Reintroducing AVID

AVID has a rich history in the audio world. From the first headsets on TWA flights in the ‘60s to connecting students in the 21st century, we’ve been on the front lines of accessible audio.

But in 2019, we started asking important questions like “Why do we do what we do?” And “What makes AVID, AVID?” The biggest question we asked was “What is it we want to accomplish in this ever changing world?”

Then entered COVID-19. Of course it upended the way we operated, but most importantly, it accelerated our process of internal discovery and we knew it was time to turn those conversations into reality.

Now, we’re excited to reintroduce AVID. We still provide excellent, accessible audio solutions, but now we’re doing so with mission, purpose, and a passion for impact.

We spoke with our CEO, Tom Finn, to get more insight into the AVID rebrand.

What does the rebrand mean for AVID?

T: It’s less of a rebrand as it is an official introduction. Through this rebranding process, we found we were already doing a lot of things right, we just never had written it down, defined it, and codified it.

Now that we have made explicit our ‘why’ and what’s powering us, we can make a bigger, more focused impact on the people we want to serve.

Who is it that AVID serves?

T: Our main question right now is “Where is learning happening?” Of course, we immediately think of k-12 schools and colleges, but with the digital age, learning takes place just about anywhere and with anyone who’s interested and curious.

So not only do we want to continue to serve kids and teachers in schools but also the curious, growth-minded, lifelong learners. We want to support wherever learning is happening with mindful, innovative solutions to empower anyone on their learning journey.

With that in mind, we’re starting to focus more on accessibility. Not everyone has access to the audio solutions they need and we want to change that.

What’s the story behind AVID’s new mission of “Mindful, Innovative, and Accessible”?

T: During our rebranding sessions, three words kept showing up and we really feel they define AVID well.

By mindful we mean we’re aware of the needs and problems of those we serve and we create thoughtful, meaningful solutions. But we also believe when we’re in a mindful state, we’re able to focus better, have greater empathy, and we’re able to be more in tune with ourselves and others. We want to create products that facilitate that sort of mindfulness.

AVID has also been around since 1953. Not only did we come up with the first in-flight entertainment solution for airlines but we’ve been adapting to the needs of the market for nearly 70 years. We’re innovative at our core.

By codifying it in our brand DNA, we’re making a formal commitment that we’re going to continue to anticipate the needs of the people we serve and creatively provide solutions to enhance their lives.

Finally, accessible is an important word to us for two reasons. Since we’re good at balancing value with cost, we mean accessible in terms of affordable to the most people possible. But we also mean accessible in terms of inclusion – from learning disabilities to socio-economic and emotional hurdles, how can we create products that meet those needs?

What new opportunities do you think this rebrand will reveal?

T: I think by defining our mission and setting the course for our future, we’ll become a part of a solution as opposed to simply being a provider of a device. The 21st century needs creativity, collaboration, problem solving, communication, and listening in ways we’ve never had to address before, and we’re excited to be a part of those solutions.

But, I think the most exciting opportunities opening up already are collaborations. We’re finding other amazing mission-driven companies who are looking to partner to make a difference for those they’re serving.

Whether it’s enhancing well-being and mindfulness, connecting educators and learners through technology, or facilitating conversations on environmental and societal problems, we hope to become a piece of the puzzle of people who are solving challenges.

Speaking of environmental issues, how do you see AVID being a piece of the puzzle?

T: We’ve always done what we can to minimize our environmental impact, but now it’s become core to what we do.

With a mission aligned partner we offer anybody a free recycling program for headsets, headphones and earbuds of any brand when they have reached the end of their useful life.  We’re also integrating ‘circular economy’ thinking at every stage of product life cycle and how we run our business.

We hope to lead the way by innovating accessible audio solutions that are also kind to the earth.

How can people join AVID in their new mission?

T: We’re excited to engage with and contribute to a growing community of mission-driven businesses who are committed to changing the world together.

So, we truly want to know from other mission-driven companies  – What solutions are you working on and how can we help? If you’re interested in making an impact through audio solutions, we’d genuinely love to start a conversation.

If you’d like to know more about AVID’s new mission you can check out our initiatives here. And if you’d like to join us to create an impact with audio, please send us a note on the contact page.