Marketing Event articles from February 2007

Marketing Event archives from February 2007

From the Editor: All bets are off in London's battle of the boat shows.(Editorial)
February 14, 2007... The first notable difference when disembarking from the Docklands Light Railway at Custom House for the Collins Stewart London Boat Show was the sound of seagulls being broadcast above the walkway to match the draped graphics that depicted...

Green-I takes charge of sister firm Canegreen Commercial.(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Canegreen Commercial, the corporate's audio visual supplier, has been acquired by its sister production company Green-I for an undisclosed amount. The deal, effective from 1 January, sees Green-I's Ian Woodall and Andrew Frengley form a...

Heathcotes to cater for ACC Liverpool.(Heathcotes Outside, Arena and Convention Centre)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Heathcotes Outside has been awarded the in-house food and beverage service contract at the Arena and Convention Centre (ACC) Liverpool following a six-month tenure. ACC Liverpool chief executive Bob Prattey said: 'No matter how good the...

ECT provides 16-metre Blue Planet screen.(British Broadcasting Corp.)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Supplier ECT custom-made one of the largest projection screens ever used in the UK for three performances of music from the BBC's Blue Planet series. The December events in Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham attracted more than 14,000...

Top dance act takes XL Video on arena tour.
February 14, 2007... XL Video UK went on tour with Basement Jaxx in the run-up to Christmas, supplying all of the video kit for its UK arena tour. The supplier commenced the lighting and image installations at Plymouth Pavilions on 28 November. The tour...

Halo secures sponsorship of MEN lounge.
February 14, 2007... Furniture designer Halo has beaten off stiff competition to snatch a three-year sponsorship of Manchester's MEN Arena Premier Lounge for an undisclosed sum. Exclusive to members of the MEN Arena Concert Club, the Halo Premier Lounge will...

EAG hires ex-Evenser chief as consultant.(Early Action Group, Barry Day)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Former chief executive of the Evenser Group, Barry Day, has been signed up by contractor Early Action Group (EAG) to drive commercial and strategic opportunities for the firm. Day's role as consultant will allow him to build on EAG's...

BECA and the AEC discuss merger plans.(British Exhibition Contractors Association, Association of Exhibition Contractors)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... The British Exhibition Contractors Association (BECA) has held formal discussions with the Association of Exhibition Contractors (AEC) to thrash out the details of a possible merger. BECA members will be briefed on the details this month...

Earls Court plans rival to London Boat Show.
February 14, 2007... Earls Court is planning to host a rival London Boat Show this year, just one month away from the 2008 Excel London event. As Event went to press, the new show's co-founder James Brooke was gearing up to unveil his plans for the...

Excel show fights back.(Collins Stewart London Boat Show)(Tim Pyne)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... National Boat Shows (NBS) and creative consultant Tim Pyne's redesign of the Collins Stewart London Boat Show has reversed its decline in attendances, throwing a lifeline to the future of the Excel London event in the face of plans for a...

RAI's business development head joins NEC.(Amsterdam RAI)(NEC Group appointed John van Stolk)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... The former head of international business development at the Amsterdam RAI, John van Stolk, has filled the NEC's new role of business development director. Van Stolk starts at the Birmingham venue next month and will be integral to the...

Switched On festival lights up landmarks.
February 14, 2007... Mondiale Publishing has organised a lighting festival called Switched On London to coincide with its lighting show Arc, which runs from 12-13 February at the Business Design Centre. Switched On London, produced in association with the...

NEC F1 feature copies Monza Grand Prix pit.
February 14, 2007... Haymarket Exhibitions grew its F1 feature at last month's Autosport International to 2,000 sqm after recreating the first corner of Monaco's Grand Prix track in 2006. This year, the organiser recreated the pit from Italy's Monza Grand...

Axe falls on Autumn Ideal Home Show '07.(DMG World Media has cancelled its Autumn Ideal Home Show 2007)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Organiser DMG World Media has cancelled its Autumn Ideal Home Show, which was due to take place at Earls Court in October. And even though it insists the show will be reinstated following the 2008 centenary celebrations of the Daily Mail...

