The number of Conventions, Exhibitions and Consumer Shows increased 2% over the 2005 year.  This was approximately 300% greater than the previous year’s (2004) increase.  However, attendance was up only 0.2%.  This was after regaining the losses due to 9-11.  You will see fewer attendees, on average, at any given show.  However this is not the negative one might think it to be. Survey data as well as anecdotal observations indicate the quality of attendees is higher.  Though they may be fewer in number, their ability to make or influence decisions makes them more valuable.  These attendees have reasonable travel budgets and the need for continuing education which indicates their companies value them.  So should exhibitors. But this value comes with a price, the increased pressure on exhibitors to successfully reach them. Attendees are more educated about your and your competitor’s product, usually due to internet research.  So they are much more motivated to discover the “people behind the brand”.  They want to know what makes you better than the competition. However, they have less time to meet and more events to attend.  This raises the pressure on exhibitors to do more with less.  You need to create more impact and impression in less time.  And probably do it on a smaller budget.   This requires your message to “…be more directed to particular audiences”. These challenges are part of what has driven exhibitors to say:  “The job is getting more complex”.  Annual reorganizations, brand expansion, and shorter product life cycles add to this complexity.  Even with these burdens, 41% of exhibitors indicate that the 2006 year was better than 2005.  Another 48% felt it was the same.  These exhibitors are succeeding.  Possibly this is why the 2006 Net Square Footage rented grew at a faster rate than the number of exhibitors.  Those exhibitors who are executing their show plan well have added more space to their program. Next Month:  2007 Trends, ROI Improvement (Portions reprinted with permission, Tradeshow Week Magazine & Custom Research)

Remodeling is almost complete at the AEM office in Irvine, CA.  Above you'll see a couple before and after photos of our front lobby and a restroom. As this phase comes to a close; we're starting to plan our Open House for early 2007.  Please stay tuned for more details as they develop! 

We'd also like to announce an addition to our staff, Ken Lindsay.  Ken, after working in the screen print industry, traded his squeegee for a keyboard.  Graduating from Platt College, he has over 3 years experience in exhibit design.  Along with his VectorWorks CAD training, he is fluent in PhotoShop, Illustrator, Lightwave, Dreamweaver, Flash and other 3-D animation techniques.  At AEM, Ken is responsible for exhibit design, conceptual renderings, build blueprints and installation/set-up drawings.  He has already become a valuable resource in AEM’s efforts to provide exceptional service to our clients.
 

HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Advanced Exhibit Methods will be closed starting Monday, December 25th and will re-open on Tuesday January 2nd, 2007. 
As always, we will be available via phone and email for emergencies should you need to contact us during this time. 
 

Businesses all over the world have started Going Green as environmental issues come to the forefront. More and more people are concerned about sustaining our natural resources and are making decisions based on eco-friendly initiatives. The exhibit and tradeshow industries are no exception. 

In an August 2006 article, Exhibitor Magazine quoted designer Mitchell Mauk speaking at the southeast chapter of the Exhibit Designers and Producers Association (EDPA) on the impact of green design in the Tradeshow industry: 

Designers and fabricators who build ‘green’ exhibits and ‘green’ exhibit display businesses are well-positioned for substantial market success. This is already happening in Europe where recycled and repurposed display elements are saving clients’ money while making good environmental sense. 

In his summary, Mauk told his Atlanta EDPA audience that, “The key to exceptional exhibit design is to make the product into the design’s hero, keep the messages few and powerful, and ensure the exhibit delivers stimulating and memorable experiences to its audience.” 

Not only is booth design and construction being re-thought with Green goals in mind, but the show organizers themselves are being smarter about they way they handle event planning. The Convention Industry Council (CIC) created a Green Meetings Task Force (first established in 2003) and charted them with creating minimum best practices for event organizers and suppliers to use as guidelines for implementing policies of sustainability. The task force was composed of individuals from the EPA, the Ocean’s Blue Foundation, the Society of Incentive Travel Executive’s Green Meeting Group, the World Travel Organization, hotels, convention and visitor’s bureaus, convention centers, and meeting-planning organizations.

To summarize, the benefits of Green Meeting and Events were found to be:

• The Economic Bottom Line – Green Meetings & Events Can Save Money. Planning and executing a green meeting isn’t just about being environmentally responsible, they can have economic benefits for the event organizer. In fact, many of the minimum recommended guidelines in the Green Meetings Report can actually save money. For example, collecting name badge holders for reuse at an event of 1300 attendees can save approximately $975 for the event organizer.*

• The Environmental Bottom Line – Green Meetings & Events are Good for the Environment Using recycled materials, recycling materials used, reusing items and reducing materials used can significantly lessen the environmental impact an event has. For example, if a five-day event serves 2200 people breaks, breakfasts, lunches and receptions using china instead of plastic disposables, it prevents 1,890 lbs. of plastic from going into a landfill. That’s nearly one ton! Another example is by not pre-filling water glasses at banquet tables during three days of served lunches for 2200 attendees; 520 gallons of water can be saved.**Information provided by Meeting Strategies Worldwide
To find out more, visit the CIC website: http://www.conventionindustry.org/projects/green_mtgs.htm

Incentives & Meetings International reported in May that The Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) kicked off its first green campaign called 3R (for Reduce, Re-use and Recycle). The program’s goal is to increase awareness on environmental protection and sustainability among visitors and staff. 

To facilitate the project, the KLCC has strategically placed brightly colored recycle bins throughout the Centre. Director of Facilities, Geoff Hayward said, “In addition to waste management, measures are also in place to improve energy savings by fine tuning the current systems such as lighting control to better match the building’s operations.  The building’s design itself makes the most of natural light in all pre-function areas, reducing the artificial lighting demands. With the current initiatives in place, the next step will be to keep the momentum going and constantly look for new ways to reduce waste as well as streamlining the processes to use less and promote energy savings through technology and new product innovations.”

Incentives & Meetings International also reported that this year’s IMEX Green Exhibitor Award went to The Sri Lankan Convention Bureau. Their winning booth is made from recycled paper and also features non-toxic materials such as natural sisal floor covering and water-soluble paint. Its durable, lightweight aluminum frame can be reused up to 65 times while 90% of its graphic artwork can be re-used an estimated four to six times. Additionally, the use of low voltage lighting and open-roofing also allows maximum use of ambient light from the hall floor and reduces the stand’s total electricity consumption. 

Even the Ink Industry is getting into the act. Earlier this year, Vutek/EFI advertised a new product called BioVu that’s being promoted as the first solvent-based ink made from a renewable resource (namely, corn), and the only one recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 

Shipping and printing giant FedEx Kinkos announced in January that it will purchase environmentally friendly, renewable energy locations across the U.S. increasing it’s “green power” commitment by 67.5 % to an estimated 40 million kilowatt-hours per year. Green Power is defined as renewable energy derived from a natural fuel source that continually reproduces itself over time. Sources of renewable energy include the sun, wind and water.

Next Month: Environmental Guidelines for Exhibit Design.