Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Sponsorship Program

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Sponsorship Program category evaluates a case study presentation of a show’s sponsorship development/management program and the effect the program had on the show. Judging criteria includes: creativity in program offerings and elements that attract potential sponsors; overall development of the program and deliverables to sponsors; clarity of information, overall message and content usefulness in the marketing pieces used to promote the program; how well the marketing elements used to promote the program relate to the “theme” of the event in terms of overall presentation and visual appeal; and how well the program met its intended goals.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Sponsorship Program category:

Under 75,000 nsf
IRL Events
Anime Expo 2016

Anime Expo is the largest Japanese culture event in North America hosting more than 300,000 fans and cosplay enthusiasts, as well as a sold out show floor of more than 400 exhibitors (up 17% from 2015!).

With sponsorship marketing aggressively moving online, 2016 marked the debut of the first ever Anime Expo Sponsorship Website. This site provided current and potential sponsors with an intuitive and comprehensive tool that allowed them to quickly and easily plan their Anime show presence, becoming a one stop shop for all potential sponsors.

Through the use of renderings, photographs and descriptions, the Anime Expo sponsorship website provided potential sponsors a variety of resources to help them create a strategic onsite marketing presence. The site also provided logistical and execution information, making it the one stop shop for all things event marketing. As a result, this first-time resource grew sponsorships 103% in 2016.

“Knowledge is everything when it comes to sponsorships – knowing your clients’ goals, knowing every square inch of the venue, and knowing how to use every bit of that space to its maximum effect,” said Mary Dolaher, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of IRL Events. “The IRL Events team has been lucky enough to work with the LACC for more than 20 years, and with AX for almost a decade. This experience has given us the knowledge we need to build a sponsorship web site like no other – clients can access layouts, photos, and descriptions all in one place, and then purchase easily through the site. What’s good for the sponsor is good for the show!”

Over 200,001 nsf
American Pet Products Association
Global Pet Expo

Global Pet Expo, the premier industry event, is presented by the American Pet Products Association (APPA) and Pet Industry Distributors Association (PIDA). The 2016 Global Pet Expo had 1,087 exhibitors in 3,218 booths. Total buyer attendance was 6,170, representing 76 countries. Global Pet Expo is open to independent retailers, distributors, mass-market buyers, and other qualified media & professionals.

The goal of its sponsorship program in 2016 as to boost visibility and drive traffic to the sponsors booth, as well as build brand awareness. 2016 exceeded the Global Pet Expo sponsorship program goals. With sales up a record 22% the brand awareness that is created through sponsorships is becoming apparent to many of the exhibitors.

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Social Media Campaign

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Social Media Campaign category evaluates the collective use of social media channels to effectively promote a show before, during and after the event. Judging criteria includes: content appeal and usefulness; effectiveness of distribution and target audience engagement; target audience response; how well the campaign correlates with the overall “theme” of the show; how well the social media campaign met its intended goals; and how well the social media drove attendance, general show awareness and overall brand awareness.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Social Media Campaign category:

Under 75,000 nsf
Ontario Hospital Association
HealthAchieve

The signature conference and exhibition of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) for over 90 years, HealthAchieve is an award-winning event that has long been one of the largest and most respected health care events in North America – the preeminent gathering place for health care and business leaders. HealthAchieve continues to inspire ideas and innovation by providing global health care and business leaders with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from each other, share their ideas and evolve their perspectives.

Read the complete case study about how OHA won not only in this category, but took the overall Best of Show prize for last year’s Art of the Show Competition with this entry here.

Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
mdg
SuperZoo

SuperZoo is the largest pet industry trade show in North America, with a more than 60-year history of helping pet retailers and service professionals discover new products, find amazing deals, learn how to build their businesses and connect with others who share their passion for pets. SuperZoo started out as a modest, regional trade show but has grown tremendously over the past decade, since moving to Las Vegas in 2004. SuperZoo 2016 marked the biggest SuperZoo in history, with the most exhibitors, buyers and education hours of any pet industry event in North America. SuperZoo has long been known as the event for the independent pet retailer, but it is also well-attended by pet service professionals and groomers, international buyers and corporate buyers interested in expanding their presence in the consumer pet market. SuperZoo exhibitors include distributors and manufacturers of products for cats, dogs, reptiles, aquatic animals, birds and more, as well as companies offering retail-specific services.

SuperZoo’s audience is highly social, therefore a variety of tactics was used to encourage them to engage before and during the show. The primary goals were to increase followers, and drive registrations and onsite verification. With audience acquisition in mind, mdg developed a paid Facebook campaign that mixed boosted posts and events with targeted ads to build SuperZoo’s follower base and drive attendance. Recognizing the importance of Instagram as a platform, they also sought to build this audience.

The 2016 social media campaign was a huge success, with a 23 percent increase in Facebook likes, a 58 percent increase in Twitter followers and a 106 percent increase in Instagram followers. Facebook remained the most popular platform and views and engagement peaked during the show, with users frequenting the page multiple times per day to see what was going on onsite and what they should make time to see. The efforts to build the Instagram audience also paid off with a 151 percent increase in likes over 2015.

The campaign also went to great lengths to get the sort of exclusive, visual content that drives engagement. In the weeks leading up to SuperZoo, a hashtag campaign was run asking people to download a #SZ16 sign and share photos for a repost which featured big-name speakers on successive “takeover Mondays.” This takeover campaign resulted in 68 clicks to registration and had a reach of 33,725 people. They also promoted a #WPAGoodWorks photo contest where followers posted photos of their business doing good works in their community for a chance to win a $1,000 donation to the charity of their choice.

Once onsite, SuperZoo utilized Facebook Live and the new Instagram Stories feature (which came out while the show was happening!) to provide relatable, unscheduled content at exciting moments – show floor pan from a cherry picker, anyone? A Facebook Live post featuring a birds-eye view of the show floor was the campaign’s most successful piece of content, organically reaching 45,617 people, resulting in 1,780 likes, comments and shares and 3,931 post clicks.

The paid advertising campaign had a combined reach of more than 150,000. Facebook’s robust audience-building parameters allowed the campaign to target a highly qualified group of prospects (the difference between dog walker and dog lover is huge for SuperZoo!) and drove nearly 140 registrations at a cost less than one-third the industry average.

