Although the event landscape has changed significantly since these pieces were created, some things prove to be timeless. Specifically, the roles that creativity, innovation and a strategic approach to marketing play in driving results. IAEE’s Art of the Show Competition recognizes outstanding marketing activities directly related to successfully organizing and executing an exhibition and/or event. As such, it is the only marketing competition tailored specifically to our industry. Each year, event organizers submit the work they did to promote their show experience across 14 categories and an independent panel of marketing and graphic design experts selects the winners.
In today’s IAEE Art of the Show Competition Winners Circle, we highlight the winners of last year’s Exhibit Sales Brochure/Prospectus category, which 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.
Under 75,000 nsf
CSG Creative for American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society Fall 2019 National Meeting & Expo
The American Chemical Society (ACS) Fall Meeting is where chemistry professionals meet to share ideas and advance scientific and technical knowledge. By attracting more than 12,000 chemical professionals, the meeting provides excellent opportunities for sharing a passion for chemistry, connecting with the world’s largest scientific society, and advancing careers in this ever-changing global economy.
Exhibiting companies run the gamut from instrumentation to publishers to lab equipment and services, and much more. Any company who provides a product or device to the chemical community is a fit for the ACS show. In addition, there is a robust career fair that is a key component to the show floor. The career fair attracts thousands of job seekers and students, and matches them with top employers in the chemical workplace.
The goal of the exhibitor prospectus was to share the benefits of exhibiting at the ACS Fall Meeting. A key feature were the testimonials from previous exhibitors that offered specific reasons about why someone should exhibit. It contributed to overall goal of cohesive show branding by offering a comprehensive menu of all ACS meetings including regional meetings, which met the goal of supporting regional meetings in addition to the Fall Meeting. It also enhanced sponsorship offerings and benefits, which helped exceed the sponsorship goal budget by 17%.
Between 75,001 and 200,000 nsf
CSG Creative in partnership with NTP Events
DEMA Show
The annual DEMA Show is the largest trade-only event in the world for companies doing business in the scuba diving, ocean water sports and adventure/dive travel industries. DEMA Show attracts hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of dive and travel industry professionals from around the world. In addition to providing an arena in which to conduct business and network, DEMA Show offers participants the most extensive education curriculum in the industry, including DEMA-sponsored seminars and exhibitor-sponsored seminars from participating manufacturers, travel destinations and dive certification organizations.
The exhibitor prospectus summarized the benefits of exhibiting at DEMA Show 2018, encouraging past and new prospects to exhibit at the show. By highlighting attendee profiles for exhibitors, it aimed to drive exhibitor registration. Other goals included generating interest and positioning the show as a “must exhibit” event to prospective exhibitors, in addition to providing an early sponsorship push.
The prospectus’ call to action – along with its event, attendee and product category information – drove interested exhibitors to the DEMA Show website where they could learn more about the benefits of exhibiting, see if their competitors had already secured space, and utilize DEMA Show’s exhibitor resources/sponsorships offerings to maximize their exhibit presence. Results included 189,131 total exhibit page views (36 percent of the show’s total website views and significant increase over the previous year’s 140,000 views); 152,000 unique page views (compared to 128,000 the previous year); and 117,000 page views in an 11-week period (compared to 87,534 the previous year).
Over 200,001 nsf
Fixation Marketing for PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies
PACK EXPO International and Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2020
PACK EXPO International and co-located Healthcare Packaging EXPO 2020 together make up the largest, most comprehensive packaging event in the world, taking place every other year on even-numbered years. The show provides a marketplace of 2,500 exhibitors showcasing the latest packaging equipment and technology and attracts 45,000 attendees from a wide variety of consumer packaged goods (CPGs), pharmaceutical and medical device companies. With 100+ educational offerings, networking receptions and awards ceremonies, it’s not just a trade show, but the largest industry hub for knowledge, innovation and peer-to-peer connection. It’s where innovation takes center stage.
PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies teamed with Fixation Marketing to promote its upcoming show featuring a massive 1,200,000 net square foot show floor and booth space for 2,500 exhibitors. The team created the sales kit and prospectuses as key pieces of collateral to aiding in increasing exhibitor retention, reserving a larger booth space, attracting new exhibiting companies, and growing excitement for the show.
By September 2019, sales for the co-located 2020 shows reflected that the sales kit was successful in achieving all objectives. PACK EXPO International already had 1,087 contracted exhibitors signed on (1,013,895 net square feet sold) and Healthcare Packaging EXPO had 83 contracted exhibitors signed on (60,000 net square feet sold). PMMI had already reached 90% of the exhibit space goal and 50% of the exhibiting company goal, with more than a year of sales time to go. These marketing successes have made it clear these events are “Where Your Business Takes Center Stage,” and the sales kit developed and designed by Fixation Marketing effectively illustrated the need to exhibit.
The 2020 IAEE Art of the Show Competition is now open! Take advantage of discounted entry fees by submitting your entries before the early bird deadline on 31 August! You can also check out all the winners from the 2019 competition here.
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