing Group family of dealer buying groups, announced this week that Brad Camp has been elected to the organization’s Board of Advisors. Unique to the world of buying groups, Azione not only places executives from the dealers who are members of the organization on their Board, but also seats executives from vendors and supporting service organizations.
The overall housing market has been an economic laggard as the country has seen its economy rebound in the post-pandemic era. The reason for this is primarily due to an unusual combination of high interest rates AND high home prices AND limited available inventory of homes for sale. It is a triple witching that has bedeviled the housing industry in the post-pandemic era.
But is housing about to turn up?
On Monday, WiSA Technologies, a developer and licensor of spatial, wireless sound technology, publicly announced the pricing of a new $4.8 million public offering of Series B convertible redeemable preferred stock and warrants. Separately, and a little less publicly, the company also filed a Form 8K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) revealing that it is “pursuing a potential strategic transaction.”
The result of both of these pieces of news is that the company’s stock value nosedived as investors turned thumbs down on this latest turn of events at the troubled organization.
Well, another CEDIA Expo is in the books and we return to our daily duties and launch into a new Fall season full of promise…and concerns. What were the big stories of this year’s edition of Emerald’s (a public, for-profit company that owns the show) CEDIA Expo? Well, I’ve scanned several summations from others in the media and it almost seems like we attended different Expos. Here’s what I think they are…
The crowds on Day 2 of CEDIA Expo 23 were equally as impressive, if not more so, as they were on Day 1. I had a mid-day meeting at the Snap One booth and as you can see in the image above, I couldn’t even get into the booth! Of course, I can only give you my impressions as there is no official count as I write this, but to my eyes it sure looks like attendance is going to be a pleasant surprise when Emerald announces the final count.
