A New Vision for Trade Events: What Would Happen if the Big Trade Shows Never Returned?

After more than 170 years, starting with the Great Exhibition of 1851, it's surprising how long the basic format of a major trade show has remained so persistent for so long.

For an industry that prides itself on innovation, why, today, do we need big stands and expensive show costs to do business? 

More importantly, what do the exhibitors and regular attendees think?

“From an exhibition launch let's face it, it was about 2000-2005 when I last saw a truly groundbreaking new technology/hardware product or even software genre that really changed the game or rewrote the rules.” says Christopher Nairn, Sales Director at ATG Danmon Group. “Since then they have all been me too, improved or disruptive variations on a theme of what came before, I use this comparison loosely, to make the point. The cost of exhibiting has been under severe edited expenditure for many years.”

“IBC is not the high mass it used to be. I missed these days,” adds Romain Bouqueau, Founder and CEO of GPAC Licensing.

The answer is simple and more sustainable

People will find each other and find new ways to do business anyway. That’s what we have had to do anyway during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For those who need to demonstrate hardware, there is a good case for a show. But for more software-driven products, why do we need the unsustainable build up of a small city just to tear it down again in a few days? The demo could - and should have - been done ahead of time.

“I would throw into the mix the massive waste associated with these events (even leaving aside the travel). I shudder to think about the number of trade show booths I've played some part in delivering over the past 15 years or so where the amount of reuse or recycling was minimal. I (and the orgs I worked for) could certainly have done better. And we, as an industry, must do better going forward *if* the big trade shows return,” says freelance communications consultant, Eoghan O'Sullivan.

A fabulous reception in different cities - and a real chance to connect the physical and virtual

What we need instead is to designate a city, a time and place where we can all turn up and enjoy the serendipity that everyone says they miss so much. 

Let's have a fabulous reception and do our business under more pleasant and cost-effective conditions. We'll have done all our research, demos and virtual content sessions well before we arrive.

Let's offer this gathering in a hybrid manner, combining physical with the virtual, so that those who cannot be there can still take part. 

Underpin that with a mechanism that actually lets people find each other, and new relevant business contacts, to set up physical or virtual meetings, as attendees' schedules permit. 

All that can be done much more efficiently using a platform where all participating attendees are in plain sight. And why does a trade show only have to last for a few days. Why isn't it a persistent, ongoing thing? 

Those who really miss the condensed trade show experience are likely those extroverts who thrive on the thrill of it all. Those who have attended greatly reduced-number shows like CES, have said they appreciated the wonderful spirit of doing business in a dramatically different and less chaotic environment.

As respected analyst Allan Mc Lennan, CEP/Media, Head of Media & Entertainment, North America - TMT at ATOS stated after CES 2022, “Amazing what happens when you have 30 media tech execs with beverages knowing that each conversation was safe - smiles, business advancement and appreciation. The typical lines were non-existent, mood positive, patience readily apparent and all wanting to engage and do business. From my perspective CES proved that a large trade show with smart and respectful global attendees CAN make it work if you're open to do your share.”

But for others, alternatives will always be needed. It could be for health concerns, or, that the travel costs are too high for the envisaged return, especially considering that the traditional format makes it impossible to know who is actually physically attending in advance, hence all the scurrying about and “Are you Attending"?” emails sent before a show.

As Christopher Nairn remarked, “Cost, health, flights, corporate policy, etc, will probably mean that an employee’s attendance will be 'radically narrowed' when attending any conference or exhibition. Less visionary finance departments will be quick to use the excuse why can you not use ZOOM as a justification to any enthused attendee putting a request (to attend a big trade show for example ) or even for UK based events. Companies justifying their own attendance as a necessary exhibitor will struggle to decide who is important or valuable enough to attend the stand space, a salesperson with closure skills or an IT/Presenter bod who is necessary for the streaming and webinars, this is not new even pre-pandemic.”

Trade shows were a lot of fun and it is easy to see why people miss them. In-person events should continue, definitely, but in a new form, and always with a digital option with full transparency around attendees.

During this pandemic, a lot of us already found other ways. Those new habits will be tough to unlearn.