rAVe is a digital news organization that covers the audiovisual industry – both commercial and residential. rAVe, originally Kayye Consulting Inc., was founded in 1998 by Gary Kayye. The company produces e-newsletters, blogs and video to provide opinionated news and commentary on the AV industry. rAVe is tailored to “AV Insiders” as opposed to end-users of the products and/or services.
History
Gary Kayye, a prominent member of the AV community, founded Kayye Consulting in 1998. Kayye graduated from the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, formerly known as the School of Journalism and Mass Communication with an emphasis on marketing and public relations at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He has been in the industry since 1987 when he started at Extron Electronics before eventually moving to AMX. In addition to consulting, Kayye Consulting worked with AV professionals through training, development and marketing. In 2003, Kayye Consulting published its first e-newsletter – Gary Kayye's rAVe – which largely covered commercial AV news. This e-newsletter eventually became the ProAV e-newsletter, and continues to cover the commercial AV sector. In 2004, Kayye Consulting added the HomeAV e-newsletter, in partnership with CEDIA, covering the residential sector. With a larger focus on AV industry news coverage, Kayye Consulting Inc. became publicly known as rAVe in 2008. rAVe is a DBA of Kayye Consulting Inc. In 2007, rAVe began using social media to enhance its coverage of the AV community. Beginning at InfoComm 2007 rAVe tweeted about new products, and after a positive response, started using social media as a critical aspect of their coverage. rAVe NOW was launched in 2008 to incorporate all of rAVe's social media efforts. Today, rAVe has nine email newsletters, two international partners and an extensive social media site in rAVe . In 2018, rAVe became a talent of THE rAVe Agency, a rebranding of rAVe into a creative agency for AV.
The rAVe website features content from all of its e-newsletters, as well as industry press releases, online educational webinars, educational whitepapers and trade show microsites, all to benefit members of the AV community. rAVe publishes nine U.S.-based e-newsletters: ProAV, HomeAV, Rental , ED , DS , UCC , HOW , AV Buyers.Club and rAVe . rAVe also has two international partners: rAVe Europe and rAVe Asia. rAVe is entirely digital, and there are no print versions of its newsletters. All e-newsletters are opt-in and are delivered via email.
rAVe began using Twitter in 2007 at InfoComm, and launched rAVe in 2008. rAVe NOW incorporates all aspects of rAVe's social media presence, including blogs, video, social networks, trade show coverage and the Social Media Blueprint.
The rAVe blog includes articles from nearly ten bloggers, all experts in the AV industry. These bloggers comprise the rAVe BlogSquad, and cover a variety of aspects of AV. The rAVe BlogSquad includes Gary Kayye, Sara Abrons, Joel Rollins, Lee Distad, Dawn Meade, Jessica Spicer, Johnny Mota, Gina Sansivero and Dave Haynes. Bloggers cover a variety of topics from new products and industry trends to green issues and specialized AV topics.
Video
rAVe began filming and uploading videos at tradeshows so that those who weren't able to attend could still keep up with product releases and manufacturer news. Over the years, they have expanded to include product introductions, recaps of events, informational text movies covering research, and entertainment series, such as Gary's Rants & rAVes. All videos can be found on the rAVe NOW website, as well as its YouTube channel.
Original Video
rAVe Original Videos include videos created by rAVe staff, focusing on different aspects of the AV industry. Videos include Gary's Rants & rAVes, as well as informational videos on different aspects of the AV industry.
Social Networks
rAVe NOW uses a variety of social media platforms to connect members of the audiovisual community. These social networks not only allow rAVe to post original content in an interactive format, but they allow users to interact with one another to offer advice and insight.
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
LinkedIn
Other Services
Trade Show Awards
rAVe honors manufacturers and companies with “Best of Show” Awards after each of the major trade shows they cover. These awards cover a variety of categories and are sent out in the e-newsletter relating to that trade show. Examples of specific awards are “DS Champs," “Best of CEDIA,” “Best of InfoComm” and “Up and Coming.” The “Up and Coming” award is occasionally given at the beginning of the year to companies and products that rAVe thinks are going to affect the coming year.
Education
rAVe also provides a variety of educational literature – researched and written on specialized topics for targeted audiences. In addition to the Social Media Blueprint, rAVe produces educational videos and white papers, and gives live presentations at trade shows and conferences.
Social Media Blueprint
The Social Media Blueprint, originally launched as a stand-alone document written in Feb. 2010, was re-launched in 2011 as a comprehensive website that serves as a digital media guide for members of the AV industry to get involved in B2B social media. The new website features a blog on social media, basic strategies, an overview of social media resources, and tools to help get readers started. The website also features a forum where AV professionals can interact with one another to share their stories and ask questions.
