11 October 2019: Informa Markets secured the number one spot on AMR International’s annual “Top 20 exhibitions organisers” list.

AMR International is a leading adviser to the global events industry and its annual global
list ranks organizers exclusively on exhibition organising revenue. The ranking  takes into account 2018 revenues and 2019 M&A activity to date.

>> The AMR Top 20 exhibition organisers by exhibition-organising revenue

>> Read More: AMR International

27 September 2019: This year, Informa Markets has continued its growth trajectory, bolstered by strong brands who are truly market makers in the industries they serve. That growth has not gone unnoticed, with Trade Show Executive naming Informa Markets ‘Top Organiser of the Year’ at its annual Gold 100 Gala.

In addition to taking home the event’s top honours, Informa Markets’ AIA Conference on Architecture received the Fastest Growing Show award, and the February edition of our MAGIC fashion show took home the award for Largest Semi-Annual Tradeshow. In keeping with Informa Markets' increasingly digital approach, The International Surface Event (TISE) was awarded Most Extreme Results from a Social Media Campaign, thanks to their multi-platform

approach.

Elsewhere, Melanie Weiner, Director of Event Operations at Informa Markets, was also named a ‘Woman to Watch’ at the event, which honours four exceptional women poised to climb the corporate ladder. The Gold 100 list honoured several other Informa Markets shows for excellence, including Natural Products Expo East and West, MAGIC February and August, and WWETT, among others..

Another of Informa Markets’ fashion events, Coterie (February) has been short-listed as one of 10 finalists for Trade Show News Network’s ‘Best of Show’ award. Voting closes October 18th.The two overall winners will be announced at the TSNN Award

11 September 2019 - By Rick McConnell: Associations looking to expand their meeting and tradeshow audience beyond their members may consider partnering with an independent show organizer. A look at what makes for a successful partnership.

While associations traditionally do a great job marketing events to their own membership, there is often more that can be done when it comes to growing their meeting and tradeshow audience beyond members.

One way to go about it is to partner with an independent show organizer. An ISO’s main focus is to connect buyers and sellers through events that help them do business together and thrive. Together, ISOs and associations can benefit from the other’s expertise and create a powerful combination that will benefit members and increase attendance. Here are three things an ISO can bring to a partnership:

Economies of scale. Due to the large number of events ISOs put on each year, they have strong relationships with venues and services that can benefit associations when planning an event or program. In addition to their experience, ISOs have the power of negotiation and can leverage their cost advantage to associations in a partnership.

Expanded digital tools and developed networking platforms. Data and digital solutions are an area that ISOs have been focused on over the last several years to help attendees navigate the event and build meaningful connections with other visitors and exhibitors. These new data and digital tools are used 365 days a year to help create year-round market connections and can also help attendees share experiences and lessons learned. These tools also provide access to programs and learning modules to make these events more worthwhile. Examples of expanded digital tools for associations include event-matchmaking apps like Brella.

Together, ISOs and associations can benefit from the other’s expertise and create a powerful combination that will benefit members and increase attendance.

Broader sales reach. Associations have an experienced sales force in place that support their marketing efforts. When coupling those resources with an ISO, it can expand sales reach.  ISO sales team members can be used to focus on driving new business or in deepening relationships with current account contacts. Tapping into a broader ISO sales team can truly give the association additive firepower.

However, for these partnerships to be successful, both parties must be willing to share knowledge, which includes being candid about each other’s marketing and sale strategies. In attending industry events, I have increasingly noticed partners from associations and ISOs coming together to share best practices and strategies, which didn’t happen a few years ago.

Lastly, the use of social media in a marketing strategy has become a transformative phenomenon for associations that leverage these channels. By combining the social media efforts of both the ISO and the association in the distribution of content, this can broaden an association’s reach and generate additional traffic to events.

Together and with a core focus on better serving attendees, ISOs and associations can develop and deliver more robust marketing campaigns to drive new members and attendees, new ancillary digital revenue streams, and new lead generation sponsorships.

