CHAUVET: THE VIP TREATMENT

 

So, where did it all start?
Berenice: Chauvet started in the late ‘80s, evolving rapidly from an OEM developer of mobile DJ and novelty lights based in Florida, to one of the most recognized brand in entertainment lighting worldwide. Today, the bulk of Chauvet’s growth comes from the permanent installation and touring market. We are still based in the USA (Hollywood, FL) but are a global company with over 3,000 distributors worldwide. Chauvet is a family-owned business. Albert is President and CEO, he started the company three years fresh out of getting his business degree from the University of Miami. I am Vice President and head of marketing. Industry veteran Gerry Zigman is International Sales Manager. In the UK, Chauvet is distributed by Impact Europe Ltd.

Where is the company presently in terms of developments, changes and improvements?
Albert: Our formula is summed up in the tag line under our logo: Value, Innovation, Performance. We recognize that our customer is this wonderful mix of an artist, a technician and a business person. So we strive on providing the biggest bang and “wow” factor for the money. We never get into a market until we are confident that we can make the biggest impact in terms of value.

B: We do strive to innovate, and are increasingly in a position to do so successfully; yet we always keep our focus on being competitive and finding out what it is really that the customer wants. We love to be first but we want to be first only when the market allows it. We always try to put ourselves in the shoes of the customer. It is not about building our ego or theirs. It is about service and value, giving talented artists the tools to make the most of their creative talent but in a profitable way for us and for them.

Are there any key products past or present which define Chauvet?
B: The launch of Fat Beam lasers two years ago comes to mind. We launched high power lasers that do not require an FDA variance and can be used right off the box in the USA. That was unheard of. Unlike Europe, the USA does not allow use of lasers over 4.95mW without obtaining a variance, which requires the filing out of paperwork and prevents use of high power lasers straight out of the box. When we announced the technology, there were some raised eyebrows but when customers saw the lasers at work for themselves, they were sold on the new technology.

A: We were also one of the first companies to embrace LEDs and like to think of ourselves as a trailblazer in the field. We’ve been able to position ourselves as a dominant player in LED-fitted fixtures for the entertainment industry. At LDI 2007, most entertainment lighting manufacturers showed a handful of LED fixtures, all of them washes. And there we were with an all LED booth; dozens of new products ranging from video walls to strobes, to blacklights and even a moving LED spot! Visitors nicknamed us ‘king of LEDs”. We liked that. We have also received awards for some of our LED products: the COLORtube 2.0 and the Elan effect are the 2006 and 2008 Club World Awards winners respectively and the VUE III won the MSR Retailer Product of the Year Award, based on votes by retailers in the USA.

What’s on the horizon for Chauvet in the near future?
B: In the very near future, we will launch a new architectural division. We have done our homework and as with anything Chauvet, we are confident that we can have a positive impact in that market as well.
Internationally, we’ve grown phenomenally in the past three years. Europe is especially promising (Sales are up over 30% from last year, despite the current dire economic climate). Overall we continue to grow at an average yearly rate of 23%. In September, we will break ground on new, 70,000-square-foot headquarters in Sunrise, Florida, to accommodate our growth. Things are definitely looking up for Chauvet.

How has Chauvet been successful over the past 20 years dealing with the changing market?
A: By working closely with our dealers, truly listening to our customers, attending all major tradeshows, reading all industry publications and being passionate, we are always a step ahead. We have the knowhow, the technology, the quality and the resources to back our distributors because we are dedicated solely to lighting and accessories, unlike some of our competitors. We have an amazingly dedicated, diverse and competitive staff. We remain very agile even though we now employ over 70 people at our Florida headquarters, over 32 rep firms throughout the USA and have a worldwide network of over 3,000 Chauvet distributors. We move faster than most because we still think of ourselves as a small business and run a lean operation.

B: Overall, the evolution of the market has been favorable to Chauvet’s value proposition. Constant improvements in technology, coupled with our growing expertise in sourcing the right Asian OEM partners, make it possible to offer the most sophisticated products at very competitive prices. So for us, it’s been a great ride so far. We hear about downturns and cooling off periods but we have not experienced any of it in our nearly two decades of existence. We’ve grown from a one-product company to one of the biggest in terms of product range and market coverage.

What challenges lie ahead?
B: We still need to overcome the “too good to be true” perception that we encounter at times when we feel the moment is ripe to reach out to a new market segment of the lighting industry. Right now it’s the production/touring market where some designers stick to their old ways and hesitate to make the switch or even give us a try. This is our biggest hurdle: the first sale. But we love a challenge.

A: We faced the same challenge when we went from portable DJ lights to club lights. The publicity around installs in mega clubs such as SOBE’s Mansion helped change the perception that we were a mobile light company. In the production world, there are still people who need some convincing and raise eyebrows when they hear about our lights featured in say, a Bocelli concert, Ozzfest, the Virgin Festival, the Linkin Park Tour or the Grand Prix Ole.

B: Our biggest challenge is to get everyone to give us a try and take the time to know us and know our lights. We find that once customers experience a Chauvet product, they become brand advocates. The value we offer in terms of performance and better pricing is simply unmatched.

A: Another challenge we face is to continue playing our part in exploring, finding and delivering eco-friendlier alternatives to traditional lighting sources. That’s why we took an early lead in LED illumination and are at the forefront of the technology, offering one of the widest ranges of LED-fitted luminaires with entertainment and architainment applications. We launched the first ever line of LED-fitted mid-air beam effects in the USA last year, the Vue series. We launched the first ever LED-fitted spot in the USA, the MiN Spot as well. We realize that LEDs are not yet at the point of meeting every application and budget and as long as this remains the case, we must continue to offer luminaires equipped with traditional lamps. But we do encourage the switch to LED whenever and wherever possible. We call it “Green Thinking”.