Marketing Event articles from June 2003

Marketing Event archives from June 2003

FROM THE EDITOR: Industry needs to agree on the best way forward.
June 10, 2003... Service supplier Opex Exhibition Services is three years old this month (page 14). On the eve of its anniversary the sector has seen Graham Parrish Exhibitions (GPE) fall into administration with debts of about pounds 800,000 (page 5). The...

Top marketer steps down at G-Mex centre.(Keith Robertson)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Keith Robertson has retired as marketing manager at Manchester's G-Mex centre after ten years. During his time at the venue he developed above and below-the-line marketing strategies and oversaw the launch of the Manchester International...

Opex poaches Gibb to head event division.(Opex Exhibition Services hires Andy Gibb)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Service supplier Opex has poached the head of the NEC's in-house organiser to set up an event management arm to help small organisers. Andy Gibb left Centrex last month to head an operational team available to companies such as start-ups...

EVA warns AEO tie-up may fall foul of EU law.(Exhibition Venues Association)(Association of Exhibition Organisers )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... A proposal by the Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO) to share its secretariat with the Exhibition Venues Association (EVA) may be declared anti-competitive under European Law. EVA chairman Mike Closier has told Event that the...

Hotcakes fumes at ex-staff.(Hotcakes UK former staff set up own shop)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Hotcakes UK has hit out at two former employees following the collapse of the production agency. Stylist Andrew Shorten is under fire for setting up rival agency Redfridge while serving his notice period. Shorten formed the company with...

Mmm creates live action fair in auto sector.(Moyles Motivational Marketing)(Motordrive Live )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Auto event Motordrive Live attracted 18 car manufacturers and 3,000 visitors over three days last month. Organiser Moyles Motivational Marketing (Mmm) created the interactive event following the second cancellation of the London Motor Show...

Fair growth at Emap fails to halt profit fall.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Operating profits are down at Emap Communications despite a series of good performances from its trade exhibitions. Emap's business-to-business arm posted a 2% fall in operating profits to pounds 53m for the year ended 31 March 2003....

RPM devises roadshow to push cricket.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Brand experience agency RPM has created a cricket roadshow to promote and explain the sport's new 20-over tournament. The drive, commissioned by the England and Wales Cricket Board, began last month. Three trailers recreate the sights and...

Royal start to maritime fair in Edinburgh.(International Festival of the Sea )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The Princess Royal opened last month's maritime celebration the International Festival of the Sea at Leith Harbour, Edinburgh. Princess Anne had lunch aboard a naval vessel before spending the first afternoon of the four-day event touring...

Two team up to start niche event company.(Clive Ellings, Graeme Howe launch Interactive Marketing Partnerships Events)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Former CMP Europe executive director Clive Ellings has reunited with his ex-Miller Freeman colleague Graeme Howe, to launch an organising outfit. Interactive Marketing Partnerships Events (IMP) began trading last month and will launch...

Collapsed GPE close to sale.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Graham Parrish Exhibitions was on the verge of being sold as Event went to press. The contractor went into administration on 23 April with debts of about pounds 800,000. Administrator Cranfield Recovery confirmed it was in advanced talks...

Brands Hatch makes double appointment.(Alasdair Farrimond and Dirk Kelly)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Brands Hatch Circuits Limited (BHCL) appointed two senior marketers last month despite its impending sale by parent company Interpublic Group (Event, April). Former head of travel industry marketing at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts,...

VW promotes Beetle launch with tour of UK.(Volkswagen AG)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Volkswagen has embarked on a roadshow organised by Proximity Events to help promote the launch of the Beetle Cabriolet. It is the first time the car manufacturer has used a roadshow to launch a car. The push, which kicked off last month,...

Vauxhall holds dinner to mark 100th birthday.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Vauxhall Motors celebrated its centenary last month with a gala dinner produced by Jack Morton Worldwide. About 800 VIP guests, including His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent and trade and industry secretary Patricia Hewitt, attended...