>> Read More: ASAE

12 August 2019 - TSNN:  In an industry known for producing a substantial amount of waste, some trade shows are working to turn the tides by gradually adopting practices to reduce their environmental impact. Then there are other shows, such as Natural Products ExpoEast and West — the world’s largest natural products trade shows — that have been quietly driving the event sustainability movement long before “green” became a buzzword.

Held biannually at the Anaheim and Baltimore convention centers (NPE East will be moving to Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia in 2020), the NPE shows have incorporated sustainability to such an extent that it’s become part of the brand’s identity. In fact, the events were among the earliest adopters of environmental initiatives, with practices that have grown and evolved over the past three decades, says Lacey Gautier, natural products group show director at New Hope Network (a division of informa Markets, which produces the two shows).
 
“The natural products industry and sustainability go hand in hand,” Gautier says. “While Natural Products Expos have prioritized sustainability practices since the inaugural West event in 1981, we’ve had an official program in place since the mid-’90s that we’ve built upon and refined over the years to meet evolving challenges and growth.”

When NPE initially launched its sustainability program, it was primarily focused around reducing energy, water and carbon. Show organizers worked with environmental agencies to help measure and offset the electricity and water usage throughout the partner hotels and convention centers, as well as calculate the airfare impact of attendees and exhibitors.

“We’ve grown those features, and they still exist with the shows, but they’ve evolved with a much more extensive program and commitments from various sponsors, participants and partners,” Gautier says.

Sustainability is also a central feature of NPE’s venue and supplier RFP process. While the shows’ chosen venues each have extensive sustainability programs, the NPE team partners with the venues in an ongoing effort to push the green envelope and find new ways to make even greater impacts.

“We’ve worked with Anaheim in developing their sustainability programs,” Gautier says. “Their practices have helped us refine our program at large, and it was a central focus when we began the RFP process for NPE East.”

She continues, “We expect all of our partners to operate their businesses in a sustainable and respectful manner, and form new partnerships with organizations that prioritize this and can contribute in a positive way to our greater efforts.”
 
It can take a village to achieve meaningful event sustainability. At the East and West shows, planning and executing those ambitious efforts come down to tremendous collaboration between the NPE teams, host cities, convention center teams, catering and hotel partners, attendees and exhibitors.

To keep the shows moving in the right direction, NPE also works with event environmental consultancy firm Honeycomb Strategies. Behind the scenes, Founder Lindsay Arrell and New Hope/ informa Show Coordinator Ashley Scruggs lead the charge with NPE’s operations. They show teams how to create operational improvements and sustainability resources for attendees and exhibitors, including sustainability toolkits for West and East. Other operational initiatives Honeycomb has helped put in place include:
 
·      Waste Management: implements bin systems, back-of-house sorting, waste ambassadors, and elimination of items that are out of alignment with NPE’s sustainability plan, such as straws and foam core

·     Metrics Tracking: tracks and measures year-over-year data around waste diversion, donations and energy, water and carbon offsets

·      Exhibitor Resources: provides sustainable exhibitor survey, booth porter services for composting and recycling, and sustainable booth packages

·      Donation Programs: makes donations of left-over booth materials and food samples to local organizations

·      Offsets: offers staff travel and venue offsets, and offset options for attendees and exhibitors at registration

·      Sustainability Kiosk: provides attendees and exhibitors with information about NPE’s sustainability initiatives and examples of sustainability in action onsite
 
Honeycomb also helped NPE form the Expo Sustainability Task Force. This is designed to engage key stakeholders — including exhibiting brands, informa staff, vendors, venue partners and non-profits — while working to source new ideas, explore the feasibility of new sustainability initiatives and empower stakeholders, Gautier says.

“A major focus for both East and West is waste diversion, and that’s something that we’ve dedicated a lot of time and energy to over the past few years, including improvements in our on-site sorting practices,” Gautier explains. “We partner with UnitedService, Anaheim, Baltimore, Philadelphia as well as GES and various other participating partners to streamline those practices on-site. [This helps us] gain a deep understanding of where the waste is going and how we can most effectively sort it and compost or recycle it.”

