Let’s All Pull Together

“Having attended some 15 trade shows since the beginning of the year - spanning the UK and in Frankfurt - aside from being a little footsore (!), I have amassed a huge amount of industry intelligence, as well as a few thoughts of my own.

As well as the major shows, Spring Fair and Top Drawer, I also put my best foot forward at exhibitions ranging from Giving & Living in Exeter to Scotland’s Spring Fair in Glasgow, as well as Harrogate Christmas & Gift and Showcase Ireland. There were many other shows I attended too in the UK, to include White Label World Expo UK, and, of course, all four shows in FrankfurtAmbiente, Creativeworld, Christmasworld and Sourcingworld - which took place together for the first time.

The most important thing I took back from all these exhibitions - core gift industry shows, and what might be termed ‘fringe’ industry shows, more of which later - is that compared to this time last year, post pandemic, this year’s Spring shows had more energy, with exhibitors in a much lighter positive, frame of mind, many having taken stock of their businesses during the pandemic to re-focus, reorganise, re-strategise and build their cash flow. The result was that they came back stronger, fitter and more robust. Another plus was that, despite the doom and gloom at the end of 2022, recovery had been better than expected.

Something else I picked up on - and this chimed with the Gift of the Year entries we received - is that there has been an influx of new businesses attending shows. The millennial and Gen Z companies in particular have definitely come on board, and with a different attitude - a new trade show generation who seem to be genuinely excited about the many opportunities that the shows can offer them. Not surprisingly, they’re savvy when it comes to using social media platforms, investing in these channels as well as online marketing platforms such as Trouva, Ankorstore and Faire. To my mind, all these channels have a place today.

New businesses in the gift and home sector also seem to be spending time learning and researching about a myriad of additional trade shows that could generate business for them in the broader sense. Examples include the many hospitality shows - where home fragrancing most definitely has a role - food and drink shows, franchise gift shows and many others. For these trade show newbies, it seems to be about looking outside the box and spotting the opportunities to drive sales where the opportunities present themselves.

Meanwhile, another opportunity I can see for gift businesses across the board are the emerging international shows where there is a lot of investment happening. Countries that immediately spring to mind are Japan, Australia, and Dubai, with the Dubai show successfully attended by several gift companies at the end of last year.

Wearing my Giftware Association ceo hat, I strongly believe that going forward, our industry is more powerful collectively, and that goes for trade shows too. To make our trade shows successful it is a combined effort requiring show organisers, exhibitors and retailers joining together to generate that success. Collectively, it is everyone in the industry’s responsibility to try and dialogue that better to ensure that we are moving in the right direction. We need to share that energy, and collaboration to really ensure that success. We all need to keep moving forward.”