According to mdg president, Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes, “Our digital team took SuperZoo’s social to a fun new place, not typically seen in B2B marketing. We used Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to leverage the power of social influence, drive engagement through highly visual posts, AND get the community excited about the charitable initiatives being doing by and for the communities served.”

Account Director Elena Lien echoed those sentiments, adding, “I take great pride in these IAEE awards and even greater pride in the results we’ve achieved by serving as an extension of World Pet Association’s marketing team.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Signage/Décor

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Signage/Décor category evaluates printed and/or digital signage and décor used throughout the show. Judging criteria includes: overall presentation, visual appeal and creativity; usefulness of the signage and its content; how the signage/décor contributes to the overall “theme” of the event; and effectiveness of signage placement and décor throughout the show.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Signage/Décor category:

Under 75,000 nsf
FreemanXP – Tom Yurkin/Nora Summers
Oracle Modern Marketing Conference 2016

Leaders in customer service convened at Oracle Modern Marketing Conferences 2016 to participate in hands-on workshops, product demonstrations, and network during interactive breakouts that showcased best practices to help turn the attendee’s customers into brand advocates. For the signage and décor, multiple shows blended into one encompassing event that is attendee and message focused and environmentally conscious. Bold iconography and color palette were used to divide the space and direct attendees between the marketing, sales, commerce and service areas.

The goals and objectives for the signage and décor involved creating a clean, impactful, and reconfigurable suite of signage and registration elements that could be reused over multiple years and scalable for use within an array of venues. A cohesive look was created that reinforced Oracle’s modern brand. Sustainability was essential while incorporating Freeman rental elements like SmartPanels and Smart Counters. This also included using generic branded graphics that could be reused from year to year. In addition to the registration area and expo area, the look and feel was extended throughout the show experience.

Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
GES
WVC 88th Annual Conference

Since 1928, the Western Veterinary Conference (WVC) has provided comprehensive, progressive and practical continuing education opportunities to veterinary professionals from all over the world. The WVC Annual Conference brings together the best and brightest veterinary professionals for five days, who learn from expert instructors and gain knowledge that they can return to their practice and put to use immediately. With more than 1,000 hours of CE available, the conference is an opportunity to earn all required CE in one place. Offered in a world-class destination that is also cost effective for travel and accommodation, 97% of last year’s attendees said they would recommend attending the conference to a colleague.

The offerings are delivered by WVC use state-of-the-art facilities, methods and technologies. GES partnered with WVC early in the event development cycle to leverage WVC’s existing brand, as well as expand upon it to reflect WVC’s advances in its core areas. Graphics were inspired by design elements found in touchscreen user interfaces, in combination with lifestyle and workplace images that reflected the broad range and scope of the products and services offered by WVC. The images and graphics selected were designed to appeal not only to longtime members of WVC, but also to capture the imagination of younger members who expect data products to be accessible and hands-on resources to reflect the cutting edge in the industry.

The Registration Area was innovative and inviting. The architecture consisted of sleek, kiosk style registration stations staffed by the WVC team. This innovative design challenged the more transactional “over the counter” approach used in most exhibition environments and resulted in a more engaging experience for attendees. Functionality was priority number one since the WVC Annual Conference is a large event. When the doors of the registration area swing open, a crush of eager attendees descends upon the area. Therefore, several functional requirements must be met in the WVC registration area. GES worked closely with WVC to understand its workflow and spent the time necessary in the discovery phase to ensure the designs addressed the show’s true requirements.

The entrance design drew guests in to the central hall area of the WVC booth and functioned as the “grand hallway.” The Online Learning “Genius Bar” became a gathering place where participants charged their devices,and networked with one another. . The Online Learning zone was designed to be inviting and to provide an area for guests to demo WVC’s online platform. The TV Session Area was also a gathering place where participants networked and viewed WVC sessions. Comfortable seating and a custom bar with charging stations encouraged participants to linger. The new design throughout the conference was embraced by the WVC and those attending the 88th Annual Conference.

First impressions are important. Upon entering the Registration, the Online Learning “Genius Bar” or the TV Session Area, guests were greeted with a cohesive, vibrant and informative environment. The architecture and graphics elegantly delivered the WVC message. Guest after guest expressed their delight with the registration area and so did WVC. But first impressions are not everything. If first impressions are important, functionality is essential. GES designed the registration navigation scheme by considering timing of each “event” (e.g. logging a visitor) down to the second in order to ensure a smooth traffic flow and easy navigation for participants. Broad, open navigation lanes were used and WVC concierges directed participants to the next available help desk rather than employing queues at each desk. The planning and collaboration between WVC and GES paid off and the registration process was seamless with thousands of guest moving through the area quickly.

Over 200,001 nsf
InfoComm International & Freeman
InfoComm 2016

InfoComm is the largest, most exciting event in the United States focused on the pro-AV industry, with nearly 1,000 exhibitors, thousands of products, and 40,000 attendees from 110+ countries. InfoComm offers attendees a once-a-year opportunity to see the latest audiovisual technology, learn the skills that will advance their careers, and grow their professional network.

The “look and feel” for InfoComm 2016 was based on the concept of “play,” prominently featuring the triangle-shaped “play” button found on a variety of products in the audiovisual industry, like video cameras, DVD players, iPods, stereos, etc. The playful use of primary colors for the branding palette reinforced the “play” concept and also reflected the vibrancy of the audiovisual industry.

The goal for the décor and signage was to thoroughly integrate and reinforce the “play” concept throughout the show without being repetitive. The “play” triangle and abstract graphic shapes were configured into a variety of ways, in different scales (from an aisle banner to a meter board), and different colors were mixed and matched to add visual interest (for multiple entrance units).

From the impressively massive IC16 “play” button in the registration area to the small yellow “play” buttons on information carts, the brand concept was seen throughout the event and created a harmonious environment from the show floor, to the shuttle bus pickup area, to the convention center lobby. The abstract shapes could be configured in an exponential number of possible layouts, while still looking like they were in the “same family” and remaining within the confines of consistency.

