According to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), CES 2012 was its biggest in 44 years, with over 1.851 million net square feet.

The show, which was held Jan 10-13, boasted more than 3,100 companies exhibiting across seven separate halls and revealing over 20,000 new products.

The show drew a record crowd of more than…… 153,000 attendees, including more than 34,000 international attendees.

“The 2012 CES was the most phenomenal show in our history, generating more energy and excitement across every major industry touching technology than ever before,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA, owner and producer of the International CES. “CES is the change agent, the catalyst, that brings executives from a wide range of industries together and helps them create better ways of doing business together. The breadth and depth of the 2012 CES, which featured more innovative technology products than anywhere else on Earth, is a testament to the dynamic and innovative global consumer technology industry, which will reach $1 trillion globally this year.”

Things are already well underway for CES 2013, although as we reported recently, CES will have to do without Microsoft as its main sponsor and keynote partner in the future. Read Microsoft Ditches CES Show.

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Virtual meetings will never replace face-to-face events and exhibitions but a growing number of digital tools are allowing those that exhibit to add value to their events.

In 2012, the trend towards more virtual meetings will continue and accelerate. To help prepare for  what’s coming down the pipe, the Virtual Edge Institute – an international organization dedicated to advancing the development and adoption of virtual event and meeting technology – has published its Top 7 Predictions for Virtual Meeting Technology in 2012.

“To summarize,” Michael Doyle, founder and execituve director of VEI, says “the theme is ‘more, more, more’ for 2012, though not necessarily more of the same. Experimentation and ongoing adjustment to digital strategies will be with us for the foreseeable future as we strive to add value to event, meeting, marketing and learning programs with an ever-growing arsenal of digital tools.”

Here are those predictions from the top:

1. More movement toward a simpler “less is more” approach

The trend toward a more simplified, web page-based graphical interface for online events and meetings will continue in 2012. Platform vendors are moving in…the “less is better” direction with their new versions.

2. More embedded event and meeting solutions

Events in 2012 will be open and easily accessible to attendees wherever they are located. Many event and meeting producers will want to take some code and embed their events and learning programs into their existing websites to simplify the attendee experience.

3. More convergence of event technology

The competitive edge will go to those vendors who have the ability to converge registration, website, mobile, community/networking and virtual extensions into a single solution. Most digital event solution providers will continue to move toward open architecture and a modular approach that will allow the embedding of elements driven by physical event registration and mobile communication systems.

4. More 365 environments

Although there will always be the need for online environments for single events, the trend will be toward building perpetual environments that are available year-round to allow for better utilization and monetization of content. Users and producers alike will seek easy-to-use solutions that include their history, sufficient storage for recorded materials and a familiar social network.

5. More shuttering of virtual event platforms

“Currently, there are too many virtual event platforms with too few distinctions,” Doyle explains. “Mobile technology has changed the game and what was a workable platform six months ago is now on the verge of being leapfrogged. That being the case, we will likely see new entrants that come into the market based on the latest web services, mobile and cloud architecture as others continue to drop off the radar screen.”

6. More predictable pricing models and shared risk/reward

In 2012, more simplified and more predictable pricing models will emerge. Some technology providers will choose a true Software as a Service (SaaS) model with limited services, while others will focus more on the services than on the technology platform. Some of these services will be geared toward making the event producer more successful from an ROI standpoint and we’ll see compensation models that reward or share in success.

7. More facilities will bring their Internet costs down while others will go “plug ‘n play”

Internet charges for streaming content from events and meetings will come down as the strategic value of hybrid events continues to grow. Convention centers will find it a competitive advantage to offer great connectivity packages that enable attendees and event producers to share their event experiences via low or no-cost Internet and Wi-Fi. Some centers will also seek to become leaders in the digital revolution by offering in-house streaming studios, streaming services and built-in virtual presenter solutions. Event producers will need to negotiate the digital elements of their physical events before they sign their facility rental contract to get the best deals.

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Microsoft has announced that, after 20 years of being a keynote speaker or a major booth taker at the event, the 2012 event this month will be its last. In what could a warning to the rest of the events industry, the company cited a ‘disconnect’ between its marketing activities and what the trade show can offer, as well as mentioning its growing reliance on alternative means of getting news out there, including….

….Twitter and Facebook.

Will we see other major players withdraw from big, costly events in order to concentrate of cheaper new media communication offerings? Don’t be surprised. Apple hasn’t attended CES in recent years but it still manages to dominate news from the event.

“As we look at all of the new ways we tell our consumer stories—from product momentum disclosures, to exciting events like our Big Windows Phone, to a range of consumer connection points like Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft.com and our retail stores—it feels like the right time to make this transition,” explained Frank Shaw, corporate vice president of corporate communications for Microsoft.

While undoubtedly a big blow to CES, the show organizers are putting on a brave face.

In a statement, the CEA said: “In the fourteen years that we have invited Microsoft to deliver a keynote address at CES, the company has unveiled some great innovations, from operating systems to gaming platforms to mobile technologies. Both CEA and Microsoft have agreed that the time has come to end this great run, and so Microsoft will not have a keynote at the 2013 CES.”

What’s your thoughts?

