How to Blow $200,000 On A Booth (IDIS)

Hysterical: A huge booth filled with guys from Korea who most attendees will probably avoid talking to. They'll make a big splash alright...sort of like a burial at.

The only thing I know is that IDIS is the OEM manufaturer of Mexican Epcom DVRs. Also their prices are higher than DIVIS (another Korean manufacturer, but with better software than IDIS) that manufactures a lot of OEM DVRs and it's always present in the ISCwest with a small booth.

It's easy to mock, and probably justifiably so. But if you look at it from their POV they are spending money on marketing to buy perceived credibility, brand awareness and recognition. Looking at their web site, I see average yet competent (looking) products that will not differentiate themselves other than through marketing. The trouble in a crowded market is nobody knows you exist unless you make a lot of noise--hopefully in front of the right people. By putting their sign right next to the market leaders there's a subconscious message sent to the attendees that's hard to shake--even among the cynics. Maybe not the best use of marketing dollars, but a legitimate use.

The total booth/participation cost for a 2,800sqft booth to include: floor space, carpet, sign rigging, booth, booth assembly, power, freight inbound/outbound, show freight handling, flights, hotels, dinners, local transportation, marking material, etc. = $300,000 +

There is nothing worse than walking by a large empty booth with potentially interesting products. You feel like a target as soon as you step into the booth, 10 bored sales and marketing people standing around and you're the only "fresh target" they've seen in an hour. If you want to casually get a first level exposure to a product it's generally better to stand around and listen in on an existing conversation or demo and then kind of go from there.

Going in alone can be very undesireable, at least for me. At that point I'm not 100% sure what the company is all about (even if they have the usual Korean tactic of moutning every conceivable product they sell to a demo wall), and I'm not 100% what my questions are until I get a better baseline understanding.

They should have gotten a smaller, strategically located booth and spent the remaining cash on one of these:

Korean goverment, as well as China will pay around 50% of the international costs for exhibitions stands, so the $100,000 is a mear $50,000. Of course it's a gamble on return of investment, maybe a Red or Black wager for 50k would be equally as tangable for a ROI.

IDIS has been exporting capture cards and software to OEMs for well over a decade. I was successfully selling a re-branded version of their DVR around 15 years ago, until a much larger company than mine (Ademco Video, or Samsung Techwin, I don't recall) forced their hand to cut off some smaller OEMs. My point is they have been around quite a while, and maybe they wish to come out from behind the curtain. It is their money after all.

Does anybody else offer NVRs with Gigabit POE on their built-in switch?

Though I can't imagine why they would...

I bet some of the exhibit fees are reimbursed by their government.

The US has a similar program for certain businesses exhibiting in foreign trade shows. Its likely that the Korean Government is helping to expand a local company to a big market like the US.

"Especially in North America, IDIS is literally unknown, save for the unfortunate similarity to the name of the ISIS terrorist group. " Really? ASIS is also similar :)

I have seen the Revo brand of cameras installed at mom and pop restaurants locally. They appear to be a Q-see, Swann, FLIR type of Costco/Sams Club style kit. That's my only knowledge of this company.

Congrat's to all who have posted. regardless of who IDIS are and what they offer they've just received a reasonable amount of free advertising with this post.

I didn't know who they were until now, as I suspect many others didn't but they are now likely to receive more foot traffic at the stand as well as more web site visits.

Unless their sales people or executives have appointments scheduled at the booth, their booth size really doesn't matter. If they do, then the large booth could illustrate a commitment to investing in this region. If not, then their traffic will consist of a few tire kickers and the empty booth will be depressing.

Does anyone know what their 'food court voucher' budget is?

1st day of ISC West was generally quite busy, though not for the IDIS booth, with lots of people standing around:

According to this puff piece they're now "a major player in the US market". Because of the booth. I guess that's a wrap.

http://www.securityinfowatch.com/article/12065397/idis-looks-to-differentiate-its-video-solution-in-the-north-american-market

Motivated by the # of comments on IDIS empty booth and marketing effort I did what most of us do first - visit the website. Good graphics and brief marketing videos but no "products" or even detailed "About Us" efforts to put forth a well designed and informative website, just smoke with no fire. Or ask they say in the southern plains region of the U.S. "All hat, and NO cattle".

Sigh...

Are IDIS Surveillance Solutions as Game-Changing as IDIS Claims? See for yourself at IFSEC 2015 http://t.co/927xTOCYGr

— IFSEC Global Editor (@ifsecglobal) May 15, 2015

IDIS has announced its US sales team, show below:

Led by former BRS Labs VP Drummond (right), the team consists of a former Nuvico and Windy City Wire employees but two others that worked with Drummond when he was at Iron Sky.

Update: IDIS has a 1500sqft booth at the front of the ASIS 2015 show floor, not as big as their 2800sqft one at ISC West but still quite large. Evidently, they are still committed to spending heavily at trade shows.

They have blown another few hundred thousand at ASIS, admitting the error of their ways.

Protip: Never spend on a booth to build awareness, insanely inefficient tactic

IDIS @IDISglobal goals for #ASIS15: "Awareness of brand, 20 year history in industry, commitment to innovation" pic.twitter.com/sT1F2VXFXH

— SSN_Editor (@SSN_Editor) September 29, 2015