Marketing Event articles from March 2003

Marketing Event archives from March 2003

FROM THE EDITOR: Meeting the challenge of a brave new hospitality world.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The sale of Elegant Days to Sellers Hospitality could have a greater impact than just two key players coming together to create a tour de force in the hospitality arena. Elegant Days has always referred to itself as an event management...

Teams get set for Land Rover car challenge.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The Land Rover G4 Challenge starts later this month with representatives from 16 countries battling to win the four-week competition. Participants will show off their multi-sport and off-road driving skills using Land Rover vehicles on a...

Sellers beats rivals to snap up Elegant Days.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Sellers Hospitality has beaten off stiff competition to buy event management outfit Elegant Days. The acquisition for an undisclosed sum took place on 26 February and sees Elegant Days merge with Sellers Hospitality to become part of Arena...

Reed reveals slip in profits at exhibitions.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Reed Exhibitions has posted a 4% drop in adjusted operating profits to pounds 234m in Reed Elsevier's results for the year ended 31 December 2002. Turnover was down slightly to pounds 425m from pounds 446m in 2001. Excluding acquisitions...

Prince Andrew flies in to open Confex 2003.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions industry was commended for the role it plays in helping business tourism by the Duke of York at the launch of International Confex 2003 at Earls Court. Speaking at the London show's...

Scotland seeks event head.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... A joint venture between the Scottish government and tourist authority VisitScot-land to turn the country into a leading European event destination is looking for someone to head the initiative. EventScotland launches this month and will...

Haymarket to run golf expo at tournament.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Haymarket Exhibitions has launched a golf show to run alongside The Daily Telegraph Damovo British Masters Tournament. The Daily Telegraph Golf Show will debut from 4-8 June at the Forest of Arden. Exhibitors will include manufacturers and...

Martini books RPM to create national drive.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Brand experience agency RPM has been appointed to run experiential campaigns for drinks brand Martini Vermouth in 2003. The drive by brand owner Bacardi-Martini will target women aged 25-30 and aims to reach about 600,000 consumers. The...

Castle teams up with two on marquee plan.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Dundas Castle has joined forces with De Boer Structures and Sodexho Prestige to erect a semi-permanent structure for banquets and exhibitions in the grounds of the Edinburgh venue. The 2,000sqm Grand Pav-ilion will hold up to 1,500 guests....

Industry split on driving tax.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... A smooth start to London's congestion charge has left the industry divided about its long-term impact. Fortesqueue's managing director Scott Balfour says: 'In the long run we may need to raise our prices.' The corporate hospitality...

Clarion lines up show for young wannabes.(Capital Showbiz Show)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Clarion Events has teamed up with Brand Events and London radio station Capital Radio to launch a show for youngsters trying to break into showbusiness. The Capital Showbiz Show will run from 21-24 October at Earls Court, London. Clarion...

Mice nets dual role at mobile telecoms fair.(3GSM World Congress)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Mice Group provided exhibition and corporate entertainment services for network supplier Lucent Technologies at mobile communications event 3GSM World Congress in Cannes from 18-21 February. Lucent's 120sqm exhibition stand was designed by...

Pair claim top prize at ninth ITMA awards.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Agencies P&MM and Park Avenue scooped the top award at the ninth annual Incentive Travel and Meetings Association Awards. The Platinum trophy was won by the pair for their joint work in producing a series of events for the dealer launch of...

Ravenous to showcase its offer at party.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Event caterer Ravenous has been hired for this month's launch party of corporate event venue Purple E3 in London's Old Street district. Nightclub owner Tamlyn Thompson and partner Terry Pullen have invited 300 event planners to the opening...

Emap builds portfolio with French takeover.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Media and publishing group Emap has bought French exhibition company Agor for pounds 21.2m. The Gallic outfit will be renamed Emap Agor and become part of Emap's business-to-business arm Emap Communications, which in-cludes exhibition...

BECA chief promises radical shake-up.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The incoming president of the British Exhibition Contractors Association (BECA) is set to make sweeping changes to the trade body. John Booth, managing director of stand contractor Pennine Arts, becomes pres- ident on 28 March. He will then...

RTH secures pounds 9.5m set of stand deals.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Stand design firm RTH Group has signed a series of contracts worth pounds 9.5m to design and manage global exhibition programmes for four companies. RTH has agreed a four-year contract with United Technologies worth pounds 6m. The three...

Party On.
March 13, 2003... Telecoms giant Siemens celebrated the release of its Xelibri handset with a bash at Billingsgate in London. Production firm Outer Sanctum hired XL Video UK to supply logistics for the event. More than 1,300 guests enjoyed star turns from Brit...