Another key feature of NPE’s sustainability program is its exhibitor program, which places strict parameters on what exhibitors can bring to the show. In addition to incorporating more sustainable booth material options through GES, the program is also focusing more energy on encouraging change within the natural products industry itself. For example, brands making more environmentally friendly packaging choices are then celebrated at the shows via on-site promotional opportunities.

At the upcoming NPE East 2019, to be held Sept. 11-14 at Baltimore Convention Center, the show will not only be continuing and expanding upon its sustainable policies and efforts, but also working toward its long-term goal of eliminating single-use plastics by 2022. In addition, NPE will broaden its support of and two-year partnership with the Climate Collaborative, which works collaboratively with the natural products industry to reverse climate change.
 
Meanwhile, NPE’s sustainability team is looking ahead to an even greener future for the shows. According to Gautier, NPE will continue to build upon its existing partnerships and successes to up the green ante while challenging its host venues, suppliers and clients to invest more time and resources in moving toward a healthier ecosystem.

“Sustainability is a focus for the shows because we all must do our part in offsetting the impact events have on the environment, and with shows of our size, our awareness and efforts are critical and we have an opportunity to pave the way for others,” Gautier explains. “It’s important that every show organizer does what they can to prioritize sustainable practices, as events have a major impact on the environment and future health.”

>> Read More: Lisa Plummer Savas - Trade Show News Network

 24 July 2019 - London: Informa (LSE: INF.L), the International Exhibitions, Events, Information Services and Scholarly Publishing Group, today released its financial results for the six months to 30 June 2019, reporting continued growth and performance, including the effective delivery of the 12-month Accelerated Integration Plan (“AIP”).

Stephen A. Carter, Group Chief Executive, said: “A year on from the acquisition of UBM, the enlarged Informa Group is performing to plan, delivering a further period of growth in revenue, adjusted operating profit, free cash flow and dividends.”

He added: “Our Advanced Learning businesses remain resilient, our Data, Information and Communities businesses are performing well, and despite previously identified headwinds in our Fashion and Middle East businesses, we continue to grow consistently in Events and Exhibitions. This puts us on track to deliver our targets for 2019 and provides a strong foundation for consistent future growth and performance.”

Performing to Plan across the Group, delivering H1 underlying revenue growth of 3.4%:
•    Informa Markets: Continued good growth, reflecting international reach and focus on major B2B brands with depth in attractive specialist markets; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 8.4% and 4.4% underlying;

•    Informa Connect: Continued focus on branded confexes and events in Life Sciences and Finance delivers further progress; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 8.0% and 2.1% underlying;

•    Informa Tech: Newly formed market-facing business performing well, ahead of seasonal uplift in the second half and the addition of IHS Markit’s TMT portfolio; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 5.7% and 1.1% underlying;

•    Informa Intelligence: Focus on subscriptions delivers strong renewals and steady new business momentum, complemented by valuable consulting and project work; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 8.9% and 3.2% underlying;

•    Taylor & Francis: Solid subscription renewals and strong momentum in open access delivers resilient performance against a tough comparable; H1 pro-forma reported revenue growth of 5.6% and 1.8% underlying.

Operational Performance to Plan: Operating as one Group, focusing on specialist markets
•    AIP completed on schedule: One-year programme of combination and creation delivered on budget and on schedule. All teams combined, leadership confirmed, brands aligned and operating as one business. On track to deliver £50m cost synergies in 2019, with more than £20m realised in H1;

•    Progressive Portfolio Management: Agreement for the divestiture of wealth management information business, IIS, announced today for up to $85m, subject to certain conditions, following on from previous sale of the Life Sciences Media Portfolio and the proposed agreement with IHS Markit for our Agribusiness Intelligence portfolio;

programme of targeted disposals nearing completion, increasing the focus on core specialist markets with greatest opportunities for growth and expansion;

•    Creation of Informa Tech: New market-focused business established, bringing together a portfolio of specialist brands and broad range of B2B products and services for the Technology industry; target to double underlying revenue growth within four years, supported by recent addition of IHS Markit’s portfolio of leading TMT research and information brands;