The “play” concept was designed by another agency for use in 2D print and online, but Freeman elevated the visual impact of the design to a new level by creating 3D graphic elements at the entrance units and having a stand-alone “IC16” play button built for selfie opportunities. As is true with many trade shows, attendees often complain about a lack of seating. Freeman took this challenge and turned it into an opportunity to further the brand “look and feel” onsite. Instead of renting generic furniture, they built custom seating units comprised of the abstract graphic shapes, solving both the attendee demand and furthering the visual impact of the “play” branding onsite.

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Show Promotion Website

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Show Promotion Website category evaluates any web site used to promote attendance at a show. Judging criteria includes: overall presentation, visual appeal and creativity; organization of the information presented and ease of navigation/user-friendliness; clarity of pertinent information, value of information presented and content usefulness; performance metrics such as average monthly visits, Google analytics, etc.; and how the website contributed to the overall success of the exhibition and/or event.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Show Promotion Website category:

Under 75,000 nsf
Ontario Hospital Association
HealthAchieve

 

The signature conference and exhibition of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) for over 90 years, HealthAchieve is an award-winning event that has long been one of the largest and most respected health care events in North America – the preeminent gathering place for health care and business leaders. HealthAchieve continues to inspire ideas and innovation by providing global health care and business leaders with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from each other, share their ideas and evolve their perspectives.

The goal of the show website was to provide an easy navigation experience for its distinct audiences: prospective attendees and potential exhibitors. The prospective attendees are made up of international health care and business leaders. The potential exhibitors are made up of medical suppliers and commercial vendors from across the globe. HealthAchieve provides the platform for unlimited networking opportunities between the two distinct audiences, and would not be the distinguished event that it is without ample participation from both. The objective was to build the website to be responsive in design and to include a noticeable global navigation for both attendees and exhibitors.

Whether an attendee was a health care professional or a commercial vendor, their experience with the website was seamless and compelling. The website offered the opportunity for HealthAchieve to showcase event features on the homepage through rotating ads, and provide visitors with direct entry to its event satellite locations in Thundery Bay and Halifax. To help guide its diverse audience, the program schedule could be filtered down by session type, topic category and by speakers. The registration call to action was one of the main focal points on the homepage, and was repeated on various pages throughout the site.

For the duration of the 2015 Campaign – from February 1 to November 30 – the HealthAchieve website received 383,654 page views, 231,234 of which were unique. It also achieved the following:

  • 61,638 visitors went to the Program Schedule page;
  • 7,928 visitors utilized the filtered schedule option;
  • 17,642 visitors went to the Registration page; and
  • 11,890 to the Exhibit/Sponsor page.

These numbers supported OHA’s goal of providing an easy navigation experience for HealthAchieve’s distinct audiences.

Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
Frank Strategic Marketing
HPBExpo 2017

 

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo is North America’s largest indoor-outdoor living showcase. Every year, over 350 leading hearth, patio and barbecue manufacturers and suppliers exhibit and demonstrate their latest home heating solutions; grills, grilling accessories and fully-equipped outdoor kitchens; casual patio furniture and outdoor accents; water and landscape features; all-weather entertainment products and more. It’s also a one-stop-shop for retailers nationwide to find not only the latest products for their showrooms, but also the latest services and technologies for their companies.

One main goal for the new HPBExpo website was to improve the user’s mobile experience. Frank Strategic Marketing and HPBExpo planned and designed the site from a mobile user’s perspective first, then built out the desktop experience. This required streamlining the content and overall design of the site to take into account best practice responsive web development techniques. The next goal was to improve the organization and presentation of the in-depth and robust education schedule. Previous versions of the schedule consisted of static charts/tables. The site implemented a tool that allowed users to sort the schedule by date, session name, time, credits, and event type.

The print and virtual sponsorship brochure was converted into a webpage allowing easy and real time access to open sponsorship opportunities. As sponsorship opportunities sold out, the page could updated in real time to reflect the latest information. The Education Schedule section of the website also received a complete overhaul. Previous versions of the schedule consisted of static charts/tables. Once again, the site implemented a functionality that allowed users to sort the schedule by date, session name, time, credits, and event type allowing users to custom view content according to their preference.

Over 200,001 nsf
mdg
Superzoo

SuperZoo is the largest pet industry trade show in North America, with a more than 60-year history of helping pet retailers and service professionals discover new products, find amazing deals, learn how to build their businesses and connect with others who share their passion for pets. SuperZoo started out as a modest, regional trade show but has grown tremendously over the past decade, since moving to Las Vegas in 2004. SuperZoo 2016 marked the biggest SuperZoo in history, with the most exhibitors, buyers and education hours of any pet industry event in North America. SuperZoo has long been known as the event for the independent pet retailer, but it is also well-attended by pet service professionals and groomers, international buyers and corporate buyers interested in expanding their presence in the consumer pet market. SuperZoo exhibitors include distributors and manufacturers of products for cats, dogs, reptiles, aquatic animals, birds and more, as well as companies offering retail-specific services.

mdg revamped the SuperZoo website in 2016. This re-envisioned website was designed to drive registrations and exhibitor participation by improving the user journey and event positioning with a clean, modern layout and mobile-friendly design. We sought to increase visual interest in line with current user expectations and also added content to help exhibitors promote their presence onsite through media relations.

The website incorporated the 2016 “STAND OUT” campaign concept and featured an innovative homepage that drew attention to the different content available on the site with interactive boxes that change color when you scroll over them. Special vignettes in the right-hand corner of each page complemented the content on that specific page, continuing to delight and engage users as they delved deeper.

The website also took advantage of unique pieces of content that were available, including a show overview video and a widget from InGo that featured registrants’ Facebook profile pictures to provide a sneak peek at who was attending. These pieces were prominently placed within the infrastructure of the homepage and each interior page. A new exhibitor media toolkit page provided press release best practices and guidance on the pressroom. Exhibitor press releases were also showcased in a visual format on the press page, leveraging the product images included in many of the releases to draw attention and drive clicks.

