AAXO NEWS

Consumer expos — “to infinity and beyond!”

As the exhibition market opens for business, it is reassuring to see the resurgence of consumer exhibitions; after all, it has repeatedly proven to be the best marketing platform to achieve a multitude of objectives, from product launches to sales, customer engagement, brand awareness, media exposure, and research.

By Projeni Pather, AAXO immediate past chair.

Despite being unable to host exhibitions over the past two years, organisers have seen an influx of exhibitors ready to participate again. No exhibitions are meant to have limited face-to-face engagement for seasoned exhibitors, resulting in a decline in turnover and many companies closing or scaling down.

Despite digital marketing making rapid headway in the marketing space due to the immediacy of its nature, it still taps into only two senses: sight and sound. Exhibitions invoke a truly immersive experience by tapping into all five senses, eclipsing the impact of digital marketing. 2022 has seen brands actively utilise digital tools to boost their participation on the exhibition floor. This robust alignment of the two platforms makes for an even better exhibition ROI.

As exhibitors take to the exhibition floor again this year, organisers have witnessed their skillful use of their digital footprint for successful interaction with the right target market on their stands.

In the face of Covid restrictions in the first half of this year, consumer markets were still ready to get out of their homes and enjoy the whole sensory experience that exhibitions offer. Consumer shows are defined by many themes, from outdoor to hunting, culture, décor, motoring, or babies; these consumer markets are firm followers of the shows they attend. They want to know about the latest and greatest in their area of interest; rightly so, they have seen it on social media, and now they are desperate to experience it in person.

Organisers have refreshed and reimagined their exhibition offering to meet this consumer need. Alongside the dynamic economy, the landscape has changed; exhibitions have a new market with a new mindset. But as organisers, we have kept our finger on the pulse despite not having any expos over the past two years; we kept up the engagement and the interaction with our audiences. The opportunities for expansion, partnerships, collaboration, and brand experiences in the exhibition space are unlimited. “To infinity and beyond!”