•    Expansion in Premium Lifestyle: Extension and further strengthening of relationship with Principality of Monaco in Premium Lifestyle market, bringing together leading brands serving the International Yachting and Arts communities. Strong customer complementarity creates attractive opportunities for cross marketing and co-location initiatives;

•    Purpose & Values: Launch of Brand platform for the enlarged Informa Group, including new guiding principles, a Group purpose focused around Championing the Specialist, and a refreshed visual identity for all five operating divisions and the Group;

•    Board Strength in Depth: Appointment of Gill Whitehead as Non-Executive Director, bringing valuable digital, data and analytics expertise from roles at Google, Channel 4 and BBC Worldwide;

•    Progressive Dividends: Strong free cash flow underpins ongoing commitment to attractive and growing dividends, with 7.1% growth in Interim Dividends per Share

Click here to review the full report.

Dallas, TX  - 09 July, 2019 - Informa Markets, producer of 550 B2B events globally each year, has partnered with the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE) to provide its 4,400 employees with a workforce training program and the opportunity to earn a Certificate in Exhibition Management qualification. The customized training program will be open to all Informa Markets colleagues who have passed their
probation period (about six months but varies by location), Sean Ongers,
Head of Global Learning and Performance, Informa Markets, told Trade Show Executive.
 
“We are excited to offer our extensive knowledge in exhibition management with a global leader like Informa Markets,” said IAEE President and CEO David DuBois. “This is the first-ever agreement IAEE has entered into with another company to extend knowledge in core
competencies of exhibition management.”
 
In 2014, IAEE partnered with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration to offer a comprehensive competency model for the hospitality, tourism and events industry. This model is the basis for creating learning opportunities for those in the exhibitions and events industry and serves as the cornerstone for the curriculum delivered in this partnership. The IAEE/Informa Markets certificate program involves a combination of classroom instruction and applied learning, which will be overseen by the Informa Markets Global Learning and Performance team. 
 
“It’s all about the knowledge and impact,” Ongers said. “Informa Markets colleagues will complete a series of courses and exams. For each course, their manager will also be required to sign off on the impact back in the workplace before receiving the certificate of completion and qualification.”  Informa Markets colleagues will also have the option
to complete IAEE’s official Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) Learning Program and obtain the globally recognized designation.
 
Currently, there are more than 3,000 active CEMs, of which 16.3% work for a for-profit company. Informa’s training team, who have completed the IAEE Certified in Exhibition Management (CEM) Learning program will be conducting the in-house training. “The partnership with IAEE brings amazing opportunities for our colleagues around the world
with its globally recognized Certificate in Exhibition Management Qualification,” Ongers said.

Read More: Trade Show Executive

Reach Sean Ongers at +44 20 7017 5000 or sean.ongers@informa.com; Marsha Flanagan at (972) 458-8002 or mflanagan@iaee.com

Atlantic City, N.J. - 21 June, 2019 -The Awards Gala capped another successful Fastest 50 Awards & Summit. Around 150 top show organizers and industry partners joined TSE for a full schedule of educational sessions and networking activities. Nine individual shows were honored with Grand Awards in a dozen categories. Along with JIS Exchange, MJBizCon, MODEX and Southeast Flooring Market were also recipients of two Grand Awards each for their accomplishments. Informa was declared the “top organizer of the year” with a total of nine shows on the Fastest 50 and Next 50 lists.

The full roster of awards presented included:

•  JIS Exchange: Rock Star Award; Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Attendance (Percentage)  
• International Woodworking Show: Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Exhibit Space (Sheer Numbers) 
• MODEX: Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Exhibitors and Attendance (Sheer Numbers); Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Attendance (Percentage)
• CES: Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Exhibit Space and Exhibitors (Sheer Numbers) MJBizCon: Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Attendance (Sheer Numbers); Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Exhibit Space (Percentage)
• Southeast Flooring Market: Fastest-Growing Annual Show in Exhibitors (Percentage); Fastest-Growing Show (Blended Growth)
• International Airport GSE Expo (Ground Support Equipment): Fastest-Growing Non-Annual Show in Exhibit Space and Exhibitors (Percentage)
•  The Landscape Show: Fastest-Growing Show Managed by an Association (Blended Growth)
•  ANCC National Magnet Conference (American Nurses Credentialing Center): Fastest-Growing Medical Show (Blended Growth)
•   Informa Markets: Top Organizer in the Number of Fastest 50 and Next 50 Shows

The next TSE Fastest 50 Awards & Summit will take place in Las Vegas at the soon-to-open Caesars FORUM. Trade Show Executive will honor the largest trade shows of last year at the Gold 100 Awards & Summit on Sept. 25-27 in San Diego at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. See www.tsegold100.com for information on registration and the event agenda.

