Panasonic Official Digital Signage Provider Of US Political Conventions

September 7, 2012 by Dave Haynes

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If you watched any of the coverage from the two US political conventions in the last couple of weeks, you would have seen a heavy use of large format LED walls as backdrops to everyone from the Romneys and the Obamas to Clint and his, ummm, borrowed chair.

I was curious what was used, and how much digital was at and around those venues, and it turns out there actually was a Official Digital Signage Provider at both events: Panasonic.

Why the company is announcing this pretty much AFTER the events have come and gone is a little puzzling, but here’s the story:

The Democratic Convention, September 4-6, in Charlotte, North Carolina, designated Panasonic the “Official Digital Professional and Consumer Camera, Projector and Signage Provider”, and the Republican Convention in Tampa, Florida, last week, named Panasonic its “Official Digital Camera and Digital Signage Provider.” As Panasonic reported, both political events chose Panasonic based on the company’s high-quality consumer and advanced professional products to help contribute to the overall success of the conventions important video elements.

Taking center stage in technology at the Democratic National Convention, Panasonic is providing LUMIX GH2 16-Megapixel Compact System Cameras to be used for the party’s web and social media efforts during the convention. Panasonic’s 32″ Class LCD displays are being used at delegate hotels and at Charlotte-area event venues for up-to-the-minute updates for convention-goers. Panasonic’s 65” and 85” Professional Plasma Displays are serving as teleprompter screens for the main stage, in television production support and as monitors for backstage functions.

Panasonic Projectors are being used in key locations at the TimeWarner Cable Arena and to display speakers and videos for those in blind-spot seats. For video production purposes, Panasonic has provided AG-HMC40 and AG-HPX250 professional HD video camcorders, plus small-to-large size production monitors, to help capture the action both inside the convention and at various events in the surrounding areas. Multiple Panasonic Toughbook computers are also assisting with technical operations management.

“It is an honor to have been selected to support these important national election events by lending high-definition video equipment to both the 2012 Democratic and Republican National Conventions,” said Peter M. Fannon Vice President, Corporate and Government Affairs, Panasonic Corporation of North America. “Panasonic is pleased to be involved again, as we have been in past conventions, and we have provided our latest video equipment to help the convention planners meet their goals.”

In a “first” for a national political convention, the producers of the Republican National Convention also captured key moments in Full-HD 3D for the GOP’s archives, using Panasonic’s AG-3DP1 Integrated Twin-Lens 3D P2 HD Camcorder and the HDC-Z10000 Twin-lens 2D/3D Handheld Camcord.

On the display front, Panasonic provided an 85″ Pro Plasma Display for the convention’s Media Center, as well as 32″ Class LCD displays for use in the areas around Tampa Bay Times Forum and the Tampa Convention Center, which gave convention-goers easy updates to events surrounding the Convention.

Hmmm. So the LED backdrops were not Panasonic’s. Oh well. Whoever they belonged to, they looked good. I am so tired of major politicians using people as nodding, smiling backdrops for every speech it was nice to instead see, for a change, ambient and contextual visuals.