The Rise of Digital & Hybrid Trade Shows
It was easy to disregard the virtual trade shows that came out 10 years ago. However, due to Covid-19, every single event organizer is exploring or launching some type of virtual option to keep their audience engaged. Most include online conference sessions, and some are moving into digital marketplace’s for B2B wholesale buyers and sellers.
A recent article (link below) in Digital Commerce 360 describes how Informa Markets is partnering with NuOrder to create just such a digital marketplace for the fashion industry.
https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2020/06/17/a-digital-trade-show-takes-shape-for-the-fashion-industry/?custom_ref=1tLccUiYI
This is a pivotal time for all of us in the convention and trade show industry, and it would definitely serve us to be in contact with our customers to discover:
- What is the real cost to your client’s sales & marketing plans resulting from not exhibiting in physical, live and in-person trade shows?
- Are your customers finding online events valuable enough to replace physical trade shows?
- What safety precautions (testing, cleaning & other) are needed before plane travel, hotel stays and gatherings of hundreds or more people in a meeting venue are possible?
- Will your customers feel safe enough to send their employees to trade shows before a vaccine is developed?
Recent Cancellations
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2021) announced on Tuesday that their in-person show in Las Vegas is cancelled to be replaced with an “all-digital” version. Other large exhibitions that have recently cancelled their 2020 in-person trade shows are:
| Seafood Expo North America | Boston |
|---|---|
| Labelexpo Americas | Rosemont |
| National Safety Council - NSC Congress & Expo | Indianapolis |
| New York International Auto Show | New York |
| SuperZoo | Las Vegas |
| World Dairy Expo | Madison |
| Global Gaming Expo - G2E | Las Vegas |
| IMEX America | Las Vegas |
| Diving Equipment & Marketing Association - DEMA | New Orleans |
| IEEE/PES Transmission & Distribution Conference | Chicago |
| International Woodworking Fair - IWF | Atlanta |
| American Correctional Association Annual - ACA | Cincinnati |
| ASD Las Vegas | Las Vegas |
| CEDIA - Custom Electronic Design & Installation Assn. | Denver |
| Fire-Rescue International - IAFC | Phoenix |
| Glassbuild America | Las Vegas |
| GSX - Global Security Exchange | Atlanta |
| International Association of Chiefs of Police - IACP | New Orleans |
| International Manufacturing Technology Show - IMTS | Chicago |
| ISC West - Security Solutions | Las Vegas |
| MAGIC Las Vegas Tradeshow - Fashion | Las Vegas |
| MWC Los Angeles - Mobile World Congress Americas | Los Angeles |
| National Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition - NBAA | Orlando |
| National Hardware Show | Las Vegas |
| Natural Products Expo East | Philadelphia |
| NY NOW - New York International Gift Fair | New York |
| PRINTING United - Specialty Graphic Imaging Assn - SGIA | Atlanta |
| Produce Marketing Association - Fresh Summit - PMA | Dallas |
| True Value Market Fall | Philadelphia |
| Weftec - Water Environment Federation | New Orleans |
| Radiological Society of North America - RSNA | Chicago |
| American Heart Association - AHA Scientific Sessions | Dallas |
| American Academy of Ophthalmology - AAO | Las Vegas |
| International Powder Bulk Solids | Rosemont |
| BDNY - Boutique Design New York | New York |
| Supercomputing - SC | Atlanta |
| Global Business Travel Association - GBTA | Denver |
| Society of Exploration Geophysicists - SEG | Houston |
| AWS re:Invent - Amazon Web Services | Las Vegas |
| Door & Hardware Institute - DHI CoNEXTions | New Orleans |
Let’s start thinking about a multi-year marketing program to promote the value of exhibiting and attending in-person trade exhibitions. Yes, this will take all of us working together in a concerted effort to rebuild our industry.
We are proud to produce private-labeled calendars of
physical, in-person & live trade shows
for the exhibition industry’s trade associations,
news organizations and notable companies, including:
and many more.
To access current dates and links to official event web sites for all upcoming and rescheduled exhibitions in the USA and around the world, CLICK on the Focus logo below.
:
We remain committed to helping the industry get back to work, and we wish you all good health!
Vince Battaglia
President
TheTradeshowCalendar.com
vince@thetradeshowcalendar.com