Read More: Trade Show Executive  

Just in time for Global Exhibitions Day on June 6, UFI – the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry – launched a new report and online database designed to track global exhibitions industry sustainability initiatives and projects in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.

Initiated by UFI’s working group on sustainability and put together in collaboration with sustainability consulting and research firm Greenview, this first-of-its-kind resource showcases the environmental efforts of global event organizers, venues and service providers while inspiring others to launch sustainability projects under the UN framework.

“As the exhibition industry, we are connecting markets to foster trade and development [and] through our daily work, we help to drive the growth of economies and societies,” said Craig Newman, president of UFI. “With this new, publicly available online database, we want to grow the awareness of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and how exhibition industry players are contributing to catalyze a sustainable future for all.”

Developed in 2015 with the goal of achieving them by 2030, the SDGs were created as a blueprint for businesses, governments and individuals to achieve a more sustainable future. They address 17 global challenges, including poverty, inequality, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.

In the database’s first data collection phase, which was completed in early May, large global exhibition organizers such as Informa, Reed Exhibitions and Messe Frankfurt sent in submissions explaining how their organizations are contributing to the SDG agenda. A total of 20 exemplary submissions were accepted.

The three entry types included:

·     Type I: Exhibition Theme: How the theme of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs

·     Type II: Exhibition Operation: How the operator of the exhibition contributes to the SDGs

·     Type III: Company’s Operations: How a company’s own operations contribute to the SDGs

Each submission demonstrated how that organization’s actions contribute to SDGs; how their actions were made possible; and quantified monetary, time and other impacts. This in-depth information sharing also included a section for feedback and lessons learned, which allows other industry professionals to learn from these valuable experiences.

According to UFI officials, the initial series of submissions reveals that the SDG approach is well established within the leadership of the exhibition industry. While all 17 SDGs were mentioned, SDG 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production was the most common, with 70 percent of submissions citing a contribution to this particular area of action.

Under this category, sustainable actions taken included purchasing from local suppliers whenever possible; reducing the usage of single-use plastics, and reducing food waste through composting or donation. Partnerships with suppliers, guests and local charities were often mentioned as key to achieving these goals. In addition, sustainability is increasingly becoming part of the business model, with venue operators stipulating environmental terms in their contracts.

The second most commonly cited SDG was SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth. This was not surprising, according to UFI officials, since exhibitions reach out to tens of thousands of people; and encompass all sectors of business, government and civil society, with a large value chain of partners and stakeholders.

The first series of submissions demonstrated how the exhibition industry can touch SDGs in many different ways and have a meaningful collective impact while enjoying cost savings, especially through multi-stakeholder partnerships, according to UFI officials.

These best practices and innovative ideas have been compiled into a complimentary summary report, “The Exhibition Industry and the UN SDGs: Connecting People, Multiplying Impact.”

UFI’s second data collection phase, which began on June 6, is currently underway. Those interested in participating can contact chris@ufi.org.

To learn more about UFI’s sustainability initiatives, go here.

12 June, 2019 - The Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) has wrapped up its five events for Global Exhibitions Day (#GED19) with a call out to the industry to make ecological sustainability a major priority as well as career development and talent acquisition.

EEAA chief executive Joyce DiMascio said that #GED19 focussed on three key messages for the industry, including the importance of the sector to the economy, exhibitions as an effective and sustainable way of doing business and promoting a 'a career for life' in business events.