Reflecting the significant changes to the website design and layout in 2016, metrics increased significantly across the board. The number of sessions increased more than 11 percent to 181,014, page views rose more than 19 percent to 416,477 and users increased more than 9 percent to 105,820. At the same time, and indicating the quality of content, engagement metrics also rose significantly. Pages per session increased more than 8 percent, the bounce rate dropped 10 percent, and session duration increased more than 8 percent. Finally, mobile traffic rose more than 19 percent, suggesting that the clean, mobile-friendly formatting made an impact. The additional exhibitor content and reformatted online pressroom were also successful, contributing to a more than 44 percent increase in exhibitor submissions to the digital pressroom over 2015.

“Our digital marketing team has taken the agency’s clients to a new level over the past year,” commented mdg President Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes. “Specifically, the dynamic UI/UX duo of Eric Holtan and Ben McRae have created user-centric, design-forward, analytics-driven websites you typically see only with big brands.”

Account Director Elena Lien echoed those sentiments, adding, “I take great pride in these awards and even greater pride in the results that the work has helped SuperZoo achieve over the past year.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Show Daily

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Show Daily category evaluates any communication (print or digital) updating attendees about the show and distributed on show site each day of the event. Judging criteria includes: overall presentation, visual appeal and creativity; content usefulness and appeal to the audience (what makes the information in the show daily interesting to participants of this particular show); how the show daily contributed to the overall show experience for participants; and effectiveness of distribution and access to the show daily throughout the show.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Show Daily category:

Under 75,000 nsf
Ontario Hospital Association
HealthAchieve

The signature conference and exhibition of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) for over 90 years, HealthAchieve is an award-winning event that has long been one of the largest and most respected health care events in North America – the preeminent gathering place for health care and business leaders. HealthAchieve continues to inspire ideas and innovation by providing global health care and business leaders with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from each other, share their ideas and evolve their perspectives.

The event targets two distinct audiences: prospective attendees and potential exhibitors. The prospective attendees are made up of international health care and business leaders. The potential exhibitors are made up of medical suppliers and commercial vendors from across the globe. HealthAchieve provides the platform for unlimited networking opportunities between the two distinct audiences, and would not be the distinguished event that it is without ample participation from both.

The goal of the show daily was to keep the excitement, momentum and engagement going among healthAchieve attendees and exhibitors, and to showcase the event to those who couldn’t attend. The objective was to wrap up each day of the event with a daily-highlights email that featured highlights, not-to-miss features for the following day, winners of social media contests and special activities that took place at offsite locations in Thunder Bay and Halifax, as well as draw attention to the evaluation survey and event highlights video on the final day of the event.

The results for each of the show dailies are as follows:

  • Monday at HealthAchieve
    Of the 25,456 contacts this email was delivered to, it received a total of 10,568 opens – 6,214 of which were unique – representing a 42% open rate. It also received 390 clicks, representing a 6% click-to-open rate.
  • Tuesday at HealthAchieve:
    Of the 24,684 contacts this email was delivered to, it received a total of 9,216 opens – 5,720 of which were unique – representing a 37% open rate. It also received 345 clicks, representing a 4% click-to-open rate.
  • Wednesday at HealthAchieve:
    Of the 24,465 contacts this email was delivered to, it received a total of 8,055 opens – 4,961 of which were unique – representing a 33% open rate. It also received 778 clicks, representing an 11% click-to-open rate. A total of 304 individuals clicked on the video, supporting our goal to keep the excitement and momentum going.

With a total attendance of 6,364 attendees, these numbers supported the goal of showcasing the event to a large amount of individuals who couldn’t attend.

Over 200,001 nsf
Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™
CES 2016

CES is the world’s gathering place for all who thrive on the business of consumer technologies. It has served as the proving ground for innovators and breakthrough technologies for 50 years – the global stage where next-generation innovations are introduced to the marketplace. As the largest hands-on event of its kind CES features all aspects of the industry owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)™, it attracts the world’s business leaders and pioneering thinkers.

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Show Brand Design/Development

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Show Brand Design/Development category evaluates visual and messaging components used to build a new show’s brand or rebrand a show that was already in existence. Judges take into consideration all the separate elements of the marketing campaign to determine how well they leave a lasting impression on the target audience, and if they are effective in creating a brand association with the show.

Judging criteria includes: originality, visual appeal and creativity of the show logo and/or “theme” material; how effectively the individual marketing elements connect with the overall show brand; ease with which the audience correlates the branding back to the show; how well the branding speaks to the experiential value attendees can expect from the show; and how well each branding effort meets its marketing objectives.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Show Brand Design/Development category:

Under 75,000 nsf
Ontario Hospital Association
HealthAchieve

The signature conference and exhibition of the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) for over 90 years, HealthAchieve is an award-winning event that has long been one of the largest and most respected health care events in North America – the preeminent gathering place for health care and business leaders. HealthAchieve continues to inspire ideas and innovation by providing global health care and business leaders with an unparalleled opportunity to learn from each other, share their ideas and evolve their perspectives.

The event targets two distinct audiences: prospective attendees and potential exhibitors. The prospective attendees are made up of international health care and business leaders. The potential exhibitors are made up of medical suppliers and commercial vendors from across the globe. HealthAchieve provides the platform for unlimited networking opportunities between the two distinct audiences, and would not be the distinguished event that it is without ample participation from both.

The 2015 HealthAchieve brand focused on the key elements/reasons for attending the event: to “learn” from peers, “share” ideas and “evolve” perspectives. As an annual event, the HealthAchieve brand needs to differentiate itself from the previous year. To do this, OHA developed a different look and feel of the event through the use of subtly different color palettes. Building off the 2014 event, HealthAchieve 2015 introduced an array of lighter, more pastel versions of the 2014 color palette.

To ensure brand consistently over the years, HealthAchieve repeats graphic elements – most notably its “learn”, “share” and “evolve” icons – keeping with its theme and message that HealthAchieve exists to inspire ideas and innovation. The goal of HealthAchieve’s brand design and development campaign was to secure returning and new attendees. Its objective was to develop a collection of marketing materials that resonated with previous attendees familiar with the event and HealthAchieve brand, and capture the attention of new attendees who may not have heard of HealthAchieve. The show’s brand consistency and recognition with attendees helped it secure returning and new attendees.

