Virtual events have boosted the appeal of AV effects such as virtual reality engagement and other immersive tech. Photo Credit:gettyimages/Thinkhubstudio
The Covid-19 pandemic unsurprisingly took its toll on the
audio-visual (AV) market, but prospects for the industry are positive
going into 2022 and beyond, particularly for Asia. This is according to a
report from trade body AVIXA (Audiovisual and Integrated Experience
Association) which represents the professional audiovisual and
information communications industries worldwide.
Its findings, released in July last year, which assess Covid-19’s
impact across 2020, show that overall AV revenues were the least
impacted within Asia Pacific. The report recognises that ‘having taken
preemptive measures for Covid-19 early and effectively, China
significantly recovered during the first half of 2020.’ The report also
singled out conferencing and collaboration as responsible for generating
the highest revenue, in part driven by events going virtual, while
digital signage is also poised for strong revenue growth.
The report also notes that while AV related to live events will have
the slowest recovery to pre-pandemic levels compared to other areas,
this is likely to bounce back substantially over the next couple of
years.
Giving virtual events a 3D boost
Virtual events
helped boost the AV industry in the last year and this trend is set to
continue. Online events have made use of high-definition,
production-style credentials to increase engagement and interaction and
provide a more immersive environment. Expect to see further adoption of
tech such as 4K UHD, Dolby-quality sound and enhanced lighting.
Virtual formats have also boosted the demand for extended reality
(XR), helping brands to recreate a physical experience within an
immersive digital environment. For a trade show for example, XR can help
create 3D stands or booths that attendees can explore remotely.
LED walls, popular at major sporting events, are increasingly being
used by corporates keen to make a statement. They can make a business
presentation more dynamic by livening up graphs, slideshows and
infographics. Green screens can be used in a similar way for online
events, enabling branding, images and video to be inserted in the
background.