“These themes were embedded in the program from start to finish and they resonated strongly with delegates and partners from across the industry,” she commented. “In order for our industry to continue to grow and contribute to the economy, it’s vital that we attract a broad range of talent with the right set of skills. Sustainable business practices are at the core of what many emerging leaders look for from their employers – and the business events sector must commit to taking real steps to reducing our impact on the environment by cutting our waste output and looking at procurement with conscious regard for sustainability.”

The association used the events as an opportunity to report back on its work developing a Sustainability Framework for the industry. Consulting firm Edge Environment was appointed as sustainability advisor, with a brief to develop a strategic roadmap for the next 12-24 months, and a new partnership with Tourism Australia was announced to support the sustainability initiative.

John O’Sullivan, managing director of Tourism Australia said: “Our partnership with EEAA is a key part of Tourism Australia’s business events strategy, and recognises the importance of the exhibitions sector to both the business events sector and Australia’s visitor economy. Tourism Australia partners with EEAA on two specific initiatives: we are a proud sponsor of the Young Stars program and the Richard Geddes Young Achievers Award. And on Wednesday at the EEAA Leaders Forum, we announced an extension to our partnership to become a partner for the Champions of Sustainability program for the year ahead.

"Our strengthened partnership with EEAA is not just about bringing exhibitions to Australia but also about supporting a strong and sustainable future for our business events industry.”

The Young Stars program, launched in 2010, gives the EEAA's youngest members a platform to share their views, ideas and experiences, as well as to have a bigger voice in the work of the association.

Margaret Ma Connolly of Informa Markets Asia delivered a keynote presentation addressing the challenges associated with attracting and retaining the right workforce. She commented: "We have a lot in common with the Australian industry – the focus on talent, career development and the importance of ecological and business sustainability. The forum provides a platform for sharing good ideas and inspiration from each other and to me that is the true value of the event.”

Read More: Exhibition World

Washington, D.C. - June, 2, 2019 - Four show managers and a bright star of the analytics world make up the 2019 class of the Trade Show Executive (TSE) Trailblazers.
 
The annual TSE Trailblazers roster is made up of show executives who are already making names for themselves as they climb the ladder at their respective companies and associations. The newest members include two vice presidents, show managers and a key data analyst from Informa.
 
They will be among the Guests of Honor at the June 18-20 TSE Fastest 50 Awards & Summit in Atlantic City where they will meet, mingle and network with other high-achieving show organizers and managers whose events led the way in growth last year.
 
“Our TSE Trailblazer program is meant to acknowledge and celebrate up-and-comers for their efforts in creating something new or taking a new approach to a show or within their organization,” TSE Publisher and Editor, Gabrielle Weiss said. “Our 2019 TSE Trailblazers are definitely blazing a new path and have the results to show for their hard work.”
 
This year’s class is the second edition of the annual Trailblazers program and is generously sponsored by Trade Show Executive’s parent company, United Service Companies.
 
The honorees include:

•  Jordan Tuchband, Industry Vice President, JIS Events, Reed Exhibitions. Tuchband has consistently produced solid results for his team and has introduced technologies that have made an impact companywide.
  
• Krista DeBrosse, International Trade Show Manager, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI). DeBrosse quickly stepped up to a new role which helped her team generate double-digit percentage growth in both show space and registration for a show in Mexico.
• Carlos Baudett, Director, Trade Expositions, International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). Baudett has demonstrated that he is a strategist and tacitician for his team. Moreover, he has earned a reputation as a hands-on leader who is always on the lookout for ways to improve produces and events.
• Lisa Glosson, Vice President, Clarion Events. Glosson impressed Clarion by overseeing the launch of the MATCH program which is now being replicated. Her “what-if-we-did-this?” approach has moved her up the ranks in her career path.
•    Mary Atkins, Data Analyst, Informa Markets. Mary’s laser focus on being of service has helped to generate reporting that sets her apart. Informa highly praised her ability to strike pay dirt while mining for the most productive data for show managers. Her work is helping organizers and their shows companywide.
  

As honorees of this prestigious program, TSE Trailblazers are invited to attend Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50 Awards and Summit in Atlantic City. They are recognized at the event and receive additional exposure through an article in the magazine and though social media channels.
 
