Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Exhibition Industry Recovery Continues

Wednesday, December 7th, 2011

growth chartOK, it’s official. 2011 has been the best year for the US exhibition and events industry in recent years.

Some would say that wouldn’t be all that hard but, you have to give credit when growth has been recorded for every quarter this year. It’s not a return to pre-economic recession days but it’s all heading in the right direction. The Total Index measurement – which measures across four key metrics – has recorded a 2.6% increase during the third quarter against the same period in 2010, continuing the momentum recorded earlier this year.

The Index is published by industry watchdog, the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).

“The results show that the exhibition industry is healthy, vibrant and…. Read the rest of this entry »


99% of Marketers Love Trade Shows

Tuesday, November 29th, 2011

shaking hands2The world might becoming virtual with an increasing number of online business-to-business (B2B) and social tools and services out there but, most marketing folk, still rate trade shows and events as the best way to build new customer relationships.

In fact, 99% of them in a recent survey claimed that B2B events offer numerous unique advantages. Leading the pack was the…

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Conference Centers Waking up to Free Wi-Fi

Monday, November 21st, 2011

free wifi logoHow long can conventions centers hold out against offering free Wi-Fi to visitors?

Not too much longer by the looks of it. In the past week, Washington State Convention Center and the Houston, Texas-based George R. Brown Convention Center are offering free Wi-Fi in all of their public spaces for the first time.

Best in Show recently covered just how the thorny issue of Wi-Fi at events is being tackled by a new task force overseen by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events [IAEE]. Read: The Problem with Wi-Fi.

At both the Washington State Convention Center and the George R. Brown Convention Center, the free Wi-Fi service will be a ….

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Support for ‘Green Events’ Flagging

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

think greenIt’s ‘good to be green’, or so the current thinking in pretty much all business sectors tells us these days, not just the event and exhibit sector.

While support for more environmentally conscious events is on the rise, it seems that the deep economic recession of recent years has taken some off the shine off getting more planet-friendly.

A recent survey shows a disconnect between company marketing messages about green practices and what the companies are actually doing. Over 50% of exhibitors showed a….

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Chicago Reforms Exhibition Work Laws

Tuesday, November 8th, 2011

chicago nightime

Chicago’s reputation as one of the best cities to hold an event or exhibition has been on the slide in recent years and has cost the city and the local exhibition industry tens of millions of dollars in lost revenue.

Chief among the problems has been the ongoing spat between McCormick Place and unionized workers about reforms that would have made it easier and cheaper for exhibitors to hold an event at top Chicago locations. Now, there is some hope. Last year, sweeping legislative changes were made to make McCormick Place and Navy Pier far more competitive and attractive to exhibitors. Read ‘New Chicago Labor Laws Good For Exhibitors‘.

A key change – among many – was that exhibitors could now do much of the set-up work on their own booths, reducing their dependence on unionized labor at McCormick Place. This particular decision resulted in strikes and other stand-offs through 2010 and 2011. Read Strikes Hit McCormick Place Trade Show.

Now, the Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority [MPEA] has reached a deal with the…..

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Events Industry Launches Largest PR Campaign

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2011

pr campaign photoWhen the going gets tough, the tough get, well, busy cranking up their marketing machine.

In an effort to combat the effects of a sluggish economy the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) is going on the offensive, launching the largest public relations (PR) campaign in its 83-year history to generate awareness in about the value of exhibitions on business and commerce.

“The exhibition industry remains the most resilient business-to-business marketing and communications channel despite the challenges brought about by the most serious recession in the nation’s history,” says IAEE Chairman, Vinnie Polito. “The exhibition remains the preeminent choice of corporate marketing executives, and we have a unique opportunity to build upon this strength and to further reinforce the fact that exhibitions can do more to advance corporate objectives than any other medium.”

The campaign has been made possible by a huge amount of fundraising with the IAEE’s members. The campaign will focus on:

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The Problem with Wi-Fi

Wednesday, October 26th, 2011

wi-fi logoAnyone who has ever visited a show knows that wireless Internet access via Wi-Fi either works great, works sometimes or works not at all.

The exhibition industry is aware of the problem and for the first time, a task force comprised of convention venue owners, trade show and exhibit organizers are about to look at the issue if Wi-Fi performance and cost. More importantly, how good the Wi-Fi system needs to be and who will pick up the tab.

The task force, which will be overseen by the International Association of Exhibitions and Events [IAEE], which published its own study into the issue back in August.

See our story ‘Wi-Fi: Who Should Pay?’.

Most notable in that study was the clear divide between what show organizers and venue owners think about the subject. Most show organizers (90%) said that attendees should be…..

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Owning or Renting Exhibits?

Wednesday, October 19th, 2011

rent or ownLong-time exhibitors are proud of owning their own exhibits, which they patch up, pack up and modernize when necessary every year as they trundle across the country from one convention to another.

However, considering the ever difficult economic conditions and shrinking marketing budgets, have companies swapped owning exhibits for renting  them?

Seemingly not. Times might be a lot harder but a recent survey shows that most exhibitors still own their own exhibits and many prefer to tweak them rather than rent.

Almost 90% of respondents to an… Read the rest of this entry »


Amazon’s Kindle Fire: Coming to an Event Near You

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011

amazon kindle fire

In recent years we have seen how tablet devices – particularly Apple’s iPad – have become more common at large events as a new way of interacting with show visitors and gathering information.

Just check out our stories Apple iPad Captures Trade Show Leads and ‘Gather’ iPad App Hits Pebble Beach Auto Show.

But now it looks like the iPad may finally be getting a real competitor in the shape of the newly announced Kindle Fire, which is due to drop in November.

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London Olympics brings new Event Standard

Tuesday, October 4th, 2011

london olympic stadiumIn 2012, the world’s eyes will be fixed on London and the Olympic Games and, among other things,  whether any other sprinter has a chance in hell of catching sprinting superman, Usain Bolt.

A lesser known outcome of the London Olympics, but one is that is far more important to the event industry, is the arrival of ISO 20121, the first international standard for Sustainability Management Systems.

In other words, a system that allows you check the sustainability of your event and get certified for it.

Developed under the eye of the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) and the International Standards Organisation (ISO), ISO 20121 defines the specification for a sustainability management system for event management certification. It will replace the current British standard, BS 8901, upon which it is based, when rolled out internationally. Read the rest of this entry »