Over 200,001 nsf
InfoComm 2016
InfoComm International & Works

InfoComm is the largest, most exciting event in the United States focused on the pro-AV industry, with nearly 1,000 exhibitors, thousands of products, and 40,000 attendees from 110+ countries. InfoComm offers attendees a once-a-year opportunity to see the latest audiovisual technology, learn the skills that will advance their careers, and grow their professional network.

The branding designed for the 2016 show was created to convey anticipation and excitement, since InfoComm is an event filled with innovative technology. Since attendees truly don’t know what they might see there, the branding campaign focused on the theme, “Press Play. Once you press play, you never know what lies ahead.”

The overall goal was to lay the groundwork for an exceptional experience; one that would set the proper tone for a tech conference of this scale and quality. Additionally, the goal was to create a branding system that could be utilized by the team that would be building the on-site dimensional materials.

With the potential for information overload, the team chose to simplify and then amplify – by drawing inspiration from the iconic “play” button and the universal primary colors found in A/V cables. They let the simplicity of the icon, and the boldness of colors and patterns build the story. By creating the “ic16” icon (an abbreviation for InfoComm16), they created intrigue around the brand for new comers, and a feeling of being “in the know” for long-time fans. A modular set of branding elements and patterns was also created to assist the team building the on-site materials. A system was designed to give them both the creative inspiration, and the rules to maintain consistency and a cohesive experience, without getting repetitive.

“We strive every year to be creative and present a fresh and fun approach to our show brand that captures the energy, excitement and exceptional experience of the professional audiovisual industry on display at our event,” said Jason McGraw, CTS®, CAE, Senior Vice President of Expositions, InfoComm International. “From the concept development with Works Progress Design to on-site implementation with Freeman and our terrific in-house marketing team, it’s rewarding to be recognized for everyone’s hard work.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Print Advertising Campaign

Posted on by emcquade2015

The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Print Advertising Campaign category evaluates one or more print advertisements used by an organization to promote a show. Ad(s) must have appeared in a publication. Brochures are not included in this category. Judging criteria includes: overall presentation, visual appeal and creativity; clarity of information and content usefulness; for multiple ads, how well each ad ties into the overall ad campaign; how well the ad promotes/integrates the overall “theme” of the event; and how well the ad campaign met its intended goals.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Print Advertising Campaign category:

Under 75,000 nsf
mdg
Atlanta Pet Fair & Conference

 

The Atlanta Pet Fair & Conference is the Southeast region’s largest show for the pet grooming and service industry professionals, and is also one of the largest shows for this segment in North America. Attendees include pet service professionals, with groomers making up the majority of attendees. Pet boarding and daycare operators, kennel operators, breeders and other service professionals also make up a significant attendee segment, as do pet retailers. More than 100 exhibitors offer grooming and pet service supplies and services in a vibrant expo floor.

The Atlanta Pet Fair & Conference also places a heavy emphasis on education, providing more than 70 seminars and hands-on sessions focusing on retail strategies, grooming techniques and demonstrations, business operations tactics, and more. In 2016, the show moved to the Georgia International Convention Center. 2016 also marked the largest Atlanta Pet Fair & Conference in history, setting an attendance record for the second consecutive year.

The 2016 Atlanta Pet Fair & Conference print advertising campaign aimed to increase attendance among the key audience segments of grooming and pet service professionals. All ads took advantage of an engaging campaign concept that played into the core audience’s enthusiasm for social media and included eye catching visuals of animals receiving the “close-up” treatment. Ads also used fun and appealing copy that was delivered in a unique, first-person voice, as if the animal being groomed in the image is talking to prospects about the benefits and features of the show.

The general ad communicated Atlanta Pet Fair & Conference’s key benefits and features through this engaging lens. The ad was designed to provide an overview of the event that would appeal to groomers while showcasing key features to attract interest. The education ad capitalized on learning, a key attendance driver for most attendees, highlighting the breadth of education available at the event and encouraging prospects to register and secure education passes. A clever image and witty hashtag supported the theme, communicating at a glance that the event offers important education. Finally, the competition ad was designed to appeal to the segment of the grooming audience that enters the event’s popular grooming contests, which include the largest contests in North America. The dog breed chosen for the image is a groomer favorite and was designed to attract attention from groomers interested in competing.

“Under the leadership of Jessica Guzman from World Pet Association, the mdg team took Atlanta Pet Fair’s marketing to a fun new place, not typically seen in B2B marketing,” noted mdg President Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes. “Working collaboratively, the copywriters, designers and account services team created an advertising campaign that has a sense of humor, is on-trend and, most importantly, was effective at generating attendance.”

Account Director Elena Lien echoed those sentiments, adding, “I take great pride in these IAEE awards and even greater pride in the results we’ve achieved by serving as an extension of World Pet Association’s marketing team.”

Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
Frank Strategic Marketing
HPBExpo 2017

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo is North America’s largest indoor-outdoor living showcase. Every year, over 350 leading hearth, patio and barbecue manufacturers and suppliers exhibit and demonstrate their latest home heating solutions; grills, grilling accessories and fully-equipped outdoor kitchens; casual patio furniture and outdoor accents; water and landscape features; all-weather entertainment products and more. It’s also a one-stop-shop for retailers nationwide to find not only the latest products for their showrooms, but also the latest services and technologies for their companies.

HPBExpo was seeking to position not only the show itself, but also the location (Atlanta) as vibrant and exciting. The goal was to create a sense of intrigue and drama and make a very bold statement that the show is not to be missed. The industry is replete with professionals that have a deep passion for what they do, and “immerse” themselves in their work. HPBExpo data and observations show a group exuding passion and camaraderie. All of the brand imagery is contemporary and cutting-edge to dovetail with the increasing sophistication of the outdoor living marketplace itself.

Over 200,001 nsf
mdg
CTIA Super Mobility 2016

Powered by CTIA, Super Mobility is North America’s largest and most influential forum for mobile innovation. A convergence of the leading authorities in the connected life all under one roof, CTIA provides professionals from across the mobile landscape (retail, enterprise IT, connected life, etc.) with unparalleled opportunities to hear the latest developments from top executives and entrepreneurs; see first-hand the next generation of technology shaping the future wireless such as 5G, IoT and security/privacy; and to network with fellow thought leaders. Unlike other events, CTIA is the backbone of the mobile industry – where the new technology and innovation emerges, before they are even translated into consumer products. It’s also perfectly timed for planning next year’s strategic roadmap and to jumpstart planning for the coming year.

