B-to-B Events

LAUNCHING BRANDS IS TOUGH. Changing brands especially beloved 100-year-old-brands is even tougher. Witness the recent debacle that unfolded when Tropicana redesigned its orange juice packaging. After weeks of consumer outcry the brand dumped the new look and went back to the original carton that featured the iconic orange with the straw in it.

It’s easy to spot a typical attendee of the International Bicycle Expo. In knee-length shorts and a ragged t-shirt he wears Band-Aids as medals of honor and takes a comparative analysis of a new brake system more seriously than his stock options. Last September more than 1 200 brands engaged this die-hard crowd with the newest and latest in bicycle engineering sports nutrition gear and accessories at the annual Interbike Expo in Las Vegas. Sports celebrities were on hand to fuel the excitement. Demos including a two-day outdoor event kept the wheels spinning.

Most stroke and heart attack victims never see it coming. And for survivors no matter how many times they recount the experience they can never fully recapture the moment for a doctor or a family member. To help healthcare providers get a better understanding of the stroke or heart attack experience Pfizer is using a 3D theater at its industry events to bring the life-threatening moments to life.

It may seem counterintuitive but a growing number of trade show marketers are leaving their products at the office. They’re paring down displays and demo stations (some by more than 50 percent) cutting back text-heavy signage weeding out clutter and presenting just a smattering of the products they need to sell in order to stay in the black in the coming year.

SITTING IN ON A BRAINSTORMING SESSION with Autodesk’s event marketing group must feel a bit like a meeting with Al Gore. The company has become an innovator in designing exhibits and events that leave little environmental footprint but still pack an awe-inspiring punch. Just one look at the brand’s eco-friendly plywood trade show booth and it’s pretty clear—at Autodesk going green doesn’t mean sacrificing exhibit substance or style.