Concerto set to branch out into live work.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The Concerto Group has set up a live event production arm in a bid to strengthen its relationships with clients. Concerto:live will be headed by former Business Pursuits managing director Mark Maclure. The division will focus on events...

Mice appoints Wall to oversee UK business.(Trevor Wall)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Mice Group has appointed Trevor Wall as managing director at its Coventry stand design and build agency Silver Knight (SK). The post involves overseeing ten production companies in the UK arm of Mice, including Marler Haley and Mice Domino....

Haymarket goes Dutch for fashion fair.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Haymarket Exhibitions is to stage a reworked version of its Clotheshow Live exhibition in the Netherlands in what it hopes will be the first of a series of overseas event launches. Fashion Victims will take place from 11-14 December at the...

All change at British car show.(British International Motor Show changed name in British International Motor Show Live)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Next year's British International Motor Show has been rebranded after the introduction of a host of interactive features. The British International Motor Show Live is the new name for the biennial auto event, which takes place at the NEC from...

Entries flood in for new AEO award quartet.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO) has had more than 100 entries for the four new categories at this year's AEO Excellence Awards. Three events have now been shortlisted for each of the awards, which are Best Launch Show -...

Orange hands event work to Cake Group.(Brief Article)(Company Profile)
June 10, 2003... Mobile network operator Orange has appointed The Cake Group to handle its events portfolio after a competitive pitch. The agency will work on a long-term entertainment strategy for the brand and bring its film, festival and sponsorship...

Scotland to host MTV party.(MTV Music Europe Awards)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The tenth MTV Music Europe Awards will be staged in Scotland. A temporary structure holding 6,000 people will house the ceremony at Western Harbour, Leith near Edinburgh on 6 November. MTV Networks UK managing director Michiel Bakker said:...

Sprout splits from parent to go it alone.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Production agency Sprout has broken away from parent company Impact Europe and moved to new premises on Carnaby Street, London. Sprout managing director Joe Macgregor said: 'To many people we were always an independent outfit. After last year's...

Breaking the language barrier.(International Textile Machinery Exhibition)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... More than 1,350 exhibitors from 44 countries have been confirmed for international textile machinery show ITMA to date. Early figures for the October exhibition at the NEC suggest visitor numbers will be up on the 1999 show in Paris. ITMA...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Excel has won exhibitions from ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Excel has won exhibitions from the London Arena as organisers seek alternatives prior to the venue's closure this month. The London Marathon Exhibition, due to take place in April 2004, and the Big Dolls House & Miniatures Show, planned for...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Venues in Westminster have joined forces ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Venues in Westminster have joined forces to target event business in the London borough. The Westminster Collection comprises the Royal Horticultural Halls, Central Hall Westminster, Banqueting House Whitehall, One Birdcage Walk, the Grange...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Dmg World Media, which organises the ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Dmg World Media, which organises the Daily Mail Ideal Home Show, has signed up Unique Facilities, the event's radio station and broadcast supplier, to provide services at three more events over the next 12 months. The Autumn Ideal Home Show,...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Field marketing agency LoewyBe kicked off ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Field marketing agency LoewyBe kicked off its campaign for yoghurt drink Yakult last month. In-store sampling by a team of Yakult brand ambassadors in sporty white uniforms is targeting 35-54 year-old females over the next few months with the...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Arena Structures has signed a three-year deal ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Arena Structures has signed a three-year deal with lining supplier Custom Covers. The two companies will combine resources for events including The Martell Grand National at Aintree, Henley's Royal Regatta, the Stella Artois Tennis Championship...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Twickenham Experience, the event arm ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Twickenham Experience, the event arm of the Middlesex stadium, is offering organisers the chance to hire the North and West car parks for large-scale events. The West car park features 15,000 sq m of space while the North car park offers 11,000...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Agency Mayridge Group has added ..(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Agency Mayridge Group has added Mayridge Training Services to its portfolio of stand-building and marketing services. The new division will focus on developing training programmes for stand staff as part of an overall exhibition package. The...