CTIA went through a rebrand in 2016. Previously referred to as “CTIA – The Wireless Association,” it was repositioned to “CTIA – Everything Wireless” to more accurately capture the evolution in the industry and proliferation of wireless technology in every day life. CTIA serves as the background of the wireless industry, so it was important to draw a strong connection between the event and the association behind it. As such, a campaign was created using the association colors and a headline that played on the new tagline “Everything Wireless.” Lifestyle images were used to demonstrate the everyday use of the technology. The campaign developed to also show city images to help support the smart city theme that was being executed on the show floor.

“We are so fortunate to work with clients like Heather Lee Landers, formerly of CTIA and now the Executive Vice President of AUVSI, who trust us with their brands and have challenged us to take their event advertising to the next level,” said mdg President Kimberly Hardcastle-Geddes. “I’m also grateful to our collaborative team of designers and copywriters who are creating the kind of attention-grabbing, design-forward, emotionally-appealing work that was once reserved for consumer marketing.”

Co-owner and Live Events Specialist Vinnie Polito echoed those sentiments, adding, “I take great pride in these awards and even greater pride in the results that the work has helped our clients achieve. Thank you, IAEE, for recognizing marketing and design excellence in our industry.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Most Innovative Use of Technology

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The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Most Innovative Use of Technology category is an open-ended and broad category. Entries are evaluated on how they used technology to promote, improve and enhance a show. Judging criteria includes: innovation of the technology component used and/or how it is applied; creativity in terms of how the component adds to the overall experience for show participants; and response from show participants to the component.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Most Innovative Use of Technology category:

Under 75,000 nsf
a2z, Inc.
E2E Summit

The purpose of the Executive-to-Executive (E2E) Summit is to bring together the top executives from manufacturers and contractors in the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing trades for focused one-on-one hosted buyer meetings that foster innovation. The appointments last 45 minutes each. Participants are guaranteed up to 15 meetings in a 48-hour period. The E2E Summit® is by invitation only. The event organizers custom approach evolves around participant experience and is specifically tailored to deliver results for them and their organizations.

a2z’s Connect Hosted Buyer Program solution took the guesswork and paperwork out of managing hosted buyer programs. By matching registered buyers with appropriate suppliers using smart, automated matchmaking technology, it helped event participants maximize their ROI by generating high quality appointments based completely on precise demographics data and event-specific business logic.

By leveraging a2z’s Connect platform, E2E Summit event organizers were able to streamline the matching process and create a business version of “eHarmony” (a dating app) for contractors and manufacturers. a2z’s Connect platform for automating hosted buyer program matches and appointment setting at trade shows addressed E2E’s particular requirements. The Connect platform allowed manufacturers to enter descriptions of their companies and products. It enabled contractors to go in and do their own research, select favorites, and complete surveys about their interests and company demographics – all data that was previously gathered manually. Connect then created a suggested appointments schedule for each participant using an intelligent matching algorithm and one click of the button.

Matching companies with buyers – doing research to determine which manufacturer’s products are the best fit for the types of projects in which contractor companies are interested – requires a lot of legwork. It involves phone calls, surveys, the collecting of “wish lists” and keeping files up to date. E2E was performing those tasks and then creating an Excel spreadsheet to serve as the master meeting schedule. The process was time-consuming (three weeks for one person) and sometimes there was overlap (companies scheduled for different meetings in the same time slot).

E2E organizers immediately felt the impact of automating the matchmaking and scheduling process for their 2016 summit. It previously took one person three weeks to prepare the spreadsheet of matches and appointments. Connect could do the same thing in about three minutes!

“When we used a2z Connect to create the first round of meetings, it completed about 70% of the meetings,” noted Kaitlan Klitzke, Project Manager at E2E Summit. “We were then able to spend about three weeks refining everyone’s meeting schedules, which we were never able to do in the past because we never had the time. It was also more accurate because with the spreadsheet we always had some overlap. I really liked the exhibitor capabilities of the Connect platform. They have an online booth where they can add their company description, website, and logo. It helps our contractors do their research. The favoriting feature was big for our company to be able to put that kind of control in the hands of the buyers.”

Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
Access Intelligence
EventTech 2015

Seven years ago, the need for a conference and exposition solely focused on how to use technology and social media to amplify events and drive attendance was identified. Cue the creation of EventTech. Since inception, EventTech has gone from being a small boutique event housed in unconventional locations in New York City, to one that draws over 1,300 attendees from around the world to Las Vegas each November. The core concept of EventTech is to present a ‘learning-loop’ educational format.

Attendees can go to a session on a specific technology then step outside the session and actually test drive that exact technology. Exhibits and education live in one space, a 100,000 sq. ft. arena called ‘The Campus.’ There is nothing like this conference anywhere in the world. Going into its sixth year, EventTech had established itself as one of the fastest growing conferences in the industry and the only one of its kind. It had manifested an educational program of over 100 sessions taught by some of the world’s biggest brands and leading technologists. It programmed three powerful pre-conference workshops covering some of the hottest digital trends in the events industry.