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By all accounts it went well, despite some niggles over certain session formats and some scantily clad showgirls. More than 2,200 professionals from the industry attended the show at the Las Vegas Convention Center and there were 266 exhibitors. 2011 IAEE Chairman Vinnie Polito opened the event with a recap on the past year, highlighting accomplishments and pushing the value of face-to-face meetings alongside the IAEE’s new, forthcoming PR drive to boost the whole events and exhibitions sector throughout the next year and beyond. Read ‘Events Industry Raises $1 Million for PR Push’.

From what we have gathered, the shows Education tracks were a resounding success, with 11 different streams, featuring more than 130 speakers and 50 sessions over the three days. Topics covered everything from attendee experience development and e-Merge technology to exhibitor solutions, global business development, marketing, operations and professional development.

What may have been less successful was the IAEE’s use of Vegas showgirls – at least with the female attendees – who numbered close to half, according to one commentator. Many of them thought they detracted from the professionalism of the rest of the event. Overall, though, the IAEE’s show brought 2011 to a successful close.

Here’s to a stronger 2012.

Happy holiday and best wishes  for the New Year from your events industry blog, Best in Show.

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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….…growing despite a relatively sluggish economy,” said CEIR President & CEO Doug Ducate.  “With five consecutive quarters of growth, we are hopeful that the growth trend continues through 2011 and well into next year.”

Growth in all four metrics – Attendees, Exhibitors, Inflations and Net Square Feet – was also recorded.

Year-on-year growth of Attendees rose to 3.7% in Q3 versus Q2, while an increase in Exhibitors of 3.6% against Q2’s growth of 0,5% was recorded. The growth of Inflation adjusted revenues also accelerated to 1.4% to total $2.56 billion compared to a year-on-year decline of 0.1 percent. There was growth – but a slight deceleration over Q2 – for the Net Square Feet metric which rose 1.9%.

CEIR’s economist Allen Shaw, Ph.D., Chief Economist for Global Economic Consulting Associates, Inc., added: “The Total Index results were stronger than anticipated and are also stronger than the year-on-year real GDP growth. With the fifth consecutive quarter of growth, we believe the exhibition industry has successfully emerged from the Great Recession and is reporting consistent, positive gains.”

Are seeing a return to form for the industry? Let us know

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

….‘ability to see a large number of prospects and customers over a short period of time,’ which was rated by 60% of the survey group.

The trends fact sheet, commissioned by the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR), is another boost for an industry that is really just starting to find its feet again after a number of harsh years brought about by the weak economic climate and global recession.

“This result is impressive in light of the many options available to marketers,” explained CEIR Research Director Nancy Drapeau. “The ability to meet face-to-face with a critical mass of an organization’s prospects and customers in a compressed timeframe is a highly coveted value unique to business-to-business exhibitions.”

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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 ….

…low-speed offering suitable for surfing the web and checking emails. Faster services will have to be paid for but, the important thing here, is that these centers have had the smarts to recognise the growing impatience of visitors that carry at least one Internet-capable device and are sick and tired of having to pay for the privilege of checking work emails.

It’s also great to see free Wi-Fi coverage being extended beyond the usual onsite cafes and food outlets.

The service at Washington State Convention Center will be in place by the end of the year.

Luther Villagomez, the general manager of the George R. Brown Convention Center said:

“There will be a 56K service but faster data speeds will need to be purchased. For general use, I think it will be perfect for an attendee that isn’t an exhibitor but just needs to check their email. A lot of shows do provide e-cafes as well as more sophisticated services in their booth locations.”

Should free Wi-Fi be made available at the public spaces of all convention centers? Leave your comment below.

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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….

…‘high’ or ‘very high’ interest in green exhibiting, with many claiming it’s the right thing to do. However, the survey found that just over one third of respondents felt that their companies shared their interest in going green. The economic conditions were blamed.

“The economic and environmental landscapes have shifted considerably in the 48 months since our benchmark survey was released [in 2007],” commented Travis Stanton, editor of Exhibitor magazine, which carried out the survey. “Interest in going Green is still high, but exhibitors are less willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly options than they were in 2007.”

[Source]

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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:

·           Leverage strengths of face-to-face opportunities

·           Promote the ongoing relevance of events

·           Increase the favourable impression of events

·           Compile real stories about the power and uniqueness of trade shows

·           Differentiate trade shows from other forms of engagement

·           Craft a succinct, compelling and relevant message

·           Leverage new media and digital opportunities to expand reach and build online buzz

The IAEE is the largest association of the exhibitions and events industry in the world, with a membership of show organizers, exhibitors and exhibition suppliers that cater for 20,000 events a year.

As 2011 comes to a close, are you seeing an improvement in the events industry?

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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…..

….able to receive free Wi-Fi but only 48% of facility managers agreed. Almost two thirds of facility managers thought Wi-Fi is service that should be paid for.

Many argue that if Wi-Fi is free in Starbucks and in the local library then it should be free in the convention center too. However, Wi-Fi installers and convention center owners argue that the Wi-Fi on offer in Starbucks and other places is low-quality and in no way suitable – or as cheap – as the Wi-Fi needed to support thousands of show attendees attempting to contact work, check email, update their Facebook pages or watch the latest episode of The Simpsons.

Should attendees pay for Wi-Fi or should venue owners stump up the cash?

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