NEWS IN BRIEF: Correction.
June 10, 2003... In the Sector Guide table of London venues (Event, May), we printed the wrong website for Wembley Exhibition and Conference Centre. The correct address is www.wembley.co.uk/venues.

IN MY VIEW: Be careful you don't fall off online event bandwagon.
June 10, 2003... What is an online event? Now, before you all shout 'it's an event hosted on the web', bear with me. An event is an experience, something that happens in a defined time frame, engages all the senses and has an effect on behaviour. Having...

UBM warns SARS will slash profits in Asia.(United Business Media)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... United Business Media's (UBM) organising division CMP Asia could lose up to pounds 8m in the first six months of 2003 as a result of the SARS health scare. Speaking at UBM's agm on 15 May, chairman Geoff Unwin said: 'The promise of another...

Tequila brand in sample drive.(Diageo Cuervo Gold)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Field marketing agency Blue Water is carrying out a 12-week sampling campaign to reposition Diageo's Cuervo Gold (CG) tequila brand as a long drink rather than a shot. The campaign, which kicked off last month, involves hit squads...

Training move for Wiseman after ITE exit.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Brian Wiseman has taken a consultant role at Answers Training (AT) to head a training initiative for people launching shows. He joined last month following his sudden departure from ITE Group, where he was sales director (Event, April). AT...

Tricks of the trade.
June 10, 2003... Basketball, football and frisbee skills were showcased at two Nike Freestyle Face Off events last month in a bid to find the UK's best sporting tricksters. Agency Slice produced the events, which took place at G-Mex in Manchester and Earls...

Academy firm buys Liverpool music facility.(McKenzie Group Ltd.)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... McKenzie Group, which runs the Carling Academy chain of music venues, has bought a defunct property in Liverpool for an undisclosed sum. The 19th century former warehouse was converted and run as a live music venue by Lomax Entertainments...

Wembley stands by stadium hospitality.(Wembley National Stadium)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Wembley National Stadium (WNS) has hit back at claims that the Football Association's (FA) hospitality plans take up too much of the new stadium. 'Corporate hospitality enables us to pay for a stadium of this quality,' said a WNS...

Avesco unites AV divisions to cut overheads.(audiovisual)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Avesco Group has merged two of its audiovisual (AV) outfits and moved operations to a single site in Surrey in a bid to cut costs. Outdoor supplier Screenco and indoor video projection and LED screen outfit Creative Technology have been put...

ANALYSIS: AEO and BECA lock horns over AEC.(Association of Exhibition Contractors)(British Exhibition Contractors Association)(Association of Exhibition Organisers)
June 10, 2003... BECA is up in arms at the Association of Exhibition Organisers' plans to set up a contracting division. Philip Chadwick reports. The planned launch of the Association of Exhibition Contractors (AEC) next month has driven a wedge between...

LIVE ISSUE: Exhibition Services - A tale of two contractors.(Melville Exhibition Services/ Opex Exhibition Services)(Company Profile)
June 10, 2003... Mike Fletcher gets the inside view on what the future holds for Opex and Melville, the two biggest contractors in the UK. Three years ago this month, the contracting sector experienced a moment of consolidation that changed forever the way...

PROFILE: Paul Thandi, executive director CMP Information.(Interview)
June 10, 2003... Paul Thandi has risen through the ranks at CMP Information's property arm, formerly Blenheim, to become executive director. Still youthful at 37, he tells Philip Chadwick the philosophy behind his people-focused approach and why it pays to be...

SHOWCASE: Columbia Tristar/MTV T3 party.(Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines )
June 10, 2003... Fashion icon Pierre Cardin opened his private Riviera villa for a bash to mark the return of the Terminator. Mike Fletcher reports. The Palais Bulles, nestled on the cliff-tops of Theoule-Sur-Mer high above the Cannes Film Festival on the...