UKIP aviation division taken over by Reed.
February 14, 2007... Organiser Reed Exhibitions has acquired six aviation events from UKIP Media & Events for an undisclosed sum. The six shows, which serve the aerospace industry, previously formed the aviation division of UKIP. The acquired portfolio...

Survey claims limited choice for organisers.(Eventwise)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Eventwise has discovered that 44% of event organisers feel there is a limited choice of hospitality and incentive packages on offer. Its survey of 500 event organisers revealed that 87% prefer to book participative hospitality packages...

Professional Beauty sell-off.
February 14, 2007... Emap Communications has acquired organiser Trades Exhibitions for pounds 19m from its owners, the Moloney family. The company's main show, Professional Beauty, takes place from 25-27 February at Excel. Emap divisional managing director...

UK suppliers bring Gulf Cup opening alive.
February 14, 2007... Dubai-based agency HQ Creative brought in UK suppliers to deliver the opening ceremony for football's 18th Arabian Gulf Cup. HQ Creative production director Jo Marshall and project manager Jo MacKay used Stage One to fly performers and...

Hobbs gives fashion info to managers.(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... High street retailer Hobbs launched its spring/summer clothes collection at the Congress Centre in London last month. The event on 23 January was attended by 165 store managers and members of senior management. After lunch, managers had a...

Melville lands Middle East contract work.
February 14, 2007... The Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company has appointed Melville Exhibition and Event Services as the mains contractor at its new Middle East venue. Melville is providing the mains, water, waste and rigging services for the 55,000 sqm...

NEC's French link-up hailed as 'milestone'.(NEC Group get contract from GL Events)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... The NEC has signed its long-awaited deal with French event services firm GL Events that will see the Birmingham venue offer contracted services to exhibition organisers. The joint venture will focus on providing value-added services such...

EC&O submits casino Plan B.
February 14, 2007... EC&O Venues has submitted a second planning application to the Royal London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to build a small casino on its west London site. EC&O's initial application, made in 2005, was rejected by the planning...

Businesses get ready for 2012 Games.(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Market research company Continental Research says 354,000 senior business people are already planning corporate hospitality for the 2012 Olympics. More than 50% of businesses in London (75,000 in total) say they will attend, and 25% of...

Clients flock to Mercedes' Surrey venue.
February 14, 2007... Mercedes-Benz World at the Brooklands racing circuit in Weybridge, Surrey, has attracted more than 6,000 corporate visitors since it opened in October 2006. Clive Stephens, general manager of operations and events, said: 'We include...

Clarion adds a gem option to Top Drawer.
February 14, 2007... Clarion Retail is launching a jewellery showcase to sit alongside next year's Top Drawer Spring. Collections will take place on Level One of Earls Court from 13-15 January and allow visitors to take advantage of both shows. The...

'Lack of evaluation' as spend increases.
February 14, 2007... Corporate spend on events is increasing despite a lack of rigorous evaluation, according to a recent report commissioned by agency McMenemy Hill. More than a third (38%) of respondents reported they still do not evaluate their events and...

Experiences firm returns to exhibiting.(Access Displays get contract from Red Letter Days)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Access Displays has completed Red Letter Days' first exhibition activity since Theo Paphitis and Peter Jones of Dragons' Den fame saved the experience and gift group from bankruptcy on 1 August 2005. The work carried out from November...

Audit proves 415,356 attended Motor Show.(British International Motor Show)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... The audited figures for last year's British International Motor Show have confirmed the organiser's predictions of more than 411,000 visitors, with around a third using complimentary tickets. Total attendance reached 415,356. The figure...

Shining Wit for Spitalfields.(selected by Hammerson PLC)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Property company Hammerson has appointed agency Shining Wit to produce a calendar of events for Spitalfields Market from 1 January to 31 December. Shining Wit won the three-way pitch on the basis of its previous work with Hammerson. It...

