Feature: DMA Digest: Exhibitions are lagging behind

Mike Barnes, director of marketing and business development at the Direct Marketing Association, on marketing at exhibitions

I like exhibitions. They are a unique and well defined marketing channel and nothing offers networking opportunities like they do. But having recently attended the Promotional Marketing Exhibition, International Direct Marketing Fair and Internet World, apart from being “stand-lagged” (think of jet lag but without the travelling), there is one single and unanimous thought in my mind: boring.

It’s not the exhibitions themselves, the organisations that run them or the companies attending. It’s not even the fact that I might be becoming a full-blown Grumpy Old Man. Putting aside the 15 per cent of corporate brands that can create fabulous conceptual stands, the problem for the rest of the pack is what we do with our bit of space and it goes something like this: variations on graphics around prominent logo with lots of text; chairs and/or table; a selection of wares and products on counter or brightly lit display cabinet in tasteful veneer; maybe a pop-up; fish bowl for business cards with iPod incentive and laptop for presentations; bowl of mints; smiley stand staff; sometimes enhancing brand value with nurses uniforms or maybe a magician.

It’s not right. Like any group who dress to be individuals, they look the same in one room. Stand on the balcony overlooking an exhibition and it’s the face of conformity.

For a client, it’s impossible to grasp the new, the unique, the awe-inspiring or cost-effective products that will make a difference.

For the exhibitor, unless you can actually get a private conversation going, the only difference is the quality of giveaways.

I think it needs two things. We all get together and change the battery-hen positioning of stands at an exhibition to create individual space. And secondly, we take a long look at our own efforts. Ditch the gimmicks, be clear on messages, spend a fortune on design and graphics and innovate on lead collection. And don’t necessarily send the office staff to man it.