Trade Show InsightsNews, tips & tools to expand your knowledge of exhibiting

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Lately there’s been a lot of buzz online about whether or not trade shows are still relevant, both inside and outside the industry. Ironically, some of the external sources have been more positive than the insiders. Check out the second half of this video from Open Forum with two business consultants on trade shows. Note what they say at the end … it’s often not a matter of the show, but what you do with it!

Photo: stock.xchng / ColinBroug

They say the only thing constant in life is change. If that’s true, then this past week has been full of constants. First of all, two shows have announced cancellations:

• The Motivation Show, a long-time staple at McCormick Place in Chicago, will not take place in 2014. It seems there’s just not enough interest from potential exhibitors, which is a drastic change from the days when more than 2,000 exhibits filled McCormick and the show ranked among the top 200 largest in the country. (On a personal note, I’ve attended the show several times and it was one of the first I ever attended at McCormick, so I’ll always have special memories.) Meanwhile the Motivation Show Las Vegas, which was announced last year, will now be merged into the PPAI Expo.

Photo: Las Vegas News Bureau

It’s no secret that many trade shows have been breaking records over the past year — we’ve reported on many of those here. And much of that growth has been happening in two of the major trade show hubs: Chicago and Las Vegas. Now both of those cities are looking at their options to keep up with that growth.

Photo: stock.xchng / ilco

When show attendance grows, that sparks change and growth in other areas. For example, the Licensing Expo will introduce four new feature areas due to the expanded presence of key exhibitors. The show will be held at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas in June and the four areas include: Art & Design, Characters & Entertainment, Agents & Brands, and Fashion. At another Vegas show, the World of Concrete posted a five percent increase in attendance and exhibit space. Much of that growth is coming from international attendance, so it’s no surprise that show producer Hanley Wood recently announced plans to launch World of Concrete India this fall.

Photo: stock.xchng/Mupsu

In spite of ‘Snowmageddon’ hitting the East Coast, the New York International Toy Fair at the Javits Center went on as planned February 10-13. The blizzard arrived at the same time exhibitors and attendees were making their way into the city, and some booths displayed “Delayed by the Storm” signs on the first day, but exhibitors were still writing orders and meeting with clients. Keep in mind that this show is different from many — exhibits are more like walled fortresses and there’s a strict check-in policy before access is granted. To see a photo gallery from the show (of the exhibits and some really cool toys), check out this post on TheVerge.com.