Show Attendance Consumers Keep Coming

The economy may be down and many may be scrimping, but if consumer show attendance indicates anything, it's that leisure and family time still come first. A number of 2008 consumer shows have retained their attendance, some showing even slight improvement compared with 2007.

Much of this attendance retention can be attributed to new marketing techniques, but other factors contribute as well, most importantly finding family-friendly entertainment on a budget and the need for consumers to maintain some of life's little treats.

“Our shows are very family-friendly,” said Jeff D'Entremont, group show director and director of business development for Advanstar Communications, owner of 13 Cycle World Intl. Motorcycle Shows. “So, if you can come out and spend the day, do something that's your passion, be with like-minded individuals (and) have something that's good for the whole family, (then) it provides a one-stop shop for (consumers).”

Attendance at most Cycle World shows this year was similar to last year, according to D'Entremont, who added that show dates and bad weather played a large part in those that were down. The largest show, in New York, was held between Christmas and New Year's Day when the holiday season was the main reason for a 15-percent decrease from the 75,000 who attended the year before. The only other show with a significant drop in attendance was Cycle World Atlanta, where a January snowstorm crippled the city, causing more than 1,000 event cancellations, he added.

Despite those problems, D'Entremont said, “We were very pleased overall.”

Family played a big part in other shows, as well. Numbers for the Meredith Corp.'s American Baby Faire shows were equal to or slightly up from 2007, according to Aija Erglis, managing director of the shows. She added all four 2008 editions of the show are up a few percentage points.

Erglis attributed this slight rise to the simple fact that, no matter what the economy is like, people continue to have babies.

“For first-time moms and dads, who value having one-on-one expertise on having a baby, they will want all the info,” Erglis said. “Babies are a recession-proof market.”

It's not just family fun that drives consumers to shows. Many go as a way to work around tighter budgets and fallout from the housing crisis. According to Patrick Riha, president of Riha Productions, owner of a number of home and remodeling shows, people are putting money into their old houses instead of investing in new ones. Riha added that his 2008 remodeling shows have seen between 2- and 20-percent growth in attendance.

“(With the) housing market being in the flux it is in, ... even those who could afford to buy a new home were (attending the shows),” he said.

Not just the home and remodeling shows are seeing an upturn in attendance, Riha said. His Mid-America Boat Show and Mid-America RV Show also had attendance jumps.

“Buyers are being much more conscious about purchases,” Riha said. “(The show) is the place to buy and get competitive pricing.”

Unfortunately, not all shows are feeling the love from consumers. Vickie Hundert, vice president of sales for PCM Expo, owner of The Original Creative Festival and The Quilt, Sew & Needleart Festival, said attendance was down compared with 2007. The April 17-19 show in Tucson, Ariz., had 550 attendees, while the May 29-31 Council Bluffs, Iowa, show saw only 501. Both shows drew at least 2,000 in 2007.

Hundert said she believes skyrocketing gas prices are to blame.

“All I've heard is, 'We can't do this ... because gas prices are so high,'” Hundert said. “Gas prices are ridiculous.”

She doesn't expect the trend to continue though. Hundeert said she expects attendance for The Original Creative Festival in Cincinnati, held June 26-28, to be around 5,000, while the July 10-12 Saratoga Springs, N.Y., show should draw 2,200 to 2,500 people. Much of this can be attributed to changes in promotions and marketing.

“We did extra e-mail blasts,” Hundert said. “We only charged $2 a person to get in to our Council Bluffs show. That's a drastic change.”

PCM Expo isn't the only company dramatically changing the way it markets its shows.

Erglis said by staying up-to-date on media outreach techniques, she is able to continue reaching the target demographic groups.

“(We did) less print advertising in newspapers,” she said. “(Our) target demographic is 18-to-34, (and they) get most of their information online, so we reinvested our dollars from print to dot-com, pulling funds from some hands-on print (outlets) to online.”

D'Entremont agreed, adding that although his company did not abandon its traditional print and direct mail marketing, it has put much more emphasis on the Web.

“From a marketing standpoint, we just made a big push virally,” D'Entremont said. “More so than we have ever done in the past through more e-mail blasts and social networking ... there was (a) significant increase (from) what we've done in the past through traditional mediums.”

And when advertising isn't enough to draw the big crowds, changes to the show are a necessity. Erglis' American Baby Faire plans to broaden its show in 2009 by marketing to both expectant and new parents. “(We are) expanding the base by bringing in preschool and school year (information).” She added that this change is intended to bring consumers back to the show for a second and third year, since 80 to 85 percent of its base is first-time attendees – who are typically also first-time parents.