DCE was founded in 1990, just when the business consultants were debating whether the surge in technology, would render a company’s participation at a trade show irrelevant. However, almost 30 years on, we can reflect that technology only briefly impacted our business, and indeed, there was always going to be a place for leading brands to be visible, and publicly pitching against their competitors.
The most indicative suggestion that things might have been on the change came after 9/11 when there was an immediate decline in travel, and subsequently an economic slowdown of trade in general.
In the aftermath of the attack, we recall the cancellation of many US booths at October 2011 MIPCOM in Cannes. The show was a ghost town, with many exhibitors having cancelled their plans to travel. Contractors that were heading from the UK to the US were also diverted, and many Trade Shows in the US were cancelled. It took over a year, if not more, for confidence to return and for the industry to begin to bounce back.
Looking back over the last 27 years, we can see how the Trade Show industry has grown steadily over the last few decades, and statistics indicate that we are still in an upturn. Our own business continues to grow, and our prediction is that over the next few years we will grow from circa £6m to circa £10m per annum.
Digital technology and virtual reality are taking more of a foothold, and yet leading brands seem even more intent to expose themselves publicly at Trade Shows. Equally, audiences seem keen to see their potential purchases in the flesh and take time to visit the trade shows. If ever there was a time to embrace multi-sensory marketing – it is now!
We are proud to have worked with a number of young start-ups who take the plunge, and book a modest stand space at their first show. As they grow and thrive, we have the pleasure of working with them on triple decker, or multiple square metre stands, year on year, as their repeated investment proves viable.
Trade Shows, enable start up brands and small companies to stand shoulder to shoulder with larger companies and be visible, on an equal platform, to their industry’s audience. We’d pre-cursor that statement by repeating a suggestion we make to all our clients; that the investment made on the stand design and production can dramatically affect the return on investment. Put more in – get more out.
We, at DCE, are clear that it is better to do ONE trade show well, than to dilute your budget and your message across several mediocre exhibitions.
Next week : Simply the Best – Blog 2 of 5 – Choosing your show.