Eighteen years is usually the leap into adulthood, and that description is about right for Vizio Inc. The Irvine firm is growing up as it undergoes a transformation from that of the largest flat-screen TV maker based in the U.S. to a full-fledged media company. The change is taking place as Vizio comes off an active past few weeks, with Black Friday-level TV sales from stuck-at-home consumers and remote office workers during the pandemic. It's also made a series of new hires of late, aimed at bolstering its expertise in marketing and media. A New York office in the Empire State Building will place the firm closer to Madison Avenue and the advertisers there—once it opens; it was delayed due to the pandemic. Vizio is looking to reinvent itself in the eyes of potential corporate partners, said Chief Executive William Wang. "Currently, people have known Vizio as a TV hardware device," Wang told the Business Journal.