How long have you been going to IBC
My first IBC was in 1991, the last year the show was held in Brighton. It seems like a lifetime ago, when SDI was in its infancy, and the latest tape formats was a dominant theme at the show.
What’s your typical IBC routine: what are you there to see/learn, who are you there to meet?
The vast majority of my IBC visits have been with exhibiting companies. For my early IBCs, the routine was long hours in the run up to the show making the latest technology work. More recently, I have had responsibility for not only the booth, but also other company events around the show, such as press conferences, and customer/partner events. Sometimes the routine was so demanding I was exhausted before the opening morning of the show.
Now I have the opportunity to engage more fully with IBC, I always feel I come away understanding the pulse of the industry, and with insights into the hot topics influencing the market.
Why is IBC important to you in a professional capacity, and how does the show compare to others on the calendar?
Prior to 2020, I had increasingly begun to question the value of the major trade shows, they dominated companies’ marketing spend and it felt much of the show was seeing customers and partners we were already engaged with. It took the pandemic and the shows being cancelled for me, like many people in the industry, to fully realise the value of the events. It became very apparent that IBC is an incredibly efficient and effective means of connecting with the industry in many ways that just can’t be done in the digital domain.
Compared with other events IBC has a unique demographic, and from a scale perspective, it is one of the two largest events in our industry. I think IBC has evolved, as have the people attending the show, there is now a much broader opportunity to engage with suppliers, customers, thought leaders, and partners. IBC is also doing a great job at engaging with new markets such as social media and content creators.
What are you most looking forward to at IBC2025?
This year I’m not with an exhibiting company, which has opened new opportunities for me to engage with IBC, such as the conference. When exhibiting at the show, ensuring to maximise the ROI of an expensive booth can dominate your time, but IBC is so much more than the exhibition booths.
As always, IBC is a wonderful opportunity to catch up with all my friends and colleagues in the industry, but I’m also looking forward to learning how the industry is adapting to the changing commercial landscape, and which companies are capitalising on the latest business models and technologies.
What’s your top tip for anyone attending IBC for the first time?
Obviously, the number one thing is to plan your trip; the event is vast and just wandering around can be interesting, but you’re not likely to maximise your experience. The second aspect is to make sure you consider all the different activities available at IBC, so look beyond the exhibitors’ booths. As I mentioned previously, the conference is great, but there are many more opportunities, from free theatres in the exhibition halls to the IBC awards, plus networking events held by other organisations at the show. Whether you are there for a day or the whole event, there is never a problem filling your diary.