The goals for EventTech 2015 were to cancel out campus noise, engage attendees with compelling and relevant content, create a user friendly experience and keep the lines down as well as provide direction without the extravagant costs. Featured technologies used to accomplish this goal included:

  • Drone University – an afternoon workshop on using drones at events and bused attendees to an outdoor park 30 minutes from the Las Vegas strip where drone experts taught them all about drones and how to use drones at events for content capture, livestreaming, attendee engagement, etc.
  • Proximity Audio in Breakouts – EventTech’s 100,000 sq. ft. Campus does come with acoustical challenges, given that all breakout sessions are produced in open air amphitheaters. One of the challenges with placing educational sessions within exhibits naturally, is background noise. To provide attendees with an intimate experience, EventTech integrated a wireless audio proximity system into all breakout audiovisual theaters. It provided hi-tech transmitters and noise cancelling ear phones. Delegates could turn to a specific channel for each session and only hear audio from that session. The bustling hall noise around them gets cancelled out. Problem solved.
  • Self Check-in Kiosks – for the first time, EventTech offered self check-in kiosks as part of registration. Attendees would walk over to a kiosk, search their name, then print their badge and send it to the registration desk printers where an ambassador would hand them their badge and all relevant show information. This trimmed down lines and engaged the attendees showcasing an event technology from the moment they stepped on show site.
  • App – EventTech’s app held all the relevant conference information from education options and locations to sponsor information and contact details. Attendees were able to prepare their schedule before they got onsite with the in-app calendar and meeting planner. They could interact with other attendees through a messaging feature as well as promote themselves and their companies through the content feed. It allowed us to pop messages and reminders through push notifications as well as provide directional information with beacons.
  • Beacons – EventTech’s beacons were programmed and installed throughout the venue to push Bluetooth notifications to attendees who had the app installed on their phones and their Bluetooth function enabled. Once an attendee would get within 20ft of a beacon a message would appear on their phones even if their screen was locked. The messages encouraged them to attend certain sessions or special events in booths nearby.

Over 200,001 nsf
Freeman
SEMA Show 2015 Custom PlanTour Sponsorship Program

The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to fill over a million square feet of the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition, the SEMA Show offers attendees educational seminars, product demonstrations, special events, and networking opportunities. The 2015 SEMA Show drew more than 130,000 industry professionals including 60,000 domestic and international buyers and 2,400 exhibiting companies from every segment of the specialty equipment industry.

The SEMA Show has grown and changed during the past few years. Like many event organizers, SEMA was looking for ways to increase revenue without raising rates. They had previously used the Classic version of PlanTour by Freeman to promote sponsorship opportunities. PlanTour is a web-based tool that allows show managers to virtually tour event facilities to assist in planning their shows and events. It is also used to scout a venue for future events, view floor plans and plan potential sponsorship opportunities without an onsite visit. The responsive web design provides consistent user experience when accessed on tablets, PCs and smartphones.

SEMA commissioned a custom version of PlanTour to showcase all sponsorship opportunities at the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition, they customized the site using the 360 panoramic tours to highlight the newly captured outdoor areas for magnetic signage, along with other sponsorship options to help exhibitors increase visibility at the popular trade show. The SEMA Custom PlanTour Sponsorship Program goals included:

  • Create new sponsorship options for new and returning sponsors and exhibitors;
  • Provide an easy to use tool for sponsors to view, select and envision their investment; and
  • Provide an easy to use tool for SEMA sales reps to coordinate or upsell prospects.

Unique users to the SEMA Custom PlanTour website increased by more than 50% compared to the previous year. This includes notable shifts in how users accessed the site such as a 190% increase via mobile, nearly 60% increase by desktops, and more than 13% on tablets. With ordering and other details easy to access and manage online, nearly all available inventory was sold out.

In addition, SEMA has 10 sales reps responsible for sponsorship and exhibitor relations. Working in a fast-paced high pressure environment, they don’t always have time to coordinate with each other. PlanTour allowed them to see a new or changed order, available inventory, deadlines and more – all in the real time to reduce errors and increase efficiency.

“This was our biggest year selling sponsorships,” said Peter MacGillivray, Vice President of Communications and Events for SEMA. “When you have a show that is wall-to-wall, you can raise more money in two ways. You can raise your prices, or you can sell sponsorships. We don’t want to raise our prices. We want to expand our revenue stream through sponsorships. Being able to have tools that help manage that – and ultimately sell that – has been a big hit for us. And this new technology has helped us blow past our goals.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Industry Promotion

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The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Industry Promotion category evaluates ways in which a show grew its audience by identifying new markets. Using creative thinking and new aspects of the show to attract new audiences, this category examines how well the marketing efforts of a show positioned its industry to attract new markets. This category is broken up into two parts: 1) How the show changed to attract a new audience(s) and 2) What marketing initiatives and metrics were used to drive attendee acquisition.

Judging criteria includes: identifying key factors that drove the marketing team to identify a new market segment; metrics used to identify goals and the subsequent marketing initiatives; and how the show changed to accommodate this new market.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Industry Promotion category:

Under 75,000 nsf
Diversified Communications
International Floriculture Expo

  

The International Floriculture Expo (IFE) is North America’s largest business-to-business trade show for the floral industry, uniting mass market retail buyers with suppliers of fresh cut flowers and products. The show features displays of fresh cut flowers, foliage/potted plants, giftware/accessories, lawn/garden, and floral-related business services. Some of the business categories that IFE attracts include: online retailers, supermarkets and supercenters, independent grocers, retail florists, designers and nurseries.

IFE aimed to find new retailers in smaller segments that still qualified for entry as buyers in the industry.  Promotions included significant online marketing, and also participating in industry initiatives that helped show their attendees and exhibitors that they truly care about their business and the industry.

The impact of the initiative was significant. Several exhibitors remarked that the traffic was the busiest it has been in 10 years. Within months, IFE’s social media presence quadrupled through its paid social campaigns.  Overall, the campaign produced positive reactions including “Excellent show! IFE is the pulse of the floral industry,” from one of its largest buyers.

“The added benefit of our promotion was that the staff at IFE and Diversified Communications as a whole also gained a deeper appreciation for the floral industry,” said Lora Burns, Marketing & Conference Coordinator for International Floriculture Expo. “When we handed out flowers for the Petal It Forward campaign, it was not just the marketing team on IFE but members of Diversified’s other teams – Seafood, Technology, Human Resources, HR – everyone from admins to VPs in the company participated.

“It really brought us together as a company by sharing the joy of flowers, something that helped give everyone an inside look into the work our attendees and exhibitors are so passionate about every day. Our hands-on involvement also really excited exhibitors and attendees – many remarked that they were touched that Diversified cared that deeply about the success of the floral industry, and that we were not just a trade show organizer, but allies in their industry.”

Over 200,001 nsf
Emerald Expositions, LLC
Outdoor Retailer Winter Market 2016

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market brings together retailers, manufacturers, industry advocates and media to conduct the business of winter outdoor recreation through a winter trade show, a product demo event, print and digital marketing opportunities, and web-based business solutions. Outdoor Retailer Winter Market also provides and promotes retailer education, advocacy, responsibility and face-to-face business initiatives within the outdoor industry.