SECTOR GUIDE: Benelux - Trouble in the Low Countries.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The three countries that make up Benelux - Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg - are fighting back against a recent fall in popularity, writes Clive Walker. The Benelux exhibition industry is facing tough times as recession continues...

EVENT SOLUTIONS: Products & Services - What's hot.
June 10, 2003... Event Solutions goes in search of the coolest new ideas to make your corporate function the hottest ticket in town. TIME & KNOWLEDGE Lifestyle management company Time & Knowledge is offering assistance to event organisers. For pounds...

EVENT SOLUTIONS: Venues - What's hot.
June 10, 2003... Event Solutions scours the country to track down the best new corporate package offers at the nation's event venues. NORTH Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre has opened a viewing capsule at the top of the 45-metre Northern Light...

EVENT SOLUTIONS: Catering - Recipe for success.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... What are the ingredients that go towards creating a memorable food offer at a corporate event or party? Emma Reynolds prepares a six-point guide. You can hire the most impressive venue, theme it perfectly, and book fantastic entertainment,...

EVENT SOLUTIONS: Traditional Venues - Q&A.(corporate parties)(Interview)
June 10, 2003... An exhibition venue may seem an unlikely place to hold a private function, but not according to David Mallard who explains why they are perfect for corporate parties. Q: I'm an event organiser. Should I even be looking at venues whose core...

OUTSIDE EVENTS: Outdoor countdown.
June 10, 2003... Staging an event outdoors requires meticulous planning. Jane Stanbridge enlists the help of industry experts to compile a timetable of the key areas that need attention 18 MONTHS TO GO: location Choosing and booking the event's...

FIELD MARKETING: Once more into the field.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Field marketing is on a roll as an ever increasing range of companies go below the line. Field marketing tends to do well in times of economic slowdown as a wider range of companies turn to below-the-line marketing solutions. As a result...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at The International Centre, Telford.(Joanne Brown and Andrew Bennett)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Joanne Brown and Andrew Bennett have joined The International Centre, Telford. Brown becomes business development manager having worked on the Newcastle Chronicle & Journal. Bennett has been appointed event manager in the new internal events...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Centrex.(Jamie Graham and Andy Bird)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Jamie Graham and Andy Bird have taken up new roles at Centrex, the NEC's organising arm. Graham becomes interim general manager in addition to his role as business director. Bird is made operations director for all Centrex shows. The...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Wembley Arena, Conference & Exhibition Centre.(Svetlana Scheck)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Svetlana Scheck has been promoted to marketing and commercial manager at Wembley Arena, Conference & Exhibition Centre. She joined the London venue in 2000 as commercial executive, before becoming commercial manager.

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Brintex.(James Murray)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... James Murray has joined Brintex as event director for its London International Wines and Spirits Fair. He replaces Andrew Evans, who moved to Fresh RM (Event, May). Murray was previously with Mash Media and Fresh RM.

