Int’l. CES and Las Vegas Garner Top Spots

Intl. CES has earned the title of the biggest trade show in North America in 2007. CES grew its show floor by 6.6 percent to 1,804,070 net square feet, securing its place in the top spot.

The designation was awarded by to Tradeshow Week 200 (TSW 200), a list of the 200 largest trade shows in the U.S. and the 50 largest shows in Canada. [TSW]

It’s no surprise Las Vegas continued to be the No. 1 destination for North America’s largest shows, with 44 shows from the list, followed by Orlando with 24 and Chicago with 20.

The complete list is available at http://www.tradeshowweek.com/info/CA6262423.html.

Source: TSW

McCormick Place has Lackluster Year

According to the Chicago Tribune, anyway you slice and dice the data, McCormick Place had a rough 2007 with overall attendance coming in at less than 900,000. [ChicagoTribune]

McCormick Place officials were quick to point out that some of Chicago’s largest shows only come to to town every two or four years, and the odd-numbered years always tend to be weaker at the exhibition hall. Even when you take that into consideration, 2007 was well below every other year since 2001.

Exhibit space came in at 7.5 million square feet for 2007, the lowest total since 2001, when 14.2 million square feet were used.

“Within the calendar for 2007 there were no mega-shows,” explained McCormick Place General Manager David Causton. “But there will be in calendar 2008.” Things look even better for 2009, when the International Plastics Showcase makes it’s way back to Chicago.

Source: Chicago Tribune, Kathy Bergen

Photo: McCormickCenter.us

NYC Gains More Trade Show Square Footage

The West Side trade show facility between 51st and 54th streets on the West Side Highway is set for expansion.

The New York City Economic Development Corporation chose Vornado and its subsidiary Merchandise Mart Properties to expand the facility, currently on Pier 94, to include Pier 92. The project is expected to create 355,000 square feet of trade show and conference space.

The city hopes the new expanded facility will help capture billions of dollars in lost revenue by hosting at least 40 conventions annually. By 2013, experts expect attendance at these shows to grow to more than 300,000 per year. [TRD]

Source: Linden Lim, The Real Deal

Photo: Pier 94

Freeman Announces Big Managment Changes

Freeman announced a series of senior level management changes today.

Joe Popolo, formerly president, was tapped to succeed Donald Freeman Jr. as the new CEO. Freeman will retain his position as chairman. Carrie Freeman Parsons became vice chairwoman, in addition to being chief marketing officer. John O’Connell, former executive vice president and COO was promoted to president. Jeff Price was promoted from executive vice president to COO of the exposition services division.

The promotions are part of the company’s ongoing management development and succession program and will take effect on July 1, 2008. [Freeman]

Photo: MicroSoft

Trade Show Marketing: The Blind Leading the Blind?

Paul DiModica, author of the best seller Value Forward Selling, believes many companies aren’t getting the most out of their investment in trade shows. “Most companies just go to trade shows year after year and waste their marketing investments because they don’t know hot to increase trade show success or correctly track the return on investment for the event.” [eMediaWire]

I agree with his assessment and to help us all out, DiModica has penned a new book: Value Forward Marketing.

DiModica says, “Often, it’s the blind leading the blind where companies just keep going to trade shows because they have always gone and because their competition goes.” Value Forward Marketing teaches us how to have a successful show by sharing tactical and strategic action steps based on industry best practices.

Some of the topics covered are:

• Setting up your trade show booth
• Calculating your ROI
• Developing effective marketing materials
• Driving attendee traffic to your booth
• Maximizing your prospect leads

EXHIBITOR 2008 Best of Show Winners Annouced

The Top 10 Best of Show exhibitor booths for the EXHIBITOR 2008 show were announced today. [PRUrgent]

This marks the inaugural presentation of a new annual award program developed by TradeShow Teacher and Exhibit City News. Since the EXHIBITOR show is the national educational conference for trade show and corporate event marketers, the competition on the show floor is intense. Every year, exhibitors try to outdo one another by designing the most innovative and creative booth spaces; thus, making this the perfect show for such an award.

The winners are (alphabetically):

• CORT® TRADE SHOW FURNISHINGS

• CREATACOR Inc.

• Fabric Images®

• Gallo Displays

• Hadley Exhibits Inc.

• Live Marketing®

• MC2

• Nomadic Display®

• Phoenix FORMations, Inc.

• WISE INDUSTRIES, INC.

Photo: Exhibitor Online

MidMarket Releases Free Trade Show “How To”

Ever found yourself on the plane ride home after a big show thinking, “I feel like the we accomplished nothing?” Sadly, too many of us have experienced the same less-than-satisfied feeling.

Thankfully, the folks at MidMarketer spent a lot of time studying and practicing ways to make your exhibiting efforts and your trade show dollars work more effectively; and they are nice enough to share the free, detailed report with all of us!

Here’s a glimpse at what the report will answer:

• Which shows are right for my company?
• Why do I feel so disappointed after a show?
• How can I maximize my trade show ROI?

Dig in and enjoy this practical and useful report. [MidMarket]

Source: MidMarketer

Big Name Exhibitors Skip NAB Show

The National Association of Broadcasters’ show, taking place in Las Vegas this week, is missing at least two large exhibitors this year: Apple and Avid both chose to sit the show out for 2008. [Macworld]

The decision to skip the show is part of both companies’ overall strategy to participate in fewer trade shows and focus on reaching their target audiences directly, without spending millions on large shows. [TSW]

Let’s hope the NAB can woo them back to the exhibit floor next year…or else. When big names like Apple drop from the show, mid-size and smaller companies slowly follow suit which could spell disaster for the NAB.

Photo: National Association of Broadcasters

GSC Offers Customer Bill of Rights

Alliance Exposition Services, an Arlington, VA based general service contractor, is offering their customers a bill of rights.

The bill details 10 rights which include informative and courteous customer service, material handling services without unreasonable surcharges, qualified and reliable labor and more. [Alliance Exposition]

Since the release of the bill of rights back in March, the company has received oodles of favorable press. No doubt, other general contractors will begin to offer a similar guarantee. Kudos to Alliance Exposition for setting the standard for the industry and addressing the concerns of their customers.

Photo: Alliance Exposition

Show Organizers Form Major Alliance

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association International, the American Welding Society and the Precision Metalforming Association have joined forces to produce a combined annual tradeshow, the Fabtech International & AWS Welding Show and Metalform.

The first official combined exhibition will take place in November 15-19 2009, at McCormick Place in Chicago. Partners have agreed to a “soft start” at the 2008 FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show, to be held October 6-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and will include a METALFORM pavilion. [SME]

The new combined show has a more inclusive approach and allows the the industry to unite at one single event under one roof, ultimately adding value for both exhibitors and attendees.

Source: SME

Photo: Fabtech International