TSE’s Fastest 50 and Awards Summit will be held next week from June 18-20 at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City.

Read More: Trade Show Executive
 

Washington, D.C. - June, 2, 2019 - Held annually during the week following
Memorial Day, this year’s Exhibition and Convention Executives Forum (ECEF) attracted more than 200 attendees to the JW Marriott. 
 
“The confirmed number of ECEF 2019 verified attendees, sponsors, speakers and media was 220,” said Sam Lippman, President, Lippman Connects, producer of ECEF. In 2018, ECEF attracted 222 industry professionals. 
 
For the second year, ECEF included a networking and technology activity combined with a closing reception. The ECEF TechDemo featured 12 technology solutions.
 
ECEF offered six educational sessions, and Trade Show Executive identified eight key takeaways:

1. Lead by example. “Nothing attracts competition like success,” Marijuana Business Daily Co-Founder and CEO Cassandra Farrington said during the opening keynote titled Navigating Treacherous Waters. She shared how her company navigated the unusual political and business hurdles to lead one of the Trade Show Executive’s Fastest 50
growing exhibitions in the U.S. When MJBizCon launched in 2012, the event attracted 400 attendees to a masonic lodge in Denver. In 2018, the show attracted 27,700 attendees and 1,028 exhibitors covering nearly 180,000 net square feet at the Las Vegas Convention Center. While fast growth is good, it can be challenging. In addition to the event,
Marijuana Business Daily is a full-fledged B2B media company that offers content through a number of channels, including a print magazine, website, social media, books, apps, TV and more. “Our brand had the first double-decker booth at our show,” she said. “We had the hanging sign. We have had to bring along and train our exhibitors and
attendees.”

2. China as the next big exhibition investor? At the session titled The Other 75% of the World’s Market, UFI Managing Director/CEO Kai Hattendorf talked about how the world’s conventions and exhibitions are evolving — and what impact this has on business in the U.S. He asked: “Will the world economy flip?” In 2019, the U.S. is the world’s largest economy with an annual GDP of $19.4 trillion, representing 24% of global GDP. By 2030, some are predicting that China will be No. 1 in world with $64.2 trillion in GDP. “China made its first exhibition investment earlier this year in the Thailand International
Dog Show,” Hattendorf said. “We will see more of China investing in shows around the globe.”

3. Become a haven for trust. “Globally, our trust in public institutions has shifted,” Dina Cappiello, Editorial Director & Group Head, Editorial & Media Strategies, Edelman, D.C. said at the session titled Storytelling in a Fake News World. According to an annual Edelman study, only 40% of the U.S. population trusts the government, and 48% of the U.S. population trusts the media. “People are looking for reliable sources,” she said. “Exhibitions can be a haven for trust. Exhibitions can be a great place for storytelling.

4. Threats to exhibitions and events. At the session titled Power Panel: Brave New World in the Event Business, Rick McConnell, President, North America, Informa Markets asked attendees to submit one or two words about what they see as the biggest threats to  exhibitions and events. Among the top responses from the audience: Time,
security, budget, relevance, recession, industry consolidation, ROI, internet, competition, travel and lack of technology.

5. Supporting a cause. “No one wants to talk about  profitability, but margins are high,” Lippman said. “Are there any conversations about lower profitability down the road?” Look at Tom’s shoes and Bombas socks, said McConnell. For each purchase, these companies offer an in-kind donation of their product to those in need. “To connect with millennials and Gen Z, causal marketing has to be got to be embedded in your business model,” he said. ”If not, you may be missing a big opportunity.” 

6. Off the grid. At the same session, Messe Frankfurt President & CEO Dennis Smith said: “Activations and experience for attendees are critical,” he said. “Trade shows going off the 10-by-10 grid.” For example, Messe Frankfurt recently re-engineered the International Motor Show in South Africa. After acquiring the massive show, the dealer association told the company they didn’t want a show anymore, he told the audience. “It’s happening in Detroit and Frankfurt and around the globe. Dealers don’t want a static, old-school auto
school,” he said. “We redesigned the event into a B2B/B2C experience and hold it at a race track.” The first two days of the show, which is now called the Festival of Motoring, are for press and dealers, and the rest of days are for consumers. “We gained back 28 brands, and a show that  was dead has come back to life.”

