-
OT: Apple pulls out of NAB
-
I look at this and see a parallel with a client I have worked with over the years. They used to go to big trade shows and realized they’d have a potential customer for just a few minutes to pitch to them. They quit doing these shows in favor of doing dog and pony shows that lasted all day in the top 50 or so markets. It worked. They have grown and grown and grown… They simply put their marketing money where it really counted for them. They train, sell, explain and have their attendees captive for an entire day. NOT ONLY THAT, they get MORE people to take a look at their products, because the folk that can’t get away or afford to run to Vegas can come to a more local event. This movement of marketing technique has been happening in a lot of different industries, and so it makes sense that it will happen in ours too…
As far as the comments about the show being less and less important, it may well be that this is happening… the biggest loser in these announcements is really the NAB. The pull outs represent millions of lost revenue for the organization.
That said, the comments here about Apple deciding to pull out because they’ve nothing new to show is pure speculation based on a disappointment I think. I can’t see Apple dropping development of software that sells a ton of the pro level computers do you? The secretiveness Apple has always exhibited has served them extremely well, and will no doubt continue. They’ll announce new stuff as time goes by and without having NAB to showcase, this frees them to announce any time they are ready… and maybe most importantly, not UNTIL they are ready…
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
-
Simply because I think it’s more essential for Avid to go, as a company, and to try to reach out for new customers.
Why is it not just as important, if not more important, for Apple to do the same? Especially since this is the one place where Apple can gain control of one of the main market segments of very high end clients that Avid still holds.
From your earlier post…
The simple fact is that the great majority of the FCP clientele are not broadcasters.You stated yourself NAB is a big place for broadcasters, which you also stated that the majority of FCP users are not. So how is it “not as essential as it is for Avid” for Apple to reach out to these new customers? It’s no secret that Apple would like to take the broadcasting market from Avid, and if Apple is going to make inroads to these people, it would be at a place like NAB, not by pointing people to their website.
You realize this could go back and forth forever don’t you? 🙂
-
I think there’s little doubt that our industry is tech savvy… so with companies like Comcast announcing new modems with 10 times the speed of the current ones, we’ll begin to see more streaming, interactive marketing events etc ONLINE… this potentially could reach millions instead of thousands of potential customers. It’s the future.
However it saddens me that I won’t get to see folks that I’ve become friends with at Apple or at Avid. It’s a time of year that I’ve always looked forward to just to see people I ONLY get to see at the NAB show. Too bad… I do like having the moments to actually shake a hand with or in some instances, a really big hug.
I’ll be there though this year and will enjoy seeing the gear and software that’s introduced by others in any event. Gotta compare weight loss with Walter at least! Your recent pics look great Wally. I’ve taken off a ton and still am… we’ll be soooo cute!
Jerry
Apple Certified Trainer
Author: “Jerry Hofmann on Final Cut Pro 4” Click here
Dual 2 gig G5, AJA Kona SD, AJA Kona 2, Huge Systems Array UL3D
-
Michael Horton,
Spot on.
David
-
My thoughts exactly… I am stunned by Apple’s decision… Other companies like Autodesk will still be on the show floor, so I’m still going to NAB, and I’ll be looking at everyone BUT Apple’s and AVID’s products… Almost every year we see something that we really like on the show floor, and end up buying shortly after. That’s how we bought our Smoke, our FCP systems, and our XSAN….
Also, isn’t it kind of lame of Apple and AVID to not pay for floor space at NAB, but take advantage of the fact that everyone will be in Vegas at that time, and have their little private side shows? If you are pulling out to do roadshows, then do you roadshows, don’t lurk around the outskirts of NAB and lure in NAB goers with free food and drinks!
I guess I’ll go if they give me free drinks… ;P
(You know thats the main reason to go to NAB, free food and drinks!)
moody glasgow
smoke artist / editor -
I agree. It’s difficult for me to want to go to the Apple Retail Store to ask questions of their sales guy who uses Final Cut Pro, when he is a student in a class I was a guest in recently, and he was asking my advice.
-
Certainly until well after the cows have come home.
I agree with you that it would be beneficial for Apple to be there, but I don’t think it’s any way essential for them as a company.
As long as Avid is what it is, the kind of company it is, at the price point its offering its products, Apple will relentlessly erode the market share that Avid still has. Managers make decisions on how money is spent, not editors or engineers. The bottom line is, as the BBC has done, more and more large companies will drift to cheaper solutions as they need to re-gear.
For Avid this show is just much more important. If they’re going to try to maintain their market share and push back Apple in this sector, they have to come up with something and show it at venues like this, where their client base is. I wish them luck with the breakfast shows, but I don’t think they’ll work out for them. They’re only meeting existing customers, not reaching out.
That’s it for me. I’m done.
All the best,
Tom
Class on Demand DVDs “Complete Training for FCP6,” “Basic Training for FCS2” and “Final Cut Express Made Easy”
Author: “Final Cut Pro 5 Editing Essentials” and “Final Cut Express 3.5 HD Editing Workshop” -
Managers make decisions on how money is spent, not editors or engineers.
True, but I think that generally, post houses that edit with Avid can and do charge more than a place with FCP (generally…there’s always exceptions of course). So that probably also affects their decisions.
That’s it for me. I’m done.
I hear ya on that. Nice talking to you. I always enjoy a good debate.
-
[Tom Wolsky] “Furthermore, they’re having a tough enough time selling their existing product upgrades, and if there is no major development there’s no point in spending the millions it takes to put on their show at NAB. Currently, based on a poll on LAFCPUG, about half the users are working with the FCS2 version of the software. Half are working with FCP5 or older versions and are not upgrading at the moment. “
A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words!
I’m not sure if either Apple or Avid will appear again at Broadcast India next fall and neither of them show up on the 2008 CCBN exhibitor’s list for end of March but you have to ask yourself “Where’s the Money???” With the 2008 Olympics soon to commence CCBN is sure to be a happenin event. Predicted growth of digital broadcast in China by 2010 is astronomical. How many FCP seats can you fit into the new CCTV building in Beijing?
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dutchtom/sets/72157600096629309/detail/
“everything is broken” ……1st. coined by Esther Philips I believe.
-
[Jerry Hofmann] “However it saddens me that I won’t get to see folks that I’ve become friends with at Apple or at Avid. It’s a time of year that I’ve always looked forward to just to see people I ONLY get to see at the NAB show. Too bad… I do like having the moments to actually shake a hand with or in some instances, a really big hug.
“All the folks you’ve grown to love from Apple will be at the SuperMeet Jerry. Some on stage and some just hanging with us. Hell, even folks from Avid are invited to eat the crappy food if they want.
Michael Horton
lafcpug
https://www.lafcpug.org
Reply to this Discussion! Login or Sign Up