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Imark Communications.(Charlotte Watkins)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Charlotte Watkins has become sales manager at Imark Communications. She will work across its ProjectWorld events and is responsible for new business and account management. Watkins was previously with Reed Exhibitions, where she looked after...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Robe UK.(Andy Holland)((Robe UK.))((Mobile Lighting Company))(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Andy Holland has been appointed business development manager at new lighting sales outfit Robe UK. His role is to develop the company's theatre, arts and performance markets. Holland will continue to work for his own firm The Mobile Lighting...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Impact Europe.(Richard Landen)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Richard Landen has been appointed to head the hire and presentation team at AV and facilities company Impact Europe. His role will be to provide equipment and technical facilities for production companies. Landen has previously worked at AV...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at FDS.(Brenda Walcyk and Pat Grieve)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Brenda Walcyk and Pat Grieve have been appointed field controllers at field marketing agency FDS. Walcyk will cover the Midlands, Wales, Liverpool and East Anglia regions, while Grieve will look after campaigns in the North. Both will help...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Early Action Group.(Madeleine Heimers)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Madeleine Heimers has been appointed business development consultant at exhibition contractor Early Action Group. Her role will cover the development of sales, marketing, PR and research. Heimers has run her own exhibition consultancy for the...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at IBR.(Karen Johnston)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Karen Johnston has joined venue-finding agency IBR as account director. She will head a new business team established to target specific industry sectors. Johnston has 15 years' experience of the travel and events industry, most recently with...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at ID.(Dan Stern and Dena Naji)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Dan Stern and Dena Naji have joined brand experience agency ID. Stern becomes senior art director with previous experience at agencies Biggart Donald and Saatchi and Saatchi. Naji, who will be an account manager, was previously with Virgin...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at All Ways Forward.(David Gregory)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... David Gregory has joined the board of event management and logistics company All Ways Forward as director of sales. He will be responsible for the new telesales department. Gregory was previously on the operating board as head of specialist...

MOVERS & SHAKERS: Appointment at Mmm.(Alison Ottaway)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Alison Ottaway has been made account director at event management company Mmm. She will be working on the company's Hewlett Packard account and has ten years' experience in the IT and telecoms industries.

DIARY: Love in a cold climate.(Daily Mirror reporter tries dating show)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... The always-on-the-ball Daily Mirror caught Diary's eye last month, with a double-page spread on Brand Events' dating show Chemistry - news of which was brought to you by Event back in March. The report told the tale of one of its hackettes'...

DIARY: Trade secrets.
June 10, 2003... The juiciest gossip from around the events and exhibitions industry that some people would rather you didn't know... 1: Which contractor and organiser shared a massage on a beach in the Philippines? 2: Which agency employs the cousin...

DIARY: No smoke without fire.(BMW Williams racing team sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline's nicotine patches)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... As any smoker knows, giving up cigarettes requires willpower, dedication and the ability to cope with being constantly irritable. So why bother? Formula One didn't have any choice in the matter because of the ban on tobacco sponsorship in...

DIARY: Brain boxing.(Manchester Conference Centre Mind Sport Olympiad)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Mind games are said to play an important role in sport - with the exception of football as few players have a mind to play with. But if you are a bit on the smart side then the Manchester Conference Centre UMIST may be hosting just the event...

DIARY: Breathing new life into the Church.(inflatable church used at National Christian Resources Exhibition )(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... As far as Diary knows, no one has ever accused the Church of England of having an over-inflated opinion of itself. But after last month's National Christian Resources Exhibition (no, we're not making that up) that may have to change. The event...

DIARY: A run for your money.(Sam Wass of G-Men runs marathon for charity)(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... For Diary, the phrase fun-run is a contradiction in terms, but it begrudgingly applauds those who run marathons for a good cause. Step forward G-Mex exhibition sales executive Sam Wass, who was one of many participants at the first Great...

DIARY: Guess who's coming to dinner?(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Samantha Bradley and boyfriend Daniel Smith thought they were coming to London from Leeds for a pounds 500 shopping spree and a romantic dinner for two at the Kensington Roof Gardens as reward for being the one millionth member of website...

DISPLAY SHOW GUIDE: Welcome - Get set for the debut Display.(Brief Article)
June 10, 2003... Welcome to Display, the only exhibition in the UK that is dedicated to portable, modular and structural display systems and the graphics that accompany them. Display is more than just an exhibition. It offers you the chance to not only see...

DISPLAY SHOW GUIDE: Seminar programme.
June 10, 2003... WEDNESDAY 2ND JULY 2003 Sessions sponsored by Mash Media & Chaired by John Spain, editor, Exhibition News SESSION 1 - 9.30-9.55: How to exhibit more effectively Speaker: Julian Agostini, Mash Media - 9.55-10.20: It's not what you say,...