Football clubs to showcase their facilities.
February 14, 2007... Arsenal's Emirates Stadium will host the Stadium Experience Venue Show on 17 May. Arsenal's head of hospitality Steve Brice said it would showcase the 'fantastic' conference and banqueting facilities available from up to 50 football...

Young dreams.
February 14, 2007... Agency Jack Morton Worldwide appointed ETC UK to project 40 portraits on to the Shell Tower for London's New Year's Eve celebrations. The images were taken by Mark Livemore and illustrated the aspirations of primary school pupils from Lambeth

In brief: Mango Event Management wins contract.
February 14, 2007... Mango Event Management has won the contract to run Coca-Cola's International Hospitality Program at the UEFA European Championships 2008 in Austria and Switzerland. Its managing director, Lindsay Whitmore, said: 'We are absolutely...

In brief: Octanorm redevelops its website.
February 14, 2007... Octanorm has redeveloped its website to be more user-friendly. It will include a detailed technical information option that will be continually updated to act as an online helpdesk for users. Technical information sheets will also be...

In brief: Call for business to rise to Olympic challenge.(Visit London chief executive James Bidwell plans to rise funds for Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Visit London chief executive James Bidwell has called on business and government to rise to the challenge of the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Speaking at the London Business Gears up for 2012 summit, held at Arsenal's Emirates...

In brief: AEG signs NEC as official solutions provider.
February 14, 2007... Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) has signed NEC as official technology solutions provider for the O2, formerly the Millennium Dome. The multi-million-pound deal will involve NEC providing all IT network servers, storage and enterprise...

In brief: Xposerv International opens new office in Dubai.(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Xposerv International, the European live events consortium, has opened new offices in Dubai. The company's director Philip Shuker said: 'We hope our new base will prove the perfect vehicle for entering the rapidly-expanding Middle East...

In brief: BCL creates specialist music and entertainment unit.(appointment of Denzil Thomas at Billington Cartmell )(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Billington Cartmell (BCL) has created a specialist music and entertainment unit. It has hired Denzil Thomas to head up the new arm BCL chairman Ian Billington said: 'The music and entertainment industries are areas where advertisers can make...

In brief: Centaur Exhibitions appoints contractor EAG.(Early Action Group)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Centaur Exhibitions has appointed contractor Early Action Group (EAG) to supply shell scheme and electrical services for 13 of its shows. The deal includes three new shows: the Northern Employee Benefits Exhibition and Conference at...

Mayridge in aviation firm contract win.
February 14, 2007... Mayridge has won a two-year contract to design and build exhibition stands at the Paris and Farnborough airshows for aircraft supplier Martin-Baker - beating seven agencies, including HBM. It is the first time in 15 years that...

European exhibition statistics go online.(Euro Fair Statistics)(Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Audited data for 1,488 European trade fairs and exhibitions in 2005 is now available for download. The Euro Fair Statistics, headed up by the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics, presents data from 20...

Media 10 opts for shop-floor theme at NEC.(Great Big Home and Furniture Store trade shows)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Media 10, the organiser responsible for the award-winning Grand Designs Live, launched a 'no-frills' concept called The Great Big Home and Furniture Store last month at the NEC. The show took place from 5-7 January and was themed as a...

Opinion: Marketing skills can be just as important as logistics.
February 14, 2007... Is event management truly appreciated as a marketing skill? Why do event organisers appear to fall into the category of administrators rather than marketing professionals? Every event is an exercise in communication. Essentially its...

Exposure boss sells London Venue Expo.(Simon Burton of Exposure Event Creations, Easy Fairs)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Simon Burton, managing director of Exposure Event Creations, has sold his first show. London Venue Expo, which was launched to run alongside the Exhibiting Show, will now follow its sister event from Excel London to Earls Court and take...

Web service to branch out.
February 14, 2007... The event website specialist ASP has launched a division that offers clients additional strategic advice on their event campaigns. ASP Consulting will work with organisers to offer ideas, advice and practical assistance, including...