7. Better together. At the session titled  Buy/Sell/Partner 360: The National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show’s  New Model, Winsight Vice Chairman Galen Poss moderated a panel  discussion about the sale and equity partnership between Winsight and  the NRA show. “We wanted the association to be a true partner, so we agreed to equity partnership early on,” said Winsight CEO Mike Wood. The deal, which took three years to complete, has a unique structure — to say the least. NRA owns an equity stake in Winsight and serves on the company board as a non-voting member. In return, NRA has agreed to
sponsor the show for 45 years. In the end, the NRA board voted unanimously to approve the deal. “This association deal is significant, and I think it sets the stage for the future,” Poss said. With 62% of shows owned by associations, he said more non-profits may look to independents to help them with expand with digital and data enhancements
that they couldn’t do on their own. “We needed to act like media company to keep pace,” said Mary Pat Heftman, President, Restaurant Show Group, Winsight “At times, I felt like a trader to the association, but in the long term it is what’s best for the next generation. I believe it even more firmly now that we have completed our first show together.
We grew all metrics. That speaks volumes about the culture of  association and Winsight.” For the recent NRA Show in May, Heftman said sponsorship was up 29%, and the show celebrated its 100th anniversary with 65,000 attendees from 110 countries and 2,300 exhibitors.

8. Small is in. At the session titled How to Be a Ninja Innovator, Consumer Technology Association (CTA) President and CEO Gary Shapiro talked about a wide variety of topics related to trade shows and innovation. Using audience-polling technology, Shapiro allowed ECEF attendees to select the three topics he would address. The topics
included: finding/retaining a ninja staff, keeping a mega show relevant and efficient, and the future of digital/connected health. “Small is in,” he said. “It’s difficult to innovate in big companies. Big companies will fund bad decisions for a long time.” More big companies
are looking at acquiring, partnering, mentoring and being the first  customers of smaller players, he said.
 
In 2020, ECEF will be held on May 27 at the JW Marriott.

Read more: Trade Show Executive

Informa Markets focused on helping specialist markets and communities around the world to trade, innovate and grow.

London, United Kingdom - April 30, 2019 - Informa Markets, a division of Informa PLC (LON:INF) formerly known as Informa Exhibitions, today introduced its new name and brand identity and launched a new corporate website, reflecting the ongoing development and expansion of the business and its focus on enabling the success of its customers and the specialist markets in which they work.

“From Health & Nutrition to Construction, Healthcare & Pharma to Agriculture, Fashion to Hospitality and much more, we live and breathe specialist markets,” said Charlie McCurdy, CEO of Informa Markets. “Informa Markets really brings to life the role we play helping to bring energy, opportunity, growth and success to the specialist markets our customers operate in, and to our customers’ businesses.”

He continued: “The new Informa Markets identity reflects the continued expansion of our services both at exhibitions and beyond the show floor, into data and digital products and specialist content, as well as the expansion of our own business. After combining with UBM’s powerful event-focused brands in 2018, Informa Markets is a single, strong identity that brings together all our teams, partners and customers across our increasingly broad and international portfolio.”

Informa Markets is the leading global platform for industries, specialist markets and communities to trade, grow and engage. It consists of more than 550 international B2B events and brands, as well as specialist digital content and data solutions, with over 4,400 colleagues based in more than 40 countries around the globe. Informa Markets provides customers with meaningful experiences where they can engage, experience and do business, helping global communities to thrive 365 days a year.

“Similar to how people and companies evolve, so has our brand identity,” said Richard Brook, Executive Vice President, Marketing, Informa Markets. “It has progressed over the years as we have produced impactful events, brands, digital offerings, a distinctive culture and engaged communities around the globe. The new Informa Markets identity is a fantastic representation of what and who we are today, and how that will develop in the future as we continue to advance and provide platforms that facilitate connections and the best customer experience.”

Contact Information

Ashley Womack Director of External Communications, Informa Markets Ashley.C.Womack@informa.com

415-307-4858