Expomedia in share sell-off to fund growth.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Expomedia Group has sold 1.7m shares to a conference organiser to help fund the development of Expo XXI-branded venues in Frankfurt, Dusseldorf, Belgrade and Zagreb. Informa Group paid pounds 2m for the 4% stake. The deal also involves the...

Yeh-Whatever develops arm for marketing.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Production agency Yeh-Whatever has launched a marketing solutions arm to broaden its event offer beyond its core business of making multimedia films. The new division is called Ore Communications and is headed by Chris Twyman, a former...

Ideal Home exhibition gets autumn spin-off.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 13, 2003... Dmg World Media has launched an autumn version of the Ideal Home Show in response to growing demands from exhibitors. The event will run at Earls Court, London from 3-12 October. It will differ from the spring exhibition by featuring more...

AEO adds new categories to awards night.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The Association of Exhibition Organisers (AEO) has revamped its Excellence Awards, which take place on 4 July at Excel. The AEO has added prizes for Best Launch Show - Trade and Consumer, Best Marketing Campaign - Trade and Consumer and a...

'Cold' Excel suffers double IIR defection.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Excel is looking at making the venue more appealing to smaller shows following the loss of two IIR-organised exhibitions to Olympia. International Biotech/Lab Automation Europe and Airport, Port and Terminal Security debuted at the...

Extra features boost visits to marketing fair.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Technology for Marketing 2003 recorded a 20% jump in visitor numbers compared with last year's event. CMP Europe, which organises the annual high-tech exhibition, put the rise down to the launch of two more areas - Technology For Customer...

On The Move.
March 13, 2003... London travel show Destinations ran at Olympia from 30 January to 2 February and featured new areas to entertain the 41,500-strong crowd, including the Absolutely Asia Stage (pictured), which hosted oriental arts performances. Organiser Clarion...

Appointment at Cordiant Communications.(Nigel Stapleton)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Nigel Stapleton has been appointed chairman of Cordiant Communications. He was previously chief executive of the ITE Group and co-chairman of Reed Elsevier. The group's companies include field marketing agency Headcount Worldwide and live event...

Appointment at Answers Training International.(Darren McGrath)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Darren McGrath has been promoted to director of sales at exhibition training outfit Answers Training International. He was previously sales manager for the Answers Group of companies and will be responsible for the day-to-day running of...

Appointment at FDS Field Marketing.(Mark Pullen and Emma Graw)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Mark Pullen and Emma Graw have joined FDS Field Marketing. Pullen joins as business development manager to focus on the agency's tactical campaigns. Graw becomes field project manager and will be developing mapping software for a range of...

Appointment at Wembley.(Tim Handscomb)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Tim Handscomb has joined Wembley as sales executive for exhibitions. He will be responsible for building relationships with organisers, securing repeat business and adding new events to the venue.

Appointment at Compass Group.(Chris Morris)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Chris Morris has become sales and marketing director for the UK leisure and hospitality division of Compass Group. He was previously the group's director of corporate hospitality. Morris previously worked for Jack Morton Worldwide.

Appointment at Montgomery International.(Silvia Dorigo)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Silvia Dorigo has joined exhibition organiser Montgomery International as project executive. She has previously marketed furniture fairs in Milan and studied event management in the US.

Appointment at Taste of the Vine.(Richard Oatley)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Richard Oatley has joined corporate event organiser Taste of the Vine as event marketing manager. He will be responsible for raising the profile of the company, which specialises in shows around wine, champagne, challenges and treasure hunts....

UK firms get aid offer at Munich-run shows.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The government is offering grants to UK companies that want to exhibit at worldwide electronics shows organised by Munich Trade Fairs. Trade Partners UK, the Government body set up to help UK companies secure overseas sales and investments,...

The Brewery hires firm for image rethink.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... London event venue The Brewery is revamping its corporate identity in a bid to attract more business. Design agency c-eye has been hired to rebrand the sales literature, marketing collateral and website after winning a five-way pitch. ...

Greetham steps in as Opex chief quits.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Keith Greetham has been named chief executive at contractor Opex Exhibition Services. He replaces David O'Connor who quit the post suddenly last month. Greetham, who has been a non-executive director at the company since January 2002,...

IN MY VIEW: Don't ignore the changing face of hospitality in the UK.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... There was a time back in the late 1980s when corporate invitations to hospitality events came so thick and fast that the number a person would turn down became a standing joke. But these days, with a typical cost of pounds 1,000 a head for...