Major shows push Tarsus revenues up.(Tarsus Group)(Financial report)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Tarsus Group's two largest exhibitions ensured that the organiser finished 2006 with reported revenues up 14%. Labelexpo Americas and the Heavent show in France traded above expectations. In 2007, the Labelexpo show returns to Europe...

A night at the circus.(Seat UK marketing its Seat model )(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Seat UK was one of the sponsors of Cirque du Soleil's Alegria show at the Royal Albert Hall in January. There was a display of the new Seat model and a chauffeur service for VIPs at the premiere. Agency Brando organised the opening night,...

Warning after bad-weather cancellations.(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Organisers are being warned to make sure that they have weather-related insurance following recent storms and the cancellation of New Year's Eve celebrations in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle. Chubb Insurance issued the...

Smyle agency merges with production house.(Smyle Productions, Smyle Events)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Smyle, the Hertfordshire-based agency that can count Rolls-Royce, BMW, BlackBerry and Bloomberg among its high-profile clients, is merging its production house into the business. Smyle Productions was set up in 1994 by Matt Margetson and...

First Minister backs Isle of Arran agency.(Arran Events)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Arran Events, an agency set up on the Isle of Arran, was launched on 29 December by the First Minister of Scotland, Jack McConnell. The company's directors are Daniel Steel and Victoria Rand. Steel said: 'I have organised events all over...

Analysis: Pioneers in the world of work.
February 14, 2007... Claire Bond meets the team at Regan & Dean, which 10 years ago set up one of the first event recruitment businesses. Judging by the number of event companies celebrating their 10th anniversaries this year, the final decade of the 20th...

Live Issue: Ten Years of News - Part Two - In the industry spotlight.
February 14, 2007... Claire Bond continues Event's review of its first decade with a look back at the big-money deals, failed plans, management manoeuvring, court hearings, openings, staff changes, triumphs and tragedies of 2001-03. 2001: The dawn of 2001...

Campaign: The Nintendo Wii.
February 14, 2007... Agency Bd-Ntwk aims to engage a million consumers with the message that playing computer games can be a sociable pursuit, writes Claire Bond. Board games and spirited rounds of charades during the festive season appear to be a dying...

Showcase: Wine Plus London.
February 14, 2007... High-end exhibitors and careful vetting of visitors made this debut show a connoisseur's delight. Mike Fletcher reports. Debutante trade show Wine Plus isn't like other business exhibitions. A doorman in black-tie greets the...

Profile: Louise Young, Emap exhibitions director.
February 14, 2007... Louise Young knows the fashion world inside-out after working on the trade show Pure for 10 years - but now the Emap exhibitions director is facing a new challenge as she launches a Summer Fair for giftware at Excel, writes Lorraine...

Purpose-built Venues: The regeneration nation.(exhibition halls)
February 14, 2007... Lorraine Francisco discovers how new, innovative venues have boosted the UK's appeal. The past decade has witnessed a crucial transition in the UK's purpose-built venues market. A combination of venue acquisitions, redevelopments and the...

Unique Venues: You ain't seen nothing yet.(Custard Factory )(Warwick Castle )
February 14, 2007... From a cutlers' HQ to a custard factory, offbeat function spaces are thriving, says Clive Walker. Looking for a venue that's out of the ordinary? You're not alone: 26 % of UK corporate buyers are going off the beaten track in search of...

Show Preview: International Confex 2007.
February 14, 2007... Confex's event director hopes a raft of fresh ideas will draw in the crowds, writes Ben Lerwill. International Confex is not one to rest on its laurels. Last year it underlined its status as the country's foremost industry event, winning...

