When One Exhibitor Rules the Show

Most tradeshows rely on at least one major exhibitor to act as the anchor for their event. And most tradeshow managers would agree that a close relationship with exhibitors helps keep the show focused for everybody involved. But what happens when one exhibiting company is so closely tied to an event that it alters the relationship between show management and the other exhibitors?

A few rare cases exist where an exhibitor is so important to a show that its presence can determine the success of the event itself. Two such shows are IDG World Expo's Macworld Conference & Expo and MediaLive Intl.'s COMDEX, where Apple Computer and Microsoft, respectively, have taken center stage in the past. The consequences of these complicated relationships can vary greatly.

In the case of the Macworld Conference & Expo, former IDG World Expo CEO Charlie Greco would say it's difficult when one exhibitor holds so much power. His relationship with Apple and its CEO, Steve Jobs, the keynote speaker at the biannual event, was sour, to put it mildly. Although Greco is no longer involved with the show, at his instigation Macworld moved from its longtime base of New York to Boston – and Apple chose not to go along.

"I've thought about writing a book called 'The Apple Has a Worm in It,'" Greco said. "Everybody else behaved like good boys and girls. They enjoyed the buzz, the crowds, both at the East Coast show and the West. The only exhibitor that required catering and hand-holding was Apple."

Greco claimed that Apple, clearly the big draw for attendees at the show, caused needless drama and upset the balance among other exhibitors.

Will Jobs' absence break Macworld? Not according to Greco. "Sure, people came to Macworld to see Apple, the (company) they know the most about, and they love to see Steve, but really they're there to see the products they don't know much about."

David Korse, president of IDG World Expo, would only say, "It's a matter of two smart people agreeing to disagree." He wouldn't provide any insight into what effect Apple's no-show will have on attendance or net square footage when the show opens in July at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

However, Apple's absence has forced IDG to visit face-to-face with Macintosh user groups in Connecticut and New York rather than rely on direct marketing through e-mails and faxes to draw exhibitors and attendees to the show. "We're going to a grassroots level," Korse explained, claiming it's a tactic he would have employed regardless to promote the show's move from New York to Boston.

Despite these efforts, some smaller exhibitors believe Apple's presence to be so imperative to the success of the show that they are considering dropping it from their schedule. "It's critical to have Apple there for the people we want to attract," said John Stapsy, a salesperson for Datavideo, who will only head to Boston this summer if Apple reconsiders its decision to drop out.

Julie Crescenti-Heck, director of corporate communications at Dantz Development, said she always appreciated the press surrounding Apple's new announcements. It drew attention to her company's new products, and guaranteed that heavy media coverage would create a buzz. "I expect them to be leaders and show something new," Crescenti-Heck said of Apple. "I want them to make noise." Her company will not be attending Macworld this year.

On the other side of the country, last year's COMDEX in Las Vegas marked the 20th annual keynote address by Bill Gates, Microsoft's chairman, in the show's 24th year. During 2003, the year that some considered the pivotal point of the show management company's most difficult years – with bankruptcy and reorganization underway – Microsoft was among to the first to declare its loyalty and sign up to exhibit in the show.

Eric Faurot, COMDEX vice president and general manager, said, "Microsoft is an amazing partner. They're so clear on their marketing goals." While Microsoft's booth is nearly three times the size of others, he pointed out that roughly 70 to 80 Microsoft partners share the space, indicating that the show's largest exhibitor doesn't necessarily dictate the event's terms.

"We're an IT show. Our buyers are less interested in products than they are in solutions," Faurot said. He added that an attendee survey issued after 2003's show found the most useful product, for its category, a database solutions start-up called MySQL. "Although Microsoft is the largest exhibitor overall, a small company clearly has the opportunity to make a name for itself."

According to Faurot, while MediaLive works closely with Microsoft throughout the year, it does so with many other exhibitors as well. "You have to have a partnership with your vendors. Operationally, you have to help them to achieve their goals," he said.

He did admit, though, that Microsoft's massive marketing budget is useful for COMDEX as a whole. Ditto for those companies situated in the Microsoft pavilion, like Brooktrout Technology. "It's a cost-efficient way for Brooktrout to reach a larger audience," said Dick Carbeau, vice president of channel sales.

Other exhibitors found Microsoft's role to be innocuous at best. Kelly Kimball, marketing manager of MySQL, said her company's booth was situated in a separate hall, far from Microsoft, with other open-source providers. She said Microsoft received no preferential treatment from show management as far as she was aware, and "I didn't even realize they were there until the third day."