Consumer Shows

A consumer show, trade show, or expo is an exhibition held for companies in a particular industry to demonstrate, preview, and showcase their latest products and services. Those that call themselves consumer shows are generally open to the public; other shows may be “trade only,” or reserved for professionals in the industry and relevant members of the press. Over 2,500 consumer shows are held each year, in various industries. Virtually every industry has a consumer show; it has become a part of the way business is conducted. Many industries have more than one show—a show may be geared toward a specific region, or a specific aspect of an industry. The larger ones, those expected to attract attendees from all over the country, are often held in destination cities like New Orleans, Las Vegas, New York, and Los Angeles.

Trade shows involve a good deal of expense. The space must be rented, trade show displays must be constructed (and often designed with input from marketing consultants and other experts), telecommunications and travel arrangements must be made, and once at the show, costs are incurred for booth maintenance (cleaning, Internet, electricity, and drayage). Cities will often subsidize the building of a convention center for exactly this reason, to attract that economic activity.

A trade show display is set up in a booth at a trade show, and varies in cost, complexity, and goals. It typically consists of banners and physical screens, and now will often include computer monitors displaying presentations from a laptop. The display both lures attendees to the exhibit booth and serves as a passive way to distribute information, to complement the active components of the booth workers and the take-home components of any materials provided to attendees, like brochures, DVDs, and samples. The purpose of a trade show display can be to increase or reinforce market share (it is a phenomenon of consumer shows that the best-known, most dominant brands—the ones least in need of exposure—often have the most prestigious booths, and expensive giveaways for attendees), to encourage existing customers to buy more or to expand their purchases to other products from the company, to introduce new products, or to position or reposition the brand identity.