If Wishes Were Tradeshows

Michael Hart -- Tradeshow Week, 1/2/2006

Dear Editor:

Re: "Could We Just Be Too Cheap?" (Dec. 5, 2005):

I was recently involved in a similar discussion regarding advocacy and industry promotion, and when it came time to sketch out what an advocacy group would accomplish for our industry, we had difficulty coming up with anything specific and practical.

Sure, we know that the visa issue is large and has not gone away, but it does not seem enough of an issue to fund a $500,000-plus Washington, D.C., office with a lobbyist (plus who knows how much for the political action committees that come knocking).

Part of the reason the Intl. Assn. for Exhibition Management and Society of Independent Show Organizers did not merge was the merger committee couldn't come up with sensible specifics that would convince the associations and for-profit companies that taking on advocacy made practical and financial sense. The best that could be accomplished was to leave the specifics to the individual we would choose to lead the effort — and that wasn't enough.

As to industry promotion, we also face the problem of what has to be done to promote the industry. There are opposing camps on this. Those who say "Let's build a sustained and sophisticated advertising campaign" are opposed by those who ask "To what purpose?" This is an aging battle that is becoming circular.

Now the proper response to what I point out is that all we need is a leader with vision to make this happen. I agree, but we have to build a bridge that will let this leader emerge, and that bridge should be built with specifics, not wishes.

Jim Bracken, Chairman emeritus, VNU Expositions

Letters to the editor of Tradeshow Week are always welcome. Please send them to Editor in Chief Michael Hart (by mail) Tradeshow Week, 5700 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 120, Los Angeles, Calif. 90036-5804; (by e-mail) hartm@reedbusiness.com ; or (by fax) (323) 965-5306.