Avid Strikes Back to Fend Off Apple

by , 12:50 PM EDT, April 4th, 2008

Avid and Apple have been competing in the video production market, and Avid has had some tough times recently. Now, with a new CEO, Gary Greenwood, and a vigorous relationship building with customers, Avid is fighting back, according to Hiawatha Bray at the Boston Globe on Friday.

Revenues have declined slightly and the company recently posted its second loss in a row. However, the new CEO Gary Greenfield is determined to revamp the company. "It's our responsibility as a company to help our customers be more successful," Greenfield said. To that end, he's been visiting customers, listening, bolstering customer service and reducing prices. A newly introduced student edition of Avid sells for US$295.

Avid retains one key advantage. It has an integrated editing and file storage system that appeals to TV stations and which Apple's Final Cut Pro (FCP) can't equal. WCVB's David Kaylor swears buy it. "I wouldn't know where to go from Avid," Mr. Kaylor said.

On the other hand, FCP has been used over and over to produce major movies. So the real challenge for Avid is to understand their market, exploit their strengths, clinch business relationships, maintain their thriving audio hardware business, and fend off Apple. "We don't have our head in the sand," said Greg Estes, Avid's cheief marketing officer.