FAIRFAX, Virginia, Jan. 9, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- InfoComm International^® is pleased to announce that its new TIDE conference (Technology. Innovation. Design. Experience.), to be held for the first time at InfoComm 2017, will feature keynote speakers Matthew Luhn, one of the original story creators at Pixar, and virtual reality pioneer Nonny de la Peña. TIDE is a thought-leadership event for examining the strategic impact of audiovisual technology and the AV industry's role within the larger business and technology sectors.

The inaugural TIDE conference takes place June 13 in Orlando, Fla., the day before the InfoComm 2017 show floor opens. It will explore the critical role AV plays in crafting stories and how the AV industry can harness the power of storytelling to meet business objectives. The TIDE program was created for design professionals and enterprise technology customers, as well as AV service providers.

Matthew Luhn is a writer, story consultant, creative writing instructor and speaker with more than 25 years of experience creating stories and characters for Pixar Animation Studios, The Simpsons, and others. Luhn's Story for Business workshops and keynote addresses train business leaders and entrepreneurs to use storytelling to bridge the gap between heart and business to build brands and business communication. His clients include Adidas, Disney, Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, Sony and many more.

"From CG animation to big data, technology has created so many opportunities for storytellers to forge stronger, more meaningful connections with their audiences. Technology inspires art and art inspires technology," Luhn said. "After my keynote presentation, attendees will have clear understanding of how to craft impactful, personal stories that will help them connect more effectively with their audiences."

In addition, virtual reality pioneer Nonny de la Peña will join the TIDE conference as a keynote speaker. As CEO of Emblematic Group, de la Peña uses cutting-edge technologies to tell stories — both fictional and news-based — that create intense, empathic engagement on the part of viewers. She was selected by Wired magazine as a #MakeTechHuman Agent of Change and has been called "The Godmother of Virtual Reality" by Engadget and The Guardian. A Yale Poynter Media Fellow and a former correspondent for Newsweek, de la Peña has more than 20 years of award-winning experience in print, film and TV.

"The impact that virtual, augmented and mixed reality has had on the way we see, hear and feel stories — both fiction and the news — is ground-breaking. Being in the moment transcends being an observer and connects you to the subject more than any other medium," said de la Peña.

Through TIDE's breakout sessions and panel discussions, attendees will explore the role that storytelling plays in building businesses and brands, and how the AV industry can position itself as a creative partner in the process of developing and telling these critical stories. These sessions will provide attendees facetime with the keynote speakers and panel experts. Attendees will also discuss how to incorporate the concepts learned during TIDE in their day-to-day business.

"InfoComm is proud to introduce an energetic conference that showcases AV as a truly creative profession," said Jason McGraw, CTS®, CAE, Senior Vice President of Expositions, InfoComm International. "The world of AV is getting more and more exciting with extremely fast-paced developments in technology. The speakers and program we have curated for TIDE will show our audience how to tie their creative energy with transformative technology to produce outcomes that drive business goals."

The TIDE conference takes place Tuesday, June 13, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Orlando, right across the street from the Orange County Convention Center.

To learn more about InfoComm 2017 and TIDE, visit infocommshow.org. Registration is scheduled to open in early February. Prospective attendees can pre-register for TIDE by sending an email with their contact information to tide2017@infocomm.org.

About InfoComm International
InfoComm International® is the global trade association representing the commercial audiovisual and information communications industries. Established in 1939, InfoComm has more than 5,400 members, representing over 70,000 AV professionals worldwide, including manufacturers, systems integrators, dealers and distributors, independent consultants, programmers, rental and staging companies, end users and multimedia professionals from more than 80 countries. InfoComm International is the leading resource for AV standards, market research and news. Its training, certification and education programs set a standard of excellence for AV professionals. InfoComm International is the founder of InfoComm, the largest annual conference and exhibition for AV buyers and sellers in the Western Hemisphere. InfoComm also produces trade shows in China, Europe, India, Latin America and the Middle East. Additional information is available at infocomm.org.

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SOURCE InfoComm International