TSMI's Trade Show Marketing Report

Is JP Morgan Bullish on Construction?

Expophile broke the story yesterday on on Hanley-Wood being purchased by JP Morgan.

So the question is, if JP Morgan is buying the Hanley-Wood portfolio, do they believe that the domestic construction industry is going to continue its double-digit growth?  Or are they just capitalizing on a short-term trend?  Or something more sinister?

It a question that merits asking because as the construction industry goes, so goes HW.

We're hoping it's because JP Morgan is bullish on construction since that's great news for many, many shows, not to mention the overall economy.  But we're not counting on it.  After all, this is high finance, which has little or nothing to do with the world we mortals inhabit.

MORE: David Shaw at B or Not 2B chimes in with additional links.

Fuel Dog Compliment

Fuel Dog posted about my newest gig, which is to create a blog for a consumer show.  As they noted, I've been highly skeptical about third-party blogging for shows. 

My skepticism has to do with "voice".  I just think that the best business blogs have a singular voice - that of someone involved with the product or service in a decision-making role.  And peering into their "blogging soul" is what makes the reading compelling. 

Case in point:  You don't read Alan Meckler because of his analysis.  You read Alan Meckler because he's Alan Meckler.

That said, I think Expophile does a nice job.  Some solid reporting and fact-checking and they're there every single day, which these days is more than I can say for myself (now on day 15 of the respiratory infection that won't go quit).

Then again, Expophile isn't linked to a show.  So as far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on whether third-party blogs will help show managers.  Maybe FuelDog will prove me wrong.

It looks like this new blog I'm creating will be going head to head with one of Jason Calacanis' Weblogs, Inc. properties.  Calacanis' has a network of more than 70 blogs across a wide spectrum of topics, allowing him to attract significant ad revenues.

And while Calacanis' blog strategy appears to be successful (so far), I'm hoping that creating a new blog attached to a specific show and the people behind the scenes at that show will provide a differently compelling story than what Gadling is currently providing.

We'll see. 

First Blog Client

As a side note to the previous post, I've been asked to research and outline a blog for a new client.

For the most part I've shied away from recommending blogs to existing clients because I know what's involved from a time standpoint.  None of the shows I'm working on have the appropriate resources to be the "voice" that I believe is necessary for success (although their supporting associations could likely handle that role).

It appears this new client might be the right show in the right industry to pull off something that will work.  And it's neither tech nor marketing, which makes it all the more exciting.

Unfortunately I can't say anything more about it at this time... but when it's launched, I'll let you know.

Blogs Finally Getting Coverage in Show Industry Pubs

2003 was the "Year of the Blog". 

The word "blog" became 2004's word of the year, according to Merriam-Webster.

So it only follows that just as the summer 2005 is upon us, our own industry has started writing about blogs.

(NB - That our local Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has already run numerous articles on blogs - in region whose citizenry is renown for being three years behind the times - speaks volumes on how slow our industry is responding to this new medium).

Corporate Meetings and Incentives got into the act this May with an article titled "Meet Me in the Blogosphere" written by the lovely and talented Sue Pelletier, and featuring yours truly along with Alan Meckler and another ex-Internet World prodigy, Jon Price.  Sue also shares her experiences in getting co-workers to blog in the same issue ("Confessions of a Mad Blogger").

Meeting News will soon follow with an article on blogging.  I was approached earlier this week by Marshall Krantz on thoughts for an upcoming article on using blogs to market events.  I haven't been following the Meeting News blog lately to see if they're promoting their Meeting World event later this summer.  Perhaps they're fishing for marketing tips?

I expect many more blog articles will follow since our industry press tends to jump all over a single topic until it's written to death. 

And yes, I'm well aware EXPO did a feature on blogging a few months back.  But since they used MediaLive as their example, it didn't really count ;-)

Churchill Downs

The day before I got violently ill (see previous post), the IAEM OVC chapter had a fun afternoon at Churchill Downs.  I'd never been before so I took a few photos. 

I was a bit surprised how close to the city the track was.  You could throw a rock and hit the Louisville Cardinal football stadium from the start of the homestretch.

We were all given an odd gift by our hosts - a nesting doll of all-time winningest jockey Pat Day.   I imagine there are a few that have already showed up on eBay.

I should mention that there were some terrific sessions in the morning.  During one session where a panel of exhibitors was telling us how to reach and sell them, I questioned the panel on whether they believe the audience statistics that organizers send them.  It was not a positive response. 

I mentioned that EXPO Magazine was planning on presenting a "Best New Show" award to ITSS New York, which has a reputation for ballooning their attendance figures to remarkable heights and nobody was really surprised.  Steven Hacker and I spoke about it afterwards.  You'll hear more about this once I get a response from Danica on whether this particular award is actually going through (although it appears it's a done deal).

I should also mention that the Churchill Downs expansion means meetings and trade shows of up to 5,000 people can now be hosted in this unique historic venue.  I wouldn't mind going there again.

Tough Couple of Weeks

If I was going to pick a time to drop off the face of the earth, beginning of May is as good a choice as any.  Almost all the show news the past couple of weeks was from E3 and of little interest to us mortals.

A quick recap since the last post:  After returning from Coverings (best one ever, btw), I spent a couple of days at the coffee shop, cleaning out the basement, spray painting the patio railings and sawing some new shelves from particle board.  Silly me didn't wear a mask.  So by end of the week, with all the grit, spray and sawdust particulate I'd inhaled, it was getting difficult to breathe. 

Somewhere during that time I also caught a cold.

I decided to drive down to Louisville for the Ohio Valley IAEM event anyway as I was feeling well enough for a couple of days of networking and my first golf of the year.  Every morning I hacked up some interesting stuff, but kept downing water and Diet Pepsi to break it up.  More on the actual event later.

I was feeling well enough that it was a complete surprise to me when on the fourth hole of Thursday's golf tourney I nearly collapsed, shaking, sweating, dizzy, dry heaving, pulse racing and finding it difficult to take a decent breath at all. 

A cart took me back to the clubhouse and I managed to drive myself down to a clinic where I spent the next five hours getting poked and probed and x-rayed.

The doctors concluded I had congested lungs coupled with an upper respiratory infection and was victimized by an abnormally high pollen count that triggered a chain reaction of pneumonia-like symptoms.  So they gave me four different drugs and sent me home.

Just as well because I had absolutely no game.

That's been my May so far.  Hope yours has been better.

Show Signage as Sculpture

The Turkish Ceramics Industry figured out a unique way to do sponsored signage at Coverings.

Sculptures.

Before the Turks put in that marble slab in the hands of the figure at bottom, I was ready to tape a Show Daily in there.  Maybe next year we should bring our own sculptures.

You have to admit, these sculptures are far more interesting and engaging than standard easel signs.  Good job Turks.

At Coverings All Week

I'll be sweating in muggy Orlando this week.  Hoping that the forecasted rain for every evening this week won't put a damper on post-show activities.

Here are a handful of pre-opening shots to show some of the wall-to-wall branding the Coverings uses at the Orange County Convention Center.   

On the way in, also saw highway directionals welcoming  Coverings attendees.  Orlando is on top of things.