The Venture Out industry promotion was created by Outdoor Retailer to address the growing urban and lifestyle trend that has influenced and invigorated a modern outdoor movement – a renewed interest in the outdoors, including traditional outdoor pursuits like camping and hiking, all influenced by a fashion aesthetic and driven by a strong social media community. Venture Out was designed to help brands validate the fact that outdoor function does exist in a fashionable solution, while expanding their brand reach to new market segments.

The key brands for this area are more fashion-driven and historically felt excluded from Outdoor Retailer, whose retailers traditionally value function over form. The “outdoor” trend was quickly gaining footing at fashion-driven shows and the Outdoor Retailer team recognized the opportunity early. Brands include Poler, Coal, Miir, Iron & Resin, Freewaters, Topo Designs, etc.

Venture Out was conceived as a way to satisfy and add additional value to our current retailers looking to draw new customers, but also a way to draw buyers from premium boutiques, who hadn’t considered Outdoor Retailer as a part of their buying process.

Venture Out is a show within a show. It is a carefully defined exhibit area with curated exhibitors occupying meticulously outfitted space (both turn-key and raw space options are available). The aesthetic is distinctly “outdoor” with the booths arranged around an open, park-like central community space, but with a modern flair. This concept has proven to be a very effective revenue driver for Outdoor Retailer and has enabled the show to provide new and compelling opportunities to keep our retailers on the leading edge of trend and innovation.

The turn-key booth space option is unique to Venture Out at Outdoor Retailer and allows smaller, less established brands an easy access point to the show. These smaller footprints help increase the overall exhibitor count within a maxed-out floor plan, giving the show an opportunity to grow. Venture Out also gives its retailers the opportunity to grow, with new products and new ideas. It features an on-floor education space where speakers lead idea exchanges that help retailers understand how to present these trends within their stores.

The performance of Venture Out has been highly successful for Outdoor Retailer as it continues to grow. Venture Out initially started out with 17 companies in 2014 and reached 75 participating companies in just two years. Retail goals have also exceeded expectation with not only drawing new buyers from stores that previously not attended Outdoor Retailer, but with the number of existing stores bringing more buyers to shop Venture Out, visiting the area multiple times with strong attendance all days of the show.

“The positive impact of the Venture Out initiative is clear,” said Jennifer Holcomb, Senior Marketing Director at Outdoor Retailer/Emerald Expositions. “As a catalyst for change in the industry, the brands and retailers supporting this area are helping to create a new definition for the industry. As a business model, Venture Out is a proven vehicle to incubate and launch new brands and new trends.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.

Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle: Exhibit Sales Brochure/Prospectus

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The IAEE Art of the Show Competition’s Exhibit Sales Brochure/Prospectus category evaluates a single sales piece targeting potential exhibitors for a show. It is important to note this category does not include any print advertising, which has its own category. Judging criteria includes: overall presentation, visual appeal and creativity; clarity of information and content usefulness; and how well the piece met its intended goals.

In today’s IAEE Blog, we highlight the winners of last year’s Exhibit Sales Brochure/Prospectus category:

Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
Frank Strategic Marketing
HPBExpo 2016

 

The Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Expo is North America’s largest indoor-outdoor living showcase. Every year, over 350 leading hearth, patio and barbecue manufacturers and suppliers exhibit and demonstrate their latest home heating solutions; grills, grilling accessories and fully-equipped outdoor kitchens; casual patio furniture and outdoor accents; water and landscape features; all-weather entertainment products and more. It’s also a one-stop-shop for retailers nationwide to find not only the latest products for their showrooms, but also the latest services and technologies for their companies.

HPBExpo was seeking to position not only the show itself, but also the location (Atlanta) as vibrant and exciting. The goal was to create a highly non-traditional and dramatic campaign by making a bold statement that the show is not to be missed. All of the brand imagery was contemporary and cutting-edge to dovetail with the increasing sophistication of the outdoor living marketplace itself.

The brochure centered on the theme, “Your Products. Their Dreams.” It was specifically designed to be visually stunning (including the paper stock), as it was one of just a handful of print marketing pieces for the show, compared to the vast majority of the campaign being digital. The goal was to push the boundaries as much as possible to achieve maximum impact.

Over 200,001 nsf
Fixation Marketing
2016 NAHB International Builders’ Show

The International Builders’ Show (IBS) is the world’s largest annual residential and light construction show, attracting 60,000+ building industry professionals from 100 and featuring 1,400 manufacturers and suppliers in more than 300 product categories. IBS showcases the latest products, materials and technologies involved in all types of buildings – including wood, concrete, stone and brick.

The show features The New American Home (NAHB’s show home) which highlights new products and techniques. IBS also offers innovative education with 130+ sessions in eight tracks, taught by renowned building industry experts from across the country. The show has plenty of networking opportunities including the House Party, Spike Concert and The Centrals – hubs for programs, demonstrations and hands-on workshops.

An aggressive goal of 500,000 net square feet of exhibit space was set for the 2016 International Builders’ Show® (IBS) exhibit sales team. To meet this number, the exhibit sales prospectus had to accomplish the following: entice former exhibitors to return to IBS; convince those prospects that had yet to commit to IBS that 2016 is the year to do so; and encourage loyal customers to take bigger space. NAHB needed to illustrate that IBS is a dynamic, exciting place to get business done – a “can’t be missed” event – and the theme “Raise the Roof” helped to tell that story well.

As a result, the IBS exhibit sales team reached its goal of 500,000 net square feet, filling in the space with exhibitors from all tree targets: former exhibitors; prospects that had yet to commit; and loyal customers with bigger space.

“Our key objective was to speak to the growing optimism within the industry after a challenging stretch of time and convey that the show was bursting with opportunities for exhibitors to boost leads, sales and brand awareness,” said Megan Campbell, Vice President of Client Services & Strategy. “We worked to design a visually arresting concept that had flexibility and a spirited tone.”

The 2017 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now underway – you have until 31 August 2017 to submit your entries! You can also view all of last year’s winners and honorable mentions here.