Innovative Stands: Turn heads with a new look.
February 14, 2007... Lorraine Francisco casts an eye over the latest trends in stand design and discovers that the popular choices this year include modular displays, environmentally-friendly fabrics, interactive lightboxes and visual surprises. Trying to...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at PCI Fitch.
February 14, 2007... Stephen Brittain has been appointed head of business development at agency PCI Fitch. Brittain has experience in TV advertising, new media, retail design and event agencies. He recently patented a 3-D pop-up ski map concept which combined his...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Venuemasters.(David Meli)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... David Meli has been elected chairman of the academic venues consortium Venuemasters. Meli, who is commercial development manager at the University of Leeds, said: 'At a time when organisers and customers are looking for something...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Doncaster Racecourse.(Judith Day)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Judith Day has joined Doncaster Racecourse as business development manager. Day previously worked in similar roles at Sandown Park and Stoneleigh Park exhibition centres. She said: 'I'm joining a great team who are all excited about the...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Euro RSCG Skybridge.
February 14, 2007... Leigh Butterfield has been promoted to managing partner for agency Euro RSCG Skybridge. She was previously managing client business and event team management. Mark Ivackovic has also joined as managing partner and will work with Butterfield...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Arena Group.
February 14, 2007... Jeremy Perkins has been appointed business development director at event services supplier the Arena Group. He has more than 20 years' experience within the events industry and was previously managing director at supplier De Boer's UK...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Earls Court & Olympia.
February 14, 2007... Ross Newton-Dunn has been appointed exhibition sales manager for Earls Court & Olympia. He worked with organiser Clarion Events and previously worked for EC&O as part of the conference and events team

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Nottingham Arena.
February 14, 2007... Dominic Williams has joined Nottingham Arena as sales and conference manager. Williams, who was previously field sales executive at East Midlands Conference Centre and the University of Nottingham, will be responsible for securing new...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Clarion Retail.(Nigel Carrier)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Nigel Carrier has been appointed creative director at organiser Clarion Retail, a new role created at the company. He will focus on creative content including features and overall presentation of the shows Top Drawer Spring, Top Drawer Autumn...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Visit London.
February 14, 2007... Tracey Halliwell has joined Visit London as head of business and conventions. She was previously vice president of sales and marketing at Millennium and Copthorne Hotels for the Europe, Middle East and Africa region

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at ASP.
February 14, 2007... Jo Tyler has been appointed as head of event strategy at web specialist ASP. She said: 'I hope to offer added value to new and existing clients, who will be able to call on me for support to launch new products, develop new attractions and...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at GSP.
February 14, 2007... Simon Penn has joined agency GSP as sales director after five years as an events consultant for agencies, clients and venues

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at Expomedia.(Bob Denton)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Bob Denton has joined media group Expomedia as managing director of its EME UK arm. He said: 'My role is to assist in directing the people, the systems and processes to make sure that Expomedia shows develop a common look and feel, with best...

Movers & Shakers: Appointment at the RNID.(Royal National Institute for Deaf People, Sarah Moss and Ranila Ravi-Burslem)(Brief article)
February 14, 2007... Sarah Moss has been promoted to deputy director of communications at national charity for the deaf and hard of hearing, RNID. Ranila Ravi-Burslem takes over from Moss as head of marketing. RNID director of communications Brian Lamb said:...

Diary: Every month we uncover bizarre and eventful behaviour and the spillage of trade secrets.
February 14, 2007... A red carpet that turns green... Estee Lauder 'spokesmodel' Elizabeth Hurley took a 130-metre walk through Harrods over Christmas. How do we know, Diary hears you cry? Well, apart from the fact that a restraining order won't let us...

Event Solutions: Supplier Showcase - Meet the indispensables.
February 14, 2007... The essential elements of a well-run event include professional staff, reliable stands, comfortable furniture and a steady stream of refreshments. Steve Hemsley talks to suppliers who help shows run like clockwork. NOMADIC DISPLAY ...

Event Solutions: Supplier Showcase - ID Staffing.(Octanorm, Camden Exhibition Services and PSCo.)
February 14, 2007... Exhibitors who require experienced brand ambassadors for their stands have been recruiting staff via ID since 1994. The company receives about 100 job applications every week but, following a rigorous regional selection process, it takes...

Event Solutions: Focus on - Public and consumer shows.
February 14, 2007... Organisers are finding ever more ingenious ways to identify and attract potential visitors, says Steve Hemsley. The secret of a successful consumer exhibition is to tempt previous visitors back year after year while devising new ways to...