ITE adds two more fairs to Moda line-up.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... ITE Group's clothing division ITE Moda has added two shows to run alongside the Moda UK and Moda Menswear exhibitions at the NEC from 10-12 August. Fast Forward@Moda will showcase short-order brands that offer immediate delivery of...

Service Graphics consolidates trio of exhibition divisions.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Service Graphics (SG) has merged three of its divisions to form a one-stop shop for exhibition clients. The company's custom-build plant and 3D design arm, both in London, and its modular and portable display business in Salisbury will be...

Organiser starts show to rival London car fair.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Event management outfit Moyles Motivational Marketing (Mmm) is organising an interactive car show to fill the void left by this year's axed London Motor Show. Motordrive Live 2003 will take place from 24-26 May at the Concept Centre's...

THINK TANK: BECA - Trial by membership.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Three stalwart members of BECA tell Emma Reynolds what they think the organisation needs to do to better represent the contracting industry in the 21st century For the first time in its 90-year history the British Exhibition Contractors...

PROFILE: Simon Clarkson, Marketing Director.(at Haymarket Exhibitions)
March 13, 2003... Simon Clarkson has spent 12 years in marketing, but his new role at Haymarket Exhibitions marks his first foray into promoting shows. He tells Mike Fletcher why his early experiences will stand him in good stead in this fiercely competitive...

SHOWCASE: Chemistry: the live dating event.
March 13, 2003... The lonely hearts show's London debut went so well that further events have been lined up already. Anybody looking in on the recent Chemistry: the live dating event at London's wine-themed attraction Vinopolis could have been forgiven for...

SECTOR GUIDE: EUROPEAN VENUES - Fighting back.(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Economic and political turbulence in Europe is making life difficult for its venues, but despite the woes they remain bullish about the future, writes Jennifer Creevy A recent study by KPMG for the European Major Exhibition Centres...

EUROPEAN VENUES: Continental connections.
March 13, 2003... Europe's venues are joining forces in an aggressive marketing blitz to boost business in a difficult climate. Jennifer Creevy reports on the latest tie-ups Seven of Germany's biggest exhibition centres are for the first time joining forces...

HISTORIC VENUES: Lure of the past.
March 13, 2003... British heritage is a magnet for event planners. Mike Fletcher takes a look at the enduring appeal of a step back in time A key draw for visitors flocking to the UK is the country's heritage. Overseas exhibitors, visitors and business...

RSVP: Show Preview - RSVP.
March 13, 2003... The show for corporate event organisers has moved home and added an array of major new features. RSVP is back for a second outing, but this time at a different venue. The event, which aims to showcase all the latest products and services...

CUSTOM-BUILT STANDS: Combination theory.(trade show events)
March 13, 2003... Brash stands are giving way to a new wave of show areas that integrate a client's marketing strategy, says Stuart Derrick Downsizing is the order of the day in the current economic climate. As a result, custom-built stands can be seen as an...

GRAPHICS: Fast forward to the future.
March 13, 2003... Innovations in graphics technology continue apace and clients can't afford not to keep up. Emma Reynolds reveals what's hot Whether exhibiting at a show or organising a live event, the key is to grab people's attention. One way is through...

DIARY: Funny business..
March 13, 2003... Comic Relief returns to our screens this month for the now traditional quota of usual fooling around by members of the general public who should know better. To get this year's charity extravaganza off to a flying start, the BT Tower in...

DIARY: Star Attraction.
March 13, 2003... After Westlife and One True Voice, Excel has finally got a proper band to record a music video at the Docklands site. Step forward last month's double Brit winner Coldplay who used the venue's north halls and low-lighting effects to create a...

DIARY: Trade Secrets.
March 13, 2003... The juiciest gossip from around the events and exhibitions industry that some people would rather you didn't know... 1 Who thanked her boss for 'everything I have learnt about salami' during her leaving speech from a recent job switch? ...

DIARY: Down under and out..(Australia beating England in soccer)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... As if being endlessly beaten by Australia at cricket wasn't bad enough, the Aussies now beat us at football, too. England sponsor Nationwide probably wasn't too chuffed with the 3-1 result at the recent friendly at Upton Park, but at least its...

DIARY: War games..(war re-enactments)(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... Diary's Grandad often goes on and on and on about how young people today need discipline with a firm hand and a spot of national service. Later this year he'll be in good company if he travels down south to the Military Odyssey show, which...

DIARY: Auf wiedersehn Wembley..(Brief Article)
March 13, 2003... The demolition of Wembley's famous twin towers brought back a flood of memories for Diary - England's World Cup win in 1966, Gazza scoring from a fluke - sorry free kick - against Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final in 1991, overcrowding, a...